What is Business Coaching?
A business coach is more than just a consultant. They are your accountability partner, teacher, mentor, and someone to support you through growing and scaling a business.
Business coaches will work with you to determine goals, milestones, and the big picture of your business so that you can reach the next level. A coach will help you build a more successful company so that you focus your energy where it really matters and enter the next stage with confidence. And a really great coach will make the whole journey more enjoyable!
What does business coaching look like?
Being able to be more confident and happy with yourself, your life, and your business sounds like a pretty great result of working with a coach. So, how do business coaches actually help entrepreneurs achieve those results? Let’s break it down.
A business coach…
Creates Action Plans: A business coach will work with you to determine what your next goals and milestones should be by studying previous data and metrics and helping you set benchmarks and stretch goals. They’ll discuss your vision - both for your life and business, because without that vision, how do we know what goals to set? Your business coach will be there to guide you through the challenges of being an entrepreneur and support you with a strategic plan that meets your goals.
Provides Accountability: After determining your vision and goals, your business coach is there as a source of accountability. Through check-ins and follow ups, their job becomes helping you hit milestones and goals. And because they have a deep understanding of the reason behind your goals and your big picture, they can provide feedback and support along the way.
Gives An Outside Perspective: Frankly, it’s very difficult to read what’s on the outside of the bottle when you’re stuck inside it. A business coach can provide an outside perspective for your business, because they can clearly read the label! They also bring expertise and knowledge guiding other business owners like you, so they can share what’s worked and what hasn’t worked and help guide you down an easier path to success.
Analyzes Strengths + Weaknesses: Your business coach should help you determine what you do really well, and what you don’t do well. They’ll work with you to determine how to make those weaknesses a strength, perhaps through outsourcing or building a team. A coach is able to help you double down on what you do well so that you can become the CEO you were always meant to be!
The reality is that you don’t get somewhere new by doing the same things that you’ve always been doing. The right business coach will help you create new goals, hold you accountable for meeting them, and they’ll empower you elevate your CEO skills. Their job is to help you take your business from where you are to where you want to be.
The right business coach will change your life. Trust me. I’ve been where you are right now: ready for help, desperate for change, and not sure what to do next.
Let’s go back to 2016…
I was running a PR + branding agency, a co-working space, a handbag line, and I had a short-term rental business on the side. It’s an understatement to say that I was drowning. I got an email inviting me for coffee from someone named Zac. He had seen my story in the news, and he wanted to chat more about my businesses. The title in his email signature? Business coach.
Now let me be the first to admit that I had NO idea what a business coach was or did back in 2016.
I was skeptical. But I was also desperate for change. Everything looked rosy on the outside, but inside was a completely different story… I was exhausted. I was flying by the seat of my pants. I was burying my head in the sand when it came to all the stuff I didn't love doing, like reviewing my numbers or setting goals. Can you relate?
So I sat down with Zac to learn more about his services. And we'll fast forward this story just a bit because a TON has happened since I said yes to Zac. After working with my first business coach…
I became a better leader.
I fell in love with numbers and started setting and exceeding goals.
I stopped wearing all the metaphorical hats in my businesses.
I reclaimed my freedom - the entire reason I started a business to begin with!
I committed to my own happiness.
I hit my first multi-six figure year with the PR agency alone.
And four years later, in 2020, I launched my coaching business - to which Zac told me he screamed out loud, "She did it!" when he first saw my announcement.
Because of Zac, I was able to create the life I set out to create back in 2011 when I started my entrepreneurial journey. He instilled confidence in me that I was desperately lacking, and he empowered me in ways that I still benefit from this many years later.
That’s the power of the right business coach for your business. Because of my time with my own coach, I knew that I wanted to help coach other women - I wanted them to feel the success and the freedom that I did once I experienced that level of support.
Finding the Right Coach
At the Upleveler Society, we offer business coaching that will help you become the wildly abundant CEO you were always meant to be. But we also bring our own unique special sauce into the equation based on our own experience as creatives and the way we like to live our lives. (Balanced with a side of abundance.)
What Makes the Upleveler Society Different…
We take a holistic approach…
Finding a business coach that’s a good fit for you is key to your success. At the Upleveler Society, we don’t believe your business goals and your life goals are mutually exclusive. We believe they are intrinsically intertwined.
So we seek to understand why your business goals are important to you and the impact it will have on your life. Only then do we put pen to paper and start guiding you down an intentional path that supports your whole heart.
We are serious with a side of TLC…
At the Upleveler Society, it’s important to us that we’re both straightforward and nurturing.
"What I love about your coaching is that you're very direct and to the point, yet you make us feel held and supported through it all." Lyric Everly, CEO of Everly Agency
Business coaches should be able to give you a strong outside perspective rooted in experience, data and expertise. And some lessons will feel a little uncomfortable, so meeting you with love and kindness isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have at the Upleveler Society. We won’t sugarcoat what we feel you need to do, but we will acknowledge the hill you’re climbing and give you whatever support you need to get to the top.
We are more than a guide…
We believe sharing is caring, so our coaching crosses over into the consulting territory in many ways. We aren't just going to tell you what to do. If we have an asset, a tool, or a system that you can duplicate and will save you time, we give you that asset! So yes, that means what's ours is yours. Our tool box is your tool box. Our connections are your connections.
Our branding and PR agency background also means we can give you expert advice if you’re hoping to grow your personal brand and make a bigger impression in the digital space or in your market.
Think you’re ready to hire a business coach?
Here are 7 reasons you should consider hiring a business coach:
You’re a good business owner, but know that the next level requires a little extra support.
You’re tired of your business taking over your whole life… but you don’t know how to change things.
You’re not making enough money to justify the time and energy you’re pouring into your business.
You’re afraid to take time off because the business would suffer. And your team is not empowered to handle anything without running it by you first.
You aren’t feeling the love anymore. Going to work feels like a chore.
You’ve never taken the time to invest in yourself or your business but you have dreams for another level of success.
You’re not sure what direction you’re moving in anymore. Everything feels confusing and you’re unsure of what’s next.
If you nodded your head with any of those statements, it’s time to consider hiring a business coach. Once you know that you’re ready to find your perfect business coach, it’s important to think about who you’re hiring. There’s so many coaches in the world, which is a great thing, but it can feel overwhelming. So here are a few tips from someone who’s hired great coaches and someone who has hired not-so-great coaches…
How to determine if a business coach is right for you:
Do they have experience running a successful business that is structured similarly to yours?
Do they have a positive track record with other clients? What are former clients saying? What changes were made in their business and what were the results?
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the coach does and how they can help you. Get specific!
Do the vibes feel right? This may sound simple, but trust your gut! If you’re just a little nervous because it’s a new experience or a new investment, that may be the good kind of excited nerves. But if it’s more of a “this doesn’t feel good” sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, listen to that voice and trust your inner knowing. This is an intimate relationship, so make sure you feel at ease around them and trust them - even if they are pushing you a little outside of your comfort zone!
At the Upleveler Society, we believe your business coach should have at least 5 years of experience running a business, and they should always be a few steps ahead of you.
At two years in, you may be successful, but you haven't experienced enough of the road bumps that inevitably come into play as a business owner, and we think that level of experience and understanding is nonnegotiable. Look for someone who has the history and experience to help make a difference in your life.
Remember, nothing changes if you’re doing the same things.
Ready to find a business coach? Let’s talk about working together 1:1. I’ve helped countless creative, business owners reach their goals and dreams through support, accountability, and guidance. If you’re ready for the next level of success, I’d love to help you next!
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