You know how you find yourself in a job you love and thinking “I never thought I’d have a career doing this.” Well, that’s me. When I quit my last full time job because it just didn’t feel right anymore, I never thought I’d find myself self-employed as a business coach. My strengths, and skills, experience and business knowledge prepared me for the work I am doing now, helping small business owners make their vision of a successful business a reality.
“Having a coach was once a sign weakness in business. Now it’s like an athlete using a trainer.”
The problem with what I do is that most people have no idea what a business coach actually does. The term coach is used across disciplines - life coach, accountability coach, basketball coach, fitness coach etc. The Financial Times has stated, “Having a coach was once a sign of weakness in business. But now it is like an athlete using a trainer.”
Here’s why that’s important. A lot of business owners don’t open a small business because they are good at business. They open because they see a problem they can solve or a skill they can leverage to solve a problem for a customer. Many business owners have little business skills or experience.
Let’s go back to the sports analogy. If you grow up playing a sport and move into playing competitively in high school, college or beyond, you learn there is more to the game than the single play on the field. To be good at the game, the athlete needs to practice and refine skills, condition for endurance, observe and learn about the competition, stay up to date on new equipment, get mentally tough and execute effectively and efficiently to win. The sports coach has different tasks; the coach knows the rules of the game, devises strategies both offensively and defensively, works within the strengths and weaknesses of his team and conditions them to take on bigger and better competitors. A business coach does the same thing on the playing field of business.
I’ve talked to many business people over the years, observed good operations and seen businesses fail simply because they ignored the tough questions or didn’t pay attention. They miss opportunities and run right into the obstacles.
My coaching is a combination of knowledge, leadership skills, critical thinking and creative problem solving.
Coaching begins with a conversation. It’s what I like to call a discovery session; time for me to get to know the client and explore the challenges the business owner is facing. It’s time to find out if the client and I “know, like and trust” one another.
Here’s what one person said after a discovery meeting, “.. something is different and I already feel a change.”
If we both agree to move forward, another coaching session is scheduled as soon as the business owner is available. This is a deeper dive into specific problems and challenges. We then determine where we need to begin. Sometimes that may mean at the very beginning examining the why of the business, the owners vision and purpose. Then looking at the customer the business serves, examine the products and services and seeing how all these moving parts align. I ask the right questions to get to the core problem and I ask a lot of tough questions when necessary so the business owner learns to face the problems. Over time, the business owner learns to ask their own questions and further refines their problem solving skills . Each session ends with determining reviewing long term goals and outlining immediate and short term goals. Many times the session is supported with suggested reading materials and other sources for review and casual study.
One of my clients said this about the coaching process, “You’re able to draw things out of people, whether it’s a deep desire for change for business reconstruction/evolution from beginning to end.”
Each session is followed up with a recap so the business owner has a good outline for what was discussed, what goals were set and the action items to follow and recite before the next meeting.
“I couldn’t have done this without you.”
A client who I have been working with for over a year just reported her highest monthly gross sales in June 2020. In sharing the news, she added, “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Along with solving the challenges in business, I coach the business person to their best self. The continual challenges of business leaves little room for a business owner to feel positive and self assured. After a coaching session, my clients are confident, less stressed and energized.
I measure my success by my clients achievements. They deserve 100% credit for the work. They are on the playing field everyday. I’m the coach, standing on the sideline. I’m their biggest fan and cheerleader because I believe everyone can succeed with he right coach, dedication and desire.