In this episode, host Rachael Wonderlin is joined by marketing strategist, podcast host, and business coach Betsy Leonidas for an honest conversation about hiring a coach too early — and the broader realities of building a sustainable business.

What begins as a discussion about coaching quickly expands into a deeper exploration of entrepreneurship myths, personal branding fears, product-based vs. service-based businesses, and why so many founders feel pressured to outsource confidence before they've built it.

Key Takeaways:

– Hiring a coach from fear is a red flag. Coaching should support clarity and accountability and not replace self-trust or belief.

– Coaching ≠ consulting. Consultants do the work for you while coaches help you uncover your own answers and next steps.

– You need more than an idea. A sellable, market-tested concept and real effort matter more than passion alone.

– Entrepreneurship takes time…often years. Profitability is rarely immediate, despite what social media suggests.

– Not everything needs to be a business! Some things are better left as hobbies, and that's the raw, honest truth.

Memorable Quotes:

"If you're hiring a coach because you don't believe in yourself, that's an inside job."

"A coach shouldn't make you dependent on them — that's a huge red flag."

"Not everything you love has to become a business."

"You need business skills, a sellable idea — and you actually have to give a f***."

"Social media makes everyone look successful, and that's why people think this is easy."

About the Guest:

Betsy Leonidas is a marketing strategist with over a decade of experience, the host of the Write Your Own Story podcast, and the founder of a coaching practice focused on helping women build sustainable, values-driven businesses.

A former advertising and consulting executive turned entrepreneur, Betsy has launched and exited a product-based business, navigated single motherhood, and now runs her work within intentional time boundaries. Her coaching philosophy centers on clarity, self-trust, accountability, and rejecting one-size-fits-all business formulas.

About Rachael:

Rachael Wonderlin is a dementia care consultant and gerontologist. She founded her consultancy, Dementia By Day, in 2014. She is the author of When Someone You Know is Living in a Dementia Care Community, Creative Engagement, and The Caregiver's Guide to Memory Care and Dementia Communities.

Find out more at www.rachaelwonderlin.com and Instagram.com/dementiabyday.