How do I find a suitable business coach?

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fastestmanalive

posts: 23

Sep 30, 2008 4:50 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I am in the planning stages of a web based business. I have much of it planned out but I am finding that I still have questions that I can`t seem to get answered. I think I could benefit greatly from a business coach. I am planning on contacting my local SCORE office to see if they can help.

What I need is someone who can coach me in both business basics as well as online business. By online business I don`t mean e-commerce. My site is not an e-commerce site and as such, many of the issues I am facing are different from those that an e-commerce owner would face. I know there are some coaching services out there, but I wanted to start here and see if anyone in these forums has any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

robertj

posts: 1458

Sep 30, 2008 5:25 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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SCORE is a great resource that has helped a lot of people. Remember that most of their counselors are retired Executives - mostly from the corporate world.

I`m sure there are a number of excellent coaches among this community. I suggest that you "interview" several, narrow it down to a couple and then check them out before making your final choice.

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Business Growth Masters, LLC -
Capital Catalysts for Entrepreneurs
Home of the Scalable Business Plan and QuikStart Capital Programs
http://www.bizgrowthmasters.com
info@bizgrowthmasters.com

myplace2sell

posts: 32

Oct 01, 2008 11:35 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Find your inner business coach. It is good to get advice from others and bounce ideas which is why most of us are users of this site. However, in the end, you have to find your inner business coach and make decisions for how you want to do things. Sometimes having a coach can handicap your ability to act without checking in with the coach to see if it is a good decision. If the coach disagrees with you, then you may feel reticent to implement something you feel strongly about.

In the course of starting my business I received a lot of feedback from various people including business experts. I have had to analyze the data they gave me and decide if it fit into my visions and goals for the company. There is not one answer to many questions.

I am confident you can succeed!

robertj

posts: 1458

Oct 01, 2008 12:48 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Brandon,

In my role as a coach, I try very hard not to tell my clients what to do - but rather enable them to discover s their best course of action.

There are plenty of people who will give you their opinion on what you should do - so I don`t think one needs to pay a coach for that.

skipshoe

posts: 12

Oct 07, 2008 5:26 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hello FastestManAlive (I`ll type quickly) -

Choosing an ebusiness coach is a big step. SCORE and your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) are good places to start. If you have some time to build your business, you can see how far you can get with them - and then seek out a pro.

I agree with RobertJ in that you should interview a number of coaches. You should find someone with whom you have a strong comfort level. Does their advice to you ring true? Which areas of expertise do they bring to the table? Check their references. Validate that they have the background and experience for your specific business - and your specific challenges.

One of my favorite questions to ask a propsective client is, "How do you define value?". The answer to that question provides powerful insights into whether there is a good fit between coach and client.

For example, I often work with technology people who need web marketing strategy and help. On the other hand, sometimes an experienced business person is starting a web business, but doesn`t know the state of the market they are entering... and we help them understand that landscape.

So make sure that the coach fills the right gaps - and has the right knowledge and temperament for a successful relationship.

Good luck!

-------------------------

Accelerate the launch of your web business
www.teamandadream.com

divinebovine85

posts: 1

Dec 04, 2008 12:00 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Having an online business is not easy. You can of course hire a business coach but be sure that you should be the one making the final decisions. I`ve heard about this course and i think you should check it out. http://www.inst.org/management-consultants/become.htm. You can also research online, there are loads of stuff you can find about business coaching.

Wishing you the best of luck!

sallytowns

posts: 3

Dec 11, 2008 5:06 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I have been working toward building my business for a year now. One resource that I`ve found to be extremely powerful is John Assaraf`s OneCoach Business Insights blog. The content is so positive, even in these poor economic times, and very helpful to my small business needs. Here`s the site: http://blog.onecoach.com. Enjoy!

Nick25

posts: 6

Dec 17, 2008 2:40 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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The first step to finding a mentor is to expand your social network. Start by making a list of successful people in your community, meet these people and start developing personal relationships with them. You may also want to get involved in your community, join clubs and associations that are specific to your business,or your other interests, start meeting new people, and look for potential mentors.

Check out Business Mentors - How And Where To Find Them
for more tips on finding a mentor.

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Small businesses for sale | Buy a small business | Selling a business

VictorWilliams

posts: 88

Nov 21, 2012 5:02 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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It is difficult to find people who can help you in setting up a business . This is a set of task you have to do it of your own with the help of your experience.

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Personalized Drinkware | KooziesOnline.com

Ledlight

posts: 6

Nov 21, 2012 9:37 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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It is not easy to find out a suitable business for you. First all work feels hard to handle, if you have not interest and knowledge about this. But taking more time and interest you face the problem in this field, last you became master on this business. Then everything is easy, and you have capability to handle any hard task.

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LED Based Flood Lights,LED Based Tube Lights,LED Based Downlights

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