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  • About
  • Coaching
    • Business coaching
    • Leadership coaching
    • Half-day coaching intensive
  • Workshops
    • Compassionate Conversations
    • Write Your Life Stories Workshops
    • The Confidence Course
    • Free Monday Talk & Meditation
  • Speaking
  • Retreat
  • Resources
    • Kate’s books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 0 items

business-coach-melbourne

Supporting you to grow a beautiful business

Kickstart Your Business is a coaching program for women who want to gain the confidence to start or grow a creative or wellness business.

CONTENT WE’LL COVER

  • Discover (or reconnect with) your business purpose
  • Identify your ideal business and your ideal client
  • Gain clarity about the best service or product offering
  • Marketing for non-marketers (and selling for non-sales people)
  • Getting social media right
  • Overcoming the fear and developing self-belief to make your business flourish
  • Develop the right money mindset
  • Setting up systems to streamline processes
  • Balancing business and life (as best you can).

CREATE AND GROW A BEAUTIFUL BUSINESS

With over 25 years of business management experience working for filmmakers, architects and designers, Kate offers business coaching for small business owners.

A BUSINESS COACH CAN HELP YOU TO:

  • Develop a vision for your business and create a plan for achieving your goals.
  • Establish a positive mindset around making money.
  • Overcome the sense of overwhelm that often occurs in the early days.
  • Identify your ideal client and learn how to get your message out there authentically.
  • Create systems that will free up your time so you’re not at your desk until midnight.
  • Develop a simple but workable marketing plan and the confidence to sell without being ‘salesy’.
  • Understand your unique strengths (and what you really should be delegating).
  • Network in a way that will make you comfortable.
  • Balance being creative with the boring parts of running a business (like managing cashflow).
  • Create a business that is profitable.
  • Balance business and life.

WHO ARE YOUR BUSINESS COACHING PROGRAMS FOR?

Our business coaching and small business mentoring programs are for clients who have started or would like to start their own creative or wellness business. You’ll get the most from this program if you’re:

  • interested in creating a small business that has some ‘soul’ in it.
  • the kind of person who values relationships as much as making a profit.
  • someone who is hoping to make a positive difference in the world.
  • willing to put in the work in order to make your business succeed.

THE BUSINESS COACHING 1:1 PROGRAM

Your coaching program runs over three-months and includes the following.

  • Pre-coaching strengths profiling and preparation questionnaires

    The profiling tools will provide insights into your innate strengths and give me insights into how we will work best together. We’ll both have a better understanding of the potential stumbling blocks you’re likely to encounter along the way. The prep questionnaires will help you gain clarity on the most important objectives for your career, your life and for the coaching program.

  • 1 x 75-minute strategy session

    We’ll review your profiling results and prep questionnaires and start creating a vision for your ideal career, business or life. You’ll leave this session with a greater understanding of yourself and at least a few clear goals and action steps.

  • 4 x 60-minute sessions

    We meet every couple of weeks to review your progress, to establish new objectives and to keep you moving beyond any of the limiting beliefs or behaviours that could hold you back. Your coaching program is valid for three months so you can take the time you need to get the most from the program.

  • 6 x workbooks – Creative Business Mentoring 

    You’ll receive free copies of our comprehensive business mentoring workbooks which include exercises and strategies to help you with your business planning, creating your social media and marketing plan, managing your finances as well as overcoming self-doubt and maintaining balance in your life as you grow your business.

  • 5 x workbooks – Believe in Yourself and Do What You Love

    You’ll receive free copies of our comprehensive workbooks to help you discover your values and purpose, overcome your limiting beliefs, define your vision, build resilience, discover your ideal career and if you’re changing roles, to approach the career search process with confidence.

  • Unlimited email and telephone support between sessions

    I’ll be here to touch base between sessions to keep you on track and to make sure you feel supported.

  • Option to continue with single-sessions

    I offer ongoing appointments for clients who have completed a coaching program. These can be scheduled at your convenience.

 

MORE QUESTIONS?

I’m not sure if I want to get straight into a program. Can I do a single session?
Kate is very happy to offer single sessions if you’re not sure about committing to a program. Please get in touch and we’ll send you a link to our online booking calendar.

What’s your previous experience?
Kate has 25 years of experience working with small business owners. Her clients include marketers, designers, small advertising agencies, artists, musicians, web designers, yoga teachers, web developers, bloggers, kinesiologists, publishers and psychologists.

Does Kate see clients on the weekends?
Not currently. Her client hours are Monday afternoons, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday mornings. Kate has a couple of 5pm timeslots but for the most part, she sees clients during business hours.

I’m not sure if I should do a half-day session or the coaching program. What would you recommend?
The content of the discovery session and the coaching program is much the same but the half-day session is a deep-dive intensive. It’s different in the sense that you’ll get to the heart of things in a single day. After that, you’re welcome to book a program or a series of single sessions if you need more support. The program is a better option for you if you prefer a bit more time between your sessions to reflect and if you need accountability to help you stay on track.

I’m not that interested in mindfulness. Does that mean you’re the wrong coach for me?
Not at all. Not everyone Kate sees is interested in mindfulness but it still influences her approach to working with you. Being mindful is really just another way of saying being present, curious, self-aware and non-judgmental. If those qualities appeal, you’ll enjoy working with Kate. She’s not at all dogmatic in her approach and she’s respectful that it might not be everyone’s thing.

Contact us for a copy of our brochure with more info, check out our frequently asked questions or find out more about Kate James.

ENQUIRE NOW »

 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING?

Emma Murray <span>Photographer</span>
Emma Murray Photographer

‘The resources and advice I received during Kate James’ small business mentoring program gave me more clarity about the direction I’d like to take my business, and the tools and motivation to start making progress. The best part about the program was the lovely women I got to share it with — all from different backgrounds and able to share advice from their own experience. It was like having six extra coaches to provide support and hold me accountable. I would highly recommend the program to anyone starting their own business.’ Emma Murray, Elm Creative

Misty Johnson <span>The Gratitude Bike</span>
Misty Johnson The Gratitude Bike

‘Kate’s energy, flow and knowledge helps calm the overwhelm of starting a business. She acknowledges where you are, asks all the right questions, and provides resources to get your business off on the right foot. All this while enjoying and sharing the experience with a group of like-hearted supportive women. Completing the small business mentoring program has given me clarity around my business, where I want it to go, and how I intend to get it there. Kate really has created something super special.’ Misty Johnson, The Gratitude Bike

Lucy Mills<span>The Lighthaus</span>
Lucy MillsThe Lighthaus

‘I was fortunate to be involved in one of Kate’s group programs and I have also worked with Kate personally for the last 18 months. Kate works with like-minded people so the group was a great fit and very supportive of each other. The content we covered applied to each of us who work across a variety of industries and focused not only on how to improve our careers but also to gain confidence and balance in life which is often a challenge for so many of us. Kate’s advice, guidance and support has been invaluable to me.’ Lucy Mills

Lou Spargo<span>Melbourne</span>
Lou SpargoMelbourne

‘What a fabulous program! I definitely won’t regret joining the mentoring group and thank you for giving me the opportunity. It was lovely to join a committed group of similarly minded people and share our common experience of planning and launching a small business. We all started and finished at slightly different stages but it didn’t matter as everyone was encouraged to work through the modules at their own pace and find their own unique process. Without a doubt, the act of sharing each week provided a solid foundation for accountability, support and inspiration. It will be lovely to keep in touch with this talented group of women and see the world embrace their extraordinary talents.’ Lou Spargo

Catherine<span>The Wellbeing Corner</span>
CatherineThe Wellbeing Corner

“Working with Kate has literally been life changing. In addition to being extremely professional and having the highest integrity, Kate is wise, kind and generous. She is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and does just that with her compassionate, grounded and creative approach. When I first met Kate, I was longing to find more meaning and purpose in my life but I lacked the confidence to start pursuing what inklings I did have. Working with Kate helped me gain clarity and, more importantly, develop the self-belief to pursue what is truly aligned and meaningful for me. What a gift! Thank you Kate.” Catherine Morey-Nase, The Wellbeing Corner

Leanne Clancey <span> Food & Travel Writer</span>
Leanne Clancey Food & Travel Writer

‘I first met with Kate when I was at a real career crossroads. Kate helped me to nut out my values and aspirations, recognise my natural talents and then identify opportunities and pathways for me to put that all together so that I could actually make stuff happen. I love the way that Kate was able to calmly and pragmatically break things down to the basics. Put simply, working with Kate helped me to get clear – which has been nothing short of life changing.’ Leanne Clancey, Food & Travel Writer

Clare Bowditch<span>Big Hearted Business</span>
Clare BowditchBig Hearted Business

‘I absolutely adore Kate. She is a highly skilled, generous and enormously gifted business coach, especially for those who don’t traditionally consider themselves “business people”. I discovered her through sheer luck (thanks Google), and I remain sincerely grateful for the counsel she offered me back in 2010 when I was first fleshing out the bones for what would become Big Hearted Business. Thanks Kate!’

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Lately, I’ve been exploring the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) ways our “not good enough” stories show up in daily life.As well as causing an overly active inner critic, they can appear as perfectionism, procrastination, overworking, people-pleasing, self-sabotage and comparing ourselves to others.These patterns, and the behaviours that accompany them, often feel completely normal. Sometimes they seem helpful or even protective. But underneath, there’s a subtle or even subconscious belief: “I’m not enough as I am.” Most of us fall into several of these habits from time to time, but you might notice that one or two are your familiar defaults when self-doubt creeps in.This week, see if you can catch yourself if you're over-functioning or feeling stuck. Pause. Take a breath. And choose just one small step that leads you in a different direction. ✨#youareenough #quietconfidence #selfworthjourney #buildingconfidence #notgoodenough
After some time away, I’m finally returning to this space. I have missed connecting with you here.I’ve been navigating an autoimmune condition which surprisingly, has turned out to be as much of a gift as a challenge.It has made me really slow down and focus on my wellbeing. Like many of us, I’ve had a tendency to overcommit – which is probably why I’ve been teaching mindfulness all these years: as much as a reminder to myself as a gift to those I teach.I’ve spent time reflecting on why we do these things, which has inspired plenty of research, a whole lot of writing and insights that have been helpful for me and I hope for you too as I share them.While I’ve been dealing with this small health issue, the world is also having its own kind of reckoning, and both of these things have given me a reason to pause and consider what really matters.Here’s what I’ve been making time for:✨ Slower mornings, always with time to meditate and walk in nature.✨ Deepening my connection with creativity. I’ve just finished training as a facilitator in writing our life stories. I’ll share more about this soon.✨ More time for journalling and writing.✨ Moving more slowly and gently. I know this sounds like such a small thing, but since becoming a mother over three decades ago, I have had a tendency to rush through my life. ✨ Being aware of my need to rest, which means setting healthier boundaries.✨ Deepening my connection with meditation which has meant writing and recording some new tracks. I’ll share these on Insight Timer in the coming months.✨ Taking the pressure off myself socially, but making time to do restorative, gentle things with dear friends and family.I definitely don’t have it all figured out yet but I am listening more carefully to what matters – and for now, letting that be enough.If you’re on a similar path of slowing down, healing and reprioritising, I’d love to hear how you’re travelling. What have you found most helpful? ✨#autoimmunehealing #slowliving #mindfullife #womenandwellbeing #meditationpractice #creativehealing #natureheals #writingtoheal #insighttimer #lifeinbalance #cradlemountain📷 by @chrisjamesphotos ❤️
Uncertainty has been a consistent theme in my life at the moment. With clients, friends, family and even for me at a personal level.I feel hugely grateful for mindfulness practices during times like these and I’ve also found the following five steps to be helpful.1. Find pockets of certainty, wherever you canTidy the house, sort your finances, clean out your wardrobe, organise your paperwork, plan your meals for a week. Making the small things around you feel ordered and beautiful will help you to feel a little more at peace.2. Appreciate the things that make your life beautifulOne of the things I became aware of while we were on holiday in Tassie was how much natural beauty was around us every day. Try engaging your sense of gratitude with every meal you eat, every friendly encounter, every interaction with nature and every opportunity you have to experience or engage in creativity.3. Make time for practices that are genuinely soothingIf meditation isn’t your thing (and it isn’t for many people), try a different form of mindful relaxation. On a recent Insight Timer Live we explored this topic together and came up with dancing, singing, reading, walking, yoga, pilates, gardening, playing, sketching, painting, skiing, paddle boarding, surfing. The most important thing is that you make time for whatever it is that brings you some calm. 4. Acknowledge your feelings and offer yourself compassionMake room for all of the emotions – the fear, anxiety, worry, sadness, anger, frustration and powerlessness. Notice where you feel those emotions in your body and offer yourself genuine compassion.5. Make peace with uncertainty, as best you canWe won’t feel uncertainty every day but it’s likely that we’ll experience it often in our lives and we’ll probably always find it difficult. Remind yourself that nothing will stay the same forever and you’re strong enough to handle this. ✨
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Nelson Mandela ✨
A follow on from last week’s post about aspiring to simplicity. I’m on holiday in Tasmania where I was lucky enough to live for ten years. Yesterday, as we drove through the countryside, I was struck by a lovely memory. At around the age of 12, I spotted many abandoned little cottages, very much like this one. I knew at the time that the simple beauty was all that I would ever want and need in my lifetime. A humble home surrounded by plenty of nature. I had a picture of myself planting a garden, reading by the fire, writing at a little wooden desk and baking in an old fashioned kitchen. Maybe one day having my own children and sharing my love of nature with them. Almost 50 years later, it’s still all of these things that fill me with joy and give my life meaning. I think most of us knew ourselves well at that age yet often, we lost trust in what we believed in and started shaping ourselves to please other people. Can you remember what it was you dreamed of? ✨
An invitation to go a little more gently this week. To let go of some of your striving. To notice the things that you already have. And to make sure that you really do treasure them. ✨💛
Since writing last week's post, I've had my value of 'inner harmony' front of mind, because it's something I don't always find easy.I've been a worrier all my life, so even after years of meditation practice, I sometimes find it hard to create a quiet mind – unless I'm immersed in nature. When Chris encouraged me to try paddle boarding a few years ago, I had no idea if I'd be able to do it. I'm not naturally sporty so things like this don't come easily. But something magical happened when I first stood on that board and looked into the beautiful clear water.I felt (and still feel) transported to a place that removes me from all of my worries. I become immersed in the wonder beneath me. The forests of seaweed, the schools of fish, the way the sunlight creates patterns on the seabed and once, we paddled with dolphins. All of it is truly magical (and quite miraculous that I can keep my balance). I didn't mention last week that one of my other values is courage, which is the one I embraced when I first went out onto the water.The irony is that some of the moments that bring the most peace are made possible when I do something that scares me. ✨
One of the things I do with almost every new client I work with is a values exercise. It's such a powerful tool to help you identify what really matters in your life. Once you've chosen your personal values, you begin to understand why certain choices, places or relationships, feel so right. And why others really don’t. Your values will help you make meaningful choices that shape how you live every day. And as soon as you start living in alignment with your values, your life immediately becomes more meaningful.Do you know your top three values? I’d love you to share them if you do. Mine are inner harmony, kindness and connection. As well as connection with others and myself, this includes a deep sense of connection with nature which is why we live where we do. 🌿 If you’re interested to discover your values, I’ve included a link in my bio to an easy exercise that will help you gain clarity on yours. It really can be life-changing. ✨
This morning on @insighttimer Live, I spoke about the practice of gratitude and how research has found it to be an antidote to many physical and psychological challenges.It can improve sleep, reduce fatigue, and lower levels of cellular inflammation. One study found that those who practice on a regular basis experience less depression and are more resilient following traumatic events.Another called it “the mother of all virtues”, in that it encourages other virtues such as patience, humility, and wisdom.In my own life, it has been a daily practice for a few decades now. At the end of each day, an app on my phone called Grateful sounds a reminder and allows me to add a few words and photos.The best thing is that I now have a collection of my favourite memories that I can scroll through at any time. I took this pic just over a week ago at our local beach. At the end of an afternoon of swimming and paddling with Meg and me, Oscar said, “Grandma, that was the best day ever.” I love that he’s already grateful for the simple pleasures. ☀️
© Kate James 2025

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