The odds are that you’ve heard of private business coaches before — but what do they actually do, and do you really need one?
Learn all of that and more with this comprehensive guide to private coaching:
What Is Private Coaching and How Does It Work?
Private business coaches are expert entrepreneurs or executives who have experience growing successful businesses. They then use this experience to help other entrepreneurs grow their respective businesses and experience the same success.
But how does this actually work? Business coaches act as consultants that provide you with a service, specifically mentorship, education, and motivation.
Some coaches provide courses that you can take and learn from independently. Other coaches provide one-on-one support to guide you through every step.
No matter what type of support you’re looking for, you can get it through a private business coach.
Why Is Private Coaching Worthwhile?
Now that you know more about who private coaches are and what they do, you’re probably wondering if working with one would actually be worthwhile.
Here are some reasons why working with a private business coach could be beneficial:
- Build confidence: Working with a private coach can help you build your confidence — giving you the skills and knowledge you need to manage your business successfully
- Address blindspots: Working with a private coach can help you identify and address any potential blindspots that are hurting your business
- Promote accountability: Working with a private coach can help hold you more accountable to your business tasks and goals
- Networking opportunities: Working with a private coach will give you access to valuable networking opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have access to
- Gain a confidante: Working with a private coach provides you with a valuable business confidante that you can go to for help or advice regarding issues you’re having
Do You Really Need a Private Coach?
Whether or not you really need a private coach is completely up to you. However, here are some signs that you would really benefit from working with a business coach:
- You lack a vision for your business and don’t see a clear path forward
- You’re constantly overwhelmed with everything you have to do and feel like you’re doing it all on your own
- You feel like you need more personal accountability and motivation to help you meet your goals
- You want to develop new business skills and strengthen your areas of weakness
- You’re stuck in a rut, and you don’t know how to get out of it on your own
How to Find a Private Coach?
If you’ve decided that you need a private business coach, the next step involves finding one to work with — which can be easier said than done. So how can you find a private business coach?
- First, you should reach out to any fellow entrepreneurs that you know to ask them if they have worked with any coaches they would recommend. Even if you do receive an excellent recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague, be sure to do your due diligence on the coach they recommended to ensure that they meet your unique needs.
- If you’re unable to get any personal recommendations, you can still try to get recommendations from entrepreneur groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. Post your need for a business coach in these groups as well as what you’re looking for and what you’re looking to pay to make sure that you actually receive valuable feedback from the group members.
- Finally, if you’re still unable to find a coach through these methods, online is the next best place to look. Conduct a Google search for business coaches. If you’re looking to meet with a coach-in person, make sure to conduct a local search based on your current location. On the other hand, if you don’t mind working with your coach on an exclusively virtual basis, then you can conduct a general search without geographic parameters.
- Based on the information you gather during your search, you can start to develop a “shortlist” of coaching contenders for you to vet further in the next section.
What to Look for in a Private Coach?
Once you have your shortlist of coaching contenders, you need to look into each one to make sure that they’re the right fit. So what should you look for when you’re vetting potential business coaches?
- Make sure that your private coach is well-versed in your specific area of business. A business coach with B2B experience would be very different from a business coach with D2C experience. As a result, you need to make sure that your coach matches your business type and industry.
- Make sure that your private coach has great reviews. Although many coaches post reviews on their websites, you should also look into third-party review sites for any negative reviews that they obviously wouldn’t want on their site. In addition to reviews, you should consider asking for references that you can personally contact to learn more about the potential coach.
- Make sure that your private coach offers the services you’re looking for. For example, some offer pre-made courses that you’re able to take at your own pace. Others take a less structured approach and cater to your specific needs.
- Make sure that your private coach’s fees are within your budget. At the same time, keep in mind that you get what you pay for, and cheaper isn’t necessarily better. If the coach isn’t upfront about their fee structure, that’s a red flag.
- Another red flag is a coach that’s not willing to meet or at least speak with you before hiring them. This initial meeting is extremely important to determine if you have a good connection with the potential coach.
How to Work Well With a Private Coach?
Now that you’ve found the perfect private coach for your business, you still need to work to establish a beneficial partnership. Here are some tips to help you work well with your private coach:
- Set expectations: The first thing you need to do when working with your coach is to set your expectations. What do you expect to receive out of this partnership? When do you expect to receive it? How will you measure it? These are all things to keep in mind.
- Communicate well: When working with your coach, you also need to communicate. Start off by communicating your expectations so that everyone’s on the same page. You also need to make sure that you understand your coach’s expectations of you. From there, you need to communicate with them on an agreed-upon schedule either by a method of your choosing.
- Be patient: Finally, you need to be patient when working with your coach — they aren’t miracle workers, and in most cases, change takes time. In other cases, change can be hard to measure and can be almost unnoticeable.
With the right expectations and the right amount of communication and patience, your partnership with your private business coach can be a success.
Final Thoughts on Private Coaching
Greg Gillman specializes in omnichannel growth strategies for D2C companies and helps businesses succeed. With the right coach and the right expectations, you can work together to grow your business. If you’re looking for the best business coach with tons of experience in the D2C arena, then you need to check out Greg Gillman.
Sources:
9 Benefits of Business Coaching | AllBusiness
Five Signs You Need a Business Coach | Forbes
16 Tips to Find the Right Business Coach to Help You Reach Your Goals | Inc.
