I’m in the process of building a business from my lived experience. I already work at a job where I use my lived experience to help other people. I work in a mental health unit as a peer support worker.
Before I started to work as a peer support worker, I was working as a life coach. I’m reopening my coaching practice soon.
In 2018, I decided to become a coach who would work with clients on the autism spectrum.
The mindset I had was about helping other people overcome autism related challenges. I’m on the autism spectrum and have been since I was 5.
I was able to overcome my challenges by gaining social exposure.
Learning how most people think, speak, and behave and was what made me able to emulate normal behavior. I was still myself, but I learned how to fit in with people.
I have had clients who struggled with bullying in school, and also with people who had trouble making friends. The work was focused on being a good friend first and foremost and connecting with the right people.
I was fitting in with new friends in ball hockey back in 2011-2012. At the same time, I was developing into a leader in my Army Cadet unit.
At age 19, I was leaving the Army Cadet program.
I began to play serious competitive ball hockey at this time. A lot of my friendships are from the time I spent playing ball hockey.
I became socially calibrated because of post game hangouts and chilling with my friends.
By 2018, I was 24 years old. I decided I wanted to be a life coach because I wanted to help others.
In 2016-2017, I got to know another life coach, and he helped me realize I would offer a lot of value to clients who are on the autism spectrum.
There’s another motivational speaker who is also from Ottawa who is on the spectrum. He’s fairly well known on YouTube.
I have never met him before, but I would imagine I have a lot in common with him.
The first thing I did for many years was write to share wisdom and ideas.
This isn’t my first blog. But it is the first blog I want to stick with for many years. I now have a good job, so I can afford to keep the site up and running.
To start the hero’s journey of being a helping professional, you’ll want to understand your own story and where your life experience can help other people.
I was able to join cadets a couple years after my Dad passed away in 2004. That helped me learn to be a leader and also made me far better socially. I also had my fair share of trials and tribulations. In 2010 I went through a heartbreak and it took me a good 8-10 years to move on. There was a girl who went to another high school that I liked and got rejected by.
In 2012-2013, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and needed to take medication to function.
I used this part of my lived experience to become a peer support worker.
Now I’ve been a peer support worker for almost 3 years. Having a job that’s in your element is a foundation for future success. You are very fortunate if you have a job where you get to use your core strengths.
In the future I want to publish books, and share my story by doing speaking engagements.
The more I speak and get content out there the more I’m helping other people grow.
As an author a blog is a good way to start getting your content out there.
You can also do speaking on YT or spaces on X.
The synergy between being an author, speaker, and coach allows you to get your message out there through a few different mediums.
In 2018, I was on a speaking engagement for people on the autism spectrum. I told the audience that I do life coaching for people who are on the spectrum. I got my first offer from someone who listened to my talk. I took on the client and met with him on a weekly basis. We worked together for about 6 months.
My next client saw an ad I put online. We had a phone call, and his family wanted me to support him with high school related challenges.
My 3rd client was already a friend of mine, but wanted formal coaching. I coached him on an as needed basis until he passed away a few years ago.
Writing can get you speaking engagements, speaking engagements can get you clients who may want to do coaching with you.
It’s key to understand synergy and create a business where many different mediums can connect you with your audience.
I can write books on an array of topics that people will gain value from.
I suggest if you want to follow the same path I’m following that you look at your own unique lived experience and create content based on that.
Don’t try to copy another guru, maybe share a concept from another author if you want to help your reader. To build a good personal brand use experience that is unique to you.
You will soon find that other people will be able to relate to you more.
Publishing a free autobiography is something I’m working on right now.
I want to get my full story out there and use it as a means to help my future audience get to know me.
Charging money early on in your business may be counter-productive.
The autobiography is a gift that will allow people to know me better.
In the long run this will bring in more opportunity.
Speaking is a great way to get your message out there as well. Starting with opportunities in your city and then sharing other services you offer is a big part of it.
The more you give away up front the more of a market you will have.
I suggest you look at your life story and use your successes to help other people succeed.
The mediums are just mediums, the message is the part that really counts.
To your success,
Angus