How Trauma Makes You Vulnerable to Coaching Scams with Dr. Lee Cordell

Girl Boss Red Flags Podcast with Erin Billings and Tay Francis

In this episode of Girl Boss Red Flags, Erin and Tay chat with Dr. Lee Cordell, Founder of the Institute for Trauma and Psychological Safety, to talk about how trauma can make people easy targets for coaching scams.

Dr. Lee shares tips on spotting shady sales tactics, keeping your cool, and making smart choices when looking at online coaching. The episode also stresses the need for honesty, ethical behavior, and being aware of your own mental state before investing in coaching programs.

CHAPTERS

01:03 Meet Dr. Lee Cordell

03:55 Understanding Trauma Buying

07:09 Navigating Dysregulation in Coaching

15:07 Trauma-Informed Sales Practices

23:28 Relearning Body Signals and Regulation

29:21 Understanding Regulation vs. Dysregulation

31:58 Addiction and Numbing Behaviors

36:31 Green Flags in Coaching Programs

40:19 The Impact of Dishonest Sales Tactics

Connect with Dr. Lee Cordell on Facebook

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BIZ PRODUCTS WE LOVE

Erin and Tay are business owners that love to share products that work - which is why we will share one product in each episode that we actually use, that we think will help you in your business!

In this episode, Erin shares about Not Your Average Law Firm's Contract Club, where you can get all of the contract templates you need for $50 USD. Anywhere else, you'll pay over $297 for just your privacy policy and terms of service! We love these contract templates and we know you will too.

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ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Erin Billings is a producer and agency owner who launched her business out of necessity following several traumatic workplace experiences. In late 2020, she found herself owed over $44,000 in unpaid wages from an online agency/tech startup. Despite facing significant challenges, Erin fought through complex trauma to advocate for herself and her colleagues, ultimately leading to three years of litigation, a defaulted settlement, and a $100,000 judgment. Her investigative efforts uncovered that her former employer still owes back wages to at least 15 people and continues their deceptive practices, exploiting legal loopholes.

Determined to make a difference, Erin created her podcast to share her story and help others identify and avoid similar pitfalls. Through her platform, she aims to educate and empower individuals to recognize red flags and protect themselves from exploitation.

Tay Francis (she/they) is a sociologist, certified life coach and trauma survivor. Despite her extensive research experience, Tay fell for predatory sales tactics in not one, but two high-ticket coaching programmes. Too often, she’s been the only black woman, only queer woman, only neurodivergent woman, the only person from the Global South in so-called “diverse” and “trauma-informed” coaching programmes that in reality fail to support diverse people. Tay has had enough and believes it’s time for change. Through this podcast, Tay hopes she can help consumers avoid being scammed and help coaches create truly ethical, inclusive, and supportive coaching spaces.

CREDITS

Artwork - Diana Pietrzyk

Music - Erin Billings

Post Production - Isaac Moreno

Copy - Tay Francis

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Girl Boss Red Flags Disclaimer and Trigger Warning

Some of the topics that we talk about in this episode may be triggering or distressing. If you find yourself experiencing strong emotions at any point during listening, please do what you need to do to take care of yourself. Secondly, nothing that we discuss in this episode constitutes legal, medical, or professional mental health advice. We are not lawyers, we are not doctors, and we are not clinical mental health professionals. If you think that you or someone you know may have been scammed, please consult the relevant professionals so that you can get the advice that you need for your situation.

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