“You need a coach” she said “they’ll keep you on track”
“A coach? Really?” he quizzed
“Yep! You’re all on your own in that business of yours. You won’t even BE in business Damian if you don’t have someone to help you figure things out and make decisions” she replied.
This is a real conversation I overheard one day as I waited for take away coffee … and it had me thinking about why do business owners hire a business coach. “To stay in business” according to this fellow coffee customer.
It certainly can be lonely running your own business. It can feel like you have to figure everything out on your own and make all the decisions – because, for the most part, you do!
Maybe you you’ve thought about hiring a business coach and aren’t really sure what a business coach might do and why you might hire one. Here are 10 reasons a business coach might just be what you and your business need right now:
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A business coach is someone to talk to and bounce ideas with
Being in business can be extremely isolating. Who do you talk to? Who understands the unique issues you face? Probably not your husband/ wife/ partner or friends. And you certainly cannot talk to your customers about your business matters.
A business coach will listen, will make suggestions based on their lived experience, will help you figure out what to do next.
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A business coach gives a fresh perspective
Have you ever looked at something for so long and just feel like you are going around and around in circles?
Then someone else comes along and simply asks one question that changes the course of your thinking?
This is what a coach and a fresh pair of eyes can do for you and your business. The coach can give that outside knowledge and perspective.
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A business coach is someone who understands what it’s like to be in business – the challenges, the highs and lows
Your coach could be some one from your specific industry and can guide you on what to actually do from your industry’s perspective.
Or they may have broad business experience and assist with the business aspect of your specific industry.
I’m a fan of both approaches. It ca be extremely helpful to have industry specific lived experience + we can learn a lot from looking at unrelated industries and figuring out how to apply those solutions in our industry.
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A business coach provides guidance: how to get from here to there
A coach can help you figure out where you want to go, and what you want to achieve.
Next, they can help you map out how to get there – steps, considerations, tasks, actions and what to watch out for as you make progress.
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A business coach can help broaden your business awareness
An experienced coach will bring in their experience from other businesses to help you understand the business more broadly. It can also be helpful in your understanding that it is “not just you” – these things happen to many businesses. It is so easy to feel like we are the only ones in this situation.
This can assist with growing to be a bigger business, opens and expands your viewpoint, and keeps your business fresh and alive.
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A business coach can assist you to move from being a subject matter expert to actually run a business in your field
People are terrific dentists, yoga and Pilates instructors, chiropractors, photographers, architects etc and want to run their own business.
Being great at what you do does not equal being successful at business. Business requires a whole new skill set. A coach can assist with this transition.
For me, this is one of my favourite aspects of being a business coach – and specialising in financial business coaching. So many of my clients are top of class in their field and never learned about running a business or reading the financial reports and making business decisions based on data.
Once the understand, once they “get it” – they rocket forward!! It’s truly amazing for them.
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A business coach can help you with time management
This is one of the most common reasons given for hiring a coach. Many people need assistance to manage their time, be more effective and get more done. Maybe you resonate with this …? The distractions in business are endless.
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A business coach can help bring you clarity of purpose
Why are you in business? Why do you want to continue to be in business? What’s the purpose of having a business and being in business?
Getting clarity about your purpose makes being in business easier and calmer
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A business coach can teach you things you don’t know
This could include understanding your financials and how money works in your business, communication skills, how to deal with clients, asking for the sale, being able to give great customer service, putting together processes, mapping out the sales cycle, identifying your client avatar.
The lost is endless when it comes to the things to learn to improve your skill level and improve the way you operate your business.
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A business coach can help you to make solid decisions
One of the most common observations I have made over my almost 20 years coaching small business owners is that they vacillate about what to do, toss and turn at night wondering the answer, go around and around wondering, they ask others – who may not know what to say, or who might not have your best interest at heart.
Having a decision making protocol changes your business forever.
I know I said 10 reasons …. here is one more:
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A business coach is someone who will always be “in your corner”
When things go wrong and you are flat on the ground your business coach will help pick you up and dust you off and set you back on track.
They will cheer you from the sidelines
They will keep you on track
What is the number 1 reason to hire a Business Coach?
I believe that ultimately each of these reasons points to one overall idea or concept: commitment.
Commitment requires a clear understanding of what needs to be done, creating the plan to carry it through and then the willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed. This is where a business coach works with you in your business.
A business coach boosts your commitment.
How is commitment different to accountability?
We’ve all heard someone say “my coach keeps me accountable.”
“Accountable” is a bit of a business buzz word and actually means “doing what you say you’ll do” and coaches certainly do hold their clients accountable.
Commitment is more than accountability. Commitment is:
- knowing what you want to achieve,
- developing a plan to do it,
- following through with actions and then
- making sure you continue to sustain what you’ve developed.
Commitment is the summary and underpins the importance of business coaching.
At different times another reason may be more at the forefront of an individual coaching session. On any particular day, you may need something specific. It’s the business coach’s role to understand what you need. Sometimes you may even need a bit of a boot along instead!
So if you are feeling like you are all alone in business, making all the decisions and hoping they are the right ones, then it might be time to hire a business coach.
Thanks for reading – I trust it is thought-provoking and will encourage you to take action. Taking action is a key characteristic of successful business owners.
If you currently feel overwhelmed, worried & inadequate when it comes to understanding money, my guarantee is that when we work together you’ll start to feel empowered, courageous and hopeful when it comes to your business finances.
My guess is you are here because …..
My guess is that you are here because you are a business owner and what you really want – is to build and grow a successful business – whatever that means to you.
We know that business owners want to feel more confident when it comes to the money side of business.
In just 2 minutes you can take your free personalised Business Financial Health Check to increase your financial safety in business. Are you ready to discover your score?
Having a successful business means making business decisions with reliable information – facts & data as well as your “gut feel.”
… ultimately you want to do what you do best AND have a successful business AND make a difference.
I’m here to help you.
There are 2 ways you can access all my best material:
I regularly run webinars on a range of money related topics:
- Managing Cash Flow so you never run out of money
- Understanding where your money goes – getting those expenses sorted out
- Understanding the Profit First book
- Pricing – getting it right for your studio
- The things you need to know before signing a commercial lease
- How to make more money
- … and many other topics
If you’d like the replay of any of these recent webinars, please email me ingrid@healthynumbers.com.au and put “Replay” in the subject and let me know which one you’d like to watch. I’ll send you the link to the replay
AND
Read my book! It is a Business 101 and can answer pretty much all your business questions.
This book is designed to help you build your business – whether you are starting from scratch and creating something new or you have been in business for a couple of years and want to build from your foundations.
The book is your step by step guide to building a business smarter and faster.
“So You Want to Start a Business”
Order your copy now from Booktopia, Amazon or Book Depository
It’s so exciting to be sharing it with you.
If you prefer the kindle Head straight to Amazon
Happy reading!
What is your biggest question right now? Let me know – send me an email ingrid@healthynumbers.com.au
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