Just a girl from a small village in Yorkshire with really BIG dreams. Michelle Gibson started out as a broke single mum, busting a gut in a corporate job working really, really long hours for somebody else’s dreams. She desperately wanted to set a good example for her daughter and show her what could be achieved with drive and determination.
‘’I was underpaid, undervalued, burnt out and BROKE!’’
Michelle Gibson invested thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours into finding out how to build a business. She created Exec Angels, an international online membership platform for administrators offering online training and empowering women in this industry. Michelle was nominated for We are the City’s “Rising Star” award for entrepreneurship and Pittman Super Achiever’s “Working Mum of the Year”, but something was still missing. She felt unfulfilled.
Michelle became a professional certified Business Coach and NLP Practitioner and set about to inspire as many women as possible to create their dream business through Angelic Coaching. She LOVEs being a coach and she is also inspired by the millions of women trying to help other people in the coaching profession. Yet Michelle spoke to so many women that had given up within the first 6-12 months as they couldn’t make it work.
Michelle knew she had to share everything Michelle learned about entrepreneurship and growing a successful coaching business with other women. It is her mission to help 1000 women skyrocket their coaching businesses. Through Angelic Coaching, Michelle Gibson is here to give your coaching business its “wings”.
What was the inspiration behind Angelic Coaching?
I started Angelic Coaching in 2020 in the midst of the UK Covid-19 lockdown, initially as a spin-off to my other business Exec Angels. I was a single mum on benefits when I got the idea to build an online business, and I literally built Exec Angels from my sofa when my daughter had gone to bed. I wanted to create an online platform to educate and empower administrative professionals – I’d spent 20 years as an EA in the sports and entertainment industry, and I felt admin support was so often overlooked. I used witty quotes that resonated with my audience and offered monthly training, and it swiftly took off and grew to a global audience.
All simply by working out how to leverage the magic of Instagram!!
I figured if I could build a successful business by essentially ‘googling’ how to do everything, I could teach other women how to do the same – but without having to spend years muddling through it!! But I have found what really holds women back is confidence and self-belief. This is where coaching works its magic! The mindset it EVERYTHING in business. I became a certified coach and Angelic Coaching was born to help women give dream their businesses ‘wings’!
What sets Angelic Coaching apart from the competition?
Let’s face it, there are millions of coaches out there. Type ‘Life Coach’ into Instagram and you’ll be flooded with profiles of incredible women and stories of coaches creating 10k months in 6 weeks.
Ladies… this is BS! A lot goes into building a business. Nobody talks about the challenges, the difficult clients and the months where you earn nothing. I primarily work with new female coaches and online business providers, teaching them how to find clients and scale their business using Instagram. They might be just starting out, with no clue where to begin, or perhaps they have done a course or certification programme but have no idea where to find clients. And of course, the advice is to get a business coach.
But here’s the thing… 1-1 coaching comes at a hefty price! And honestly, my 1-1 Accelerator Programme is expensive (albeit it gets results!). But I’m here to help people who are just starting out – and I appreciate that most people aren’t ready to invest 4 figures when they are starting out.
That’s why I’m launching the Angelic Business Academy at the end of the month. Specifically designed for new coaches and female service providers, this is a unique monthly membership programme, where I’m pouring everything I have learnt into monthly trainings and workbooks and live Q&As. I’ll be teaching people how to find clients, craft an irresistible offer, master their mindset, launch their service and all the business techy stuff that nobody tells you about. And it’s affordable for my client base!
How has the company evolved during the pandemic?
I think the pandemic, as horrific as this was for so many, has also demonstrated the power of online business. Everyone learned how to operate without an office. People created businesses from home. The world learned to adapt. My business went from non-existent to booked out within 6 weeks of launching towards the end of 2020. The demand is there, and the online world has become your oyster!
What is your favourite social network and why?
I have built both my businesses using Instagram. I love this platform, and when you understand it, the opportunity for growth is unlimited and it’s FREE!
How can you grow your IG organically?
When it comes to Instagram, it’s all about engagement and creating popular content. Did you know that only 1% of your audience sees your post when you hit publish? If that 1% doesn’t interact with your content, Instagram deems it unpopular and tanks it. If your dream audience engages, it’ll show it to a higher percentage. And if you want engagement, you need to be creating content that is very popular with your audience – they need to be sharing and saving all your posts to see you as the ‘go to’ expert that really gets them! Reels are the fastest way to grow your audience, but again these need to be popular and relevant to your audience.
What are the mistakes people make on Instagram?
Did you know you have 3 seconds to make an impact when someone lands on your profile? Vague taglines that don’t call out your ideal audience and tell them exactly how you will help them will have them scrolling on by. Helping someone ‘become unstuck’ or ‘live their authentic life’ is NOT offering them a tangible benefit they are going to want to buy! If you don’t hook them with your tagline, they won’t even read anything else that you have to offer.
Also, an IG grid should look coordinated, in brand colours and be full of useful content. I see way too many jumbled images and motivational quotes. This is your sales platform ladies – make sure it shines!
Tell us about your proudest achievement
In 2018 I was shortlisted for a Super Achievers ‘Working Mum of the Year’ award. I didn’t win it, but to even be in the final was the proudest moment for me. Everything I have done has been to provide for my daughter. I want her to be inspired to create the best life for herself and show her what is possible. When I was on my knees financially, she kept me going. If I can do it, any mum out there can!
What have you learned most from entrepreneurship?
To focus on the essential activities! I have a million ideas running through my head all day of how I can help people, and I suffer from ‘shiny object syndrome’. But really focusing down on who I want to serve means I can keep growing this business. The more successful it is, the more I can get my message out there to more women looking to create more from their lives.
Share 2 bits of advice for female entrepreneurs
Working on your mindset and self-belief is the gamechanger. This is more important than any sales funnel you will ever learn! And done is better than perfect – don’t procrastinate. The most successful entrepreneurs are huge action takers. There’s no such thing as perfect – just get it out there!
What are your aspirations for the future & imminent plans?
I will be launching the Angelic Business Academy in a few weeks’ time and my dream is to grow this platform to at least 500 members, all helping and supporting one another through those first challenging years of growing a coaching business or an online platform.
I want to get my message out far and wide that you don’t have to do this alone! And you don’t have to hire yourself an expensive Business Coach when you are first starting out!
There are some incredible entrepreneurship platforms out there, but nothing as niche as this, and from someone who has built successful businesses with zero cash. I know your struggles, I have been there, and I’m here to support you.