Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Christos Papaioannou, Founder of Coaching Labs, located in London, United Kingdom.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Coaching Labs is a coaching consultancy that offers bespoke coaching services to individuals and organisations who want to work, lead and live authentically. This often means finding ways to connect with their courage so that they can navigate complexity. I created Coaching Labs in 2020 as I want to help people thrive and make a difference for themselves and others.
My clients come from different professional sectors and have diverse backgrounds. I often work with clients who seek to improve or take a new step in their careers, clients who are leaders or future leaders facing complexity and looking to improve their skills and leadership potential and individuals who want to explore a more fulfilling and confident attitude toward work and life. I have also worked with organisations that use coaching to create stronger and more impactful teams where everyone can feel like they belong. I offer individual and group coaching programmes and design and facilitate workshops and team days. Above all, I work with people who are ready to be brave, explore, learn and unlearn, test ideas, make mistakes, and grow.
Tell us about yourself
I had my first volunteering experience when I was 16 years old and my first part-time job in an organisation when I was 18 and had started my studies in Psychology. Since then, it has been clear to me that whether I work in the private or non-profit sector, I want to positively impact individuals, communities, and society. I worked for almost 20 years with international organisations (humanitarian and environmental) in increasingly senior roles and managed large teams before I decided to become a coach in 2019. Having worked in different organisations, I have experienced some great leadership and some not-so-great. I have seen people with talent, skills, and motivation get burnt out. I have also witnessed amazing leadership by people who did not have a senior role. I believe that people have the potential to make a difference, and I want to contribute to this, facilitating the growth process through coaching. So, my decision to become a coach was about positive impact and change as well! Having proper qualifications was very important to me. I completed my coaching diploma in the summer of 2020 before I launched my business. In my coaching, I bring together my coaching knowledge and skills, my years of experience in leadership, and my background in psychology.
What motivates me each day is seeing individuals or organisations realising that they want to do better and they find the motivation and capabilities to do so while connecting with each other and themselves. I believe this potential for positive change is one of the most important factors that give me hope and make me want to continue doing what I do. I also enjoy the diversity I have in the people I work with, the several connections with colleagues and other collaborators I am making, and the chance to share my experience through different channels - for example, last year, I participated in two podcasts, and it was super interesting!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a first-time business owner, there were many moments when I felt a strong feeling of accomplishment. Building and launching my website, having my first client testimonies, working with new clients and organisations, co-founding a coaching collective called Positive Change Agents... Probably the biggest accomplishment for me has been to receive feedback from clients after I had stopped working with them, telling me how they continue to benefit from our coaching. It shows me how coaching has the potential to ignite curiosity for learning and create space for surprise and change.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I'd definitely say working alone. If you thrive in and take energy from teamwork like myself, then you might find it pretty hard to be a solo business owner. I have navigated this challenge by creating a coaching collective with two colleagues with whom we collaborate frequently. I also try to have as many "external" meetings as possible - many coaches are doing extremely interesting things out there, and getting in touch with them, exchanging and learning from each other, creates this feeling of community. It makes you feel less alone.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
There are probably many articles with tips out there, and it might depend on so many factors - from the type of business to the personal circumstances. What I personally found important was to have a parallel plan B. I had a backup management consultancy business that provided me with work and some income as I had been building my coaching business. Also important is to network. Talk to people who have done similar things to what you want to achieve, learn from them, and get to know areas of your business sector that you might not be familiar with (or even know they exist). Understanding the business sector you are entering is key.
Finally, always remember the why. There will be days when you will feel frustrated, and giving up will seem very appealing. Those moments help remind yourself why you are doing this and how your business endeavor connects with your purpose and value. This is an exercise you must do at the very beginning: why do you want to start this business?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.coaching-labs.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coaching.Labs.by.Christos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoachinglabs/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coaching-labs/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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