Frequently Asked Questions

A: It's completely normal to be cautious! Femmeprenista is different because we offer a holistic approach specifically designed for ambitious women (especially mothers) globally, with a deep understanding of the UK context, aiming to build profitable, fulfilling, and potentially location-independent businesses. We blend proven business strategy (MBA-level thinking, practical frameworks) with deep mindset work (leveraging tools like DISC & Strengths) and crucial wellbeing integration. Unlike generic courses or coaches who only focus on tactics, we partner with you to build a business aligned with your life. Our approach is empathetic yet action-oriented, and the initial Clarity Call ensures we're a great fit before you commit. We focus on tangible progress and sustainable success, not quick fixes that lead to burnout. If you're motivated, ready for change, and value a supportive partner who truly gets the juggle, coaching here could be transformative.

A: Think of coaching as a powerful, future-focused partnership designed to unlock your potential and accelerate your goals. Unlike therapy (which often explores the past to heal) or mentoring (which often involves direct advice-giving), coaching facilitates your self-discovery and empowers you to find your own solutions. As your coach, Carlene acts as a strategic thinking partner – listening deeply, asking powerful questions, providing frameworks, offering insights, and holding you accountable to your vision, not dictating answers. It's about moving forward, achieving results, and becoming the CEO of your business and life.

A: As a business founded by a mother of four, we deeply understand the 'juggle'. Our approach is inherently flexible. Practically, this means:

• Flexible Scheduling: We work with you to find session times that accommodate childcare, school runs, and other family commitments where possible.

• Understanding & Grace: We know life happens! We approach rescheduling needs due to family illness or emergencies with understanding.

• Efficiency Focus: Our strategies often focus on creating systems and reclaiming time because we know how precious it is for mothers.

• Wellbeing Integration: We actively address energy management and boundary setting, crucial for preventing mum-guilt and burnout.

• Shared Experience: Carlene's lived experience informs her empathetic and practical coaching style.

A: Carlene's unique blend of qualifications and experience translates directly into client benefits:

• MBA: Provides robust, practical business strategy and financial acumen.

• PhD Research (Female Entrepreneurship): Offers evidence-based insights into the specific challenges, success factors, and mindset patterns relevant to ambitious women in business, making strategies more effective and resonant.

• DISC Certification: Enables deeper understanding of your communication and work style for tailored coaching and improved self-awareness.

• Mother of Four: Brings real-world understanding, empathy, and practical strategies for integrating business growth with family life. This combination ensures a holistic, strategic, and deeply understanding coaching partnership.

A: Femmeprenista offers a comprehensive ecosystem designed to support ambitious female online service entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey, guiding them through Foundation, Scaling, and Visionary Leader phases. This includes:

• Femme:Connect: A free Facebook Group community for connection and peer support.

• Spark: An early-stage program focused on idea validation and clarity (Foundation), including a private Facebook Group and Q&A via live sessions.

• Launch: An implementation program to set up foundational systems and get first clients (Foundation into Scaling), including a private Facebook Group and Q&A via live sessions.

• Momentum: 1:1 coaching for established businesses focused on sustainable growth and systems (Scaling), including direct 1:1 support via Google Chat for the 6-month duration.

• Ascend: High-level 1:1 executive coaching for scaling impact, leadership, and legacy (Visionary Leader), including priority direct 1:1 support via Google Chat for the 12-month duration.

• Ready-to-Launch Kit: A 'done-for-you' service providing a complete business launch foundation (website, branding, basic systems). Each program has specific goals, structures, and support methods. You can find detailed FAQs for each on their respective pages.

A: That's quite common! The Foundation, Scaling, and Visionary Leader stages provide a framework, but growth isn't always linear. The best way to determine the right fit is through a Clarity Call. We'll discuss your specific situation, current revenue, systems, challenges, and goals to recommend the program or service that will provide the most effective support and ROI for you right now. Sometimes, elements might be tailored, especially in 1:1 coaching.

A: Absolutely. We specifically design our Femmeprenista programs and services with the "non-techy" entrepreneur in mind. We focus on strategy first, and any tech recommended is chosen for its user-friendliness and effectiveness, often leveraging AI for simplification. We provide step-by-step guidance and support to ensure you can implement necessary systems without feeling overwhelmed. For those wanting tech handled completely, our Ready-to-Launch Kit is an option.

A: We believe in leveraging AI strategically to enhance efficiency and insight, not replace human connection or critical thinking. AI might be used for:

• Streamlining Tasks: Introducing tools (like Google Gemini, which we often provide access to) to help with content ideation, drafting communications, summarising research etc., saving you time.

• Data Insights (Ethically): Potentially analysing trends (anonymously and ethically) to inform program content.

• Automation: Setting up simple automations (e.g., in R2L Kit or discussed in coaching) to manage workflows. We focus on practical, accessible AI applications. You won't need advanced technical skills. Data privacy and ethical use are paramount in any AI integration.

A: Progress is measured against the specific, tangible goals we set together at the start of our engagement (whether in a Femmeprenista program or 1:1 coaching). We track key business metrics (revenue, client acquisition, etc.) but also crucial indicators like your time savings, reduced stress levels, and increased confidence. Business growth is a journey, not an overnight fix, especially when building sustainably. While many clients see positive shifts quickly, our focus is on consistent action leading to lasting results. We review progress regularly and adjust strategies as needed, ensuring you always feel supported and clear on your trajectory.

A: Wellbeing isn't an afterthought; it's woven into our methodology. This includes:

• Strategic Planning: Designing business models and workflows that support your energy levels and life priorities, enabling sustainable success and location independence if desired.

• Boundary Setting: Coaching on how to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with clients and work hours.

• Mindset Work: Addressing perfectionism, comparison, and other mindset traps that fuel burnout.

• Energy Management: Discussing personal energy cycles and productivity styles to optimise work patterns.

• Systemisation: Implementing systems that reduce workload and create space. We focus on building resilience and sustainable success habits alongside business growth.

A: We understand completely! Our Femmeprenista 1:1 coaching programs are designed to help you reclaim time long-term. Initially, expect to commit time for our bi-weekly 90-minute sessions, plus dedicated implementation time between calls (perhaps 2-4 hours/week, depending on the actions). The 1:1 Google Chat support is designed for focused check-ins and questions between sessions, ensuring you keep momentum without adding significant extra time burden. Crucially, much of the work involves shifting how you work – implementing systems, delegating, setting boundaries – which ultimately creates more time and energy, reducing the frantic busy-ness. It's an upfront investment of focused time for long-term leverage and freedom.

A: Absolutely! Femmeprenista supports ambitious female online service entrepreneurs globally, empowering them to build successful, often location-independent, businesses. While Carlene is based in the UK, coaching sessions are conducted online (e.g., via Google Meet), and program support (like Google Chat for Momentum/Ascend or Facebook Groups for Spark/Launch) is accessible globally. Strategic principles are universal, and we tailor discussions to your specific market context. Program materials are in English. Pricing is typically displayed in GBP (£), but payments can usually be made internationally.

A: Yes, coaching and training for business enhancement is generally tax-deductible in the UK. For clients outside the UK, the rules vary by country. We strongly recommend consulting with a local accountant or tax professional in your jurisdiction to confirm the deductibility of business coaching expenses.

A: Figuring out pricing and packaging is a key part of building a profitable business. Our programs equip you with frameworks to understand value-based pricing, analyse your market position, and structure compelling offers. In specific programs like Launch (for foundational pricing) and Momentum (for optimising and premium pricing), we guide you through practical exercises to define packages and set prices that align with your revenue goals and confidently attract your ideal clients, whilst also addressing common mindset blocks around charging your worth.

A: Comparisonitis is incredibly common, especially online! We tackle this directly through dedicated mindset coaching. Our approach focuses on helping you identify and truly own your unique strengths (using tools like StrengthsFinder), clarify your core values to build an authentic brand voice that stands out, and shift focus towards your own progress and metrics that matter. The supportive community environment within our programs (like the private Facebook groups for Spark/Launch or the main Femme:Connect group) also plays a crucial role in normalising these feelings and encouraging collaboration over comparison.

A: Mindset work is integral to sustainable success. Beyond the insights gained from DISC and Strengths assessments, our coaching incorporates a range of practical techniques tailored to your specific needs. This often includes guided coaching conversations to uncover and reframe limiting beliefs (like 'I'm not good enough' or 'It's too hard'), specific exercises to manage imposter syndrome and build self-efficacy, establishing effective goal-setting practices using proven frameworks (like SMART or OKRs, adapted for solo/small businesses), cultivating resilience through cognitive reframing, and using guided reflection or visualization to foster a powerful and positive CEO mindset.

A: Strong client boundaries are essential for preventing burnout and maintaining control of your business – they aren't selfish, they're strategic! We weave boundary-setting into our coaching across all relevant programs. This involves helping you proactively define clear expectations and scope in your client agreements and onboarding processes, crafting professional communication strategies and scripts for managing scope creep or out-of-hours requests, empowering you to practice saying 'no' gracefully to things outside your agreed scope, and strategically structuring your service delivery and availability in a way that protects your valuable time and energy.

A: Your privacy is paramount. All conversations and information shared during Femmeprenista coaching sessions (including 1:1 Google Chat support), programs, and within private program Facebook Groups are held in the strictest confidence, adhering to professional coaching ethics. The only exception, required by law and ethics, would be if there was an imminent risk of serious harm to yourself or others.