For entrepreneurs finding the right business coach is critical, but finding the right business coaching services is equally crucial because coaching is costly in time and money. Knowing you’re making a sensible investment is one of the first business decisions you need to get right.
Alison Callan is an award-winning accredited business coach in Brisbane, Australia, and she knows a thing or two about establishing businesses. She has helped small business owners and entrepreneurs across the globe set up credible, profitable and sustainable businesses. She is also an advocate in supporting the business owner to create and prioritise a quality lifestyle.
One of the main challenges entrepreneurs face when hiring a business coach is not knowing that business coaching services vary in terms of how much money they will cost you, where you can find them, who you’ll be working with, and the expected results.
So here is the low down on what you need to know when choosing your business coach and deciding on the right business coaching services for you.
The Different Kinds of Business Coaching Services
There are several types of business coaching services that can help you get your business off the ground. When it comes to business coaching, be aware that every business coach works differently. However, professional business coaches generally offer four different kinds of business coaching services. Here are the main ones to get familiar with to determine what would work best for you. The standard four business coaching services are:
1. Group Coaching
2. One to one Coaching
3. Strategy Sessions
4. Memberships
It is essential to mention that not all business coaches or business coaching services are created equal, and you should do your research thoroughly before committing to a coach. You can read more about ‘How an online business coach can help you achieve your goals’ here to get you started in the right direction (please hyperlink to the first blog I sent).
Group Coaching
Group business coaching services usually involve multiple members joining the group and a certain level of facilitation by the coach to ensure that the group members stay on track with their goals.
The Pro’s of joining a group coaching program include (but are not limited to):
- The other participants you get to meet and experience their perspectives and progress. So not only do you get coaching and views on your business, you get to observe others which can give you deeper insights into your business and even inspiration.
- For business owners and entrepreneurs who work alone, being part of a group is a great way to meet other like minds in similar situations and build your network or friendship circle.
- The price point of a group coaching program is usually more cost-effective. Often, self-study material supports you in the building and developing side of the business specifics, which adds to the value.
- Shorter time frame regarding commitment to a program as group coaching is often for a minimum of three months which gives you a taster experience.
You can see what a group coaching program involves by checking out The Conscious Creation Business Accelerator, Alison’s 12-week group coaching program.
The Con’s of joining a group coaching program include (but are not limited to):
- Listening to and observing others coaching. Yes, this is a blessing and a curse. If time is precious to you and you know you won’t learn from the mastermind environment, then you will be unlikely to thrive in a group.
- The perceived value you get but then do not make time for can often be negative. So really, you have to be clear on the time you need to invest in getting the maximum benefit.
- Sometimes it’s more challenging to be vulnerable in a group environment and actively participate fully
- Lack of flexibility. With other participants on the calls, if you miss a session regardless of the reason, it’s often forfeited because the coach cannot hold another group session. However, do check on this as some coaches can give makeup sessions or recordings to replay.
You will know whether you’re likely to be able to enjoy the group coaching experience. It may feel out of your comfort zone to begin with, but it can be a fantastic opportunity to get coached at a great price point and meet other business owners. All group coaching containers vary, so explore what you feel drawn to and discuss it with your chosen coach.
One to One Coaching
Working one to one with a coach has individual private sessions to work on your personal and business strategies. Depending on the coach and their approach and availability determines how frequently you have your sessions, the duration of the commitment to coaching, and how long the sessions last.
The Pro’s of a one to one coaching program include (but are not limited to):
- A high degree of focus on your and your business alone, no distractions or interruptions from others.
- A clearly defined personalised pathway, strategy and action plan
- Often, this level of service provides more availability to your coach outside of the sessions for communication and to ask questions during implementation phases.
- A higher level of confidentiality is often felt as there is no one else present for your calls
- If time is essential to you, then you will only want to be focusing on yourself and your business, and this level of attention from your coach during your session provides a lot more time for you
- It is easier to reschedule sessions; if an emergency occurs and you let your coach know, makeup sessions are easier to negotiate.
The Con’s of a one to one coaching program include (but are not limited to):
- With this level of attention and time, it is often the highest investment tier in working with your chosen coach. You may find the investment a stretch; however, payment plans are often an option.
- You cannot hide. If you are not doing the work between sessions, your coach will know. However, that shouldn’t be a problem if you’re actively looking for a coach because that’s the level of support and accountability you should be expecting.
- Depending on the coach, the one to one programs are often for a longer time frame for you to maximise your results and experience. As we all know, sustainable businesses take time to build, and professional business owners need time to evolve.
The core message with one to one coaching is that this is for the committed entrepreneur, who knows what it will take to grow themselves and their business and desire the one to one attention and focus on maximising their results faster.
Research your coach and what the program includes to know if it will meet your needs based on how you prefer to work. As the client, you must have a package that works for you to get the best results from you and combine with the coach approach, not limited to:
Strategy sessions
Some coaches offer individual strategy sessions to help you with business plans, longer-term vision planning and creating the subsequent action plans for you to follow through with after the session.
The Pro’s of a strategy session include (but are not limited to):
- A personalised plan for you and your business that you can walk away with after a significant individualised session.
- Dedicated time spent getting you the answers to the questions you have.
- This is beneficial for the entrepreneur who needs help getting all of the ideas and visions into a strategy and plan but does not need accountability for implementation support.
- Often, these are a couple of hours and intense work, but the investment, although higher, is a one-off spend, giving you a taster of what’s possible with a coach.
The Con’s of a strategy session include (but are not limited to):
- If you do not have specific challenges or are unclear on exactly what you need to get from the session, it can be a costly waste of time and money.
- Because you will not have built a rapport with the coach and they will not know your business very well, sometimes this can be a barrier to getting exactly what you need, so it’s essential to be clear on the objectives for the session.
- You will not have any ongoing support of implementation following the session and may forget specifics of the plan, so either take great notes or ask that the session gets recorded.
It is important to note that when you grow a business, many challenges arise that you had no way of foreseeing. Running a business is a substantial personal and professional development journey.
Having a coach in your corner who understands and supports your development whilst shaping your beliefs, mindset and approach to being the business owner you desire to be is equally as important as having the right strategy.
Strategy sessions are immensely beneficial for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs alike.
Memberships and Subscriptions
People have varying degrees of interest in business coaching services, and memberships and subscription-based programs can be a great start in many ways. However, it’s important to clarify that pure coaching is about facilitating the entrepreneur to find the answers that solve their problems, more than telling them how they should solve them, which is a more advisory or mentorship approach. Memberships and subscription models entice large numbers and consist of a soft touch approach for the individual business owner and business. Because they cannot accommodate such bespoke attention in such large numbers, many memberships and subscriptions are self-paced, self-study and a little more generic in the value and direction they give, which is a pro and a con, to be honest.
If you are considering joining a membership or coaching subscription program, find one specifically for your business, be it service-based businesses or product-based businesses online or in person, etc. That should give you a little more specific and industry-based support to get the most value from experience in time, money and support.
Conclusion (or Next Steps)
Business coaching is a form of coaching that businesses and business professionals can benefit greatly from.
Business Coaching is a valuable resource to invest in for entrepreneurs who want to become more successful in their industry.
Just as you and your business are unique, not all business coaches or business coaching services are the same, so it is vital to research the varieties and options available to you.
Having reviewed the above pros and cons into four of the most common business coaching services, you will now have a much better idea of which you feel drawn to and why. You can then base your decision on how you believe you will perform best and how a coach can work with you to release your potential.
While it is important to remember that business coaching is an investment, it is not only money but time that you invest into building a relationship with a coach who can support you in achieving your goals.
To help you make the final decision about working with a coach and the type of business coaching services you are going to invest in, do your research. The majority of business coaches offer discovery calls for you to meet and answer any questions you may have so that you can make an empowered and informed decision, so be sure to make the most of those opportunities.
Regardless of the business coaching service and coach you choose, you are well on your way to developing the next level in your business and self because you are seeking to do so. That decision alone is a pivotal point in your elevation and worthy of celebrating.
If you would like to review Alison’s options within her business, check out the Working with Me page, which shows you how you can work with Alison; in all of the above business coaching services and more!
If you’d like to schedule a Clarity call to discuss working with Alison further, you can schedule that call here
With Gratitude always,
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an International Award Winner in Business, and Internationally Accredited Coach and Certified Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner, Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Co-Author of the book ‘You Are Meant For More‘.
Alison is committed to helping you mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
Check out more on Alison Callan on her Website, Facebook and LinkedIn pages, or schedule a Discovery call to work with Alison now.
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