Business Coaching: a Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Right Fit

If you’ve decided to hire a business coach, but are having trouble knowing where to start, this article is for you.

If you’re wondering what exactly a business coach does and how it can benefit your business, you might want to check out this article before continuing. 

Hiring a business coach will expedite the growth of your business, increase owner independence, and cut down on your working hours; but finding the right business coach can be overwhelming.

With so many coaches, mentors, and consultants flooding the markets both online and locally, sifting through all of your options to find the best coach can seem like a full-time job…which is ironic, isn’t it?

That’s why we’ve created this guide, to help business owners who are already overworked and on tight schedules find a quality business coach quickly and efficiently. So let’s get down to it:

Step 1: Before You Look for a Business Coach

The best thing to do before you begin your search is to document your goals and identify your current and projected obstacles.

This will provide direction to your search and make it easier for you to filter out business coaches whose objectives don’t align with your own.

The more specific and focused your goals are, the easier it will be for you to ask questions in order to determine whether or not you’ve found the right fit.

Step 2: What to Look for in a Business Coach

While every business coach has their own unique style, strengths and methods, there are certain traits that make up a good business coach regardless of the niche. These separate the professionals from the schemers. 

Here are some traits that every good business coach should have:

An experienced leader

A business coach should have extensive entrepreneurial experience to draw upon. They lead by example and can help you solve complex problems, develop productive habits, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. This can only be done if a business coach has done it themselves. 

Focused on you

Your time is valuable. Your coach needs to understand this and be able to help you in an efficient and effective manner. A good business coach should be fully prepared and ready for every meeting and be able to identify the most crucial metrics to help you achieve your goals.

Communicative and motivational

The best business coaches are skilled at listening and supporting their clients.  Rather than preaching their own values, they will listen to you and find ways to encourage you and hold you accountable in a kind and productive manner.

Versatile and adjustable

Business coaching is not a passive service. An experienced coach will actively work to predict problems before they arise, and be able to react to unpredictable situations with confidence. 

Understanding

The best business coaches are able to see where you’re coming from and take you and your employees perspectives into account. They will help you stay focused and determined through difficult situations. The best business coaches will also help you celebrate your victories both large and small. 

Step 3: Where to Look

There are four main ways to search for a business coach:

1. Your personal network

Speaking with colleagues and peers is one of the best ways to find a business coach with a proven track record of success. Drawing on their experience by asking pointed questions will help you identify a potential coach for you and your business. 

Here are a few examples of questions to get you started:

• Did your coach do everything they promised?
• Did your business achieve new levels of success?
• Do you think they would be a good fit for me and my business?

Speak with multiple other business owners in your area and industry to see what your options are and shortlist a set of leads.

2. Online

The web is a great place to shop around and compare programs and different types of services. As is the case with many industries these days, you’ll find the most options for business coaching services online. 

Of course, there are pros and cons to this approach. You’ll be exposed to a large spectrum of coaching programs, which means you’ll have to be very vigilant when it comes to filtering, reaching out, and speaking with potential coaches.

The best thing to do is to set up a free consultation to speak with your potential coach. This will help you determine whether it’s going to be a mutually beneficial relationship or if you need to keep looking.

3. Locally

For some people, meeting face-to-face is more valuable than online. If you’re one of these people, you should look locally, rather than spending your time online.

Use your local resources to gain access to the local business coaching industry. You can utilize your personal network, co-working spaces, incubators, chamber of commerce meetings, and other local business meetings to learn about the industry landscape in your region.

4. Start with your favorite business author 

Compile a list of the books that impacted your life and business. Many authors offer business coaching themselves or have networks set up to help refer you towards people with similar mindsets. 

Reaching out to established industry leaders and authors can help you expand your network in new, valuable directions.

As we said, the best way to vet a business coach is to talk with them. An experienced business coach will have no issues answering your questions and identifying whether or not their coaching program is right for your business. Even if you don’t wind up investing in their services, you’ll come away with a better sense of direction, and maybe even a referral for someone more suited to your needs.

If you’re actively looking for a business coach, take a look at Maui Mastermind’s business coaching services. 

If you think it might be a good fit, you can schedule a free 90-minute business coaching session in order to get a better idea of our company, values, and goals.

If you have any other questions about business coaching feel free to browse Maui Mastermind’s free resources or take a look at our blog.