Have you ever worked with a business coach?
I am interested in hiring a business coach, but I have my doubts if they can bring me real value. I want to know from others who have worked with coaches, what were your expectations out of the deal? And were those expectations met?
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May 19, 2016
Hi Lynn. I agree with everything that Barbara Dennis mention in her comments. I apologize in the delay, I was sick. I hope your found the perfect business coach
May 9, 2016
Very frankly and true to my nature, I never worked but I am looking to explore in this area with my knowledge and experience.
May 9, 2016
You definitely need to spend some time researching and finding the right coach to suit your needs. I have worked with a few and some are great and others were not that helpful. With so many different styles, you need to fit one that fits your particular needs. Talk to several before making a decision. That said, a good coach can certainly bring a lot of value.
May 9, 2016
Expectations can only be met if the business owner listens. And that is most of the time the biggest problem any coach faces. A good coach can bring valuable input, things to consider, problems to avoid or how to overcome them, and so forth. We do this for many businesses and have not heard a complaint about our services yet!
May 6, 2016
I used an Industrial Psychologist from the University of Penn the late Dr. Stan Gross and it was a magnificent experience
May 6, 2016
Asking that question here is like asking death row inmates if they'd like a date Saturday night! You dropped blood in the water at the shark pool but I can save you time with as brief as I can be (and like all coaches it will be less brief than advertised): there are good coaches and not so good, there are good clients and bad, good listeners and know-it-alls on both sides. Of course you can find a great coach who will help, or you could waste your money. Shop, but be, as Sy Syms would say, "an educated consumer" because if you need help to be more successful then invest (there's a reason every professional golfer has a coach) but if you are not successful there may be a reason in you that no coach is likely to fix (at least not quickly or cheaply)
May 6, 2016
Good question Lynn, I hope you're finding help in the responses already given. My situation isn't the same as yours, so I'm not giving advice. This is just what happened with my business. I started a business 6 years ago and realized I didn't know how to run a business. So I hired a business coach. We worked together for about 3 months and I was able to launch my private practice. I wouldn't be here without his help. He helped me to identify my knowledge gaps and choose how I wanted to close those gaps. He did some "teaching" about the different aspects of running a business (networking, launching a website, bookkeeping, marketing, etc), and I was able to set my own goals in each of those areas. The coaching provided support, encouragement and accountability, all of which I needed to achieve and sustain my goals. In the first four months of my business he helped me to design and launch a website, get my business registered, choose a niche, get my business cards, adopt a networking strategy, choose and use small business accounting software, develop a marketing plan, and move from 3 clients a week to 11 clients. It was the best business decision I ever made. It's one thing to start something. It's quite another to sustain it. Coaching has helped me to sustain it. In fact, I need coaching now more than I did 6 years ago. Blessings on your endeavors.
May 6, 2016
I have worked with a business coach and AS a career/business coach, my reason for doing so was to make sure I was offering the best services available to my own clients while evaluating the products/programs I had in place and my own systems to deliver them.
I received great value from working with a coach who was beyond where my business currently was. I was able to assess where and how I wanted to take my business and having someone more experienced than I ( and I have 25+years experience!) gave me the opportunity to learn from a master.
My clients always tell me that having a coach made all the difference between their success and just having a so/so business. I can honestly tell you that a good business coach still seeks coaching( and many well known coaches continue to be mentored/coached by others) as we can always be learning and because of that those who continue to develop their own practices have the expertise to share what they learn with their clients.
You must determine what you expect to get from working with a coach. Where do you believe a coach can assist you the most and are you willing to commit to the plans/activities they suggest to move your business into the next level. Commitment is key. Your coach should be committed to helping you reach the goals specific to where YOU want to go and you will need to be committed to following through on the suggestions to get you there.
Finally, I would seek a coach who offers the opportunity to coach you in person if logistically possible or in a way you are most comfortable with ( Skype, phone, conference calling) and check out several ( most have a least a clarity call which is free) which will help you decide if you both seem to "click" together.
Coaching is an investment and like any investment, do the research before you put your money into it. But, beyond a doubt, I believe when coached by the right person, there is definitely a difference in the revenue, exposure and growth a business can have.
May 6, 2016
In 2012, the International Coach Federation commissioned Price-Waterhouse Coopers to do a study on the benefits of coaching. (www.coachfederation.org/coachingstudy2012)
The results, garnered from 117 countries, removed any doubt as to the value of coaching.
Here are a few of the statistics cited:
70 % Improved work performance
61% Improved business management
57% Improved time management
51% Improved team effectiveness
Professional coaching maximizes potential and therefore unlocks latent sources of productivity.
Also,
80% Improved self-confidence
73% Improved relationships
72% Improved communication skills
67% Improved life/work balance
Coaching generates learning & clarity for forward action with a commitment to measureable outcomes.
The vast majority of companies, 86%, say they at least made their investment back. Virtually all companies and individuals who hire a coach are satisfied.
Keep in mind that there are different coaches for different reasons. As a business coach, myself, for 16 years, I bring 35 years experience starting, owning and running successful businesses. Find a coach you resonate with, feel rapport, instinctively trust and ask for references. My opinion? [You're in Business...I'm Your Coach!]. Good luck.
May 6, 2016
Like any personal service coaching depends 100% on the specific person, not the company or brand, though most are independent anyway. Also their expertise should include doing exactly what you want to accomplish, not "certified coach which means little or nothing in terms of business and life experience. I would recommend interviewing several and looking at how their past experience DOING exactly what you want to do overlaps. If you wnat to build a $1MM business they should have done that at least once and ideally more times. Contraty to popular belief specific industry experience is less important as soft skills like strategy, management, leadership and systemization that are coached are generic across industries. There are "Accountability Coachs" (kindergarten for people wihtout self-disipline really), Socratic Coaches who attempt to ask the right questions and provide separate perspective. But unlike a psycologist the coach should bring specific experience and perspective (strong opinions) to the engagement to guide you through a forest of knowledge and unknowns. Most will be about what you don't know you don't know. You should see a coaches added value in 2-3 sessions and move on if you do not. They should expose value each session after the first dedicated to getting to know you and your background, assets and goals.
I am a serial entrepreneur who has helped over 200 companies launch since 2002 as a coach and consultant. I coach mostly CEOs and train management teams. See here: http://clevelenterprises.com/coaching.htm
Best of luck.
May 6, 2016
Adding to the chain of similar responses, I can attest to the many benefits of having someone alongside you as you stretch beyond your means and look to expand your opportunities. As some have mentioned, a coach or mentor is there to help ask the tough questions that you generally wouldn't put yourself through and then they should be there to hold you accountable to the promises you've made for yourself and your goals.
On a personal note, I found my biggest professional shift when I took the leap to work with a very accomplished mentor and even though I now devote a portion of my time to mentoring and coaching others, I too remain constant with seeking to mastermind with experts that hold me accountable to reach beyond the comfortable and open up new horizons each and every day.
Every Successful Business Owner must have a coach or mentor that he or she can share openly and honestly about the wins and challenges of running a company and there is no one coach fits all. Like any great business decision, research your prospects and then choose someone that compliments your weaknesses. Only then will you be able to exceed your own expectations and accomplish what is your destiny.
Now go make that choice and get moving.
May 6, 2016
I can answer this from the other side - that of a business coach. After being a business coach and CEO mentor for ten years, and informally doing it for much longer, I can say that small company owners and CEOs NEED a business coach and personal mentor. Nobody has all the needed skills, and no owner/CEO can trust his own employees for frank opinions and advice - you get what they expect you want to hear. Outsiders are mostly competitors or dis-interested people. Just as you go to a doctor or another professional, you need to have at least one business empathetic coach and mentor. Best wishes.
May 6, 2016
Hi Lynn,
I am a business coach. I get this question all the time. Here's how I answer it.
Coaching is a method for achieving greater outcomes in areas that are important to you and the success of your business. And while a great coach will guide, challenge and encourage you to go beyond your current limits, you are the one doing most of the work.
So ask yourself these questions:
- why do I think I need a coach?
- what am I willing to do or not do to develop in new and different ways?
- how committed am I to reach the goals that are important to me?
- can I be open enough to assess my current way of thinking and change in order to move forward?
Coaching is a remarkably liberating and rewarding experience if you realize that the success you get is based mainly on the change you are willing to accept and the work you are willing to do.
The coach you select should have some experience or specialty in the area of business you need help with; i.e. leadership, management, marketing, etc. They should be able to explain their process and point to others they have successfully helped. But most of all, they should be a match for you. Coaching is a very personal experience and you will want someone who you trust and feel confident working with.
Hope this helps.
May 6, 2016
First, your proposed coach should talk to you and lay out a process. The first step should be for the two of you to define and write down your expectations. The process should be pretty well defined. It should not be an ad hoc way forward, but it should be flexible enough for you or your coach to make adjustments. They can be useful or they can be a waste of time and money. Just like any other source of advice. If you have a local SCORE group, you might want to try them -- I think they're free.
May 6, 2016
I'm disappointed that there have not been more answers form people other than coaches. Unfortunately, I am not going to break that chain.
Coaching is not for everyone, and any given coach my not be the right one for you. HOWEVER, I am convinced that the successful business owner is one that knows what they don't know and does something about learning what they don't know. I have used coaches throughout my career and still do. That outside set of eyes and that accountability drive is typically what makes it all worthwhile.
But maybe you want a consultant or mentor rather than a coach. Or perhaps you work better in groups, and you should seek peer business owner groups to interact regularly with. You might want to form your own advisory board (something I totally endorse and help many set them up), to act as a type of Board of Directors to oversee what is going on and provide you input,
I hope this has provided some insight. Feel free to message me if I can provide any more information.
May 6, 2016
I am a coach/adviser to entrepreneurs/founders of growing firms. I am also an Interim Executive - another form of a business coach.
The only way you are going to achieve the "real value" you refer to is to have a very clear written set of outcomes to your working relationship with a time table that has monthly or quarterly milestones. It just like having someone build an addition to your home with an illustration of exactly what the addition will look like, how much it will cost with a payment schedule, and expected completion date with interim phases of accomplishments. I have an agreed upon contract with clear measurable outcomes with all of my clients. I advise you to do the same.
May 6, 2016
I am a business and marketing strategist and coach and have been doing it since 2007. Coaches can't do anything unless you are willing to take action and implement what they suggest.
Every successful athlete has a coach, some have several. Most successful business people have coaches. Even Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, one of the largest businesses on the planet, had a coach. I even have a couple coaches I work with to keep me accountable and "unstuck".
May 6, 2016
Hi Lynn. Great question. I have worked with at least 3 business coaches over the past 12 years and found the experience worthwhile, but also variable. (Even though I am a business coach myself, I value coaching and find it worthwhile).
The secret is to be absolutely clear what you want from the coaching and then take the time to find the right person.
I suggest you draw up a brief and also check out some businesses coaching services on line to see what they offer.
Also make sure that the coach is properly qualified, objectives are agreed in writing, a contract is in place and ROI can be measured.
Good luck I am sure you will find it beneficial.
May 5, 2016
Hi Lynn,
My name is J Bailinisi it's a pleasure to meet you. Great question by the way.
I Mentor people on a daily basis and teach them how to build a successful business and help them to understand everything that is involved in running a successful business.
As an industry expert I use a series of proven success methods that are unmatched in today's society. So if the idea of accelerated growth interests you we should talk soon.
The best possible way to answer your question is this. When I first started out in my own business I hired several Coaches, and Mentors. I gained valuable insight from each person and different perspectives as well. I was very fortunate in life I was introduced to Jim Rohn who Mentored me for quite a few years before he passed away. Having Mr. Rohn as a Mentor was by far an amazing experience. The value he added to my life and my business I could never put a price tag on. In my opinion hiring a Mentor, Or Business Coach is a great idea. Like I said I was very fortunate my Mentor went way beyond any expectations I had, but yet again this was my own personal experience.
My best advice to you is first make a list of goals you want to accomplish this year.
Next make a list of areas you are currently having problems in.
Then make a list of what your expectations are of someone you are thinking of hiring.
Also make a list of questions that you want to ask your potential Mentor / Coach.
You should also ask for references, talk to people that they have done work for in the past.
These lists will help you out the most when finding someone who is a perfect fit for you. This way you have a clear picture on paper of what your expectations are. You also have a list of questions in front of you so you don't have to think about what questions you should ask you already have it written down in front of you.
Side note – Make photocopies or save your questions in Microsoft works. This way as you talk to different people you can evaluate which person answered your questions the best. Also remember to put each persons name on the top of each question sheet so when you are reviewing your papers you know who is who.
The qualities you should look for are, First someone who is knowledgeable in your area of business. Asking for references is optional but I wanted to make sure I listed it.
Also personality you really want to find someone that you feel you can connect with, In this area I always tell people to trust your gut. The majority of people know just by talking to someone on the phone, or meeting them in person how they feel about them it's a natural instinct trust it.. Honestly if you think about it, your gut told you it was time to start your own business and you trusted it. Now your gut is telling you that you need some help trust your gut it has gotten you this far in life and it will continue to serve you as long as you trust it.
The last piece of information I can possibly offer is this talk to several different Mentors, Life coaches, Business Coaches. After you are done talking to everyone look at all the notes you took and then make an informed decision. Treat your business like a new born baby. You would never leave your baby in the hands of someone you didn't trust, or didn't feel would be up to the task at hand. I hope this answer helps you. If you have any questions, or if you would like a free consultation please feel free to contact me.
Jeff Bailinisi ( 609 ) 442-7946 12:00pm – 12:00am
I hope you have an absolutely amazing day bye for now J Bailinisi
May 5, 2016
Hi Lynn ~
I refer to myself as a "business alchemist," someone who supports clients in working real magic to deliver their dreams. Having worked in corporate communications for ten years before launching a successful communications business, and later my coaching practice, I understand business from all sides.
And that's what a good coach can do: help you understand your business, crystallize your vision/mission, target your audience, and identify any gaps in your knowledge. A coach also holds you accountable for the action steps we co-create, celebrates your successes, and helps you refine elements that aren't working.
You'll find a business coach testimonial for me on this page (second one down): http://liveyourlight.com/GlowingR.html
I also have reviews from mosaicHUB founder Mary-Alice Brady, and a number of business clients, here: http://liveyourlight.com/services/BusAlchemy.html
Hope this is helpful. I'd be happy to have a complimentary intro call to see if I might be good fit for your knitting business!
Of everyone not selling but rather advising here, yours seems to be the best response. Knowing both sides, sharing experience and letting the advice me sincere and selfless.