5 Things You Should Know Before Hiring a Business Coach
If you’re interested in hiring a business coach to help you build your wellness business, it can be a good decision when you know how to find the right one.
Working with someone who has a proven track record and can show you a blueprint to follow can shorten your learning curve and help you reach your goals more quickly than doing it on your own. But not all business coaches are created equal, and there are some things you want to be aware of before hiring one.
We recently wrapped up our fall session of the Wellness Business Accelerator program and found out that some of our students have worked with private business coaches that gave them really bad advice which essentially set their business back by months and in some cases even years. That’s why we knew we had to share this information on the podcast, so you don’t hire a coach that doesn’t understand the health and wellness space.
There are many reasons to hire a business coach and depending on your top priorities, some coaches will fit your needs better than others in that moment. Before you start your search for that perfect person it’s important for you to be crystal clear about what you want to accomplish.
Before you look for a coach
Before looking for a business coach to support your goals, make a detailed list of the top 3-5 things you want to accomplish with their help. The clarity you receive from doing this exercise will be invaluable to you as you narrow down your options for choosing the right person with the right skill set.
Each coach will have their area of specialty. Look for the one that most closely meets your needs based on the top 3-5 goals you’re trying to accomplish, and has experience in what you’re looking to achieve.
Once your list is made and you’re clear about your top goals for working with this coach, it’s time to get to work making your selection.
Here is a 5-point checklist to take you through this process.
1. Do your research & look for social proof
Explore multiple coaching options and consider interviewing potential coaches to determine if they are the right fit for you. Check their references and testimonials to confirm they’ve gotten results in the past with other clients. Specifically look for statistics and measurable results that demonstrate how they help their clients succeed. Do they have social proof of what they are promising to help you achieve should you decide to hire them?
2. Must be a collaborative relationship
Remember, a coach is someone to guide you and offer recommendations. They are not your boss!!! It is not their place to make final decisions or have the authority to tell you what you can, and cannot, do in your own business. This person should be someone you trust and feel open to talk to about every aspect of your business. Remember, coaching isn’t all about mechanics, sometimes there is mindset coaching involved so being able to speak openly is important. Confirm that they are willing to be in a collaborative relationship with you vs. a dictatorship.
3. They must have industry experience
In your specific situation, this means that they must have experience in the health and wellness space. The health and wellness industry is a very unique business niche and often, if the coach has not worked in this industry, can give bad advice that will actually slow your progress.
An example of this would be choosing a niche, (we call this your marketable ideal client). Someone outside the health and wellness space may tell you to generalize your niche and not become a specialist but that’s bad advice. That may work outside of the health and wellness space but is not a formula for success in our industry. Verifying that the coach you’re considering has experience in the health and wellness industry is a critical component for reaching your goals and having the best possible coaching experience.
4. They must be a great communicator
The best coaches are those that listen to their clients and do their best to help them reach their goals, (like you do with your clients). The best business coaches listen to your ideas, determine the fastest way to reach them and are a partner with you through to the finish line. They are action-oriented and do their best to provide you with step-by-step feedback of what you should do next to accomplish your goals. They give recommendations, not orders, on topics and outcomes that you’re trying to reach. Ultimately, they need to be a great communicator and someone you feel comfortable working with. Someone that can clearly convey their recommendations in a way that makes sense to you.
5. What would success look like to you
It’s important for the business coach to acknowledge your goals ahead of time and communicate a plan of action so you know they are a good fit. You’re looking for a plan from them that will meet or exceed your goals. It’s good to set specific milestones and metrics before officially hiring them and entering the coaching relationship. That doesn’t mean that they are detailing their entire coaching plan with you ahead of time, (because there has to be room for customization and flexibility as things evolve during your time together). Instead, you and the coach should be clear about what you want to achieve with their help during your time together, and you should use these goals and metrics as a baseline for what would be a successful experience for you. Once you’re clear on what success looks like for you, the coach should acknowledge it and confirm they have the skillset to make that happen.
BONUS TIP
Consider a shorter trial run before investing in a 3, 6 or 12-month coaching program. Make sure they feel like the right coach for you by engaging in a trial run of their services. Focus on a shorter time frame, such as a 1-2 hour coaching call, a VIP day, or a 30-day coaching program.
Remember, a coach is a guiding and supportive resource to help you reach your goals, not the determining factor in day-to-day operations. They should not control you or your business, (we can’t stress this enough). They should share options and resources with you to accomplish your vision and are always respectful of you as the business owner and ultimate visionary for your coaching practice.
Download Karen’s brand-new checklist called that shares more helpful tips: How to Hire a Business Coach: Your 5-point Checklist
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