Hiring a business coach can be scary.
The mind monkeys often kick in telling you…..
“You just need to implement what you know”
“Now isn’t the right time”
Sometimes it’s just the feeling of being vulnerable and realising you need help to move forward.
How do I know if I need a business coach?
There’s an easy answer to this. If you were a talented athlete, training for the next Olympics would you have more likelihood of being selected for the GB team if you had the best coach to help you train and prepare?
But sticking with that analogy, if you wanted to get a coach that was going to train you up for the Olympics, you wouldn’t just pick the first one that appears on google when you type in ‘Olympics coach’. A business coach is not all that different… if you want your business to succeed that is!
So if you’re thinking about hiring a business coach then these are my suggestions on what you need to check out.
Consider their industry knowledge and experience as well as their coaching knowledge and experience.
You wouldn’t want to have surgery with a surgeon who has been in the role for 10 years but had never actually been to med school and was winging it the entire time… I hope!
So, if a business coach boasts about their x number of years being a coach, check out their experience in the industry itself too and their experience of running a business. The longer they have been a business coach doesn’t always mean better. If they have been a coach for 20 years, there is a possibility that means 20 years out of the actual business field itself… and a lot can change in that time! You don’t want a coach that has relevant, recent experience not someone who’s advising you based on how things worked donkeys years ago!
Use LinkedIn, companies house, and all other platforms the internet gives you access to do your research on them before committing to anything.
Do your due diligence.
Similar to the point above but important enough to need its own bullet point!
DO. YOUR. RESEARCH!
Do not just take their word for how good their service is, look at their testimonials, find google reviews or something similar where people are not obliged to be bias.
Without researching the coach themselves and knowing how their previous clients rate their work, you cannot know what to expect them to bring to the table.
Is the chemistry there?
Assess your business coach the way you would a date! Do you feel a connection between the two of you? Because if not then the relationship probably (definitely) is not worth pursuing. You have to get on with them on a personal level!
You will be trusting this person with your business, sharing things that may make you feel vulnerable. You wouldn’t hand your child or dog over to someone you weren’t quite feeling the vibes with. So why would you hand your business over?!
This is why I give all my prospective clients a free introductory strategy session. This gives us both the chance to learn about one another and just see if the conversation flows well and if I can help them!
I could dedicate a whole blog to how important the spark with your business coach is, but for now I’ll leave it at this. Do not settle for a coach that doesn’t give you all the feels.
Their listening skills.
Yep. Sounds obvious right?
I have met many a coach in my time that just want to throw all their knowledge at you.
But how can you advise on the necessary direction of the business and the areas that need development if you are not listening to the background and issues at hand.
Telling is not solving.
Listening, reflecting, and developing is how you solve problems. Talking and talking and talking will only bore you, and after a while you’ll tune out. Your brain can only process so much information at once.
Analysis Paralysis is real.
For a business coach to deliver good results, conversations should be reciprocal.
You need to be listened too.
Their availability to support you on your journey
If your business coach is not willing or not able to be there for you every step of the way, they are not the business coach for you.
Think about how you want to work together. Face to face? Online? One to one or in a group?
Does the coach have enough time to dedicate to you or do they just deliver large group programmes where you have very little if any contact.
It is so important to ensure you consider this while picking a coach because if you do not, you might end up in a commitment that is not delivering the results you as you wanted.
They are prepared for the marriage, not just the first date!
Your business coach needs to be dedicated to your future. If they do not plan on being with you for more than six months, then scrap that relationship.
Business success does not happen over-night. It takes months of commitment and 100% effort. If your business coach see’s your vision but is not willing to take the time to get you there, it is a big red flag.
Rushing business strategy will only end in disaster, time is needed for the relationship and your business to blossom.
This is why it is my main focus in any introductory strategy meeting that I learn about the clients aims and objectives. We want to think long term and then work backwards from there!
Are they focused on your success?
I would never focus on anything other than my client’s success, after all that is why they came to me. And if I don’t focus on it and get them there, then it only reflects poorly on me! I believe in each and every single one of my clients.
Business is tough and there will be times where you want to give up but having the right coach who’ll be there to keep you focused on your success and what you’ve already achieved is really important.
My clients successes are my successes too and I would never not push them to achieve them!
How much time and money will you have to invest?
There’s no point pretending but budget and time are two of the biggest perceived constraints when it comes to hiring a coach.
What is the expectation from you in terms of doing the work and how are the fees structured? Are there options on payment plans or bonuses for paying in full.
How often will you meet with your coach?
Weekly?
Fortnightly?
Monthly?
Will those meeting times/ dates work for you?
How much work will there be for you to do in-between sessions and what touchpoints are there between sessions?
Always check in with your needs, budgets, and constraints before committing to anything.
When will you start to see a return?
Another very important thing to know before committing to any relationship with a business coach.
What can your coach promise or guarantee to do for you? And what impact will this have on your business revenues? Have aims and set goals. If the investment is 10K then how likely are you to make the 10K back and over what timescale?
If you are not seeing a return on your investment, then something is not working and the suitability of you and your coach’s relationship may need to be re-evaluated.
Is there a proven system or process they follow?
When you either research or first meet with your coach, ask them if they have a system they follow?
Some coaches will set guidelines as to how they will approach a new client and work with them. Others will completely go with the flow and base it directly on individual businesses needs.
Neither is right or wrong.
Some people find comfort in knowing that coaches are using a proven process. It feels less like a stab in the dark and more strategic for some.
Others see no value in following a step by step and want an individual business plan catered to their business only.
Decide what you would rather and check that aligns with what your business coach has to offer!
If you’re considering hiring a business coach then book a 15 minute discovery call with me to see if we’re a good fit. We’ll have a chat and can take things from there!
Book now at: https://calendly.com/delyth/discovery-call
