Me – A Coach?

Let’s Grow Guest Blog Series 

BY NAKITA ROWELL-STEVENS

I never set out to be a coach, so you might say I stumbled into coaching accidentally. Writing is my passion and my gift and when I started my business nearly 5 years ago, it was to feed my passion but also to share my gift with those who needed it.

As a new business owner, I was eager to work with new clients and give them value. Like so many new business owners, I’m sure I gave up more time, free advice and work than I should have. a content marketer, I write for my clients, but I also feel a responsibility to educate them. If a client hires me to write their social media content, and they tell me they know nothing about social media, it is my job to educate them and set proper expectations. I’ve built my business around this principle, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that my business is now evolving from just writing content for clients to teaching them how to do it themselves. Some might think that I’m taking away from my business in doing this, but I see it as a way to serve a broader market. There will always be clients that hate to write, and those clients will continue to outsource their content. There is another category of clients that possess some writing chops, but it is misplaced. With the proper guidance from an expert, they can take control of their content and make it work for them. I have the capacity to serve both of these clients, but the second category just moved me into the realm of coaching.

I’m not going to lie – this is new and uncomfortable territory for me. I’ve been writing since I was 13. It is nearly muscle memory for me. When something comes so easily to you, you have to reach deep down to discover the strategies and tactics you use to do what you do. I’ve had to be more introspective in discovering my processes so that I can share it with my coaching clients and guide them down the path to success. You know what I’ve learned throughout this journey? I know a lot more than I thought I did! I am an expert in my field. That is why people pay me to write their books, their web content, their blogs, social media, etc. Coaching enables me to teach my clients how to fish, and the intrinsic reward is immeasurable! I never saw myself as a coach, but realized I was coaching before it became a line item in my business. What about you?

Meet Nakita:

Writing is a gift I discovered at the early age of 13. A natural extrovert, becoming a writer seemed a bit of an oxymoron. So, I decided to study broadcast journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. Broadcast married my desire to work with people to my writing. However, I quickly learned that while I loved journalism, it diluted the colorful creative writer within. When I started Word Stylist in 2014, I saw an opportunity to create my own lane in the writing world. I like to think of myself as the perfect blend of a journalist and a creative writer.

You can also find Nakita and the Word Stylist on Facebook.

We all learn and inspire each other, so why not share your story with us?  #LetsGrow