3October 2009
Hiring a small business coach can be one of the best decisions you can make. You need to ask yourself first why you would hire a small business coach. What are you looking for? Are you stuck, overwhelmed or just curious? Are you looking for a fresh pair of eyes. I know my clients wanted another opinion on their business.
A small business coach will bring a fresh set of eyes and total objectivity to your business. A good one will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. That’s gotten me in trouble once in awhile. I’ve had a couple of small business owners shoot the messenger. That would be me. They were upset with my assessment because they couldn’t accept the fact that they weren’t perfect. I always tell new clients that I will tell them the truth and show them how I arrived at my conclusions. That almost always satisfies them. Almost!
Any small business coach will want to start by taking a complete look at your business. I call this a business needs analysis. I send out questionnaires to all employees and interview the key employees. This works because employees will tell me things they won’t tell the owner. I don’t sign their paychecks and I won’t betray their confidence.
I then look at 3 years of financial history to look at trends in expenses, profits, etc. I look at how the business is being run from an operational point of view and how new business is developed. This whole process takes place over a two or three day time frame, depending on the size and scope of the business. When I am done though, I can tell the business owner a lot about their business. I’m often told that they are amazed at how much I could learn in such a short time frame. That comes with two decades of experience as a small business coach and consultant. I know what to look for.
On this website I offer a business assessment. It isn’t nearly as extensive as the business needs analysis I would do in person, but has tremendous value for you, the small business owner. If I can show you just one or two ideas from what you tell me and what we discuss over the phone, it is worth your effort.
I’m not asking for bank account information or anything else that would put you at risk. My FREE Business Assessment is not a scam. It’s simply a way for you and I to get to know one another to see if I can offer something of value. Just print off the form. If you see something that concerns you, toss it in the trash. If not, fill it out, fax it to me and lets get acquainted. To get your FREE Business Assessment, just click here and lets get acquainted.
Hiring a small business coach really is a good idea for your business!