So, I wasn’t prepared, and it cost me £42,000

This is no joke; I made a big error this week and it cost me the best part of £42,000, and all because I did not show up prepared. I kick myself because not only is ‘early and prepared’ one of my fundamental values, but more importantly, the person on the other end of this interaction could have made well over 10X that amount and served thousands of people as a result.

So last week I hit the wall. On Thursday it got me, a super active week lots to do and lots of people to serve, combined with a beautiful baby daughter who was not sleeping the best.

On the Thursday it was like running through treacle, I made it through, but I was wiped, however I knew the next day was active, but with coaching clients and recording, therefore a little easier. Unfortunately, that night it took some time to get Sophie to sleep.

Alas I was struggling on the Friday but having just recorded a podcast episode on ‘excuses’ I knew I had none so off I went to it, a full day of meetings and calls.

Here is the mistake.

One of those calls was with a potential new coaching client, I was particularly excited about this one as I knew I could help him grow his practice and improve his life as a father and husband. Being a call that I have done a thousand times, with the fatigue, I did not take the time to prepare.

During the call I accidentally quoted my old fees. We agreed to coach, and I would come back to him with a final invoice for some advanced payment discount. In this email I fessed up my mistake and quoted my new fee.

Needless to say he was upset, not because my fee was that much more, but there was a loss of trust here. A ‘hidden cost’. He decided not to coach with me.

I am gutted for him and for me. I am not the cheapest of coaches, but I am the best in my niche, and I know his investment would easily bring half a million pounds to his practice this year (needless to say more in the coming years), while enhancing his personal life. And the bottom line, more lives under chiropractic.

So what is the lesson here?

1.       Honesty.
Despite messing up it is important to admit the mistake, and take the learning.

2.       Prepare.

No matter the circumstance, the difficulties, always prepare. In hindsight it would have been better to reschedule than go ahead.

I know as chiropractors we are all guilty of similar in practice. So if you want to serve more people, change more lives, and earn more money. It is essential that you show up early and prepared.

With love,

Tom