What makes a good business coach?

Business Coaching has received negative press during the pandemic.

Some business owners have reported a lack of value for money from business coaches while others say they feel as if they have been scammed.

The problem is that business coaches are not regulated and anyone can set up as one - no training or qualifications are needed.

The number of business coaches operating has increased by 115% and the Guardian reports that the sector is forecast to reach £8.4bn this year.

It is important to offer a counterbalance though - choosing the right business coach can be money well spent. 

I have clients I have worked with for over 10 years. One of my clients, Jon Neill, started the company Sportsafe UK in 1997 from his garden shed, simply as a way to pay his mortgage.

The company provided schools with sports equipment safety testing. It grew very fast and suddenly he had contracts with local authorities all over the UK.

He was working seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, and it was taking its toll on his young family. Inadvertently he had created a business that only functioned if he was present and managing it. He enlisted my help and advice on how to change this situation.

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

— Will Rodgers

Good business coaches can help to transform companies

Initially, I set out a three-year plan for Sportsafe UK. I educated Jon on how to put together a real team of people to help take the company forward.

In three years, Sportsafe UK went from six staff to 110. This freed Jon up to work on business development. When I started working with Jon Neill the business had six local authority contracts and nine years later we grew it to over 130.

They went from being a local company servicing around 4,000 schools to being a worldwide company operating in Dubai and Saudi Arabia with over 20,000 schools.

That is how business coaching can make a difference to businesses.

As we know, it doesn’t always work this way but there are some rules to follow when choosing which business coach to work with.

Check out how many coaching training hours they have clocked up

For example I have done over 200 hours of training this year alone and over 35,000 hours of coaching training throughout my coaching career. The ICF has some good advice and says that an entry-level coach should do 100 hours of actual coaching practice, plus 60 hours of training. 

Do your research

Look at the types and sizes of businesses the coach has worked with. Make sure they understand your industry and business.

Read their testimonials and get in touch with the businesses they’ve helped. Interview their previous clients with a list of questions.

Often a coach will have an online and social media presence, do your homework and follow them to see what they are doing. Many business coaches will have podcasts where they share tips for growing your business. By listening you can find out if they might be a good fit for your business.