5 Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your TCC Membership
by JAMES TRAUB
In the summer of 2022, I joined TCC, attended a couple Coaches Cafe calls, saw that many of the events were being held virtually (I wanted to meet people in person), and promptly drifted away from the organization and let my membership lapse.
This was prior to the launch of the Bridges/Ambassador program, and I just didn’t connect the dots with what TCC was all about and how I could make the most out of my membership.
A year later I was still struggling with getting my coaching business launched and profitable, so I reached back out to current president, Steve Buisson in October to renew my membership and discover how I might make the best use of what TCC has to offer–and I’m pleased to report that I’ve been absolutely blown away and humbled by the amount of support and valuable insight I’ve gained in less than 60 days.
The Value of Relationships
When I initially joined TCC, I made the assumption that the Member Directory was a tool advertising my coaching services to potential clients. I failed to appreciate how valuable the directory is for discovering and learning about other TCC members and how it supports getting members connected with one another (online AND offline).
Upon renewing my membership, Steve encouraged me to reach out and set up time with TCC Founder Joyce Richman, and long term members KJ Shapiro and Matthew McMillan. Each individual generously shared their time and wisdom with me, as well as encouraged me to reach out to other individuals inside (and outside) of TCC.
As a new coach, being able to speak directly with so many individuals who have successfully made a career of coaching was invaluable, and the warmth with which I was being received by everyone I spoke with made me all the more eager to continue to reach out and connect with other members.
Based on these conversations, I was able to put together a plan for growing my coaching business that really excited me and finally felt grounded in real-world principles of business success.
This was particularly impactful because, like many new coaches, I spent a year and thousands of dollars on online courses and experts who promised to help me build a profitable and successful online coaching business, and I’ve seen very little success with those approaches.
What I learned through these interactions with TCC members is just how valuable relationships are, not just for professional success, but also for fostering community and a peer group that supports personal success.
5 Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your TCC Membership
Ask your Bridges Mentor to identify several other TCC members who you might benefit from speaking with and set up time to meet with them.
Explore the Member Directory (read their profiles, check out their website, read through their LinkedIn content) and identify several individuals who interest you and set up time to meet with them.
Read through the TCC Blog (which includes a mix of educational content and member interviews) and identify any other individuals you are interested in connecting with.
Set up your own Member Directory profile so that other members can learn about and get connected with you.
Attend the weekly Coaches Cafe and monthly educational and social events in order to deepen your relationship with those who you’ve only met online and to meet other members who you may not have connected with yet.
As with many things in life, you get out of an experience what you are willing to put into it. So, if it’s been a while since you attended a TCC event or set up some time to chat with another TCC member, I encourage you to make some time this month to do so and see where these new relationships take you!
More about James Traub
James is a Winston-Salem, NC based life coach helping men to harness the power of emotional intelligence to create the success and satisfaction they’re looking for in life. Through workshops, retreats, and 1:1 coaching he equips men with the skills they need to turn tension and conflict into connection and collaboration, both at work and at home.