7 Things You Need to Start a Health Coaching Business

Here's a list of everything you must have to start working from home as a health coach. I use these essential resources to grow my home-based online business.

1. Health Coach Certification
2. Website
3. Business cards
4. Online appointment scheduling software
5. Newsletter
6. Professional phone number
7. Online payment system

Keep reading for details about the affordable resources I used to start my health coaching business and continue to use today to operate my practice. I initially invested about $5K to start my business and spend under $30 a month to maintain it.

Health Coach Certification from Institute for Integrative Nutrition
Entering a health coach training program is the first step to starting a health coaching business. I recommend Integrative Nutrition. I'm a graduate!

During the Institute for Integrative Nutrition one year program, you will learn from inspiring leaders in the health and wellness industry as well as experts in business and marketing, connect with an amazing supportive community, and experience a remarkable personal transformation – all through a convenient online platform that makes learning on-the-go possible for anyone.

Why I Decided to Enroll in IIN's Health Coach Training Program

In July 2013, I began studying online to become a health coach at Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). I decided to enroll at IIN because:

• I had completed college over 5 years ago and craved to return to structured education, but I did not want to go to graduate school.
• I was seeking a career that would allow me to help people, grow, and earn as much as I want.
• I wanted to improve my personal health, especially to end my sugar addiction and to begin to exercise regularly.

I was excited about the possibility of becoming a health coach, but I was also a little scared because:

• I was afraid I wouldn't be able to afford it.
• I wasn't the best student in college; it was often hard for me to keep up.
• I didn't know much about nutrition and was clueless about exercise.

I am so glad I didn't let fear keep me from pursuing my new dream. I called an IIN admission rep and learned:

What's New & Good at IIN This Fall?

There are some exciting new developments in Institute for Integrative Nutrition's health coach training program. I just attended a teleseminar to learn all about them and am so happy to share them with you. It's awesome to see a great program like this one get even awesomer!



You can watch me talk about the new and good at IIN on YouTube or read about it below.

New live web class format.
Starting with the October 2014 class, some of the classes taught will be live so you can see the faces of your classmates and teachers and interact in real time!

IIN Learning Center launched in June 2014 and streamlined access to course materials.
All the video and audio lectures, lecture notes, discussion boards, and reference library are accessible via the new IIN Learning Center. You can hop on the learning center via your desktop, laptop, or any type of mobile device with an internet connection.

Best part: All of the content will be synced so if you start watching a video lecture on your iPhone (or Android) while you were on line in the supermarket you can pick up where you left off on your laptop during your lunch break at work the next day.

7 Benefits of Blogging Your Hobby

I'm teaching an intro to blogging class Saturday at Learning Connection on Wayland Square in Providence on Saturday 12-3pm. The class is called "Blog Your Hobby" and you can still register here. I'd love to have you!

So excited about and grateful for this opportunity to guide hobbyist as they begin their journey of sharing their passions with the world.

The benefits of starting a blog based on your hobby are many. Here are just a few that I've experienced:

• Begin flexing your "I Do What I Love" muscles. This is going to help you grow in so many areas beyond blogging and your hobby. Buffing these muscles strengthens you to pursue any other dreams so you can create a life you love.
• Increase self-confidence. 
• Confront and overcome fear of being judged.

Do You Blog Your Hobby?

I just scheduled my first class, Blog Your Hobby, at Learning Connection in Providence, RI. Here's the description:

Have you been dreaming of sharing your crafty creations, culinary adventures, or fabulous fashion with the world? You need a blog! During this class, you'll use the simple Blogger platform to create and launch a free blog that lets your passion shine. You’ll also learn how to create compelling content and use social media to attract readers. (Register here)

I don't know about you but I'm so looking forward to this! I love the philosophy of local peer education. I love that I'll be empowering people to put themselves out into the global community where they'll be able to educate and inspire others by being their authentic selves, just doing what they love. It will be so rad!

My Blog Your Hobby class is designed to enable anyone who knows how to use internet to create a blog. During class we will cover:

• What is a blog?
• Building a blog
• Creating a post
• Creating a page
• Understanding social media
• Using social media
• Integrating social media with your blog
• Connecting readers with your content

What's the point of blogging?

Olivia Cleans Green started as a marketing tool for my residential cleaning service, but I joyfully chose to end that service exactly one year ago. Still this blog and the website containing it exist. Why?

Honestly, nerding out about baking soda and vinegar was always my favorite part of running a green cleaning service. I also loved sharing everything I learned with clients, friends, neighbors, and anyone who would listen. I met one of my best friends through my business' blog.

I kind of see April as the ironic birthday month of Olivia Cleans Green the blog because that was when I shifted my focus to what I loved about my business: learning, sharing, and connecting.

A year later, that's still my reason for blogging. I'm not promoting a service. I don't blog because I want people to buy stuff, though I am totally grateful when people do make purchases through my Amazon Affiliate shop. I toy around with the idea of creating a product, but I honestly don't feel strongly compelled to fill a gap in the market.

I log into Blogger and show up at the compose screen here because I simply love doing so. It's one of the easiest, most uncomplicated, emotional-baggage free "tasks" in my life. It makes me happy and gives me a sense of community and purpose.

My goal this year for Olivia Cleans Green is to connect more deeply with people who value and crave healthy living, joy, and community. One step toward this is to leave a comment on at least one post, or at least clicking "like", after I visit a blog. (I'm embarassed to say I don't always take the time to comment; mostly because I hate Captcha but I'll get over it.) I'm aspiring to write a guest post to appear on at least one blog a month. I'm also determined to begin participating in Twitter's #FF starting this week. Speaking of Twitter, I want to make a stronger effort to thank people for following me there too because it really is awesome of them to hold space for me like that. I'll do this at least once a week.

I'd love to host a Thank You Thursday link party where party goers post links to a blog post by someone else that was helpful or inspiring to them during the past week. How fun would that be?! I'm going to try to make it happen- even if just on a small scale- this week. (More info to follow. Get in touch if you'd like to collaborate on this too.)

I have about a million other ideas too, but I think five steps is enough for now. Maybe in the summer I can do more once I have mastered these actions.

Do you have a blog? What's your reason for blogging? What are your goals?


Thanks so much for reading this blog entry! I hope it was helpful. Please like Olivia Cleans Green on Facebook, join my email list, follow me on Twitter, and subscribe to my blog posts (by email, via Bloglovin', or with your preferred RSS reader) to keep in touch and discover more creative green homemaking tips.

How to Switch from Google Reader to BlogLovin

As you may have heard, Google Reader is one of several under-utilized Google services to end in July 2013. If you use Google reader to follow Olivia Cleans Green, please follow my blog with Bloglovin instead. It's very easy! In fact, you can transfer all your blog subscriptions from Google Reader to Bloglovin by clicking here.

Don't miss a move!

You can also be notified of my blog posts by liking Olivia Cleans Green on Facebook and following me on Twitter.

Thanks for keeping in touch!

Thanks so much for reading this blog entry! I hope it was helpful. Wanna keep nerding out about creative green living? Let's stay connected: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Monthly(-ish) Newsletter // Bloglovin' // YouTube

Consider supporting this blog by purchasing green cleaning & fun home goodies selected by me via my Amazon shop or clicking on an ad. Thanks.

How to Create Brilliant Blog Content

Once you've created your website, you'll need to constantly fill the blog with brilliant content. No pressure! Here are seven tips for creating the most interesting blog content you possibly can.

Drawing of my desk, where the blog magic happens.

1. Be yourself! You are the world's most precious resource of you! You are amazing and there is no one else like you. That is your advantage. Always aim to write content that expresses your unique perspective with your unique voice. Don't try to be like someone else and don't ever copy content from somewhere else. Confession: I've c&p'd stuff early in my blogging game here and my content was as dull as dry, white toast and it made me feel that way about myself too. Learn from my mistakes.
2. Be friendly! Be mindful that you're writing your blog to connect with other human beings who are interested in the same things you are. Be grateful that they are reading even if they aren't commenting. Always create a safe, loving space for readers. If you don't have readers yet, write as if you do anyway. At some point, someone may read your post. Also it's nice to invite people to read your blog too, just don't be a jerky spambot about it.
3. Make sure that your blog is about a narrow and focused topic. It's best if the topic is something you view as an important part of your life. This will make it enjoyable to spend several hours a week performing a (mostly) thankless job. It also keeps readers who are interested in learning about your topic happy and coming back for more.
4. Always look for ways to weasel diverse topics into your blog through the sieve of your main topic. This will keep things interesting and fresh for you, It will also help new readers discover you. For example, I'm writing about how I created my website because regular readers have asked. I'm betting that folks searching the internet for info on blogging will enjoy this post and maybe even some of my cleaning posts.
5. Pay attention to your life. Good blog content is everywhere. What are you wearing, hearing, eating, doing, reading, buying, wondering, thinking, smelling, touching, breathing, embarrassed by...? Always ask yourself how you can use your experiences to share something and connect with the people who visit your blog. I keep a running list of blog topics in my iPhone.
6. Take pictures! Pictures are engaging and easily generate discussion. They're a great source of unique, original content. They prove you're a real person living out the adventures in your blog. They allow people to share your blog posts via Pinterest. They help people searching Google images to discover your blog. At the very least, they illustrate your point for people who are too busy to read. And if you can find a way to justify getting a cat in your photo, your post just might go viral!
7. Learn from the best. I highly recommend Leonie Dawson's *FREE* Biz + Blog Star Workshop, especially as you get started. She is so super sweet and encouraging! Lindsay's Blog Better category at ShrimpSaladCircus.com has been helped me improve my website as it grows. (She uses Blogger platform too so all of her advice is directly applicable.) Kira's Primp My Blog page, at HerNewLeaf.com, is has great design and social media ideas.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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How I Created My Website Using Blogger and $11

Many people have asked me how I created OliviaCleansGreen.com. I hope this post can answer technical questions and show how easy it is to create a blog as website for your small business (or just for fun) using Blogger.

Me, blogging from Boneshakers many moons ago.

I created Olivia Cleans Green using Blogger. Blogger is fabulous and free with your Google account! It's also astonishingly easy to use. If you know how to write an email then you can make your own website! Check out the Getting Started Guide to get started today and become besties with Blogger Support.

Even though I use Blogger, my web address doesn't end with the suffix ".blogspot.com." This is because I purchased the custom domain OliviaCleansGreen.com for $11 a year. I purchased my domain through Blogger, but you can use one that you already own through another source like GoDaddy.

Customizing your blog doesn't require special skills or help from a designer. If you go into Blogger Dashboard > Layout, you can add all sorts of flair to your blog. Blogger offers a lot of cool basic gadgets (aka widgets). I added the Search this Blog, Popular Posts, Subscribe, Picture, and HTML gadgets, to mention a few. I also added a Twitter widget using what's called "third-party code" provided by Twitter.

If you see a widget or feature on another blog and want something similar on your own, see if there is any branding next to it. That's how I discovered LinkWithin, the widget that appears under each post, showing related posts from my archives. If the widget can't be supported by your platform (Blogger), search for something similar using Google.

If you look at the menu under my website header, you'll notice you can read other things via my website besides the blog. For example, there is a page of info on my Small Business Services and a green cleaning goodies shop. They're there because I added pages. The difference between those pages is my Small Business Services has a URL within my website and my shop links to an Amazon page outside of my website. It's free and easy to add both types of pages. 

If you want something on your blog but aren't sure how to get it there or even if it exists, just ask Google. If the question doesn't bring you results that are helpful, try rephrasing the question. The answer is out there!

Tomorrow, I'll share some tips and resources for creating brilliant blog content.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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Home for the Weekend: Boston & Business

I'm writing this blog post from the Boston Commuter Rail. On my lap sits a copy of The Right Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee. I'm excited to go to the Boston Public Garden to make art with Sherry, an internet friend who has been participating in art challenges with me via Daisy Yellow ICAD & Daily Paper Prompts this Summer. Equally excited to get guidance on how to grow Olivia Cleans Green in new ways that are inspired by my creativity.

How are you spending your weekend?

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

Stay connected: Free Gift // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // YouTube

What's Better: Digital or Paper Planners?

Last November, I reluctantly joined the masses and got an iPhone4s. I'm a bit of a technophobe. I didn't call anyone the first week I had it. For about a month or two, I was overwhelmed and ignored every feature on my phone beside the actual phone and text capacities. In January, I finally made the switch from a paper planner to a digital calendar.

This planner saw a lot of action in 2011.

Before using Google Calendar, I loved loved loved my Do-It-All Planner for the following reasons:

• Each weekly spread had tons of space for writing in activities.
• Each week featured a positive quote.
• Each spread had shaded rows that were perfect for keeping track of different areas of my life, including scheduled things like work and appointments, as well as meeting goals like exercise and water consumption. 
• There were no printed time slots. This is great because my day doesn't start at 8am or end at 8pm, contrary to what lots of planners seem to think.
• It had a folder pocket in the cover page. Brilliant!
• There was a contact book in the back with prompts to fill out important numbers like doctor, handyman, and food delivery! 
• A generous number of note pages in the back also left space to record other important info. I wrote mine and Richard's sizes in everything, account info and customer service numbers for every utility service I use, and the hours of my favorite places there.
• The last pages were slim perforated tear-off grocery and to-do lists that could be used as a book mark to find the current week and record tasks that didn't need to be done on a specific day. 

The Do-It-All Planner is the best paper planner I have ever used. It was nearly perfect for me. Nearly. One problem was the papers kept falling out of the front folder. That was easily solved when I got hip and used a binder clip to attach them to the cover. Another problem was occasionally I'd accidentally leave it at home. (I guess that's more of a personal problem, though.)

There's a new sheriff in town and she's dressed in pink.

Is my Google Calendar better? In some ways.

• It's much smaller and lighter than my planner.
• I can include links to websites with more info (like Facebook event pages) or cut and paste details from email or websites. This is so much easier than writing out all the info.
• I can access my calendar from my SmartPhone, my laptop, my iPad, or any other computer with the internet access.
• I can schedule pop up reminders.
• I can click on an address and be taken to a map. I get lost a lot so I love this feature!

What's not great about digital calendars?

• I need to have a SmartPhone to really use it effectively because I'm (thankfully) not glued to my laptop or other wifi enabled devices all day. SmartPhone data packages are an additional expense on top of my regular cell phone minutes package. This stinks!
• Sometimes I find myself on the kind of block or train line where I do not want to whip out my iPhone but need to look at it to check an address or train stop. #imightgetmugged 
• You can't cozy up with a mug of hot cocoa and read through years old entries in a digital calendar and get the same sense of nostalgia you would get from a print planner.

What do you think? Do you use a paper planner or a digital calendar like iCal or Google Calendar?

If you'd like to buy the Do-It-All Planner 2013 (good for August 2012 through December 2013) on Amazon, please use this link to help support my blog. Thanks!

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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A visit to Brooklyn Brine Gowanus Pickle Factory

Monday morning Liz, of Raganella Botanical Solutions, and I went to visit Brooklyn Brine's pickle factory in the Gowanus. Supersweet Shamus, the owner, was kind enough to take us on a tour, share some tips on growing a small business, and also share a bitchin' recipe for fried pickles. 

The business advice was at once sage and full of youthful enthusiasm. To summarize: Start small. Do what you're doing well and with a dedicated heart. Be open to growth as well as the experience of confronting, and learning through, the challenges that growth presents.

Here is a recipe for fried pickles:

1. Dredge a pickle in a mixture of all purpose flour (or finely ground cornmeal) and seasonings. Try lots of black pepper, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, salt, and dried dill.
2. Dip pickle in a batter mixture. Try flour and beer!
3. Dredge again.
4. Fry in a pan with some oil.
5. Yum! 

I left with a jar of Brooklyn Brine's new Maple Bourbon Bread and Butter pickles made with caramelized onions, organic New York State maple syrup, and Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey. Mmmm...

Here are some pics from our visit:

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

Stay connected: Free Gift // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // YouTube

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On a semi-related, although possibly conflicting, note, here's a link to a blog post from the fantastic blog Zen Habits: Email Zen: Clear Out Your Inbox

I recently cleared out over 30K emails from my personal Gmail inbox. (Most of them were unopened!) Even though Gmail offers infinite storage, it still felt good to do away with 5 years worth of emails I either didn't care about or it was too late to care about anyhow. Now when I open my inbox I am greeted with personal messages I am glad to read and notices from organizations I care about. I also have the space to quickly identify and "unsubscribe" to a newsletter or listserv that no longer interests me or that I just signed up for to get a freebie. In the past, I kept mass messages I didn't want to read or didn't have time to read because I felt obligated to read them. These days, I just remind myself that it's probably not the last time I'll hear from that organization. Our ships will cross again. For now, I'm deleting this message so that I can spend more precious moments with the good things in life, like a pint of Steve's Coconut Ice Cream.

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

 

Stay connected: Free Gift // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // YouTube