If you are a nurse looking for a change and not sure what to do next with your nursing career, maybe it’s time to hire a coach, someone who is also a nurse.
Or maybe you want to know how to start your own nurse coach business?
I have just the nurse coach for you!
Michael Pergrem has agreed to answer some questions about his coaching business, tips on how to get started, what he does in his nurse coach business and links to find out more, including hiring him as a coach to help you find you way and stop the burnout feeling.
I highly recommend you check out his websites, connect with him, see how you can transform you life into what you’ve always wanted. We all need a little help sometimes and hiring a coach may be just what you need.
So here goes!
How long have you been in nursing?
I’ll celebrate my 22nd year as a nurse in June.
Tell us about your business, who your market is and what you offer?
I work with nurses who decide they want to leave the bedside and become entrepreneurs, or change fields.
I also market to nurses who are feeling stressed and may be on the way to burn out (burnout avoidance), as well as with nurses in burnout recovery.
We first talk about their situation and how that experience is manifesting in their life. Basically this is an assessment process, yet I use coaching techniques to help the client discover things that they may not even be aware of consciously.
This is not therapy or psychology. This is done through my asking intuitive questions that causes the client to think in ways they haven’t thought before, and seeing from perspectives they haven’t seen before.
Through this process the client sees new possibilities and becomes inspired. For many, this is the first sense of inspiration they have felt in a very long time. We then begin to define the clients desires with the new found possibilities in mind, as well as any desired outcomes they may come into the process with.
At this point we reach the action phase.
With new possibilities on the horizon, together we create an action plan that will bring these possibilities and desires into the present. We map out the steps required and the order in which we will take them.
We then create a timeline for taking these steps. Some steps may be taken as several at a time, others will be step by step, one at a time.
In a short while we have a detailed map that guides my client to the achievements they desire and a timeline for when they will arrive.
This is their “Treasure Map”.
They also have an assistant (me) to walk along with them and give them any needed boost over obstacles that may arise along the way.
And of course if the client agrees in doing so, we work together on relaxation methods and wellness as part of the process, because to be your best and think your best these are important components.
I can work within a holistic approach to the coaching process, taking it as far as the client wishes. Together we can create not only a new person on the inside, but a new person on the outside as well.
This is the amazing thing about coaching and is why it’s so exciting to me.
What can be achieved is limitless!
We achieve these results from the one-on-one coaching by phone that I offer. I also have other products in production to be offered soon, as well as a few supplemental affiliate products on my web site currently, which I’ll be adding to in the future.
How did you get started in your coaching business?
I studied coaching for a couple of years before deciding to make a go of it myself. I took a course in life coaching and upon completing it, realized that it wouldn’t serve me to market the need for something to others without subscribing to it myself. I also realized, that in order to map out the steps I needed to take and follow through, I needed a coach. Looking back I can say that was the genesis of my business and continues to be the most effective thing that keeps me focused.
What advice would you give to nurses who want to start their own coaching business?
Well, I’m sure you won’t be surprised by my first recommendation: Find a coach! This needs to be done for the same reasons you, as a coach, would recommend it for anyone else.
A coach who’s niche is with entrepreneurs would seem a logical choice, however, if you are attracted to one in another niche who is successful, keep in mind that they obviously have experience in starting their own business.
Coaching is more about bringing out a clients own knowledge, that they at first may not realize they have, rather than instructing a person in what to do. However, with the goal of starting a business, a successful coach has valuable knowledge and resources in addition to their skills in bringing out your best you.
Next, before becoming a coach you have to determine your niche: Do you want to serve other nurses? If so, what areas? Many of the common life coaching niche’s are also areas of interests to nurses. Wellness, nutrition, entrepreneurship etc…
Many people tend to think that narrowing your niche narrows your market and thus narrows your ability to make money. In fact, the purpose of a narrow niche is to enable you to focus your efforts on a specific target market. To concentrate your attention, like using a magnifying glass to start a fire by concentrating the sun on a small area. It takes less effort, keeps you from scattering yourself all over the place and yields better results. It also creates a stronger following.
This is an important decision and for many can be quite difficult. A coach can help you find your way here as well.
Describe a typical day “at the office” running your coaching business?
There are many ancillary tasks that go along with this business that I’ve had to learn and am still learning. I’m not a tech geek and in fact don’t have much interest in that area. There are virtual assistants that will happily deal with those tasks for me, but at this point in my business I’m not ready to hire support. So, part of my days involve learning and completing those tasks related to an on-line business.
A portion of each day is also devoted to writing, as well as product creation/development.
Another important task, and one I often enjoy too much, is interacting with my social media contacts. I say “too much” because if I’m not careful I spend too much time doing this and don’t get other tasks done. However this area is important because it’s how people connect with you and come to trust you. I have made many great friends in this work that I have never had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face. Friends who follow what I do, as well as colleagues who are anxious to assist me in any way they can.
(This is an awesome field that attracts some of the most caring and sharing people on the planet!)
I schedule these tasks around actual coaching appointments, whether it’s me receiving coaching, or me coaching a client.
What is the number one thing you love most about your work as a coach?
Nothing equals the experience of hearing a client on the other end of the phone reaching one of those “ah-ha!” moments. It’s like electricity for both of you. It energizes you both tremendously and you watch it take them to a new level of success. The really cool thing about it is that as the coach, you ride that wave along with them.
About the Author – Michael Pergrem has been a nurse for nearly 22 years who has worked in the areas of developmental disabilities, skill pediatric home care, mental health and dialysis.
Throughout his life he had always been the guy his friends knew they could go to when crisis arose. He was always there to listen and provide guidance when asked. Instead of doing this by telling them what to do, he found that it was much more effective if he asked them intuitive questions that led them to their own answers and inspiring them to think in ways they hadn’t before.
He realized this was his passion and purpose and became committed to pursue his dream.
Working with his own personal coach confirmed what Michael already knew: “People can achieve whatever they desire! How could I not want to be a part of empowering people to do that?”
He made the decision to live his dream, dusted off his old high school nickname to use as his brand, and “Coach Perg – The Nurse Coach” began, with the mission of instilling passion in those he serves by “Guiding Nurses From Burnout to a Life on Fire!”
Web site: Coach Perg Facebook
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Thanks so much Coach Perg, love what you’re doing!
Tina 🙂