I recently became the guardian parent of an English Cream Golden Retriever named Betsy. Though she is not yet officially our dog, we are going to be her forever home once she is done having three litters of puppies.

I’ve fostered dozens of dogs and puppies for the Animal Shelter (before getting married to a man who is allergic to 80% of dogs!). This particular arrangement was a great fit for my family because my husband is miraculously not allergic to Betsy! Not only that, but somehow this sweet dog allows my toddler to do just about anything to her and she simply wags her tail in response.  She was craving more human attention and wasn’t doing well being the bottom of a pack of 5 dogs at the breeder’s lovely home.  It was a win for all of us to have Betsy join the Butler Floch pack.

At the moment, Betsy is raising a litter of eight pups. They are about five weeks old as of this writing, and they are adorable! About once a week we get to go visit Betsy and get pleasantly bombarded by the cutest puppies you’ve ever seen.

It’s really amazing to notice how much a puppy changes from one week to the next. The growth is astounding: one week they can’t open their eyes, but the next week they’re looking around and wagging when they see you. They get cuter and cuter and more interesting every week.

Watching these puppies grow is a huge reminder that the world around us is constantly changing. Are we adapting to meet new challenges? As I always say, we’re either growing or we’re shrinking… we’re never staying the same, and that applies to business and to life in general.  These puppies have really magnified that for me.

Notice in your coaching practice that your sweet spot really does shift over time, even if you’re working in the same niche: Your ideal client shifts slightly. Their challenges will evolve and their desires will modulate. You start to notice that clients that once felt ideal, aren’t lighting you up in the same way.

Is your business evolving as you — and your clients — evolve?

This week I invite you to look at the building blocks of your coaching practice. As things have things changed, has your business adapted to meet those evolutions? I encourage you to look at your Ideal Client Profile and make note of what has changed for you in the last 6 months.  I’d love to hear what your notice!

When you make adjustments to meet the demands of your market, you can sharpen your sword and love your business even more!

With appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch