There's a question that keeps coming up from coaches, and honestly, it's one that can make or break your business if you get the timing wrong.

Should you start a group coaching program or membership?

The appeal is obvious—leverage your time, help more people, bring in more revenue for your time. What's not to love, right? But there's a reason why some coaches launch group programs and absolutely crush it, while others spend weeks building something only to have one person sign up.

And the difference isn't what you think it is.

There are three very specific indicators that tell whether you're ready to host a group program or if you should pump the brakes. Miss these signs, and you could end up like I did years ago: spending weeks creating content and marketing only to wind up with one person paying me $397 for what became a five-dollar-per-hour time suck.

But when you have these three things in place? Group programs can be incredible. People feel less alone when they realize they're not the only one struggling with money. There's this hive mind effect where one person's question unlocks something for three other people. The accountability that happens naturally in groups can make people implement faster than they ever would on their own.

The catch is that most coaches think building a group program will attract the masses, but it's actually the opposite. You want to attract people first, then provide the offering once you have people there to fill it.

This week, we’re walking through exactly when group coaching makes sense, when it doesn't, and if you're ready, the practical steps to actually make it happen without the mistakes that leave you wondering why nobody signed up.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• One-on-one coaching must come first. It's where you develop actual coaching skills and learn what works versus what you think should work.
• Don't build a group program to attract people; attract people first, then build the program. There's nothing more disheartening than launching a group with only one person in it.
• Three signs you're ready for group coaching: you're fully booked with demand, you have a large engaged audience, or you serve a unique niche that services masses.
• Without one-on-one experience first, you'll become a financial educator instead of a coach. Managing group dynamics while figuring out how to coach is like conducting an orchestra before learning to play an instrument.
• Pattern recognition from individual clients becomes your group program foundation—you need to see the common challenges, resistance points, and breakthrough moments to create effective group content.
• Group programs work when demand already exists, not when you're hoping to create demand from scratch.
• Start small with workshops or mini-programs before committing to a full group offering. Test the group dynamic and your enjoyment of it before making a major time investment.

There's something missing in your coaching business, and it's probably not what you think.

You've got the big stuff figured out—your coaching skills, your programs, maybe even your marketing. But there are four smaller things that many coaches overlook, and without them, something always feels a little off.

These four missing pieces might seem small on the surface. You might even wonder if you really need them. But when they're not there, your business feels harder than it should be. Progress feels slower. You second-guess yourself more. And honestly, you're way more likely to just give up.

We see this happen all the time to coaches with really big dreams. They start out strong, but eventually get burnt out or stuck because they're trying to do everything alone. And far too often, they quit.

The thing is, there's actually research that shows when you have just one of these missing ingredients in place, your chance of achieving your goals jumps. That's not a typo. We're talking about a massive difference in your probability of success.

That's the power of having all the right ingredients in your business. Without them, every decision feels heavier. Every setback feels more personal. Even your wins don't feel as good because you don't have anyone to celebrate with.

But when you have all the pieces you need? You move faster. You aim higher. You bounce back faster. And you stop wasting so much time and energy second-guessing yourself.

The key ingredients we’re talking about on this week’s episode are the difference between you just thinking about your goals and keeping them to yourself, versus actually following through on the things that matter. They're what separate coaches who keep spinning their wheels from those who build thriving businesses.

Listen in as we share exactly what these four missing ingredients are, why they matter so much, and how you can get them in your business. Because honestly, you'll be so thankful you have them.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Your business might have all the obvious ingredients but still feel “off” because you’re missing some small pieces that you don’t realize yet are missing.
• Community isn't just networking, it's belonging. When you're surrounded by people who actually get what you're building, you stop second-guessing yourself so much.
• There’s a big difference in success rates when you keep goals to yourself versus have accountability with at least one other person.
• How many times has a client said, “The only reason I got this done is because I knew we had our meeting today”? You need that same external motivation for your business goals.
• Support comes in three forms: tactical (bounce ideas off someone), emotional (reminder you're not failing), and celebratory (someone to cheer your wins with).
• You can't gain the same insights trying to figure everything out alone. Expert guidance helps you avoid spending months wondering why leads aren't converting.
• Every decision feels heavier without these four ingredients, but when you have them, you move faster and aim higher.

Philip Taylor started FinCon because he was tired of talking to his spouse about business ideas that didn't quite land. He needed someone to really riff off of, someone who understood the mission.

His first WordPress conference back in 2004 validated him as an entrepreneur in a way he didn't expect. The relationships he formed there? He still relies on some of them today. Philip gets real about walking into rooms where you don't know anyone and why that awkwardness might actually be the point.

Conferences aren't inexpensive when you factor in flights, hotels, and all the extras. But Philip sees them as an investment and shares practical ways to cut costs, but he also talks about something we don't discuss enough: the lifetime value of those connections. He still laughs about memories from conferences years ago. What value can you place on that kind of connection?

In this week’s episode, Philip makes a case for why being busy actually makes conferences more valuable. It's a forcing function that pulls you out of the grind and puts you in CEO mode for a few days. That reset helps you see your business differently.

If you think you're not far enough along yet, Philip has news for you. There are always people at conferences who don't have a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel yet. They're just there to soak it all up. Your job is to find those people.

This conversation covers territory that anyone considering their first conference needs to hear, from someone who's created one of the biggest conferences in our space.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• FinCon Expo (Use code kelsa50 for $50 off!)

Key Takeaways:

• Find your inner circle by choosing conferences where attendees share your mission because they're just as tired of talking to their spouse about ideas that don't land as you are.
• Volunteer at the event to bake in networking before the conference even starts. You'll meet speakers, organizers, and other volunteers while having a purpose beyond just attending.
• The lifetime value of one conference connection can pay for the entire trip. Philip still relies on relationships from his first WordPress conference in 2004.
• Too busy? That's exactly why you need the forcing function of a conference to pull you out of worker bee mode and into CEO mode for a few days.
• Google can't break down exactly how someone implemented their strategy, but the person sitting next to you at lunch can (and they might even pull up their laptop to show you).
• If you think you're not ready, find the other people who aren't ready either and form a mastermind together.
• Conference speakers update their slides last minute with cutting-edge information, so you're getting current strategies, not outdated online content.