Career

The Email System I Built with Flodesk (and How You Can Use It to Get Clients Too)

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Let’s talk about the real fear that holds most people back from becoming a Master IEP Coach®.

There are emails in my inbox every day asking me…

“I want to help families… but how do I actually get clients?”

That question comes up in nearly every conversation I have with parents and teachers considering becoming Master IEP Coaches®. It’s the part that feels unclear. Intimidating. Like maybe you’re not “business-y” enough to figure it all out.

Here’s what I want you to know: you don’t have to run your business like a businessperson from a corporate office. You’re not building a sales empire. 

You’re building relationships and changing Special Education by working with families who need you.

And relationships start with conversations.

One of the best ways to start and keep those conversations going is through email.

I’m not talking about spammy email blasts that make parents hit delete before they even read what you wrote. I’m talking about real, simple, beautiful emails that help you connect with the people who need you most.

That’s where Flodesk comes in – my absolute favorite business tool to help me build relationships with potential clients.


The Secret to Getting Clients Isn’t a Secret

If you’re considering becoming a Master IEP Coach®, chances are you already know how to help people. You’ve sat at the IEP table and you’ve probably given away more advice in the school parking lot than you can count.

The question isn’t, “Can I help?”
It’s “How do I find people to help?”

I started collecting emails back in 2009. The first 5,000 names and emails I gathered came from standing at community resource fairs with a signup sheet. I’d hand out IEP tips and ask, “Do you want to stay connected?” I built my list one conversation at a time.

I feel completely spoiled now with the ease of using Flodesk.

You can take your IEP experience and turn it into something valuable, like a daily planner, an IEP checklist, or a list of sensory must-haves, and offer it in exchange for an email address. Flodesk makes it simple to create a custom form where someone can say, “Yes, I want that!” while scrolling Facebook, and join your email list.

You don’t need to be on social media all day. You just need a clear way for someone to stay connected—and Flodesk gives you the tools to do that, without the tech headaches or spending hours standing with a clipboard and a sparkly pen.


Why I Chose Flodesk (After Trying Almost Everything)

When I first started working online way back in 2014, I made everything harder than it needed to be. I tried fancy software, paid for features I didn’t use, and overthought every email until exhaustion hit.

Back then, I was a single mom, building my business in the small pockets of time I had while the kids were at school. And let’s be honest—some days, school didn’t happen. A sick kid or an unexpected emergency could turn my whole schedule upside down. I needed a system that could keep things running—one that would still meet new clients, welcome them, and keep communication going, even on the tough days.

That’s what led me to simplify. I figured out what I actually needed to support families with IEPs—and stripped away everything else.

Now I run a lean, low-overhead business on purpose. I keep my systems simple, sustainable, and repeatable so I can focus on serving parents and teachers in our Special Education community, not troubleshooting tech.

Flodesk is the email platform that helps me do that.

Here’s why it works for me—and why it can work for you:

  • It’s beautifully designed and simple to use. I used to spend hours clicking and tweaking just to make things look professional. Now? I pick a Flodesk template, customize it in minutes, and send it. Flodesk templates aren’t just time-savers—they instantly make my emails polished and trustworthy to potential clients. You’re going to feel like a professional Master IEP Coach® from day one!

  • It helps me just be me. The emails feel like they’re coming from a real person—which is exactly what helps build trust with future clients.

  • It’s all-in-one. You can create signup forms, build welcome sequences, send newsletters, and track what’s working—all in one place.

  • It’s beginner-friendly. Flodesk was made for small business owners (like me and you!) who want our emails to sound and feel like a conversation at our local coffee shop.



If Tech Feels Too Techy… Flodesk Fixes That

One of the biggest pain points I hear from parents and teachers who are considering becoming Master IEP Coaches® (after wondering about where to get clients)  is, “I don’t know how to set up the tech.”

That fear is real. But I promise, I’ve made all the expensive, complicated mistakes in the past so you don’t have to.

Simple tools like Flodesk make launching your services as a Master IEP Coach® not just possible, but fun!

Can you see yourself using your IEP experience to create a resource for families, offering it for free (in exchange for their email address), and then emailing one IEP tip every week to your growing email list? 

You can do this!

And, as you grow, Flodesk gives you simple, clear dashboards so you can see what your potential clients are opening, clicking, and loving—in your weekly IEP tip emails.


Let’s Keep This Simple (Because It Should Be)

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a Master IEP Coach®, but the business side feels too big or too overwhelming, I want you to hear this clearly:

You do not need to do everything at once, figure it out alone, or hustle to succeed.

You need a way to serve. A way to connect. A way to build trust.

Becoming a Master IEP Coach® and using simple tools like Flodesk gives you that way.

You don’t need to be a marketing expert to build a meaningful business. And you definitely don’t have to be uncomfortably salesy. You just need to show your heart and how you can help families through the IEP process.

That’s what Flodesk helps me do—and what I’ll help you do when you decide to become a Master IEP Coach®.

Ready to build a business that doesn’t feel like a business and helps families through the IEP process?

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Special needs sibling, masters in special education, certified high performance coach.

Hi, I'm Catherine.
Fixing IEPs is my thing.

It's been almost 30 years since I sat at my first IEP meeting as a new teacher (spoiler alert, I didn't stay a classroom teacher for long). But, my first taste of the IEP rollercoaster was in the front row, at my brother's IEP meeting. I knew right then, the IEP process needed help, and I was all in.

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