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What Makes a Good Business Coach?




If you wanted to learn more about abseiling, who would you speak to? Would you speak to someone who had watched a few abseiling videos but never done it themselves? Or would you speak to someone with years of experience abseiling down cliff faces, buildings, and who knows what else?

Chances are you would choose the person with ample experience in the real world. Most of us could learn a thing or two from watching videos about the sport, but unless we’d tried it ourselves, there would be a limit to what we would know.

Finding a good business coach

The same applies when you need a good business coach. You need to choose someone who knows what it is like to run a business. Look for someone with ample experience over many years; someone who has seen many changes and weathered many storms. This type of person will have bags of experience and can use it to guide you through times you may find challenging.

Never be afraid to do some research on someone you are considering hiring as a business coach. You need to know they can deliver on the service they are promising. You’ve got a business to run. You need access to a good coach from the start.

Finding someone who will share their experience – good and bad

You should always be wary of someone who only tells you about the good stuff they’ve achieved in their own business. We all know things can and will go wrong, no matter how much you plan. If someone says they’ve never experienced any issues like this, you should ask yourself why.

Does it mean they’ve only been in business a short time? Or are they wary of sharing their complete experience? Either way, these are not good things to find in a business coach.

Finding someone who regularly stays in contact with you

It doesn’t matter whether you meet in person, or indulge in regular phone calls, or even stay in touch via email. Whichever method you choose, there should be regular contact. There will probably be times when you get caught up in your daily business tasks and forget about the coaching. Your coach shouldn’t forget though, or be stand-offish. They should make time to get in touch to see how things are going. The same works in reverse, too. If you’re trying to get in touch with your coach and it’s not happening, it could mean you’ve got the wrong coach.


Remember too that the right business coach for someone else may not be the right coach for you. It must feel like a good fit for you, and offer you the exact service you’re looking for. A good coach will tailor their services to suit your needs. You can usually figure this out very early in the process of speaking with someone. If they are too rigid, it is worth looking elsewhere. Finding the right coach may be challenging, but it is a challenge worth meeting head-on.

Rosia Bay

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