SERVICES
BUSINESS COACHING
You don't have to do it alone!
What is Business Coaching?
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Running a business can be both exhilarating and challenging. Along the way there are incredible highs and - well, let's be honest - there are lows too! Our coaching process begins with listening. We provide a confidential space from where you can openly discuss your business challenges and explore innovative solutions. The intent, always, is to clarify goals, and develop concrete and realistic action plans.
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Here are some frequently asked questions: ​
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What is the difference between a life coach and a business coach?
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Do clients ever call and ask that you work for them part-time?
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What is the difference between a life coach and a business coach?
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An effective business coach focuses on your business and helps you increase the profitability, efficiency and overall success of your business. Norm Adams answered this one for us "Our bias is to help the business thrive but the truth is, businesses require healthy leaders and, from time-to-time, conversations with our clients turn personal. Leadership can be lonely! Sometimes we are the only one who knows enough about the business to understand why a client might be fretting. The question is, are they fretting over the business or is it something more personal? Life Coaches can help a leader but their focus is not on the business. Often, we find, that a counsellor, financial planner, or therapist, is the best choice."
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What does a first meeting look like?
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It's free. It's confidential and, typically, lasts an hour. Often we meet for coffee, either at your office or at a place of your choosing. The purpose of the meeting is two-fold:
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We want to learn more about the biggest challenge or opportunity facing you and your business. Is it sales / marketing related? Do you have kinks in your operations? Do your financial controls need shoring up? Has your company culture changed to the point that you don't recognize your team anymore? It could be any of these things or something else completely, but we want to start by learning how you see it.
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We also want to see if there's a fit. There's no high-pressure closing at the end of our coaching sessions. Guaranteed. Our coaching practice is based on the premise that we can help and more often than not, we can. However, we're not afraid to make referrals if we feel that a specialized skills set is required.​
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What happens after the first meeting?
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Our initial meetings end with a commitment to forward along follow-up meeting notes within 24-hours and a commitment to follow up with you in a few days by telephone. You may want to meet again to see how we think we can help. Ultimately, we want to create value - we want you to see value in our work and we want to feel as though we're helping you move forward towards your goals.
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What does a typical engagement look like?
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No two engagements are the same because no two clients are identical. However, a typical agreement involves a series of one-on-one coaching sessions, either in-person or virtually, where we work with clients to identify areas for improvement and develop an accountability plan for achieving success. Normally, we meet every two weeks.
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Often our work expands to include key team members, as well. The whole time, the focus is to work with owners, and their teams in the following areas:
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Clarifying Goals and Objectives
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Improving Time Management
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Enhancing Performance
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Developing Leadership Skills
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Decreasing Stress
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Enhancing Performance
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Building a Stronger Team
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How long does a typical engagement last?
A typical engagement can last 6-12 months. However, we know coaches who have had active client relationships that have lasted for ten-years or more! Our longest coaching engagement has been three years.
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When does an engagement end? ​
Steven Covey talked of "beginning with the end in mind". As coaches, we work with clients toward achieving measurable goals. When accomplished, the coaching relationship usually winds up shortly after. Sometimes though, an engagement may end prematurely. Usually this happens when goals are poorly defined, there's a lack of commitment to the coaching process or there's a misalignment of values.
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Do clients ever call you and 're-enlist'?
All the time! As business coaches, we get to know a great deal about your company. We become a trusted advisor. It's not uncommon to receive a call asking us to lend.
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Do clients ever call and ask that you work for them part-time?
Yes! In today's challenging labor market, employers often seek out our assistance to manage short-term projects, assist with business development or to help bring staff up to speed. Email us today to find out more
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