“I Collaborate with Coaches and Other Informed Individuals”: Insights from Coach Kate Solovieva

Kate Solovieva—a former psychology educator, PN Master Coach, and PN’s Director of Community Engagement—has crafted a distinctive niche in health and nutrition coaching. Her defining statement, “I collaborate with coaches and other informed individuals,” succinctly illustrates her focus: aiding knowledgeable, passionate individuals—often other coaches—in converting their expertise into effective client relationships and successful coaching enterprises.

Through countless coaching interactions, Coach Kate has gained profound insights into the common missteps that well-intentioned (and highly educated) coaches might encounter. The positive aspect? These errors are entirely rectifiable—with adequate reflection, reframing, and strategic initiatives.

Whether you’re embarking on your coaching path or are an experienced practitioner, continue reading to uncover three frequent coaching pitfalls that Kate observes regularly—and how to navigate them with awareness and purpose.

1. Pitfall: Prioritizing Coaching Over Selling

According to Coach Kate, managing a flourishing coaching business is akin to balancing on a three-legged stool.

• Coaching: Your capacity to assist individuals in reaching their objectives through knowledge, empathy, and behavioral change techniques.
• Selling: Your capability to attract clients and enroll them in your services.
• Administration: Your behind-the-scenes operations including scheduling, billing, and organization.

Most aspiring coaches initially concentrate on reinforcing the “coaching” leg. They accumulate certifications, attend workshops, and immerse themselves in literature. Yet… their businesses don’t flourish.

Why? As Kate highlights, proficiency is attained through practice, not solely theory. And to practice, you require clients. To attract clients, you must sell.

Solution: Present Yourself as a Coach, Not an “Expert”

A prevalent obstacle to selling is the mindset that coaches must possess all the expertise. However, Coach Kate advocates for a coaching approach during client discussions—not presenting oneself as an encyclopedia.

Clients typically seek coaching—not an excess of information. They require support, curiosity, and collaboration. When clients pose technical inquiries, a more effective response might be to ask: “That’s an interesting question—what prompted you to ask that?”

This often leads to insights about their motivations, fears, or challenges—crucial elements that progress the dialogue (and coaching journey) forward.

Coaching insight:
Instead of aiming to feel “prepared,” begin practicing. The journey to becoming a master coach is paved with real-world experiences, not merely academic understanding.

2. Pitfall: Believing Your Clients Mirror Your Own Priorities

It’s natural to assume that your clients share your priorities. After all, they chose to work with you!

However, Coach Kate reminds us that even when both you and your client value health, your interpretations and approaches to health may differ significantly.

For instance, you might relish tracking macros or meal prepping—you may even find it straightforward. But for your client, this could be daunting, triggering, or costly.

Solution: Abandon Assumptions. Embrace Curiosity Instead.

Pose insightful, open-ended questions to gain clarity on:

• Why they initially sought your guidance.
• What values and aspirations motivate them (it might not be about weight loss or muscle gain!).
• What they’ve previously attempted—and the reasons why it succeeded or faltered.
• What they find feasible and appealing at this moment.

Each client is an individual with their own experiences, challenges, and ambitions. Even someone who “resembles you” brings a distinct life context to the discussion. That distinction matters.

Coaching insight:
Utilize resources such as the Ready, Willing, and Able worksheet to ascertain what steps a client is genuinely prepared to take.

3. Pitfall: Becoming Overly Emotionally Attached to Client Outcomes

Caring deeply about your clients’ advancement is admirable. However, as Coach Kate conveys, emotional