Most business owners choose coaches based on the wrong criteria.
They focus first on cost rather than return on investment. They look for quick fixes instead of sustainable transformation. They prioritize industry experience over proven systems.
These mistakes keep their businesses stuck in the same patterns that created their problems in the first place.
After three decades of coaching over 28,000 businesses weekly across 80+ countries, we have identified a fundamental truth: your business should be a commercial, profitable enterprise that works without you.
If your coach isn't helping you build that, you've chosen the wrong coach.
The Three Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring Any Business Coach
When entrepreneurs ask about coaching, they typically want to know about the company's background, their experience, and the pricing. These are reasonable questions, but they're secondary.
Here are the three questions you should ask any potential business coach:
1. What is your coaching system and philosophy?
A coach without a systematic methodology is just a mentor with opinions. You need more than advice. You need a proven roadmap.
At ActionCOACH, we've developed the ActionCOACH Business Operating System (ABOS) - a six-step framework that transforms businesses into self-sustaining enterprises. Each step builds on the previous one: Mastery, Marketing, Systems, Team, Scale, and Freedom.
This isn't theoretical. It's a practical, tested system that's been refined across thousands of businesses in virtually every industry imaginable.
A real coach provides structure, not just suggestions. They should be able to clearly articulate how their methodology will take you from where you are to where you want to be.
2. Who are you as a person, and how do we connect?
Coaching is a relationship. The system matters, but so does the connection between you and your coach.
This is why we offer the first two weeks of coaching for free. We want to get to know you, your business, your team, and your customers. We want to understand your culture and operations firsthand. And you need to get to know us, too.
A coach will challenge you. They'll hold you accountable. They'll tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. For this relationship to work, there needs to be mutual trust and respect.
3. What community will I be joining?
Business ownership can be lonely. When you choose a coach, you're not just hiring an individual. You're joining a community.
Recently, a client spoke about her experience at one of our quarterly planning sessions. Sitting at a table with other business owners, she had a revelation: "I'm not alone. I'm not the only one going through these challenges."
That realization gave her the confidence to push forward, knowing others had faced and overcome similar obstacles.
The right coaching community provides peer accountability, shared learning, and emotional support that's impossible to get from a one-on-one relationship alone.
The System That Creates Predictable Business Results
Many entrepreneurs believe business success comes from working harder or having the right connections. After coaching thousands of businesses, we know better.
Success comes from installing the right operating system in your business.
The ActionCOACH Business Operating System (ABOS) gives business owners a track to follow. It starts with an evaluation of where your business is today and helps you define where you want it to be. Then it becomes your roadmap between those two points.
Too many business owners have fallen to the point where their goal is just to pay the bills and get through another day. ABOS rebuilds your vision and gives you a systematic path to achieve it.
Let me share a real example. Two young gentlemen in North Carolina run a home construction business. When they started with us, they were "on the tools" - swinging hammers and doing most of the work themselves while trying to manage a small team. As they installed ABOS, they implemented recruiting systems, training systems, and marketing and sales systems. Step by step, they took more control of their business while relying less on their personal labor.
Today, they've celebrated no longer being on the tools. They've celebrated no longer needing day-to-day management. Soon, they'll celebrate not being needed for weekly management either.
That's the power of the systematic approach to business coaching.
Why Global Perspective Matters More Than Industry Experience
When choosing a coach, many entrepreneurs prioritize industry experience. They want someone who's worked specifically in their field.
This seems logical, but it's often counterproductive.
What you actually need is a coach with a proven system and global perspective.
ActionCOACH operates in over 80 countries with more than 1,000 coaches worldwide, coaching approximately 28,000 businesses every week. This global presence creates an unmatched knowledge network.
If an ActionCOACH in Seattle is coaching a dentist, they can reach out to coaches around the world who are also coaching dentists to find best practices from other markets.
Local, independent coaches can't offer this. They're more like mentors, specialized in one or two areas. The global ActionCOACH network gives you strength, knowing that even if your specific coach doesn't have direct experience in your industry, they have access to others who do.
Ironically, I've found that coaches who think like customers often have more of an advantage than industry insiders looking outward. Fresh perspective often leads to breakthrough innovation.
Matching Coaching Programs to Your Business Stage
Not all coaching is created equal. Different businesses need different approaches based on their stage of growth.
Our coaching methodology spans a spectrum:
For early-stage businesses or specific skill development, we offer 12-week training programs. Each week includes 30 minutes of video learning followed by an hour with your coach and cohort discussing implementation.
For established SMEs looking to install the complete ABOS system, we offer programs ranging from $24,000 to $60,000 annually. You determine the speed of implementation and the coaching frequency that works for you.
For larger organizations in scale mode, our corporate coaching starts around $120,000 annually, focusing on the five core disciplines of scale: Strategy, Business Development, People, Execution, and Mission.
The right approach depends on three questions: Where are you now? Where do you want to be? How fast do you want to get there?
A recent client survey revealed that 80% of ActionCOACH clients have seen their revenue and profit increase since working with a coach, and 91% would recommend ActionCOACH to others.
These results come from matching the right coaching approach to each business's specific needs and growth stage.
The Four Metrics That Matter Most
When evaluating coaching success, we focus on four key areas:
1. Time
Many business owners don't have a goal for how many hours they want to work. We establish this baseline and create a plan to reduce your time investment in the business.
You might need to work more hours initially during implementation, but the goal is always to decrease your time commitment over time.
2. Team
We evaluate your current team and envision what a great team would look like. Then we develop a plan to bridge that gap.
One of the biggest barriers to business growth is the owner's reluctance to let go and trust their people. Our coaching addresses both the hard systems (hiring, training) and the soft systems (leadership, delegation) needed for team development.
3. Money
If a coach isn't making you money, it's not coaching. It's counseling.
We establish clear financial goals, both immediate and long-term (3-5-7 years). The ultimate financial goal is to build a business that can run without you and become a saleable asset.
4. Motivation
We measure the soft side of business ownership, too. How well do you sleep at night? How much stress do you feel? How many of your children's events are you attending?
Your confidence and quality of life are crucial metrics of business success.
The Three Levels of Accountability That Drive Results
Accountability drives action. At ActionCOACH, we provide three levels of accountability:
1. One-to-One Accountability
Like a personal trainer, your coach checks in regularly to ensure you're doing the work. They hold you to your commitments and push you beyond your comfort zone.
2. Metric-Based Accountability
Measurement enables accountability. Through technology systems and regular meetings, we track your progress against established metrics. The numbers don't lie.
3. Peer Accountability
When you meet with other ActionCOACH clients in your area, you experience the power of group accountability. There's something motivating about telling your peers what you're going to do, then reporting back that you've done it.
It feels good to be part of a group that's achieving results. The ActionCOACH community celebrates your wins with you, something business owners rarely experience elsewhere.
Why You're Not Deciding Whether to Have a Coach
Recently, a business owner told me, "Brad, I'm not sure I need a coach."
I replied, "Great. Give me the phone number of your biggest competitor."
He looked confused.
"I'll call them and coach them instead."
"I don't want you coaching them," he said.
"That's my point," I responded. "Would you want me installing the ABOS system in your competitor's business? Would you want me teaching their managers and not yours?"
In today's competitive environment, you're not deciding whether to have a coach. You're deciding which coach to have.
Business doesn't have to be as hard as most people make it. With the right systems and guidance, you can build a commercial, profitable enterprise that works without you.
Your business coach should be a guide who helps you achieve your dreams and goals. They should carry some of the load for you, like a Himalayan guide leading you up a mountain.
If you're contemplating business coaching, take the first step. Apply for our free two-week coaching trial. Have that initial coffee meeting. It might just be the change you've been looking for.
Because in the end, the most expensive coach is the one you never hire.
Take the First Step
If you're contemplating business coaching, take the first step. Apply for our free two-week coaching trial. Have that initial coffee meeting. It might just be the change you've been looking for.
Because in the end, the most expensive coach is the one you never hire.