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How to Find The Best Business Coach

How to Find The Best Business Coach that Suits Your Needs | The Business Advisory

Finding the right business coach can be a game changer for service providers, small business owners and entrepreneurs and founders at every stage of business – from startup to $1M and beyond.

However, it’s important to take the time to do your homework and really evaluate who you want to invest your time and money in. 

The problem in today’s online world is that, with so many options and zero barrier to entry online, it can be tough to decipher who’s the real deal and who’s just in it for the money. 

The truth is, anyone can claim they’re a “business coach,” throw up a website and send you a cold DM pitching their services. The question is – can they deliver on their promise, or will their business coaching program leave you frustrated and with no real results? 

In this article, we’re going to break down how to find the best business coach (or, business coaching program) for your unique needs, how to find a good business coach, and most importantly: the steps you need to take to ensure you are making the right investment in your business. 

 

What is a business coach – and why do you need one?

 

A business coach is a professional who can help you enhance your skills, develop and implement strategies to  achieve your goals, and provide resources, support, and guidance along the way. 

 

You can find a niche-specific business coach who works particularly with individuals in your industry (for example, a coach who helps doctors or therapists grow their private practice), or you can find someone who focuses on solving a specific problem or getting clients a specific solution (such as, building teams and systemizing your business). 

If you want to accelerate your results, grow your income and sustain that growth over time – you must be willing to get feedback, direction and outside advice from a qualified individual. 

Many times as we grow our businesses – and grow them fast – we have unintentional blinders on, that hinder us from seeing potential roadblocks or pitfalls. 

Trying to scale your business alone only increases the chances of you missing critical decisions and action steps along the way. 

 

What does a business coach do?

Business coaches offer a realm of services, from one-to-one support, to group coaching, to hybrid programs that leverage both a group and customized component (such as our Empire Builders business coaching program). 

Some coaches work directly with their clients, while others facilitate business coaching programs that include a handful of expert coaches to support you.

How to pick the best business coach for my needs: 

 

There are a series of actions you can take to identify the best business coach for your specific needs and goals. It’s important to be strategic and selective in your decision making progress – not only will you be spending a lot of time and energy on this person, but you want to trust that your business is in good hands. Here’s how to make sure you aren’t missing any red flags in the process: 

#1: Identify your goals.

First things first: what do you want to accomplish with a business coach? 

When searching for a business coach to work with, consider how they can help you achieve those goals specifically. Do they have expertise in a specific subject area or industry? Have they served clients in your geographic location?  Is there a skill match? Have they accomplished what you’re looking to accomplish or achieved the level of success you aspire to? 

For example: if you are a busy parent who is also running a business, you may want to consider investing in a coach who also has children and prioritizes family time. It may be helpful to work with someone who has experienced your unique circumstances and can offer guidance and advice because they’ve been in your shoes. 

Get really clear on what you’d like to accomplish by the end of your engagement before diving into the selection process, so that you can do so with your end goal in mind

 

#2: Do some research. 

Not sure where to find a good business coach? There are a ton of places you can do your research – aside from just Googling to see if they have a website. 

 Are they active on social media (whether it’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or even TikTok?) 

Pay attention to the content they post, how they show up, and how they interact with the market. Sure, they don’t need to be active on every single platform – but most of the time, a renowned coach will have some sort of social media presence and information about their business coaching program online. 

Many times, their social media pages can give you more insight into that person’s core values. 

How about their long form content? Do they have a YouTube channel, blog, or podcast you can listen to? Check out a few videos, posts or episodes and see what you can take away from them. 

If you find that you get value simply from following this person and consuming their free content, chances are their program will exceed your expectations too. 

It’s not all about what they post, either: check out reviews, testimonial pages, and other PR this person has been featured in (such as interviews, articles, speaking engagements, etc.) to get some other perspectives on this particular coach’s client base, accomplishments, expertise and more.

Their partnerships and PR can also give you insight on their influence and network – should you need additional support in a different realm down the line, they may be able to make the connection. 

You can even take it a step further and subscribe to their email newsletters, opt-in for resources or other freebies they’re offering, join their private Facebook group (if they have one) and attend a webinar or event that they’re hosting to get a feel for this person’s teaching and coaching style. 

#3: Consider the costs. 

You may be wondering: if I can just subscribe to their content online, is it really worth paying a business coach?

Of course – getting coaching and mentorship is one of the key investments every entrepreneur or small business owner should consider making when it comes to the growth of your business. 

Some of the biggest myths that prevent small business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs from investing in business coaching are:

  • They consider business coaching a luxury
  • They believe it will take too much of their time
  • They assume they can figure it out on your own 
  • They don’t think it’s a worthwhile investment
  • They think the best time to invest in a business coach is once they’re already successful (that’s like saying the best time to go to the gym is after you lose weight!) 

It’s important to approach your investment as exactly that – an investment. 

When you invest in coaching, you want to consider the potential ROI versus the upfront cost of getting help. Why?

If you’re looking for a “deal,” you may find a coach or coaching program that seems affordable, but doesn’t deliver on its promise.

Or, you may find there’s a lack of customization or support in a less expensive program – both of these things costing you in the long run. 

Typically, a higher investment will provide you with more customization, 1:1 support, and white glove service that yields better results and a more significant return on investment. 

While that’s not always the case (hence, the importance of doing your research and asking for testimonials from clients who are part of their business coaching program!), you will find that when you’re willing to invest in the best possible solution, your return is exponentially higher. 

It’s important to understand that this will be a business expense and track accordingly, so you can plan ahead. If you have a profitability goal of $300K a year, you want to understand what your revenue number needs to be, as well as your expenses. This podcast outlines 4 financial metrics that are critical to be tracking daily in your business. 

Some business coaches will offer a pay-in-full discount or bonus that you can take advantage of when you invest in the program at once (saving you money in the long run – and potentially scoring you some extra 1:1 time or another bonus component of the program). 

If you can’t swing the full payment, though, most coaches will have payment plan options for you to take advantage of. 

You can even ask your potential business coach about referral programs you can participate in, once you’ve begun seeing results. Referral programs sometimes have payout incentives that you can put back toward your monthly payments – so ask your potential coach if there are opportunities to earn commission on referrals. 

Pro tip: make sure you actually trust this person’s ability to get results, and don’t refer friends, followers, or other individuals blindly. 

Bottom line: Know the fees involved before committing to a particular coach – and exactly what’s included in those fees, so there are no surprises later. 

#3: Set up an initial meeting. 

Now that you’ve narrowed down your list of potential business coaches, the next step is to schedule a time to speak with them or a member of their team.

This is a chance for you to get to know each other and decide if their style of coaching is right for you.

If they are the primary coach you’ll be working with, you’ll want to speak with them directly. However, if they have a team of coaches in their program that you’ll be working with on a weekly basis, it’s really important to chat with their team to understand their background, expertise and how they can support you. 

You can book a call through their website or check out the instructions in their social media profiles for how to get in touch with them directly – if you’re not sure the best way to get a call booked with that person, send them a direct message. 

On the consultation or discovery call, you’ll want to be upfront and honest about your struggles, your  goals, and what you’re looking for specifically in a coach or program – so this person can identify whether or not its a mutual fit. 

A good business coach won’t try to pressure you into buying something that’s not right for you. They’ll be up front about whether or not their program is the appropriate solution. If not, they may be able to point you to a coach, program or other resource that will be helpful for your specific needs. 

Additionally, they won’t be pushy or share irrelevant information. A good coach will listen, hear you out, and be able to pinpoint specific components of the program that can help you develop a solution to the problems or challenges you’re experiencing. 

 

#4: Ask for references. 

Does this particular business coach work with other clients in your industry or similar? Have they helped clients in their program achieve specific goals that you’re looking to achieve? Ask them for more information! 

They may be able to send you a case study, testimonial video, or even make the connection in a 3-way chat, email thread or direct message. 

This will create peace of mind in knowing that you’re not the only person going through this unique challenge, and if this business coach can help someone else do it, they can likely help you, too. 

 

#5: Establish clear guidelines. 

Be as clear and specific about your expectations, availability, and goals as possible – both in your evaluation process when speaking with a potential coach, and in your initial client onboarding. 

Are you in a different timezone and can only make calls on certain days or hours? Be upfront. Do you have limited time to attend coaching calls? Let them know. 

A business coach with a group program should be able to provide you with their call schedule or, if they’re working with you one-on-one, may be able to work out a time that works for the both of you. 

The best way to get results in any business coaching program is to leverage all that it has to offer; so if there’s something you know that will prevent you from doing so, talk about it. 

Expectations should be clear on both sides, so that there are no misunderstandings down the line. 

 

Get started with a business coach

 

So, you’ve found your dream coach. Now what? 

Perhaps the most important step in your coaching journey is the willingness to be coachable and do the work. 

Be open to feedback and new ways of problem solving. If your coach points out a pitfall, don’t take it personal – they’re doing it with your best interest in mind. 

Remember that there’s no such thing as overnight success, and results take consistent work, commitment, and long-range vision. 

Above all else, the success of your business coaching experience will depend on your commitment, willingness to implement changes, and active participation in the coaching process. 

In other words: show up for your coaching calls, take action, and implement. Information without implementation will never yield substantial results. 

At The Business Advisory, we provide a scope of services to both small business owners and established multi-million dollar companies across industries who are looking to scale online, simplify and systemize their path to predictable revenue, and create more freedom in their business. 

We do this through a range of training and consulting, on everything from sales and marketing, to systems, infrastructure, and financial literacy, to team building, expansion, and developing leaders.  

Curious about exploring our coaching and consulting programs? Book a call with a strategist from our team to audit your current systems and discuss options.