Get in touch: hello@katejames.com.au
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  • About
  • Work with Kate
    • Personal Coaching
    • Leadership Coaching
    • Business Mentoring
  • Courses & groups
    • Free Monday Talk & Meditation
    • Build Self-Belief through Mindfulness
    • Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Workshop
    • The Confidence Course
    • Write Your Life Stories
  • Retreat
  • Writing
    • Blog
    • Kate’s books
    • Free resources
  • Contact
  • 0 items

Business Coaching & Mentoring for Women

With over 40 years of experience in small business, I now mentor women who are starting a new business in the creative or wellness space. My clients are designers, healers, artists, marketers, musicians, yoga teachers, kinesiologists, psychologists and counsellors (amongst other things).

We’ll work together to help you:

  • Develop a vision for your business that feels really right for you
  • Overcome the fear of putting yourself out there (including on social media)
  • Work out who your ideal clients are and how you can market to them authentically
  • Understand your strengths and what you might want to delegate
  • Create a healthy relationship with money
  • Move beyond your feelings of being ‘blocked’ or ‘stuck’
  • Overcome your imposter syndrome
  • Love your business (and your life)
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Business coaching

How does it work?

My business mentoring and coaching is about offering you the support you most need, in the format that works best for you. Sessions are tailored to each individual client.

We start with a complimentary 20-minute session, and from there you can decide what will work best for you. You might choose a couple of individual sessions or enrol in a program — whatever feels most supportive.

Why work with me?

Alongside many years of experience in the small business space, I’m also a wife, mother and grandmother, so I understand the juggle of balancing family and career.

I’m naturally introverted, sensitive and creative, qualities that were once seen as a hindrance. These days, I embrace these aspects of myself, and work with clients who are much the same. People often tell me they value my kindness, intuition, and ability to really listen.

These qualities shape the way I work. It’s important that I create a calm, welcoming space where you can explore your ideas and gain the clarity and confidence that your decisions feel really right for you.

business-coach

The women I work with

Almost all of the women I work with share some of the following qualities:

  • You feel lost or uncertain about your direction
  • You want to run a purpose-led business
  • You love the idea of approaching your business with more creativity
  • You care about making a difference
  • You love what you do, but sometimes find it lonely working alone
  • You know you need to manage your energy
  • You value freedom, autonomy and independence
  • You might be inclined towards perfectionism
  • You often put others first and worry about burning out.
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Coaching options

Single session

Begin with a 60-minute appointment, held online via Zoom or in-person on the Mornington Peninsula.

Fee: $275 AUD (includes GST)

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Three session program

3 x 60-minute appointments held online via Zoom or in-person on the Mornington Peninsula.

Fee: $795 AUD (includes GST)

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Five session program

5 x 60-minute appointments held online via Zoom or in-person. Option to pay in instalments.

Fee: $1,250 AUD (includes GST)

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What people are saying

Clare Bowditch Big Hearted Business

Clare Bowditch

Big Hearted Business

‘I absolutely adore Kate. She is a highly skilled, generous and enormously gifted business coach, especially for those who don’t traditionally consider themselves “business people”. I discovered her through sheer luck (thanks Google), and I remain sincerely grateful for the counsel she offered me back in 2010 when I was first fleshing out the bones for what would become Big Hearted Business. Thanks Kate!’

kerry

Kerry Rowett

Awaken Kinesiology

‘Kate has a real gift for helping her clients stabilise when they’re going through challenges, or a time of growth. She has a wonderfully calm presence. Her advice is practical, grounded and strategic and she expertly guides you to seek your own solutions. In working with me on my kinesiology business during a time of expansion, Kate was able to help me formalise plans, work through many decisions and provide strategic guidance. Kate is generous in her nature and wonderfully affirming and encouraging. I have also seen the highly positive effects working with Kate has had on some of my clients, who always speak of her with the greatest respect.’

Sarah Fisher

Sarah Fisher

denu

‘I loved my coaching sessions with Kate and miss them now we’re done! In a very friendly and positive manner Kate helped me to pinpoint exactly what I was looking for in my career. We identified my passions, my strengths, ultimate job criteria and a whole lot more, including balancing career and family life. As a result of our sessions, I am about to launch my own business – something Kate helped me realise I’d been wanting to do for years and that if I didn’t give it a go, I’d likely have regrets. Her supportive and no-nonsense approach, including a wealth of experience and professional network were invaluable in assisting me to take the first very exciting steps.’

jodie

Jodie Holmes

Seaside Creative

‘What has been true with your approach right from the beginning is that you’re not like any other coach. You listened to my personal/business challenges, and provided tools and insights to enable me to understand ways I could overcome the challenges I was faced with. You understood me and what I wanted from the coaching. I could not have envisaged the benefits that your coaching has made, or the results I’ve achieved after such a short period of time. The investment has paid for itself well over: in my new efficiencies, and releasing my focus on the one thing that had me frozen – unable to make progress. I now approach the future with excitement, anticipation, and empowerment. I would not hesitate to recommend Kate James of Total Balance to anyone who has goals and dreams, be it for life or business, that they want to achieve and don’t know where to begin, or how to get there.’

leanne-clancey

Leanne Clancey

Food & Travel Writer

‘I first met with Kate when I was at a real career crossroads. Kate helped me to nut out my values and aspirations, recognise my natural talents and then identify opportunities and pathways for me to put that all together so that I could actually make stuff happen. I love the way that Kate was able to calmly and pragmatically break things down to the basics. Put simply, working with Kate helped me to get clear – which has been nothing short of life changing.’ Leanne Clancey, Food & Travel Writer

cress

Cressida Bradley

Explosure

‘Kate showed me how to plan towards goals and activities that match my vision and strengths. Change is not scary or unsettling, it’s reinvigorating and natural. It just makes sense. These are life-long skills taught with such grace, logic and empathy. I’ll always be grateful for Kate’s insight and support.’ Cressida Bradley, Director of Explosure’

liz-circle

Elizabeth Bull

Lizzy C Photography

‘I first engaged the services of Kate James as a business coach back during the initial stages of starting my business. Running a small business was still an unknown for me, and I felt alone and unsure of what I needed to do to make my business a success. Working with Kate really helped me clarify what I wanted to do and how I should go about doing it. She always gave me practical and achievable advice that worked well for my business and, importantly, aligned with my business ethics. Even many years after my initial meetings with Kate, I still regularly draw upon much of the advice she gave me. I credit a large part of my success to the advice and guidance she gave to me in the early days of my business, and the support she gives me to this day.’

Kirsten MacKelden

Kirsten MacKelden

Real Weddings

‘Like many small businesses, our growth was rapid and exciting. Working with Kate as our business coach enabled us to put much-needed systems and processes in place to effectively streamline and manage our business. Kate worked with us to clarify our business focus and the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. Sometimes I couldn’t see the forest for the trees, but Kate had a knack for giving things clarity and putting things into perspective in a succinct and professional way. Meeting with Kate was always an enjoyable experience and we hope to continue our relationship with her as we take the business to another level.’

About me

I’ve spent over 40 years in small business. Early on, I worked in the wellness space, and then I spent almost two decades as a business manager for filmmakers, architects and designers. Along the way, I discovered my passion for supporting solo entrepreneurs to build businesses they love, that fit their lives, their values, and their strengths.

After studying a business degree with a major in marketing, I trained with one of the first international coaching schools. In 2002, I started my own coaching business supporting creative business owners. Over time, that business became a space where women come to connect more deeply with themselves, build self-belief, and learn to let go of perfectionism and people-pleasing.

I was also one of the first coaches in Australia to achieve a PCC accreditation with International Coach Federation.

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life-coaching-kate-james

Frequently asked questions about business coaching

I'm in the early days of planning my business. Can I start coaching now?

Yes absolutely, now is the best time to start. It’s enormously helpful to gain clarity about your business brand, offering and your own personal strengths before you launch your business.

Can you help me with practical things like registering a business name and ABN and securing insurance?

I can, and I believe it’s really important that you get all of these foundational elements right before you begin.

Will you help me set clear goals for my business?

Most definitely. Clarity about your vision and goals are the first steps to move you forward in your business.

Can you help with my marketing plan?

Yes, most definitely. I’ll help you map out a marketing strategy and from there, we’ll come up with a marketing plan including the practical action steps.

I'm slightly terrified of social media. Can you help build my confidence?

You’re not alone in this – it’s one of the most common concerns from my clients. I’ll help build your social media confidence and we’ll also explore other options for marketing so you’re not solely focused on one channel.

Is online coaching effective?

I work with clients from all over the world, so many can’t attend in-person. They still say they achieve wonderful results from our coaching.

Can you help me create systems for my business and feel a bit more organised?

I can. This is something I’ve done for many small business owners, including my own. Great systems will free up your time and energy giving you a greater sense of balance in your life.

Have a question about business coaching in Melbourne?

If there’s something we haven’t answered, please reach out. We would love to hear from you.

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It’s been a few years since I last hosted this workshop, and I’m really looking forward to offering it again.This morning is an invitation to slow down, rest, and reconnect with the calm, compassionate and grounded part of yourself.I'll guide you in the principles of mindfulness and self-compassion so you can meet the present moment with a greater sense of peace. Learn how to quieten your inner critic and develop a kinder, more supportive relationship with yourself.Together, we’ll explore:✨ simple mindfulness practices to create a sense of inner calm throughout your day✨ how mindfulness can help you step back from unhelpful or overactive thinking✨ letting go of perfectionism and self-judgement✨ cultivating self-compassion as a daily practiceJoin me for a nurturing and restorative morning.Booking link in my bio. 🙏
If you’ve joined me for the recent @insighttimer challenge, you’ll be well on your way to setting intentions for the year ahead. If you haven’t yet joined, it’s not too late – and it’s free.I’m a day behind, so I’ve just finished listening to Jack Kornfield’s meditation on reconnecting with your inner strength.“Wrap your arms around all of your experience – the ten thousand joys and sorrows – and say gently to yourself, I am calm, spacious and steady.”“Today, I will trust my calm more than my fears and worries.”Wise words for these times. ✨#mindfulness #innercalm #settingintentions #insighttimer #meditationpractice #findingcalm
Overthinking isn’t a personal failing.It’s often a sign that you’ve been over-functioning or just overloaded.When we try to stop overthinking by thinking our way out of it, the mind just becomes even busier. What helps instead is noticing what’s happening, taking some of the pressure off yourself, and creating a sense of space where you can genuinely think more clearly.If you’re someone who has been holding it all together while your mind feels constantly busy, I hope these tips are helpful. You might also like to have a read of an article I wrote about this recently (link in my bio). ✨#overthinking #stressrecovery #nervoussystem #innercalm #womenswellbeing
My end-of-year wish for you, your loved ones, and for all of humanity is greater peace. 🙏
After posting some of our photos from last week’s trip, I thought I’d share one more that I took while we were exploring rock pools.Chris has always been good at going slowly. He has taught me a lot about being in the moment and even more about noticing beauty.This was a lovely reminder that lessons in presence are everywhere.An invitation for you this week – watch the people around you and observe the different ways they engage with the present moment. And see if there's something that inspires you. ✨#slowingdown #noticingbeauty #everydaymindfulness #presentmoment
“The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.” Rick RubinJust before we came away for the weekend, I started reading Rick Rubin’s 'The Creative Act: A Way of Being'. It was the perfect invitation to look at everything through the lens of curiosity and wonder.Despite rain being predicted, we decided to hike a section of the Great Ocean Road Walk and spotted this beautiful koala sitting quietly in a tree, watching us with its own sense of wonder.We’ve discovered the sweetest little bays, incredible sections of forest and a beach that at first glance looked mostly grey. When we looked more closely, we found all sorts of small wonders and every colour of the rainbow.Sometimes it takes slowing down to recognise the little miracles that exist all around us.They can change the way we interact with the world, make us more open to the innate creativity that exists within every one of us, and fill us with hope when we remember that the natural world is still full of the most exquisite beauty. ✨Thanks @chrisjamesphotos for the koala pic. 🐨#greatoceanroad #greatoceanroadwalk #mindfulliving #slowliving #creativeact #rickrubin #australianbeaches #naturelover #curiosityandwonder #mindfulmoments #everydaybeauty
“Who would you be if you trusted the basic goodness and beauty that lives through you?” Tara Brach ✨#selfworth #selfkindness #confidenceforwomen #innerstrength #mindfulgrowth #personaldevelopment
I’m in Byron this week, running my annual retreat. It always amazes me how different life feels here. The days are long and time moves slowly. It feels like there’s room to breathe.We meditate, do yoga and Pilates, walk along the beach and swim in the tea tree lake. We eat beautiful vegetarian food and there’s plenty of time to rest.I think all of us could benefit from a place like this, but when it’s not possible, stepping away from your everyday life can help you remember what’s missing.So here’s a thought for the week: make some time – even half an hour – to sit beneath a tree. Cook a wholesome meal. Walk slowly through your local park. Write in your journal. Make a mandala. Breathe.Let the rest of your life wait for a bit, and give some time to yourself. ✨#womensretreat #byronbayretreat #mindfulnessforwomen #yogaretreataustralia #meditationretreat
I read a beautiful article last week about the concept of fragility, and how it applies in just about every area of life. I know this is true, but it also reminded me that when we're willing to accept our vulnerability, we come to discover our true strength.The way we keep showing up through moments of uncertainty.The way we stay open to love when we've been deeply hurt.The way we adapt when life throws us a curve ball.The way we stay hopeful, even when we're afraid.The way we find meaning in the smallest of moments.Fragility isn’t weakness. It’s part of what it means to be fully alive.When we recognise it, we learn to handle ourselves and one another with more care.To cherish what matters and to stay open to the life that we're living.✨#vulnerability #fragility #innerstrength #tenderness #selfcompassion #mindfulliving #emotionalwellbeing #personalgrowth #slowliving #healingjourney #beinghuman
© Kate James 2026

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We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands we live and work on, the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

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