I filled out an application to talk to a content marketing coach about joining her programme next spring. I’ve made less than $10K in the nearly 2 years since I started my business; based on her messaging I didn’t think I was ready to work with her now, but she invited everyone who was considering her programme to reach out, so I did. She also stressed that she wasn’t going to do these calls anymore in the new year, which also influenced me to ‘raise my hand’. One part of the app form asked about your current monthly revenue; mine is $435. This brings us to the thing I need coaching on. She emailed me:

C person said “$435 a month is not a business, it’s a hobby.”

Honestly, I don’t even know how I’d fill out the rest of the model. I just tried and I have so many thoughts and feelings I don’t know what goes where. I’m trying not to cry but there’s definitely a lump in my throat and my eyes got wet when I tried to explain to my mum why I was upset. I couldn’t even read her the words in this person’s email.

I feel angry because her comment feels like …. it discounts all the effort that I’ve put in so far. I don’t sit in confusion or overwhelm on my couch. I work in my business Mon-Sat, after I’m done with my day job. I’ve made offers on my personal social accounts, in emails, in fb groups. I’ve done weekly lives for the last 6 months. I’ve met new people and told them I’m a coach. I’ve invested in group and 1:1 coaching. I’ve also done a couple of educational programmes on the practical/visible sides of running a business. I bring these up to show I’ve not been afraid of investing, or prideful and trying to do it all myself. I don’t know why my result isn’t more than $435/mo, but surely my efforts and attitude are more what you’d see in a business than in a hobby?

At this point I have actually stopped and cried. I’m really discouraged. And this is the second time in the last week that someone has denigrated my efforts. Last Friday I went on a date. The guy asked how many clients I have in my business and when I said none he said “I call that a waste of time.” Twice. I didn’t care much about that because he’s not an entrepreneur. But I respect and admire this coach. And it’s been painful to me, to have worked consistently over the last 2 years, and to have so little to show for my efforts. I don’t even know what my question is. But this sucks.