YOU\u2019VE DONE IT, YOU\u2019VE SET UP YOUR OWN COMPANY AND GOT IT OFF THE GROUND. YOU\u2019RE MAKING SALES, DESPITE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND YOU\u2019RE WORKING YOURSELF AROUND THE CLOCK TRYING TO FIT EVERYTHING IN. WHO IMAGINED HOW BUSY (AND OVERWHELMING, AND SOMETIMES LONELY) IT WOULD BE?<\/p>\n
Rewind to before you took the leap\u2026what was the vision for your business? What were your dreams and ambitions? Can you still remember them and if so, are they still in focus as you plough through the daily grind?<\/p>\n
A business coach is a professional who knows the ins and outs of running a business. Some of the things they can help you with include (amongst many) advice on handling the stress of being a business owner, finding additional income streams, increasing your company\u2019s sales, changing the way you market your products, and identifying funding to inject cash when you need it most.<\/p>\n
What will a business coach do for me?<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Support you<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s exciting running your own business. You\u2019re an expert in your own field and you know your stuff, that\u2019s why you started up. Yet it can be very daunting and time consuming as you have to juggle everything. The right business coach will understand the journey you\u2019re on, be on your side, a sounding board who\u2019ll give you unbiased opinions and sound advice.<\/p>\n 2. Challenge and focus your mind<\/strong><\/p>\n Do you ever get the feeling you\u2019re trying to plait fog? A good business coach will help you stand back, question, challenge and inspire you, and force you to think strategically. They\u2019ll ask you where you want to be and help you discover how to get there. You may not always like what they tell you, but their advice could save you from missing valuable opportunities and making expensive mistakes.<\/p>\n 3. Help you create a road map to your success<\/strong><\/p>\n How many times have you thought I must update my business plan and check I\u2019m achieving what I set out to do? Or maybe you don\u2019t even have a business plan, but wherever you are, a business coach will help you do this. Through understanding and listening to you they\u2019ll help you identify what needs concentrating on to grow your business, ensure its achievable and help you create a focused plan of what you want to achieve and how you\u2019re going to get there.<\/p>\n 4. Make you accountable and continue to challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n Now you have a plan you need to follow it. Would a sports coach abandon their clients at this stage? No, and neither will your business coach. They\u2019ll make sure you own your plan AND stick to it. They\u2019ll continue encouraging and challenging you, making sure you achieve those targets.<\/p>\n 5. Help you grow your business (and make more money) faster than doing it on your own<\/strong><\/p>\n You know what your business is capable of but with this extra pair of eyes and ears, your coach will help you get there so much quicker. Just by standing back, with someone at your side, you\u2019ll be amazed what you can achieve.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How do I choose the right business coach?<\/strong><\/p>\n A bit like choosing any supplier you need to choose one who can quickly add value to your business. Answering these questions will help you decide who to work with.<\/p>\n 1. Are they easy to get along with and do they speak the same language as you? There\u2019s no point in choosing someone who talks in a business language you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n 2. Are they good at listening? Without understanding you and your business, they won\u2019t be able to help you properly, and to do this they must be able to ask the right questions and listen to your answers.<\/p>\n 3. Could you trust them? To get the most out of coaching you need to sometimes lay yourself bare. Are you comfortable you could have that type of relationship with this person?<\/p>\n 4. Do they, or have they ever, run their own successful business? They\u2019ll be better placed to help you if they\u2019ve been there and done it themselves.<\/p>\n 5. Look at their previous clients \u2013 how did they help them, and can you see any similarities between you and them?<\/p>\n 6. Are they results focused? Can they demonstrate previous experience with results in your stage of business?<\/p>\n A business coach can help develop you and your business, and help make your business profitable and successful.<\/p>\n \u200d<\/p>\n And now to the important question\u2026<\/p>\n How much does a business coach charge and can I afford one?<\/strong><\/p>\n Has anything here resonated with you? Have you nodded and thought it applied to you?<\/p>\n If so, you can\u2019t NOT afford to have a business coach to take you to the next stage in business.<\/p>\n You\u2019d be very surprised how cost effective a business coach is and the return of investment you\u2019ll get, plus in some cases, you may qualify for funding to cover some of the fee.<\/p>\n To help you identify whether you need one, ask Phil Ward<\/a> for our build a better business questionnaire.<\/p>\n