Flourishing Foundations.
Learn how to find your niche, understand your potential clients so well they think you’re a mind-reader, create a business model which works for you, and attract consistent clients through magnetic marketing.
The programme is a magic combination of practical business and online marketing skills, and learning exactly how to overcome any mindset blocks holding you back.
Are you ready to work less, earn more, and live more fully?
If you want to be a millionaire, you might be in the wrong business, but it’s a complete myth that you can’t make decent money as an ELT freelancer or business owner. Plenty of people do.
If you want a stable, decent income, more time to spend with those you love (including yourself), the ability to say no to work you really don’t want to do, and to feel excited rather than anxious about the future, you’re in the right place.
Maybe you are:
➡️ Nearly always finding clients through word of mouth, which is flattering, but leads to feast or famine, and a sense that you don’t have any control over your income.
➡️And that means you’re taking on anything and everything and not really enjoying it.
➡️Finding it hard to charge above a certain amount in your work, because you don’t feel confident that people will pay more (even though you know you’re good at what you do).
➡️Wanting to create a business that you love, that works for you, and to actually make some money from it.
➡️Not really sure what’s possible, and would love some direction, accountability and support to get confident in marketing and growing your business.
➡️Would really love to be part of a supportive, energetic group of like-minded ELT professionals, with similar dreams and ambitions.
You know things could be different.
Maybe you’ve been freelance for a while and you’ve had some success in your ELT business. On good days you’re pretty confident that you have something valuable to offer.
But you often feel like your business is running you, rather than the other way around, and have even fewer boundaries than you did when you were employed.
All too frequently you feel exploited, undervalued or trapped, but you’re not sure how to get out of the hole you’re digging. You’re working long hours just to earn enough money to live, which makes it hard to step back and see how you could do things differently.’
Clients mostly come to you through word of mouth. While this is a sign that you’re doing a great job, you’d love to feel confident in using online organic marketing to generate your own leads when you need them. Having more options would also help you to be able to pick and choose a bit more between jobs or clients.
But you don’t know really know what it is you’re trying to say in your marketing message and you’re worried about annoying people or looking like a show-off.
You’re either doing nothing on social media at all, or throwing jelly at the wall and posting regularly but nothing seems to stick, and it all takes up time you haven’t got.
You know you need a strategy, but everyone seems to say something different about what you should be doing.
Generally, you feel like you’re fudging it, and that you’re not fully in control of your business.
You see people charging peanuts and worry that if you don’t charge the same, you’ll run out of business. Perhaps you’re feeling pressured to undercharge or accepting less for your work because you’re being told by the people paying that it’s inevitable.
You’re fed up with taking stuff on because you’re worried that you might not get enough work down the line. You’d like to feel able to charge what you know you’re worth.
Every so often you wonder if you should just get a job.. but then you already know that you’ll miss the freedom and flexibility…
Surely there’s got to be a better way?
Most people start their own business or go freelance so they have more control over how they spend their time, who they work with, how much they earn.
And this is absolutely achievable.
My group programme, Flourishing Foundations is specifically designed to help you build the solid foundations you need to make your ELT business a real success.
We’ll do all this within a small group, with lots of support from each other, and from me, along the way. Most of us are mainly working alone at home, and it can be hard to keep ourselves accountable or motivated, or we can start to second-guess our decisions.
If you really want to make changes or make progress, surround yourself with people who have the same goals.
Over the three months in this motivating and supportive container, I’ll teach you everything you need to know to be able to make great business decisions going forward, whether that’s starting something from scratch, or optimising and refining a business you already have.
I don’t have a cookie-cutter method you must follow. Instead I want you to really understand the fundamentals of understanding your clients, creating a sustainable business model, and knowing how to generate leads and turn those leads into (well) paying clients.
Over the three months we’ll start to implement your learnings and get results, but this is stuff that you’ll continue to implement after the programme as you go forward on your journey as a business owner (and, yes, freelancers are business owners too).
Everything will be there for you whenever you need to refer back or take a new step in your business, and there’s on-going support available after the course as well, as you need it.
Here’s a detailed overview of exactly what’s included in the programme.
Week 1
We start looking at your strengths, values, skills in order to move towards finding the niche where you can really shine (and get clients who are more than happy to pay for your services).
Week 2
This week we take a look at a wide range of business models and offers within ELT, so that you can find a model which will work perfectly for both you and your clients, so you can reduce the amount of work, and increase your income.
Week 3
In week 3 we focus on researching and validating your business idea, so that you can feel confident about moving ahead.
Week 4
Finding ways of managing your time and energy is absolutely essential for a sustainable and enjoyable business. In this week’s lesson we focus on developing strategies to achieve this.
Week 5
In this week we move on to look at how you can start getting the message out there about who you are, who you help with what kind of problems or aspirations, and how. Focusing on social media profiles and branding.
Week 6
Week 6 is dedicated to pricing, sales, and, of course, money mindset. We look at the practical know how you need to set a price (and get it), but also the subconscious drivers that are almost certainly limiting your income.
Week 7
This week is all about your website. We look at when and why you need one, what options you have in terms of platforms, and if you want to DIY or hire someone. And then we dive right into what pages you need, and what kind of copy to put on them, with detailed feedback available.
Week 8
Now you’re starting to get clear about who you want to work with, and how, and what your messaging is, we start to look at getting that message out there, and exactly how you can start to get more visible and build an audience.
Week 9
This week is all about social media. Which platforms you could or should be using, how to develop a content strategy, how to effectively re-purpose and recycle your posts so you aren’t spending half your life online. (And there’s also a session on marketing WITHOUT social media.)
Week 10
In this week’s input we look at what happens after we gain a follower on social media, and how we can encourage them to move along the buyer journey to the point where they are ready and keen to work with us.
Week 11
Week 11 is all about selling. Not just how to carry out an effective sales call, but also how to create a strategic combination of offers and a marketing plan that will ensure that almost everyone you speak to has already pretty much made up their mind to work with you.
Week 12
In the final week, we’ll look at how you can continue to take a strategic approach going forward in your business, making sure that you’re always focusing your precious time in the right directions to get the results you want.
Plus three bonus sessions
⭐ Quick fixes if you need clients right NOW
⭐ Selling B2B (business to business)
⭐ Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
And lifetime access to the most recent, upgraded version of the programme.
See what my clients think.
I already had my own ELT business but I was working a lot of hours and not charging enough. Sometimes I wasn’t charging anything because I thought it would be rude to ask. I was not sure how to market my work and I was trying to cover too many bases.
I am now much more confident about setting prices that reflect the true value of my work, and negotiating better fees when necessary. I have a clear plan to increase my visibility on social media, and a much more focused target-client group.
There was something useful in every lesson. I needed the mindset sessions to give me the confidence to implement the practical sessions (e.g. website, social media). I also really enjoyed working with other professionals from the field, hearing their ideas, learning from their experiences and having a chance to get feedback on my attempts to improve.
Perhaps my biggest takeaway from the programme is that it’s OK to be assertive and to value what I do, so that others also see the value in it.
I would definitely recommend you and the programme, to anybody who feels a bit stuck, either in business or in life.
You care so, so much, and you really know you stuff. It’s clear that you have been walking the walk, and are actively tinkering, experimenting, innovating your business constantly, drawing your conclusions to then share them with your clients as well.
If you’re on the fence I’d say unless you need the money for food or rent right now, go for it. It’ll pay off multifold
The programme has something for everyone. I started the course having what I thought was a pretty clear idea of where I was going and the things I needed to do. I learned that I wasn’t wrong but I had also overlooked things or assumed they weren’t for me: they were. There really is something for everyone.
The sessions on selling yourself and money mindset and pricing were particularly useful for me because this was an area I felt super uncomfortable with. I am slowly becoming better at setting my price or being able to negotiate better.
I would recommend the programme without any hesitation to anyone wanting to start off/improve their small business. Whether in ELT or not, as it’s all transferable to other industries.
When I started the group programme with Rachael I had some ideas floating around in my head, which had been there for about 6 or 7 years! I debated about signing up to the programme for a while as I felt it was an added expense that would be tough to meet at a difficult time in my career after losing my job.
However, now, at the end of the 12 weeks, I can see how much value the course has and how much I have learnt, done and accomplished. I have finally defined what it is that I want to do, raised my profile and connections on LinkedIn, started creating content and am a good way towards finalising my website. I also met a lovely group of freelancers.
I would absolutely recommend the programme to other professionals who want to seek out new horizons, change their working pattern or freelance. Rachael answers every question, or will find out the answer, and is very honest, calm, and helpful. It’s been one of the best things I’ve completed because it’s been such a practical and inspiring course. It has enabled me to both learn a lot about business and to create something uniquely my own.
A lot of people in our line of work are brilliant, creative, knowledgeable and passionate and many don’t have the deal they deserve. The programme is perfect for anyone working in our field who has an idea, feels passionately about what they do and would like to be more successful in an increasingly competitive freelance world.
Rachael will help you see for yourself what you can offer clients, what your strengths are, and what you need to do (and not do) in order to get to where you want to be. She is non-judgemental and extremely perceptive. I’d feel confident and comfortable discussing anything with her.
As I said to someone recently who asked me about the course, ‘You should do it because you are worth it, the money you spend is an investment which you’ll recoup and some of what you’ll come away with will be priceless.’
Like many EFL freelance teachers I was mainly reliant on language schools with zero hours contracts. This worked quite well and I had a fairly good hourly rate, but my hours fluctuated and I didn’t feel I had much control other than the content of the lessons.
I’d had an idea in my mind for a couple of years, but I wasn’t sure if I could actually see through. During the course, as each element of growing business has been explored and given clear examples, I’ve realised that it is within my capabilities to make a success.
In particular marketing had been a really bad word for me because of my difficult relationship with the marketing department in my old London job. As Rachael explained each aspect it actually became clear that marketing is really just about being clear about what you offer and how it helps people overcome a particular problem. By going through this process it has also helped me to see what is really important to me and identify my core beliefs, not just about teaching but about making a good balance and having a fulfilling life.
Selling was also a dark art in my mind before this course, not just as a teacher but also as a musician, I’ve never been good at setting a price which really reflects what my experience, extensive studies and dedication/enthusiasm deserve.
I think what this course has done is show me how to utilise all my skills, experience knowledge and personality to its best potential and I feel so positive about this project now.
The course has been life-affirming – really in everything I do, not just ELT-related. It couldn’t have come at a better time after the last few difficult years of feeling stuck and lacking energy. Now I have a clear plan, I feel equipped with so much practical support that I think is helpful in many different ways, more than just my ELT projects.
This course has been transformational for me and I think it is perfect for anyone who is either feeling a bit defeated in their freelance work or has an idea that they’d like to explore but just don’t know how to get started.
This programme is the best gift I have given myself in a long time because it has allowed me to refocus on myself and on my needs and desires. Rachael, I would highly recommend you, especially to teachers, because you know a lot about the teaching profession and what it means to be a teacher (both the good and the bad sides).
You are an expert and welcome everyone’s words and ideas with empathy and without judgment. You know how to create a climate of trust and security. And you have the talent and ability to help people discover what is important to them and you know how to help them turn their dream into a project.
A little about me.
As part of my own experience as an ELT business owner, I have worked with three excellent business coaches and undertaken training in social media marketing, copywriting, website design, memberships and more.
I am now able to combine my ELT background, my coaching skills, and considerable teacher training experience to run this programme, specifically designed for ELT freelance professionals and business owners.
My in-company teaching business was thriving before the pandemic, but I was dropped like a hot stone by companies in March 2020. Due to economic uncertainty they all cancelled their classes, although we did offer to go online with them.
I was recommended Rachael’s programme by a teacher that I had worked with in the British Council, and who I respect enormously. I found all the sessions useful without exception, but I really enjoyed the first sessions, about values, what makes you feel fulfilled and your niche. I can see my niche clearly now – which has freed me from unrewarding work that was taking up a lot of my time, allowing me to focus my efforts on where I actually need to direct my business to.
I felt a huge shift in my confidence through the course. I relearned that I absolutely have what it takes to have a great business that I enjoy running. Two weeks ago I had a big meeting with a television company to open various workshops and classes online. I did my sales pitch with confidence – I really believed in myself and what I was selling. When prices came up, I used a few techniques I learned on the course and stuck to my guns. It felt so great when the email came in saying I had got the contract.
If you’re on the fence, do it, do it, do it. This is one of the best investments I’ve made in myself in my life.
Before I started the group programme, my business was doing fine. I was working 6-7 hours a day and charging between 35 and 65 euros an hour. But I wanted to be able to create a sleeker, more profitable business model and hopefully scale up.
I now feel more equipped to organize my business in a modern and professional way. The content was good – a very thorough insight into how I am working and how I need to move forward.
I think you are a very kind and understanding person. You have a wealth of knowledge and experience that you are happy to share. I like that you are not a pure coach and you give your perspective and opinion where appropriate. I have worked with people whose approach is more “list your objectives and now list how you are going to achieve them” and I honestly don’t like that. I prefer to work with mentors and experts to tap into what they know, and the mistakes and successes that they have experienced. With you, the more I saw, the more I liked.
I initially hesitated over the price of the course vs the benefits of the course. It’s expensive and I trusted you to make it worth my while. And you did
Having a network of people who support you and who value you is crucial for personal growth, and I really enjoyed our chats and discussions, listening to others talking about their fears, hopes, and experiences. I also really enjoyed our input sessions, learning so many things about running a business, and developing a much clearer picture of what I want to do.
Rachael is supportive, calm, approachable, reliable, someone you want to be best friends with 🙂 I’d recommend working with her to all my ELT and non-ELT friends to help you turn things around and become the best version of yourself. She will change your life.
I have learnt huge amounts- how to manage my own business in a structured way, how to tackle the parts of running a business that were intimidating or seemed overwhelming without anxiety, how to be clear about value offered and how to value what I can offer.
Working with Rachael is an investment, not only in improving your business but in managing your whole life better! I knew I would get the best practical training possible for an EFL related business. But the bonus, and what makes this so different from other training, is how Rachael never ignores the way work impacts our whole experience of the world – financial anxieties, gaining free time, managing stress, being happier in general. The support and confidence it provides is wonderful. So the course is an investment in a better life not just a better business.
After doing Rachael’s course I became much more confident in all my transactions with clients and must say it has paid off immensely. With her guidance, I have also managed to navigate LinkedIn with success which has led me to great jobs. Most importantly however, I have made very good friends from the course and the support system from Rachael and the group has helped me overcome many obstacles I myself built.
If you implement everything I’m teaching you, you’ll see a transformation in your business, or be ready to launch your new one,
by the end of the three months.
How it works.
The course takes place over a 3 month period (plus a 1-2 week break in the middle to give you the chance to catch up if you need it).
Week by week, I’ll help you clarify exactly who you want to work with, what you have to offer, how best to deliver it, how to make your messaging ‘speak’ to the people you want to work with, and how to get your message out there in ways that will bring your consistent clients who understand the value of what you are offering and are happy to pay for it.
In addition there’s a dedicated Slack channel, where you can post your homework and get feedback from me, and each other, as well as the endless opportunity to ask questions.
Each week there’s 60-90 minutes of recorded training sessions and worksheets, packed with useful tips and strategies around the topic for the week.
Every 1-2 weeks we also have 90 minute live group coaching sessions, in a group of 6-8, where we can explore your specific goals and challenges along the way, and recap anything you like. There are 8 sessions in total over the time of the course.
And I’ve created a detailed route map so you can really see the progress you’re making throughout the course, and identify any areas where you might need extra support.
When the course is over you’re not on your own. I have a special four month coaching only programme just for alumni of Flourishing Foundations, where you can get support from me and other coaches as you implement your learnings. Plus, whether you decide to do this or not, you’ll be invited to join a private Alumni Facebook group where you can ask questions and learn from and collaborate with each other.
Before starting Flourishing Foundations, I thought my business situation wasn’t too bad — I had a website, a podcast, and an email list, and I was making myself visible on social media. But something big was missing — my message. I couldn’t even express to others how I helped people, and that was frustrating.
I’d already spent money on courses and programs from more general business coaches. I learned from them, but I knew I needed something more and deeper. I didn’t want to spend more money if I wasn’t going to get any further than I already was.
In the course of three months, I discovered the message that was meant to be shared. Now I can easily answer people when they ask, “So what do you do?” What a relief! I’ve also refreshed my website copy, my main offer, and my social media profile to fit my message. I’ve made measurable progress from Day 1 that I never would have imagined possible in such a short time frame. So many things that seemed impossible, were possible.
From start to finish, Rachael neither leaves out nor skimps on anything. Every module, every coaching session, every homework assignment, every question has purpose and depth. Just when you think there couldn’t be more for her to teach you, there she is, bringing it again.
During this time I’ve refound my mojo for the industry, clarified that the area I really love is teacher development, managed to block my time better which made me feel more productive and spend time ON my business ideas as well as eating those frogs earlier in the day! I’ve got more guts in the way that I deal with those who are interested in hiring me, and I’m more confident in asking a fair price for me!
You are very dedicated and always manage to inspire me to take that next step after the session as your passion is contagious!
Just a massive thank you Rachael for all your time, knowledge sharing and guidance on this course.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Is this right for my freelance business?
Past and current group members have included editors, writers, teacher trainers, school owners and teachers and language coaches, all working within the field of ELT (and one in Portuguese as a Foreign Language). Their businesses are different, but there’s a lot of commonality, and a special kind of synergy which comes from all these different perspectives.
On the programme we will look at working with individual clients and groups of clients, as well as working on a freelance basis for other businesses, such as Publishers, or businesses seeking language or intercultural coaching/training.
If you want to raise your profile, learn how to draw clients to you, overcome confidence and money blocks, learn to negotiate more effectively and set better boundaries, and enjoy your working life more, it’s for you.
Do I have the time to invest in the programme?
Over a three month period you’ll be sent 60-90 minutes of training videos every week. We’ll also meet every 1-2 weeks for a 90 minute group coaching/discussion session (8 sessions in total). All the sessions are recorded, and available to you forever, so if you have to miss a session, you can go back and catch up.
Each week I’ll set you ‘homework’ tasks. This might be something practical, such as writing a new LinkedIn profile and submitting it for feedback, or it might be a mindset related task.
There will also be ongoing support (from me and the group) and individual feedback available in a dedicated Slack group.
You’ll also have a smaller accountability pod of 2-3 people to help keep you on track, and to offer mutual support.
The amount of time you spend on the programme is largely up to you, but I’d say around 5 hours a week on average (including input), more if you want to get more done quickly.
It’s a three month programme, so there’s plenty of time to catch up if you miss a week, but we also have an implementation week (or sometimes two weeks) halfway through, where input is paused, but you can still ask questions in the Slack group.
Do I get 1-2-1 support from rachael?
Because this is such a small group, you will get a lot of individual support in the group coaching sessions and through the Slack group.
I recognise, however, that sometimes you just need more time to talk stuff through with me. That’s why I’ve built in two 1-2-1 sessions. The first one is taken about halfway through the programme, which is usually when participants find they have lots of ideas swirling around and it’s a bit overwhelming. A session then can really help to clarify the best path ahead. The second one is towards the end of the programme, or soon afterwards, and that enables you to make sure you’re completely clear about your next steps.
Is this the right time to invest in something like this?
These are uncertain times. Everything has been thrown up in the air, and the old ways of getting business might not be working for you anymore. But is this the right time to invest?
Only you can answer that question. What I can tell you is that overwhelmingly those who have been on my programme are now making significantly more money. That might be because of a new business idea, because they’ve got better at negotiating and at valuing their work, or because they’ve become more visible and been offered better paid work.
Take a look at some of the testimonials and you’ll see that the participants have also benefited enormously in less quantifiable, but maybe even more important ways. They’ve developed more confidence, feel better about saying no and asking for what they need, and are working in a more enjoyable and balanced way.
Ultimately, I do believe that this is an investment that will pay off for you both financially, and in many other ways.
CAN I JOIN THE PROGRAMME ANY TIME?
No, the Flourishing Foundations programme is only available a few times a year, and places are limited.
HOW MUCH IS THE PROGRAMME, AND CAN I PAY IN INSTALMENTS?
Your investment for this programme is £2297. This can be paid in instalments (usually 4, but I can be flexible), and I don’t charge any extra for doing this.
What help and support is available after the programme?
Flourishing Foundations alumni are all invited to a private Facebook group, where you can get ongoing peer support and networking and collaboration opportunities (such as the Flourishing Teacher Toolkit).
After you finish the group programme, you will also have the opportunity to join the follow up coaching only programme, Acorns to Oaks, to help ensure you implement what you have learnt. Find out more here.
I also offer occasional small group programmes solely for alumni, where we can dive deeper into areas such as email marketing, launching, audience building or lead generation and selling.
If that sounds like something you want, book a free 40 minute call with me now and let’s discuss your current situation, and if this is the right programme for you.
