A business coach is someone that helps business owners and their management teams proactively approach defining their business growth objectives and then assisting them in the strategic thinking and planning to achieve their desired outcomes. Business coaches should be objective to their clients’ targets only and persuade them to learn the academic means to better themselves and make their organizations smarter. A good coach should become your theoretical silent partner who is always a call and mail away. They are the propellant to your business growth and should assist you in making the right decisions that will impact your business positively while inspiring and motivating you and your team.
What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?
Mentoring is unstructured, unaccountable and subjective. Mentoring is often just someone you know and respect that has “done it before” who is offering you advice and guidance without being paid for his/her time. There are no timelines and goals set when being mentored while coaching is a structured approach, over a set period of time with clearly defined goals being adhered to. The coach is paid for his time and must remain 100% objective to your needs and goals and is non-advisory. [This means he/she will not give you any leading advice but will help motivate you to find your own solutions and keep you on the path to achieving your dream].
And the difference between a life coach and a business coach?
The coaching mechanisms remain the same; objectivity, paid for and non-advisory but with business coaching the conversation revolves mostly around building the business, its strategies, processes and policies etc. while with life coaching, the tools used help the individual become a better person and find what they would describe as “happiness.” Life coaching uses far more psychology than business coaching although they both do require a healthy understanding of the human psyche.
How do you define yourself and how did you get into the field?
I’m a business coach that sit neatly between coaching and consulting, meaning I do offer advice where the client is needing solutions to improve the pace to achieving their own growth targets in their business. I focus primarily on the media, advertising, communications and technology sectors giving me a great oversight of larger industry trends, opportunities and threats in the space that business owners may not see while working in their business.
What are the tools of the trade?
If you are not constantly reading about the space in which you play and not improving your own skills you are “dead in the water.” In my opinion it’s essential that you remain relevant to your client base by knowing more than they do, at every stage of their business. This relates to the operations of the business and not necessarily their product or service. Having experience in multiple industries and having seen many ways in which businesses have succeeded, failed and been mediocre gives a coach perspective that is invaluable to his/her clients. Its valuable to have a formal business education as well as exposure to psychology as business coaches will deal with the academics of running a business as well as the softer aspects like motivation, depression and anxiety.
What are some of the myths around life coaches and coaches in general?
Not everyone can be a coach, although everyone feels that they can be. It takes a certain kind of mind-set and patience to be able to operate at the multiple speeds of individual clients. I often get told that it must be easy being a business coach when the opposite is in fact true – on a daily basis you are problem solving in other peoples businesses and dealing with extreme emotional states where often the stakes are high and peoples lives and livelihoods are in the balance. Coaching is a calling, not a career.
Why should someone see a business coach?
My first business coach always said “it’s lonely at the top!’ and being a business owner and entrepreneur is almost always hard. Having someone that can guide you, help with decision-making and call you out on your bullsh*t is invaluable to quickly navigating an uncertain growth trajectory. A great business coach can help you make more money, save money, define and grow your business to where you want and ultimately help the business serve your needs.
I am someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.
To find out if I am the right coach for you please email me and we can set up a virtual coffee at your convenience.
