Small Business Talk
The Podcast to Grow your Business Faster
Does a Small Business Owner Need a Coach?
Show Notes
There are so many coaches, consultants and courses out there as a business owner that it can be too confusing to choose.
Business owners wear many hats and depending on the size and stage of your business this can change with time. Often, we get into business because we are good at our job. We are the technician, and few people think beyond serving their customers in the beginning. Now not only do you have to deliver your product or service; you have the invoicing, marketing, sales, customer service, staff, complaints and so much more to do as well. The economy changes, rising petrol prices, insurances and so many other things.
You got into business to help people and have more time.
Busy Being Busy
You are probably so busy being busy that you might have even forgotten your fundamental reasons for doing what you do and why.
Do you spend time working on the business, aligning your skills and strengths with the things that you should be doing in the business to make sure it is green and growing?
Is it time to get some help?
As a small business owner, you will need a coach.
Once you decide you need help, that opens up another minefield, where to look, who to trust and what sort of people do you need.
2022 has been the year of the “coach”. Open up any news feed, search engine or news service, and you will be bombarded with a million options. Ok, not a million but way too many to choose from.
Coach or Consultant
Most of the “coaches” are actually consultants, so what is the difference you might ask?
When you think of a coach the first type that springs to mind for many people is a sports coach. Someone that works with an athlete or team to increase their performance. The more talented the athlete, the more coaches they have. A performance coach, a strength coach, a breathing coach, a dietary coach or nutritionist etc. Most of these coaches are there to give the athlete a plan, a step by step program and get them to follow it. These types of coaches are often skill-building coaches.
A mindset coach or life coach is a coach who partners with you and focuses on bringing out the best in you. Working with you, on your mind. For most business owners the thing that is holding them back is not their skill level but their own beliefs in themselves.
A coach can help to keep you motivated to run your business. Help you achieve your dreams, goals and ambitions. A coach and their client will work together to achieve the highest potential in the business owner. Business owners are notorious for self-sabotaging, holding limiting beliefs and having confidence issues when their business becomes too successful or grows too fast. Or it could be a downturn in the market or economy that has sent them into a spiral. No amount of skill level will progress the business forward if the owner is holding it back.
Then there are consultants who focus on the strategies and planning that will help your business succeed. A consultant can teach you the skills you need, such as creating more efficient systems or marketing. A business consultant and their client will work together to build results or skills by following a plan or program. Consultants are who you engage to build your skill level.
Difference Between a Coach or Consultant
Coaching
- Accountability
- Fear
- Follow-up
- Motivation
- Self-Sabotage
- Confidence
- Mindset
Consulting
- Business Planning & Strategy
- Finances
- Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Sales
- Customer Service
- Public Speaking
Often coaching programs are a mixture of consulting and coaching; you will see this under the business coach sector a lot. You will have some training, group coaching and maybe some one-on-one coaching to implement the learnings into your business and personal situation.
Mentors
To add another layer of confusion, there are also mentors. Mentors are people who are generally further along in the business journey. They have been there and done that. Mentors are normally people you bounce ideas off, ask for advice on specific things and learn from their successes and failures. Mentors can be a giveback situation and informal or a more formal paid structured setup.
How to Choose the Right Coach/Consultant
Confused?
Yes, there is a lot of confusion about the services offered the qualifications of the “coaches” and the benefits that clients will receive.
Firstly, be clear on what you want and the outcomes you need.
- Are you looking to build a skill?
- Get clarity
- Get motivated
- Build your business to the next level
- Push through a plateau
- Exit strategy
Once you have decided what you want now is the time to decide who.
How Do You Choose the Right One?
Start with their knowledge and experience. You’ll want to find someone who is a trained coach or consultant, as these aren’t regulated industries, anyone can call themselves a coach or consultant. By finding someone who has successfully graduated from a recognised coaching school they will at least have some basic training. Real-life experience can often help too. If a business coach is an employee and never actually run a business, do you think they really know about those 2am moments? Theory, is one thing but practice in the trenches is something quite different.
Check their testimonials. A great coach or consultant will have the reviews to back them up. Have a look and see if the testimonials they have, line up with what you are looking to achieve.
Lastly, make sure the coach offers a FREE initial consultation. That way you can both get to know each other and make sure you’re a good fit before committing!
Choosing a coach or consultant can often come down to personality. If you can’t make a connection with your professional, then the results that you get will probably reflect that.
- Price
- Access to the coach
- Group or individual service
- Program with one coach or many
There are so many things to think about when choosing a coach or consultant and it will all come down to your requirements, time allocation and budget. Having said that expensive coaches or programs doesn’t necessarily ensure success.
The main thing is if you need help, please seek it out. A qualified professional coach or consultant, I believe will help most business owners. Having a chat with your mates at the pub or girlfriend’s over coffee is great but unlikely to move your business forward. In my experience business owners often wait too long to seek the help that they need.
What to Know More About the Services I Offer?
Whether you get a coach or consultant, the title or category is not important. The important thing is that you get the service you need and have paid for. You don’t have to do it all alone and you shouldn’t.
Want to chat and know more about the services I offer?
For marketing consulting go to CATCO Enterprises or transition coaching – Cathy Smith Coaching
Listen to Episode 177of Small Business Talk for the full details.
Check out Small Business Talk on YouTube for videos and more.
