The Art of Success
The Art of Success: Insights from Noemi Ceapa
At The Coaches Plaza, we believe in helping coaches not just survive but thrive, by aligning their passions and skills with proven strategies.
In a recent conversation on The Amanda Kaufman Show, I had the privilege of chatting with business strategist Noemi Ceapa, who brings over a decade of experience working with big brands like Coca-Cola, Colgate, and Blue Cross.
Our discussion was packed with powerful insights for coaches and small business owners who want to elevate their game and get unstuck.
Why Big Brand Tactics Work for Small Businesses
One of the key takeaways from Noemi's experience is that the sophisticated strategies used by big brands can be tailored for small businesses—without the sky-high price tag. Noemi is passionate about taking the ‘secrets’ from decades of corporate growth strategies and turning them into actionable plans that small businesses can apply for fast, measurable results.
As she puts it:
“We're taking the mastery big brands have known and making them available to small business owners, whether they’re in startup mode, stuck in slow growth, or looking to accelerate.”
What’s exciting here is the opportunity for entrepreneurs to fast-track their success. Imagine compressing decades of learning into just a few months by applying proven strategies that focus on customer needs, delivering exceptional service, and positioning your brand for long-term success.
The Power of Client Experience
Client experience is at the heart of successful coaching and consulting businesses. Noemi shares how a recent experience as a client in a coaching program blew her away. The attention to detail, the seamless onboarding, and the level of personal care made all the difference in her experience.
When asked what she looks for in a great coach, Noemi explained:
“It’s a combination of art and science. You have to understand both the industry and the individual. The best coaches have walked a mile in their clients’ shoes. They know how to empathize, understand, and deliver results that go beyond expectations.”
This focus on personal connection is a hallmark of what Noemi calls "business love." It’s about holding space for clients, helping them stretch their thinking, and challenging assumptions in a way that leads to breakthrough results.
Stop Comparing Your Chapter 1 to Someone Else’s Chapter 20
A common pitfall for many entrepreneurs and new coaches is the tendency to compare themselves to others who are further along in their journey. Noemi had some profound wisdom for those who may feel stuck or intimidated by the success they see on social media:
“Don’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter twenty. You don’t know what went into their success, so start where you are and be proud of every step you take.”
This message hit home. Too often, new business owners feel pressure to achieve overnight success, but as Noemi wisely points out, building a business takes time. Social media rarely shows the behind-the-scenes hard work, long nights, and the failures that are part of the journey.
Leading with Powerful Questions
A key trait that differentiates good coaches from great ones is how they lead their clients. Noemi emphasizes the importance of guiding through powerful questions instead of dictating steps.
Coaching is not just about telling clients what to do; it’s about helping them find their own path and feel empowered to take action.
“The best coaches ask the right questions and give their clients space to come to their own conclusions,” says Noemi. “It’s not about saying, ‘Here’s what you should do,’ but helping them uncover their own reasons and resources.”
This co-creative process leads to long-term success because the client owns their plan and is more motivated to take action.
Aligning with Your Why
Lastly, we touched on the importance of alignment. Whether you're just starting out or pivoting in your business, clarity around your "why" is essential. Noemi shared how many entrepreneurs, including herself, have started businesses for the wrong reasons—like revenge or fear.
But when you’re aligned with your true passion, success follows.
“You can do the right thing for the wrong reasons, and eventually, it catches up with you. True alignment means doing what you’re passionate about, not what someone else thinks you should do.”
This was a game-changer for me as a coach. There’s immense power in giving yourself permission to change direction if it means following what truly excites you. As Noemi put it, "run for the thing that excites you."
Final Thoughts
The conversation with Noemi was packed with value and left me inspired by the potential we all have as coaches and small business owners. By leveraging big brand strategies, focusing on the client experience, and aligning with our true purpose, we can build businesses that not only grow but thrive.
If you're a coach or business owner looking to gain clarity, get unstuck, and move forward with confidence, consider how you can implement some of these insights into your own practice.
You can follow Noemi on LinkedIn here. Her website, theconsultingstudio.vip will share even more insights on her work and expertise
Show Highlights:
00:44 Meet Noemi
03:15 Make a GREAT Coaching Experience
05:20 How to Build Creditability as a Coach?
07:41 What makes a Coach Awesome?
17:22 What to do when something isn't working!
19:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Full Transcript
Interview with Noemi Ceapa on the Art of Success
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[00:00:00] just last week I was talking with someone that closed their first business, never wanted to go back to it again. And they're thinking of starting a very different type of coaching.
[00:00:10] And they're like, well, I'm not sure. Let me think about it. But this is what I think I want to do. And it was so intriguing when they admitted that. They started that first business for the wrong reason. It was out of revenge because they got laid off
[00:00:23] [00:00:30] Mhm.
[00:00:42] welcome back to the Amanda Kaufman show. I'm so excited to welcome you to our series on coaches that don't suck. We're talking about winning strategies, things that make the biggest difference. I'm joined today by Noemi Ceapa. I'm
[00:00:59] really excited to [00:01:00] invite her to this podcast because I was, introduced over LinkedIn. She's got a wonderful LinkedIn profile. as we started talking, it became really apparent that Noemi cares about you.
[00:01:11] So today I'm going to be talking to Noemi about what it takes to be an amazing expert and an amazing coach. And so I invited her to this segment so we can have an amazing conversation about it. Noemi is a results oriented professional with over a decade of experience in business consulting and strategy.
[00:01:28] Me too. I'm so excited about that. [00:01:30] She's specialized in helping businesses build strong brands that attract customers and drive growth. She's worked with top global business leaders. Brands such as Coca Cola, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Colgate, Albertsons, and many more. she's leveraged her expertise to deliver transformative results.
[00:01:46] she's bringing her knowledge and strategies to small business owners to help them grow using big brand tactics. How exciting, Noemi. Welcome to the show.
[00:01:57] Thank you so much for having me and hello to [00:02:00] everyone.
[00:02:00] so take 30 seconds and catch us up. What is it that you're the most focused on right now in terms of helping those small businesses?
[00:02:07] Great question.
[00:02:08] I will be bringing all of the big brand strategies, expertise on where to play, how to win, understanding your customer needs, creating super attractive product and services, over deliver to those customers, taking all of that mastery big brands have known. And it used to be a secret for decades and making them [00:02:30] available to small business donors to help them stand out and grow faster.
[00:02:35] So really turning potentially decades into months of partnering and getting these strategies implemented in their companies. but without the big brand price tag that tends to hurt in those types of partnerships. I'm super jazzed to be able to make this available. That typically has been under such a hush hush mode and secret environment to be able to make that available to everyone, [00:03:00] whether they are a startup, whether they are slow growth stagnation mode, and really to get unstuck and leverage proven practices.
[00:03:10] You have so much clarity about who you want to serve, how you want to serve them. I'm curious, we're doing this whole segment about coaches that don't slack. You told me before we went live that you enrolled in a program recently that blew you away with the onboarding experience.
[00:03:25] and, how it felt as a client So [00:03:30] client experience seems really important to you. what would you say are the top things that you look for in a program or that you notice make the biggest difference to a really great coaching experience?
[00:03:45] Oh, fantastic question. I think there's that beautiful combination of art and science, like understand both the business, the industry you're in, and then understand the individual. Ideally, if you walked a mile in your [00:04:00] client's shoes, You can authentically empathize with them, deliver your message.
[00:04:04] You can over deliver because you know what they need and really service them and help them in every way possible and blow their mind. And then you understand the technicality, right? The science of, well, what are the steps that are needed, in order the right steps with the right support and helping them implement.
[00:04:21] So I think in any type of coaching business, whether it's health and wellness, a disease area, some kind of technical area or business meditation, [00:04:30] you have to know that technical aspect of, I have meditated, I have used the diet, I have achieved the results. And then understand the individual as a person, relate to them authentically.
[00:04:41] I think the combination of two is really powerful.
[00:04:45] That's so good. You know, when I was starting out as a coach, I was so insecure about what people would think of me because I didn't have the big team and I didn't have the experience in that way. I was an operations [00:05:00] consultant and operations strategy consultant.
[00:05:03] But I love your angle. I love how you're talking about, big brand strategies, making things actually easier for the little guy that's building their business. What would you say for a coach who wanted to, show up with credibility and they wanted to show up really well, but maybe they're like I was, and they didn't have, that particular brand.
[00:05:24] background or that expertise, what would you say is the first big move you would recommend from [00:05:30] your perspective and your experience?
[00:05:33] All great questions. First thing that came to mind when he said that is don't compare your chapter one to someone else's chapter 20. You don't know if that other person might have had three other successful businesses in the past or maybe they raised a million dollar in type of funding when they were 25 or they grew up with entrepreneurial parents or they were watching the news.
[00:05:56] At a family dinner, they were discussing business because that was their everyday [00:06:00] life. you don't know that other person's background, so you need to start where you are starting, and that is good enough. Would you prevent your child from learning how to walk because they stumble at their first step?
[00:06:12] it sounds ludicrous when you put it that way. But we're our worst enemy in getting started, and social media does that big disservice. Maybe it's not intentional, but you only see the success. You don't see the decades that went into building that skill quietly. The introvert, the long nights, the [00:06:30] painful rejections.
[00:06:31] your chapter one, Is not someone else's chapter 20 and vice versa. start where you are, and as cheesy as it sounds, be proud when you move from chapter 0 to chapter 1. And you're in business, and you've got your first client. This is your victory, not someone else's.
[00:06:48] That is such great wisdom. I think a lot of people that are starting out in their, their businesses, they're not courageously taking the expertise, the experience, the research they've [00:07:00] done and serving it up with a beautiful bow for other people to benefit from. There's kind of this, I feel like it's this, belief that people only buy from the really big companies.
[00:07:12] when you're a small business owner competing with these big companies, that can be intimidating. I was learning from some of the biggest gurus in our space on how to be a coach, how to, how to build a business and everything.
[00:07:26] And I remember looking at that chapter 20 and kind of going, [00:07:30] yeah, right. it seemed so far away, but you're right. Like that attitude of just chipping at something. And choosing to get some support really, really helps a lot. So Noemi, what do you look for when you're working with somebody and you're like, ah, that's a killer coach.
[00:07:48] That's a really amazing coach. Like what do you notice?
[00:07:54] One of the things that come to mind is their leadership style? Is it do [00:08:00] this, and then do that, and they do most of the talking, or do they lead through powerful questions? I think the greatest skill, a sense of service for others, is Guiding through the questions, but allowing the other person to come to their own conclusion, when they do, they will be a lot more empowered, they will want to take action, and they will own that step and action plan, because it's their idea, they answered the question, for me as a coach or a [00:08:30] consultant, my job is to uncover why they want to do it, how they can best do it, what resources are around them.
[00:08:39] Like, I might think a step ahead of them and I should, but I need to connect those dots in a way that is leading and guiding towards it rather than, well, this is what I think you should do. I've had the privilege of shadowing some very experienced coaches recently. I was quite disappointed that they did most of the talking.
[00:08:58] that's really unfair [00:09:00] to your client because it's a space for them to share their insights, their problems, their successes, their worries, and for us to guide them rather than it's not a recipe of here's what I think you should do. Please go and do it.
[00:09:16] Yeah. That makes so much sense.
[00:09:17] And, you know, it's interesting because, I noticed in the coaching industry, a lot of people will be like, Oh, you know, this person, client to be, or my client is such a, you know, beep because they were like, [00:09:30] why won't the person just do what I want? and I totally agree with you coaching and consulting when it's done really well is an act of persuasion.
[00:09:39] I call my coaching co created action coaching. the idea is that when somebody is hiring me, usually it's because they like the experience that I have or that I've brought to the table. But I think what really makes it very magical is like you said, like pulling, pulling, like what does the person already have that to work with is like low hanging [00:10:00] fruit.
[00:10:00] They could do that right now. And that maybe there's other strategies or skills that are less their aptitude at the moment that we want to start working towards, but we can identify that low hanging fruit and help sequence what would make a lot of sense, even if you've got a lot of expertise to offer.
[00:10:18] that is so good. So Noemi, where are you headed? what? Is your drive or, you know, we often talk about our why, why help the small business? what is it about that that's so inspiring [00:10:30] to you?
[00:10:32] I think several things, like what do I get out of it personally? It's just the most exhilarating thing I've ever done professionally.
[00:10:38] there's that, the impact that you can achieve is more than just in the corporate world. You do achieve that for small businesses as well. that is very much part of the goal, but you're able to support that entrepreneur's family. When the business grows, they get to meet their payroll.
[00:10:54] They get to grow their business. They get to contribute to their local community in [00:11:00] different ways. So for me, that's. way more powerful even in the one on one relationship when I get feedback like oh my gosh I've been thinking about this for so long and now I'm really getting momentum when I speak with you and you're gonna be proud of me next week I'm gonna have this one ready it's so much more relational yeah, there's a beautiful I was telling Amanda, for me, this is the equivalent of business love.
[00:11:21] And I don't say this in a cheesy way. But when you hold space for someone, it's just so sacred, and help them stretch their thinking challenge their [00:11:30] assumptions. this is also one of the Hardest part sometimes you have to disagree with the client and see things as they are and gently point that out as well.
[00:11:39] I feel like I would be Doing them a disservice if I just agree with everything and go along with that versus, you know, it's not about picking it apart, but like, Hey, have you considered there might be another way? Or before we do this, what would happen if we explored XYZ as well?
[00:11:57] Not at all. I,
[00:11:58] I really do like the, [00:12:00] the, the coaches that do the best I've noticed really do help. and I think it's really important that we don't push people into not pushes and being bossy. I think I think we're both kind of on that page.
[00:12:12] Like it's more along the lines of broadening a perspective of like, there's also these other things here, like potentially, is it cool if I bring this up? Like there's so many ways to artfully argue. And to kind of bring, bring that expertise [00:12:30] in. In just the way that you're asking questions sometimes, because very often your client knows exactly what they want to do.
[00:12:36] They're very clear on it, but they may benefit from a pause kind of a question I'm really curious about your take on this. what if you see your client going into a completely different direction than what they previously stated was their goal?
[00:12:53] What do you say to that? how does a coach help their client win when it seems like their client is running in an opposite direction for whatever reason? [00:13:00]
[00:13:02] Wow, that's a great question. I'd say, try and understand the person's real reason behind it.
[00:13:08] Like, is there a genuine drive behind that? And say, there's been a change in the family dynamics, there's something else going on that you should be aware of and that's really the direction they need to go. Or is it driven by fear? Or is it some type of discomfort avoidance are they under the influence of someone else in the [00:13:30] business environment?
[00:13:30] Maybe they have say loan or debt or who knows what else is is there. So I'd say first really understand what's behind it. And then point out like, hey, This is what I heard from you a few weeks ago. This is what I'm hearing now. What do you think about this contrast? Like, have that dialogue and be there like a real friend.
[00:13:50] Like, this is what I'm seeing. What do you think about it? But without judgment, without any interference. again, like you said, this is not about do what I say. It's [00:14:00] just simply wanting to make sure that even they realize they're consciously going in a different direction.
[00:14:06] Absolutely. I love that. things in my business really changed when I took a deep breath and was like,
[00:14:14] It's okay if somebody quits their business. I help people with launching growing and pivoting their business into success. Sometimes when you're on that journey, you learn something new about yourself or your alignment to that particular path.
[00:14:28] And I used to, as a coach, [00:14:30] really hold myself to this, very impossible standard of like everybody that ever works with me is going to have to achieve, X number of revenue That was my goal, not really theirs. and what I found in practice was by holding the space when the conflict arose, Very often it was because there was new clarity about their alignment or new clarity about where they want to head next.
[00:14:54] So what I did at the time was I was like, what if I actually taught you how to quit? I'd [00:15:00] never been in a coaching program that ever did that. But I was like, what if I literally taught you how to unwind your business and consciously quit, you know? And that was a big balance point for me because I'm a high performance coach.
[00:15:12] So I'm always like, come on, let's go. So long as we are still in alignment about the direction that we're going. I literally had somebody call me the other day and they're like, I hate to tell you this. I have all this sunk costs and all this kind of thing, but I found this other thing I really want to do.
[00:15:28] And I think I want to quit. Here's how you do [00:15:30] it. Isn't that crazy?
[00:15:33] And just last week I was talking with someone that closed their first business, never wanted to go back to it again. And they're thinking of starting a very different type of coaching.
[00:15:45] And they're like, well, I'm not sure. Let me think about it. But this is what I think I want to do. And it was so intriguing when they admitted that. They started that first business for the wrong reason. It was out of revenge because they got laid off and it was kind of like, I'm going to show up to [00:16:00] my first employer.
[00:16:00] And it's like, wait, that is so powerful. that business may have never worked because your heart was not in it. Your mind wasn't it for sure, but it wasn't a passion. And I had the same experience. My first business did not work out. I didn't make a single sale because It was based on fear and lack I have to do this and I have to succeed and I have to be a millionaire overnight while I also have a big corporate job and this is an entirely new domain so I think sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves but that's so [00:16:30] powerful what you said it's like well if that is what you truly want
[00:16:32] The really the essence and the driver behind something is just so powerful. You can do the right thing for the wrong reasons and as cheesy as it sounds, and it's been said before, it will get you.
[00:16:43] I'm freaking out, that this is such a powerful thing.
[00:16:47] I think a lot of the time when a coach feels like they suck, it's not that you suck. It's that we need to get way more aligned. who do you wanna serve, but why do you wanna serve? And I think a lot of times coaches give away their [00:17:00] power to everybody else's opinions and everybody else's perspective about what they should do next.
[00:17:05] it's a very disempowering way to go about your life. Fix it. run for the thing that you're excited about.
[00:17:12] That is so interesting, and it brings to mind another contrast I've experienced already twice be mindful when you feel like something is not working, really ask yourself why it's not working.
[00:17:22] Again, coming back to the motivation, like, I used to suck at public speaking. I, I was super intimidated, and this was my job. I had to do it in front of [00:17:30] 30 executives. So you can't just swallow your words and pack up and go home. I realized it was because it was in a foreign language. Doing that in French was never going to be my strong suit.
[00:17:40] I could do it in English, but it took me a while to figure that out. And then I thrived because I let myself succeed without the baggage of the past. I used to have very data focused jobs in the corporate environment
[00:17:55] But when I had to transition to a very people focused, I was like really [00:18:00] not functioning as well. I wasn't performing as well. It was hard. So I think also be mindful of, are you just pushing against your own limitation and you've reached wall versus are you truly in the wrong room? And I think that's You might be surprised at what you find.
[00:18:15] I've been told, Oh, don't try and work on your weaknesses. You're never going to be as good as someone who was born that way, right? But what if that's not really true? It's not! Really ask yourself where you're coming from. When [00:18:30] you have that fear or that hesitation pulling at you, where is it coming from, truly?
[00:18:36] Yeah, I love this. This is so good. Noemi, I think we could talk all day, but I only booked you for a little while. So Noemi Ceapa, where can we find you? and we're going to talk a little bit about how to connect with people on the internet. If we wanted to follow you, get to know you better, download your amazing lead magnets, where's the best way to connect?
[00:18:55] Right now, the best place is going to be LinkedIn. And if there's a way that Amanda could [00:19:00] drop her amazing team, a link below, that would be awesome. I know my name is not easy to find or pronounce. and then the other way is to go to the consultingstudio. vip. That's the consultingstudio. vip.
[00:19:14] aspects you can already explore now.
[00:19:16] That's amazing. Hey, congratulations. Congratulations on all of the success that you're having, that you're helping so many people in such a deep, meaningful way. You clearly care about what you do in a big way. And thank you for sharing. [00:19:30] And just being real with us. It was so cool. Really appreciated it.
[00:19:35] Thank you so much for having me. I truly hope that it brought some value to your listeners and that you're able to take away something meaningful and empowering from today's session.
[00:19:46] thank you so much for joining us on the Amanda Kauffman show.
[00:19:50] You know what really helps people is when you go ahead and subscribe and leave us a five star review. It helps people to choose this [00:20:00] show to listen to. And if you heard something that was a gem, be sure to share it. with a friend. All right, y'all, we'll see you on the next show. Bye bye.
