Entrepreneur Spotlight - Raleigh Coaching

Kathleen O’Grady launched Raleigh Coaching, LLC as a vehicle to unleash her creative energy.  Raleigh Coaching partners with small business owners and individual leaders within organizations, to inspire the creation of authentic ‘viral’ brands.  For Kathleen, branding is not simply the base-coat to a marketing strategy; it is a vision of authentic distinction—one that leads to people doing what they love, and being financially rewarded in the process.  It is all about creating contagion for success, and authenticity is contagious.

Q & A

Q. Why did you start your business and what niche does it fill?

A. My niche was born out of personal necessity. When I was launching my coaching practice I struggled with figuring out the best way to communicate who I was and what I do.  I remembered a course I had taken back in college called The Ethos of Brand.  The ‘ethos’ is the essence of a brand, the emotional connection that resonates with people.  After going through this process of authentically branding my own business, I realized that I could help others.  Authenticity Identity Coaching is unique in that it aid in the creation of internally driven brands, rather than externally driven (passions/strengths vs. market trends).  

Q. How did you finance your business?

A. I started my business on a shoestring.  Luckily, a coaching practice does not require much overhead.  My main investment was in my schooling, various professional certifications and my website.  I tend to be very hands-on, so I essentially ‘built’ my website in Microsoft PowerPoint to show a web designer what I wanted...I even took all of the pictures myself.  Then I paid a freelancer a low hourly rate to do the HTML.  In my case, I created and evolved my business plan up as I went along, and even used my annual tax returns towards some startup costs.  I tell people all the time that starting your own business doesn’t have to mean giving up and starting over.  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  I started my business while employed full-time, volunteering part-time and in attending school.  When you are truly following your passion, nothing will stop you.

Q. Who are your customers?

A. My customers are people who want to be themselves 100% of the time.  In addition to working with entrepreneurs on branding their companies, I also work with individual leaders within organizations who want to differentiate themselves from the clan.  They want to stand out and be known for their strengths, rather than simply aspire to fit a mold that their company has created for them.

Q. What are the most critical things you have done to grow your business?

A. At the risk of sounding cliché, the most critical contribution to my business growth has been the relationships I have established and nurtured along the way.  Rather than focusing solely on selling my services to others, I have simply focused on coming across authentically in all of my interactions, and I’ve found that my brand has grown out of that.  And, of course, persistence.

Q. How have you used social media tools like LinkedIn to grow your business?

A. I have a Facebook page for my business, and I try to Tweet at least once a day, but a majority of my social media networking takes place on LinkedIn.  In addition to using the site to organize my connections and communicate with them, I also use it as a playing field for idea sharing.  For example, I recently started a LinkedIn group called ‘Authenticity Junkies’ which is intended to facilitate a break-through and reinvention of business culture in such a way that encourages authenticity, playfulness, and laughter.  People who take themselves too seriously are typically ineffective. 

Q. What are three pieces of advice you would offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

A. The first mistake that many entrepreneurs make is beginning their branding at the implementation stage and launching their business before they have thoroughly thought threw their vision.  I would advise people to start by focusing on what drives them, not what they perceive will drive their earnings.  The second common misconception is that working for a corporation is more stable than self-employment.  While that may have been the case in the past, we can now agree that nobody’s job is permanently guaranteed.  I encourage entrepreneurs to ignore the naysayers and that inner-voice we all have that tells us to “give up and get a real job”.  Finally, and I believe most importantly, if you are trying to launch a new business with very little funding, never under estimate the power of human generosity.  Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need, even if you can’t afford it.  Barter if you can, or offer to provide referrals in lieu of payment.  We are all in this together.

Q. How does your business "give back" to the community or to society?

A.  I usually work with at least two pro-bono clients at a time.  I find this helps me stay grounded, and I also see it as helping people who can eventually bring me future business.  In addition, I volunteer as the Board President of the International Coach Federation (ICF) Raleigh Area Chapter.  One of my favorite aspects of this role is that I often get to welcome coaches from all over who are relocating to the Triangle area.  I am also a member of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, which is focused on bringing together Raleigh-based companies to support one another.

Q. How and why was it important to base your business in the Triangle area?

A.  I chose to name my business after the City of Raleigh because I am proud to live here.  I’ve lived in NY, CT and MA most of my life before moving down in 2004.  Due to the amazing universities nearby, the Triangle area is a melting pot of educated and creative people from around the world.  Further, this area seems to have a culture of creativity, excitement and collaboration.   

Special –

Raleigh Coaching, LLC is discounting the AuthenticDiscovery package from $1500 to $995 for the entire month of January.  This package of five 2-hour sessions is an in-depth exploration of a clients existing personal and/or professional brand identity and communication strategy.  Through a combination of coaching and consulting, we assess whether or not you are effectively leveraging your distinguished potential, and then create an action plan that suits your needs and personality. 

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