How to choose a Business Coach

The coaching industry is an absolute minefield; even more so since Covid when it seemed that everyone decided they could be a coach and lots more thought they could tell people how their amazing process could get them coaching clients.

Now I am not stupid but I fell for this type of hard sell.  I have years of business experience but digital marketing was not my strength.  I knew I wanted to support others and use all the coaching skills that I have developed over many years of recruiting and building teams and running successful businesses.

But I had to find the people who needed my help first!

So when an ad came up in Google promising that I could start getting coaching clients in a matter of weeks - and came with a money back guarantee; I fell hook, line and sinker! 

Now it wasn’t all bad.  I learnt a lot.  A lot about how digital marketing works and a  lot about how easy it is to spend a fortune on paid advertising!  I also became part of a great community.  And I got my first coaching client.

There is a big but.  It was all very salesy and formulaic.  The process did not fit with my values or my beliefs.  You see I know that we are all different and need different support so one coach is right for one person and a different one for another.

The coaching was ongoing, and as I said there was a money back guarantee. You could carry on attending the group coaching sessions which were with a number of different experts in their area for as long as it took to make back the money that you had invested.

The problem was, the company went bust.  Nobody got their money back and the coaching stopped!  They were a victim of their own success; doing incredibly well during Covid, when so many people were looking for other options; and then continuing to spend huge amounts on paid advertising; but demand was on the downward curve and there were many other competitions in the market.

There were a lot of angry people.  But I have been in worse situations; so I accepted what I couldn’t change and moved on; but it did reinforce what I already knew that relationships beat algorithms every single time.  I know so much more about digital marketing now, and of course it has its place; but relationships always come first; especially in the coaching world.

How to find the right coach

I have had a lot of feedback from clients who have had bad experience from previous coaches:

😞 They felt fleeced

😞 They were stung by a coach

😞 They felt guiltily that it was their fault that it wasn’t working

😞 It was all about the money - no personal care

😞 Very intimidating - “your ideas are crap, mine are better!”

And they often didn’t even have the experience of starting and growing a significant business themselves!

This makes me very sad and gives the whole coaching industry a bad name.  There are many coaches out there and many business owners that need support; but it is so important that you choose the right one for you.

What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?

It is important to understand what kind of support you need.  

Pure coaching is very effective when you need support and encouragement - an expert coach will uncover the heart of a problem that you are struggling with through effective questioning and high level listening as well as demonstrating understanding.  This type of coaching works very well when you need help with mindset and increasing confidence in your own ideas.

A mentor is a professional who understands how to run and grow a business and can support you with empathy.  They will help you to take a step back and provide you with an external view. They will share relevant knowledge and provide valuable feedback.

I blend both of these methods in my own coaching depending on who I am working with and the support they need.

I am not the right coach for everyone

I will not take anyone's money unless I am confident that I am able to help them get the results that they want and to do the work that is needed.  This is key.  However much you pay a coach they can’t do it for you.  They will support you and advise you and make you accountable; but then it is down to you.

Having now supported many business owners ; I am confident that my natural balanced approach to coaching them is what they want and need. These are some of the things that they have told me:

💥 You respect my ideas; and never make me feel silly

💥 You are insightful, supportive and helpful

💥 You are excited by my vision and offer realistic, grounded advice and encouragement

💥 You remind me how good I am; and ask just the right questions

💥 You provide tough love and accountability with just the right level of support

💥 You are patient, kind and considerate - a complete professional

💥 You are highly knowledgeable and trustworthy

And time and time again I have been told how important it is for them to get support from someone who has already been where they are now.  Someone who knows how tough it is, how resilient you need to be, how you need to have the right mindset; how there isn't always one right way.  And most  importantly; that we are all different and what we see as success is different too.

This last point is so important; particularly for female founders.  It’s not all about the money.  It is often about the sense of achievement, the ability to balance work and care commitments and to do something they are passionate about.

So why choose me?

I know what it’s like to run businesses and build teams; to negotiate with suppliers and to build customer relationships.

🙋‍♀️ Set up a business unit for an international company with a team of 10

🙋‍♀️ Completed an MBA in business strategy

🙋‍♀️ Consultant for British Airways

🙋‍♀️ Co founded a business which grew to £8m turnover and team of 25

🙋‍♀️ Founded a floristry business as a partnership

🙋‍♀️ Ran two franchise businesses - in travel and outsourcing.

🙋‍♀️ Voluntary mentoring roles, including working with the Kings Trust

🙋‍♀️ Completed training with the Association of Business Mentors

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