This is Part 2 of the deep dive into my coaching process. Last week, I shared how I onboard new clients. Today, taking you behind the scenes of my ongoing coaching relationships—from session two through to completion, and beyond.

If as you read this you think “I’d like to be her client”… book a free discovery call to explore coaching HERE (or begin by reading my FAQs). I take on new 1-2 clients/month and fees are increasing in April.

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How I create results for my clients.

→ Session 2 onwards

Session 2 begins with a crucial reflection point. You arrive having processed your insights from our first meeting, so there may be fresh perspectives and questions.

If there’s any resistance to the goals established in Session 1, I guide you to unpack it:

“Is this resistance because the goal doesn’t actually feel right? Or is it fear of what committing to it will require?”

Once any questions are ironed out, we can now deepen the conversation, translating your ambitious goals and ideas into tangible action steps. We create a strategic ‘to-do’ list and, just as importantly, a ‘not to-do right now list’.

So many founders unnecessarily pile actions onto their plate without due thought: many of those actions are not important right now, or perhaps, ever.

A past client shared:

“I remember feeling like I was drowning in all these things I ‘should’ be doing, and Ellen was the first person to stop me and say, ‘Wait—does this even matter? Is this actually moving the needle?’ That reframe was a game-changer.”

I’m now able to start seeing patterns emerge—in how you make decisions, what blocks you, and where you might be overcomplicating things. I’ll help you refine your focus so that you can work smarter, not harder.

These early sessions are all about a bespoke plan for you to create real momentum. Momentum comes from building clarity about what you want and then taking action towards it. The more action you take, the more clarity you create. It’s a virtuous cycle.

But this is way more than giving you a guide to follow, as all our work happens through the lens of ‘you’, aka how your values, experiences, backstory and life circumstances are impacting your beliefs and your progress. We unpick anything that is standing in the way between you and your goals. Whether that’s a past failure that comes back to haunt you, a childhood script, a pattern of thinking or working that isn’t serving you.

In a recent session, saying something along the lines of:

“You’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself to have this figured out already. What if, instead of needing to know everything, we just got really clear on the next thing?”

If there are knowledge gaps about the exact steps required to grow your business, I will step in with my business mentor hat on.

I’ll share a piece of advice, framework, anecdote or something for you to read/listen to after the session (I have a vast library of trainings to pull from at this point, across every aspect of the business building journey!).

A long time client Alice described this as:

This is my first rodeo, but it's not Ellen's—her experience shines through every time we meet. Her advice and writing are grounded in research, theory, and real world experience. I also appreciate the little things she does like review emails for me, make introductions, or provide the bolder feedback that my friends and family can't give!

All your notes and next steps will be stored in your private file for you to access and work through in your own time… you won’t feel alone in this journey during any point of the process.

→ Mid point of coaching

At the midway point, (which might be between session 3 - 10 depending on your programme length) it’s a great opportunity to zoom out and assess progress.

I’ll introduce a midpoint check-in form, asking:

• “What has been the biggest shift for you so far?”

• “What are you the most proud of?”

• “What is still feeling unclear, slow or challenging?”

• “What changes can I make as your coach, to support you further?”

I often remind clients:

“Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re at the edge of something important. Let’s figure out what’s really going on.”

This phase is about recalibrating—ensuring you stay aligned, focused, and energised for the second half of our work together. If the goals still feel too big or too nebulous, we can break them down further. If your mindset is preventing you from thinking big, or believing in a better future, we’ll look at why. If something has come to light that has made you realise you want to go in a new direction, that’s okay too.

Here are examples of shifts that made at the mid point process across different clients:

• A client feeling they were making slow progress on their B2B side of the business. They feared this was due to a lack of reputation or abilities. To me? This side simply needed more attention, time and patience. We got back on track with that goal — because it is one they really want, and is within reach.

• A client exploring a job (they’ve been in business a long time) and navigating what taking the job would mean for their business. In the end, they decided to stay in their current set up.

• A client noticing that the market for what they do has shifted so significantly due to global political changes. Rather than pull back on marketing, I suggested addressing the elephant in the room head on. They’re now running an event to bring industry leaders (and potential clients) together to discuss the state of affairs.

• A client who came to me for more for marketing support and to grow their reach with their business, realised that closing clients was more of a priority as they already had plenty of leads but needed our sessions to refocus on best practices for this part of their business.

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→ Towards the end of coaching

As we move beyond the midpoint, the coaching has shifted towards refining since you’re out in the world, implementing and adjusting the plan based on live feedback from clients, partners and audiences.

It might feel more like you are reporting back to me. You might be saying something like:

“It’s been busy and there's things I've been working on that definitely take way more time than I had anticipated… but I actually feel really in flow with it. I created a playbook for my process, and now I keep refining it as I learn new things.”

We discuss:

• What’s working and proving successful?

• What needs tweaking? Where are inefficiencies showing up?

• Where do we need to shift or expand the strategy?

Crucially, there is much more self-trust in your decisions. You’re absolutely no longer feeling stuck or reactive, but operating with clarity and empowerment.

So the final stage of coaching is about consolidating your transformation. For most clients, transformation looks like growing an authority-led business that feels aligned, creates high ticket clients and building a body of work they are proud of. There will be specific milestones worked towards on the coaching journey, too.

So you've either reached your initial goals or have made significant progress towards them.

I’ll ask you to fill in an end-of-coaching reflection, with questions like:

• “What’s changed for you since our first session?”

• “What are the top 3 lessons you’ll carry forward?”

• “How will you continue holding yourself accountable?”

A client reflected:

“At first, I was obsessed with hitting specific numbers and metrics. But through our coaching, I learned to balance ambition with self-awareness—knowing when to push and when to pivot. The structured, action-focused approach was a game-changer.”

This reflection process isn't just about celebrating wins—it's about embedding the tools and mindset shifts we've developed together into your long-term business strategy. This ensures you have a clear plan for what’s next beyond our work together and that you feel confident in self-coaching and decision-making.

You leave with sustainable systems for long-term progress.

→ After we’ve finished working together

Once we’re done, I check in with you three months later to see how you’re progressing.

I’ve noticed around 20-30% of clients return for more coaching within 6-12 months or so, often when they reach their next phase of business. You know what they say… another level, another devil.

Some clients don’t return—and that’s okay! Many get exactly what they needed from that coaching engagement, or they seek out another coach with a different focus, background or style, when they are next in the market for coaching.

One past client, Nicki, reflected on our work together:

“I was definitely drawn to your style because from meeting you, talking to you, and following your work, I really respected your pragmatic approach to building a coaching business. There’s strong intuition and emotion in your work, but I loved that it came with clear structure and an action plan. I wanted accountability, and I got it.”

Is it your turn to get coached?

Did you read this and think “I’d like to be her client”? You can book a discovery call to explore 1-1 coaching together, HERE. My clients often come through this newsletter, and I'd love to support you if it feels like the right fit.

🚨 Or, if you’re a coach and you’d love more insight into my practices? 🚨

Sign up this week in time to join me in a 7 day private podcast — each day I’ll voice note you with the insider scoop and details on how I run my six-fig coaching practice. Learn more and sign up this week HERE. We start Monday.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Until next time,

Ellen from The Ask.

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