Looking for a business coach in Ireland? Read this first.
I am not a business coach and I do not sell coaching. But most owners who type those words into Google are not looking for a coach either. They are looking for a way out of a problem, and coach is the word the industry taught them. Below are the seven questions people ask before they hire one, answered honestly, with what I would do instead in each case. Some of you should go and hire a coach. The rest of you should read on.
What does a business coach actually do?
A good one asks you questions, helps you set goals, holds you to them and meets you every few weeks to see how you got on. The work is done by you between sessions. That suits owners who know what to do and need the discipline to do it. It does not suit owners who do not yet know what is wrong, because a coach is not there to find out for you.
How I would address this
I start by finding out. Two hours with your numbers and your website, using tools that show where the money is leaking, and you leave with a written plan. Then, if you want help doing it, I do it with you or alongside you. I do not hold you accountable to a plan; I help you carry it out.
How much does a business coach cost in Ireland?
Typically between €300 and €1,500 a month for one-to-one sessions, often on a six or twelve month commitment, and more for the franchised programmes. Group programmes are cheaper. The honest problem is not the price. It is that the fee is monthly and the end date is vague, so the cost depends on how long it takes you to feel finished.
How I would address this
The first two hours are free and you owe me nothing after them. If you want more, there are two ways to work with me and both have a start, a price and an end. Nothing is open ended and you can stop at any point.
How do I know if I need a business coach?
You probably need one if you are clear on what the business needs and you keep not doing it. You probably do not need one if the problem is in the numbers, the sales process, the customer experience or the way the business runs without you. Those are not motivation problems and a coach will not fix them.
How I would address this
I would not ask you to decide before we have looked. The Business Health Check tells you which kind of problem you have. If it turns out you need a coach, I will say so and you will have lost nothing.
Is business coaching worth it?
For some owners, yes. Coaching works when the owner already has a sound business and needs to lead it better. It works badly when it is bought as a substitute for fixing something specific. The industry does not publish results, so most testimonials are about how the owner felt, not what the business made.
How I would address this
Profit and enquiries, not activity. Before we start you know where the business stands. After, you know what moved. At the end of the following quarter we look again. If nothing moved, you would be right to stop.
What is the difference between a business coach, a consultant and a mentor?
A coach asks and you answer. A consultant looks, tells you what is wrong and often does the work. A mentor has done it before and gives you their time, usually for free or for very little. All three have a place. The mistake is buying one when you needed another.
How I would address this
I work as a business consultant and Fractional COO, which means I look, I tell you plainly, and if you want, I do the work with you inside the business. Thirty years in the motor trade, running dealership sales and aftersales operations and then in senior roles with Opel and GM, taught me to read a business from its numbers and its customers rather than from a questionnaire.
How long does business coaching take?
Most programmes run six to twelve months and many owners stay longer. That is partly because leadership is never finished and partly because the model earns more the longer you stay. Neither reason is wrong, but you should know which one is keeping you there.
How I would address this
As long as the plan needs and no longer. Working with me is a fixed monthly arrangement for a business of one to ten people. Working alongside me is by the day, inside the business. Both end when the work is done.
What should I check before hiring anyone, including me?
Not their brochure. Your business. Before you pay anyone to help, be honest with yourself about ten things, because the answers decide what kind of help you need. Most owners can only answer half of them, and that is normal. The list is below.
How I would address this
The free two hours goes through all ten with you, on your numbers and your website, and you leave with the answers written down whether you ever see me again or not.
The Honest Checks
Ten honest checks on your own business before you hire a coach, a consultant or anyone else. One page, free, no email required.
Download the PDF