18 AugSo What Does A Business Coach Do?

Prairie Wildflowers by Michelle Tavares. Watercolor illustration.

You’ve always wondered what a business coach does, haven’t you? And when you ask questions, some of them just ignore you or give brief answers that don’t really tell you much of anything. Well I’m here to change all that. Let’s talk about what a business coach can do for an artist.

 

Most coaches will give you:

- support and encouragement. A cheerleader who actually knows what they’re talking about and can tell you when to let go of something instead of blindly encouraging everything.

- knowledge. Their expertise should be in your field so they know what it actually takes for your business. While many strategies carry from business to business, one on one coaching is smoother when the coach understands the business you’re in.

- direction. They tell you what to work on next. The direction they send you on is proven to work and you can trust you won’t put in a bunch of hours that don’t pan out. They can guide you (different amounts of guidance based on the coach) through the process of working on that next thing as well. Some people also call this “clarity” if that makes more sense.

- accountability. Have you noticed that things don’t get done as quickly when you don’t tell people you’re going to do them? A good coach stays on top of you, gives you deadlines, and makes certain you finish your work so you keep moving forward at a good pace.

- visioning. Most creative types have trouble seeing possibilities for themselves. They can envision massive dreams, but they don’t truly believe they’re attainable. A coach will take you through the logical side of how you’ll get to that dream so you start to realize you can do it and have a plan of action to tae you there.

- outside eyes. A coach tells you where your strengths and weaknesses are and helps you move forward with that knowledge that you might otherwise never have.

- connections. Most coaches can hook you up with trustworthy, talented people when you need tech help, graphic design, a virtual assistant, or some other type of help.

 

Different coaches work differently. While one might give you three phone calls or Skype sessions each month, another might give you unlimited email access and a group Q&A session. Still others will have specific goals that will be accomplished and they’ll coach you until you reach those goals or finish a program they’ve constructed. It’s important that you are very clear about what your coach is going to give you before you sign up. You don’t want to be caught off guard.

You should also consider taking a business program instead. If you don’t feel like you need the one-on-one connection and attention from a coach, then a program might be more economical, depending on which one you choose. And you might benefit from the networking that occurs with many programs. If the marketing text talks about a forum or a Facebook group, that’s a great opportunity for networking with peers on the same business mission.

 

Ultimately, a coach sees the potential of a client and helps them get there. We often have worries, fears, voices of negativity…. an these block us from seeing what we can actually do. A coach helps clarify your goals and guide you along the way – and of course celebrates with you when you succeed!

- Laura

PS – If you don’t already know, I’m a business coach for creatives. If you’re an artist and want some one-on-one attention, I’d love to work with you. I’ve got two spots open for coaching right now. Just go here to take a look at what I offer.