The Complete Guide to Finding the Best Business Coach. How to prepare for Success

The complete guide to finding the best business coach to help your company reach its ultimate potential.

Finding the right business coach can be daunting, but having the right resources and knowledge upfront can make the search a lot easier. Thorough research, such as looking into potential mentors’ credentials, past experience and ideological fit with your organisation’s mission, are key factors to consider when narrowing down your list of potential candidates. Additionally, being clear about what specific type of guidance you wish to receive from the mentor is vital.

Finding someone with expertise in that field and strong interpersonal capabilities will truly help drive growth and progress within your business. With this guide, you'll have all the tips you need to take the first steps toward finding an exceptional business mentor who not only meets your expectations but provides invaluable insight for achieving success.

Proven experience:

For example, I am an experienced CEO and business/board advisor with over 25 years of leadership, mentoring, and coaching experience. I have led multinational companies with annual revenues of up to $250 million, taking one company from $ 38 million to $ 55 million in 18 months during the global financial crisis. I have successfully worked with many clients in businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to global corporations. I know what I’m talking about when it comes to business coaching. I don’t just talk about it: I do it. And I can do it for you, too.

Testimonials:

Don’t just rely on the business coach to tell you about their success. Hear what the clients have to say. That’s where you’ll get the real picture.

Qualifications:

While qualifications aren’t everything, they can help distinguish between professional coaches and people just using the title. While there is no substitute for experience, a qualification shows that the coach has invested in gaining skills and knowledge in the field and has been formally assessed as competent.

Discovery sessions:

Before you commit to a business coach, it’s worth trying them out. You can do this via a discovery session, a free trial, or even a personal phone call. This is a personal relationship you are considering, so you need to be confident you’d respond well to their personal style.

Interest in your success:

You will pick up on this quickly. If the business coach asks lots of questions about you, your business, your plans, and your ambitions, you can be confident they are interested in you. If the coach spends most of the time telling you about their experience and success, they are more interested in just selling you their services.

Diverse experience:

Does the business coach have experience across a range of industries and in businesses like yours? Does their skillset cover a broad spectrum, or is it limited to a specific area? For example, detail and planning as opposed to idea creation and vision.

Results:

Before you sign on the dotted line, ask yourself this question: What do I want from my business coach? You need to be able to verbalise the outcomes you’re looking for. Your business coach can’t deliver on vagaries, and nor can you create a solid working relationship without a clear purpose.

Are you ready to find the best business coach? Would you like to find out if I could be a good match for your needs? Book a free call with me, and let’s chat. I’d be honoured to work with you.

Book a free call with me, and let’s chat.

Caroline Kennedy, author of Lead Beyond 2030: The Nine Skills You Need to Intensify Your Leadership Impact, is an accomplished former CEO, Award-Winning Executive Coach and global thought leader on business and leadership. She is a highly sought-after mentor and coach to top global executives. A respected keynote speaker and author, Caroline’s methods are neuroscience-based to achieve rapid development and growth.