In this post you will discover how a business coach can help you as an entrepreneur or corporate maverick get you and your business incredible results by unlocking your full potential.
If you’re an entrepreneur standing on the cusp of achievement, but finding that something is holding you back, this one’s for you. It’s time to bring in the cavalry – the ever-necessary, often-underestimated business coach.
Every entrepreneur is a power-packed bundle of raw potential. However, potential alone doesn’t pay the bills. It needs to be realized, harnessed, and directed. A business coach is the catalyst that helps transform potential into performance.
So, why should you, the entrepreneur, even consider a business coach? Shouldn’t you be able to do it all by yourself? After all, entrepreneurship is about being independent, right? Not quite.
A Business Coach Is Not A Crutch – It’s Rocket Fuel
Think of it this way – even the brightest of diamonds need a master craftsman to cut and polish them. Or, in more relatable terms, even the most powerful rocket needs a launchpad and control center to get it into space. The launchpad doesn’t belittle the rocket’s prowess, but instead, amplifies it.
The role of a business coach is similar. A coach doesn’t undermine your abilities. Instead, they magnify your strengths, identify and help overcome your weaknesses, and navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. They are not a crutch; they’re your rocket fuel.
A Good Business Coach Comes Armed With Experience
Why reinvent the wheel when you can tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience a business coach brings? A business coach offers perspectives, strategies, and tactics that you, despite your best efforts, might overlook.
Your coach is your guide, armed with a map of experience, leading you away from common pitfalls and towards uncharted territories of success. They’ll save you from wasted time and resources, helping you achieve results that might have otherwise taken years to accomplish.
A Skillful Business Coach Is A Mirror, A Challenge, And An Ally
A business coach isn’t just an advisor or mentor; they’re a mirror that reflects your true entrepreneurial self. They challenge your assumptions, compel you to face hard truths, and push you beyond your comfort zone.
Remember, a business coach is on your side. They celebrate your victories and help you learn from your defeats. Their purpose is to empower you to take charge and rise to the occasion, not to create dependency.
One crucial factor often overlooked in the entrepreneurial journey is accountability. Without it, your plans can go awry. A business coach serves as your accountability partner, ensuring you remain focused and committed to your goals. They’re the proverbial gym buddy making sure you don’t skip leg day.
Your business is unique. Your challenges, strengths, and goals are unique. Then, why should your strategy be any different? Business coaches know this. They don’t offer off-the-rack solutions. Instead, they craft tailor-made strategies designed to fit your business like a glove. They help you uncover your own, personalized blueprint for success.
Are You Ready To Hire A Business Coach?
The world of entrepreneurship is a fierce battlefield. In this field, a business coach is your seasoned general, your wise counsel, your motivating drill sergeant. They will help you unlock the gateways to your full potential and lead you towards remarkable results.
Is it an investment? Yes. But the returns – higher performance, faster growth, enhanced decision-making abilities, greater confidence, and, ultimately, the transformation from a good entrepreneur to a great one, are invaluable.
In this journey, remember that even the strongest of the strong can benefit from a little guidance. Don’t let your potential go untapped. Arm yourself with a business coach and watch as your enterprise skyrockets.
Remember, diamonds are formed under pressure, but it’s the polish that makes them shine. Let your business coach be the polish that enables you and your business to shine.
“Start Before You’re Ready.”
Marie Forleo
The Skeptic Turned Believer: Meghan’s Journey
Meghan, the founder of an e-commerce start-up, was always skeptical about the concept of a business coach. She believed she had all the answers. After all, she had earned her MBA from a top-tier business school.
However, when her business hit a growth plateau, she decided to take a leap of faith and hire a business coach. She was soon taken aback by the impact of the coach’s insights. Her coach helped her identify blind spots she hadn’t even considered. With the coach’s guidance, she restructured her business strategy, leveraging her team’s strengths in ways she hadn’t previously imagined.
Meghan’’s business coach also helped her establish key performance indicators to monitor progress. Soon, Meghan saw the results. Within six months, her business revenue had increased by 35%, and her team’s productivity had significantly improved. This experience transformed Meghan from a cynic into a fervent advocate for business coaching.
The Corporate Maverick: Linda’s Transformation
Linda, a senior leader at a large multinational, found herself grappling with the challenge of driving her team to innovate in a saturated market. While she was exceptionally skilled and experienced, she felt like her team was running in circles.
The company’s executive development program suggested she work with a business coach. Linda, however, was hesitant. She was already successful, having climbed the corporate ladder with determination and skill. She wondered, “What could a coach possibly teach me?”
With a hint of skepticism, Linda began her coaching journey. Her coach encouraged her to explore new leadership styles, rethink her decision-making approach, and introduced her to novel business strategies. This wasn’t about teaching Linda to run her business, she already knew how to do that. It was about fine-tuning her leadership and enhancing her strategic outlook.
Linda’s coach also worked with her to develop a culture of innovation and creativity within her team. They devised an accountability system that motivated her team members to strive for excellence whilst allowing them to experiment more.
The impact? Linda’s team delivered a breakthrough product within 18 months, capturing a significant market share and placing the company at the forefront of the industry. Linda’s initial skepticism transformed into resolute belief. She saw firsthand that a business coach wasn’t about questioning her capabilities, but enhancing them and pushing her towards achieving exceptional results. Linda went from being a successful leader to a pioneering corporate maverick.
Having The Funds To Hire A Business Coach
As a budding entrepreneur, you might be wondering, “How do I fund a business coach when my start-up budget is already stretched thin?” It’s a legitimate concern. The reality is that hiring a business coach is an investment, but it’s an investment with potentially exponential returns.
Before you write off the idea of hiring a coach due to financial constraints, consider the following strategies:
1. Bootstrapping Your Way To A Business Coach
Bootstrapping isn’t just for launching businesses, it can be used to fund your business coach too. Savings, minimal viable product sales, or leveraging low-cost tools and resources can all add up and help you hire a coach. Be creative, be thrifty, and remember, the start-up phase is all about making every dollar count.
2. Business Loans And Grants
Don’t overlook business loans and grants. Both are potential sources of capital for hiring a coach. Grants, in particular, can provide ‘free money’ that doesn’t have to be paid back. Check with local, regional, and national bodies for any entrepreneurship development programs. They often provide grants and loans that can be used to cover coaching costs.
3. Equity Deals
While it might not be conventional, some business coaches might agree to equity deals, where they receive a small ownership stake in the business instead of upfront payment. This way, they are even more invested in your success because it directly affects their bottom line.
4. Co-Working Spaces And Incubators
Co-working spaces and business incubators often have provisions for mentorship and coaching. If you’re a member of such a space, leverage the facilities provided. Even if they don’t offer fully-fledged coaching, these spaces can offer invaluable advice and resources to help your business grow.
5. Prioritize And Plan
Lastly, planning and prioritizing are crucial. Yes, there are other pressing needs in a start-up. But remember, a business coach is not an expense, it’s an investment in the business’s most valuable asset – YOU. Consider reallocating your budget to accommodate a coach, even if it’s only for a few hours a month.
Hiring a business coach during your start-up phase might seem like a tough call, especially when the funds are tight. But as with any business decision, look at the potential ROI. The cost of hiring a coach can be outweighed by the long-term benefits, avoiding costly mistakes, accelerating growth, and unlocking your full entrepreneurial potential.
My Nugget of Wisdom
Marie Forleo, a brilliant business coach and personal development guru, has a nugget of wisdom I’ve embodied: “Start before you’re ready.” To me this phrase encapsulates the spirit of entrepreneurship. It urges us to lean into uncertainty, to embrace the risk and dive headfirst into our ventures even when we’re trembling with self-doubt.
I, too, have walked this path a couple of times now, daring to start before I felt fully prepared, and the growth it has stimulated is tremendous. As an online group coach, I can assure you that the greatest obstacle you’ll face is your own resistance. With the right guidance, you can break through this wall.
With over two decades of experience coaching thousands of women one-on-one and in group settings, both in businesses, established and start-up, I am here to support, encourage, and guide you through this transformative process, helping you unlock your full potential and achieve the kind of results you want. My caveat? YOU must go all in.
Are You Looking To Achieve Real Breakthroughs & Unlocking Your Potential?
For a quarter-century, I have championed visionary female leaders and entrepreneurs from the boardrooms of some of the world’s most iconic global giants, to ambitious, dynamic entrepreneurial ventures. Invest in yourself. Remove self-doubt & take your business & leadership to the next level.
Is your business ready to do a 1-day strategy session or else figure out how else you want to fast track your growth? Learn more about how I work and if this sounds like something you’d like to explore further then let’s schedule a call.
