Have A Successful Business… And A Life!

More and more I talk to business owners who feel trapped by their business rather than fulfilled by it. I’ve been there and I’ve overcome being a prisoner of my business. You can too!

If you’re anything like I was a couple of years ago, you’re skeptical about the true value of coaching and feel that there are far better ways to spend your hard earned money. I get it. How can having a weekly 50 minute chat with someone impact your business, and your life in general, in measurable ways?

Now I know, from personal experience, that the decision to hire a coach (of any kind—business, life, fitness, etc.) is an empowering one. Putting a dedicated expert in your corner can net you invaluable expertise and support for devising a smart business or marketing strategy, overcoming roadblocks, and getting the real results you’re after.

By far the best investments I’ve ever made in my business have been in “coaches”. Currently I work with three (yes, three) business oriented coaches and two fitness oriented coaches. Each one has helped me move into focused action and expedite results.

Four Essential Keys to Coaching Success

1. Find the Right Match. Shopping around and meeting potential coaches is an important first step. The two of you are going to be spending a lot of time together, so it’s worth putting in some legwork up front to make sure you find someone with the right skills and chemistry. To help determine if a coach/consultant is right for you, ask him or her these key questions:

  • What’s your experience working with people like me? (Specify your goals: looking for help in specific areas like human resources, marketing, life/work balance, etc.)
  • What results have you achieved with your clients? Over what time span?
  • How would you describe your style/approach? (Some coaches/consultants are more aggressive than others in their approach—find an approach that works well with your goals and personality.)
  • What do you charge? (Rates vary a lot based on the coach and location.)
  • What’s your business background? (You want a coach who is in touch with your business situation. For example, if you are a small business owner, find a coach who has run their own small business for at least 10 years or more so that they understand your unique challenges.)
  • Do you have a business coach of your own? (Successful coaches invest in successful coaches because they know the value they bring. Make sure that any coach you’re considering hiring has had coaching relationships of their own.)

2. Focus on Clear Goals. Your coach will need to understand clearly what your goals and objectives for entering into a coaching relationship are so that they can zone in on these areas during your sessions. Initial sessions may be used as ‘assessment opportunities’ to determine to most advantageous areas to focus on first. The goal being to start getting fast results and addressing those areas where you’re likely to see the biggest measurable ‘returns’. Some things to consider as you determine what you want from your coaching experience:

  • What exactly do I think I need help working on? Does this look like specific business functions or is it more about you? For example, do you need help cultivating confidence, dealing with overwhelm, stress, fear or worry in your business? Or are you looking for specific guidance around marketing, operations, sales, etc.

3. Develop a Strong Working Relationship. During your first few sessions, pay attention to how well you and your coach sync up. How well do you communicate with one another? Do you feel motivated by his/her feedback? A good coach will also be open to answering any questions or concerns you bring to each session. If something isn’t working for you, or you hit a plateau, the coach should be adaptable and work with you to adjust the focus of the sessions.

Probably the most beneficial aspect of a strong coaching relationship is the advantage of perspective. The most successful business owners have a unique view of the world and their business within that world. A good coach will help you cultivate that mindset of success.

Accountability is another key benefit of a strong coaching relationship. While your coach can’t ‘make’ you do anything, knowing that you’ve made a commitment to do something makes it more likely that you’ll actually get it done.

Change is hard. Having a coach who isn’t as close to your business as you are can bring new clarity and help you ‘freshen’ your vision giving you renewed motivation and enthusiasm.

4. Know When To Move On. Eventually all coaching relationships come to an end—ideally for the happiest of reasons; The client has achieved his or her initial goals, has successfully integrated the learnings from the coaching experience into his or her business, and no longer feels the need for a coach. For many coaching clients, the conclusion of a coaching relationship feels like a graduation of sorts.

What to expect from your coaching experience

Most business coaching is done via phone but can be in-person if preferred (and if you and your coach are physically located close to one another). You’ll establish a regular schedule for your coaching sessions including frequency, day and time and length of session. These details will be outlined in your coaching agreement, along with other information pertinent to how your coach works and what the expectations are on behalf of both parties.

Your coach will spend the first couple of sessions assessing your needs based on goals and objectives you’ll share with him/her. Then, depending on your specific goals sessions will either be spent helping you uncover empowered action with the intent of moving beyond current obstacles or frustrations or consulting on specific business initiatives.

Want to see if we’re a good fit?

I specialize in helping small business owners develop a mindset that encourages confidence, growth, clear direction and work/life balance. Because of my marketing expertise, I also consult with coaching clients around marketing initiatives. Clients that want to understand marketing more thoroughly or can’t yet afford our full-service marketing services can benefit from consulting sessions and then having someone hold them accountable for getting these initiatives implemented.

My style is relaxed, yet driven. I expect the very best of the clients that coach with me but understand how scary change can be. I also understand how demanding owning a small business can be so I’m realistic, but aggressive, in my approach to helping clients move toward their goals. I’m not “all serious”, often injecting some opportunities for levity and providing inspiration in order to boost your enthusiasm about the journey you’re on in your business. I truly love helping business owners realize their own power to move toward success and balance.

If this sounds like it might be a good fit, all you have to do to get started is to give us a call at 303.679.6328 or contact us online and we can set a time to talk and see if we have a rapport (subject to availability and qualification).