If you are considering hiring a business coach to help you grow your business or improve your work/life balance, it’s important to first understand exactly what a business coach does and how hiring a business coach can help you move your business forward.
A business coach performs many roles, from helping you define your vision and set realistic, achievable and measurable time-limited goals with clearly defined action points to achieve them, holding you accountable for implementing actions agreed upon in your previous meeting and offering an outside-in view of your business.
My approach to business coaching
Like all coaches, business coaches vary in approach and technique depending on their training, background and coaching style. When I start working with a new client, I need to know where they are now, where they want to get to and when they want to arrive. Once the client has answered those questions, I will ask them if they think their goals are realistic and achievable.
In my experience, people often self-limit and suffer from imposter syndrome, preventing them from reaching their full potential. As a business coach, I help my clients recognise when they may be putting unnecessary barriers in their path to success based on false or self-limiting beliefs.
Building a realistic and achievable vision
Once I have determined where my client is at in their business and the direction they want to take it in, I will work with them to put a vision together that is realistic and based on their desired destination. To do this, I will ask my client if their business is in a fit state to get them from point A to point B and make their vision a reality. The answer to this question is often “no”, so the next step is looking at what strategies we need to implement to get my client to point B.
Analysing the current business
Before I can help my client implement their vision, we need to look at where they are now by asking questions such as, “What problem does the business solve and for whom?”, “Who are your ideal clients?”, “What’s your pricing?” and “What can you start to say no to?”. Saying no to the smaller jobs is essential for a business owner to move forward. If my client can spend their time more efficiently by saying no to smaller clients and yes to larger ones, then it’s time to start saying no.
As a business owner, the time you spend on your business must be spent wisely by completing tasks that will make a difference to your business in the longer term. Discussing how effectively my client uses their time is crucial in discovering more efficient ways of working, such as outsourcing mundane, time-consuming tasks such as bookkeeping and email management and focusing on more strategic work that cannot be outsourced.
The importance of planning and accountability
After my client and I have established their business’s vision and analysed its current situation, we will devise a plan to help them achieve their goals. At the end of each meeting, the client will go away with action points they need to work on before our next meeting that are specifically tailored to them and their business. Some business coaches work according to a template and believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. In my opinion, this approach doesn’t work because every business is unique.
Ensuring your actions serve a purpose
Over the years, I have encountered many business owners who have become very busy but no longer know why they are doing what they are doing and have no long-term plan. These people often feel stuck and are looking for a way out, either in the form of an exit strategy or by evolving their business to serve a different market or clientele.
I always ask my clients early on in their coaching journey: “Why are you doing what you’re doing?”. It’s common for my clients to have spent years becoming busy doing what they do and not knowing why anymore. Being busy is fine if you are moving forward, but there’s nothing worse than being a ‘busy fool’.
To prevent my clients from continuing to tread water, I often ask them, “What type of business would get you the level of income you want?”. When they have answered this question, we can determine what they need to change to run such a business.
How changing your business focus can change your life
Although I am a business coach and I don’t work with people on their personal relations, fitness levels, etc., my clients often seek my services because they want to improve their work/life balance and have a better lifestyle, whether that means more income or working fewer days or fewer hours.
By working on their business and the action points set after each meeting, my clients find that their personal lives improve over time. I have one client who has reduced his working days from six to four and doubled his turnover, so he has more free time to do the things he enjoys, whether playing golf or spending time with his family. Making the right changes to your business can also result in changes in your personal life.
Summary of what a business coach does
So, we’ve looked at what a business coach can do and how they can help you get where you want to go. Here’s a quick recap of what you can expect an effective business coach to do for you:
- Help you create a vision
- Determine what is holding you back
- Define a strategy to move forward
- Identify what you need to say no to
- Establish action points
- Hold you accountable for achieving your goals
- Help you have a better work/life balance
- Provide a fresh perspective
Book a free discovery call to find out more and take the first step towards a healthier, happier, more successful business coupled with a better work/life balance.
About the author
Jason Cornes is a successful entrepreneur who has had the good fortune of never having worked for anyone else in his entire career. Over almost four decades, he has leveraged his business expertise to establish several successful businesses, overcoming the challenges of running a business in various economic conditions.
Today, Jason shares his wealth of experience, both good and bad, with his clients to help them avoid the mistakes commonly made in business. With a Diploma in Management Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration, as well as five years of studying counselling and psychotherapy, he has honed his natural talent for active listening and empathy.
As someone who has experienced frustration and indecision on his own entrepreneurial journey, Jason is uniquely positioned to guide other business owners in overcoming obstacles that may be blocking their path to success. He specialises in coaching sole decision-makers who run small businesses in any industry, from self-employed professionals to Directors of Limited Companies, whether or not they have employees. His portfolio of clients includes architects, accountants, web designers, solicitors, doctors, IT professionals, teachers, trainers, and consultants. Jason has been a full-time business coach, helping entrepreneurs to succeed and thrive since 2017.
“Jason helped me to prioritise my workload, develop a work/life balance and also develop a business plan that has seen our company grow exponentially over the last five years, supporting all sorts of community initiatives. The focus he helped me to develop was invaluable.”
Helen Burton, Eastbourne Volunteers
Find out what Jason’s clients say about working with him here: testimonials
