How Do You Adjust Your Coaching Style to Better Suit a Client's Needs?
Navigating the complexities of coaching requires more than just intuition; it demands expertise and tailored strategies. This article offers a deep dive into adjusting coaching styles to meet client needs, featuring insights from seasoned professionals who've mastered the art of impactful mentorship. Gain a competitive edge with practical advice that cuts through common challenges and propels both coaches and clients towards success.
- Craft a Business Plan
- Shorten the Learning Curve
- Save Time and Money
- Gain Accountability and Perspective
- Get an Experienced Perspective
- Identify Blind Spots
- Gain Objective Insights
- Expand Your Customer Base
- Cut Through the Noise
- Escape the Spiral of Overthinking
- See Opportunities and Challenges Clearly
- Combine Accountability and High-Value Networks
- Challenge Your Thinking
- Gain an Outside Objective View
- Receive Expert Guidance
- Align Strategy with Vision
Craft a Business Plan
When the idea of starting a business is born, most entrepreneurs are passionate about their skill and want to offer it to their community and market. However, in my 20+ years as a business coach about 1% of business owners ever take the time to craft a business plan, do market research, consider whether there is a market for their idea, etc. before they launch their business. Often, a business owner seeks me out for help because they are ready to throw in the towel or are exhausted and frustrated with the ROI for their efforts. We spend time unraveling the web they have woven that is keeping them stuck and clear away the marketing that isn't working. We design a map for achieving results and success. Business owners spend so much money experimenting with marketing that in reality "unmarkets" their business. As a business coach, I look for ways to stop the useless spending and direct my clients to research, ask better questions and track the results of their efforts. It takes courage to start a business. And, finding a good and proven guide (coach) helps with the climb up the mountain of business ownership. My venture into business ownership was unplanned, and I took advice from unqualified sources. I learned a lot in the building of my business, which is why I can serve my clients as an experienced advisor. I didn't learn to be a business owner and coach from a weekend course or a book! I learned from real life and am a certified coach. One big lesson was to ask for help! Building a business as a DIY project is tedious, lonely, and slow. Ask for help. And, ask the right people for help. When a business owner is willing to invest in a good coach, they will see their business build solidly. My clients have experienced business expansion, measurable results, and entrance into markets and opportunities they had not previously considered. When hiring a business coach, I would encourage business owners to interview more than one. Ask to talk with former clients and make a healthy decision for your business growth. If a coach has a 3-ring binder approach to coaching, my advice is to find another coach. Every business owner is unique and deserves to have that uniqueness honored in a coaching relationship. My clients and I design our approach together. It's important because they are the drivers of the business. I am the GPS keeping us in the lane.
Shorten the Learning Curve
Getting a business coach is worth it because it shortens the learning curve and helps you avoid costly mistakes. When I launched my digital marketing agency, I relied on trial and error for too long, wasting time and money on strategies that didn't work. A business coach provides outside perspective, accountability, and proven strategies, helping you navigate challenges more efficiently.
One of the biggest benefits is clarity—a coach helps you refine your vision, set achievable goals, and focus on what actually drives growth. For example, when I struggled with scaling, a coach helped me optimize my client acquisition strategy, which led to a significant increase in high-ticket deals. Business coaching isn't just about advice—it's about gaining the confidence and structure needed to grow faster and smarter.
Save Time and Money
The short answer? You'll save time and money. I started investing in real estate as a complete newbie, and I made many expensive mistakes because I didn't have an experienced coach to show me the ropes. Looking back, I realize I could have grown a lot faster if I had guidance. And now that my real estate portfolio is worth seven figures, I've started my own coaching business to help newbies change their lives through real estate investing. Ultimately, getting help from someone who's been there and done that is an initial investment that can 10x your results long-term.
Gain Accountability and Perspective
As the Founder and CEO of Zapiy.com, I can confidently say that working with a business coach was one of the best decisions I ever made. One major reason why it's worth it is the accountability and fresh perspective a coach provides. Running a business day-to-day can sometimes feel like a whirlwind of decisions, meetings, and responsibilities, and it's easy to get stuck in the weeds. A business coach offers that external, objective viewpoint and helps you stay focused on your bigger goals, especially when you're too immersed in the tactical side of things. For me, having a coach meant that I always had someone to challenge my thinking, ask the tough questions, and help me avoid common pitfalls. They've been instrumental in helping me avoid burnout by ensuring I don't lose sight of my long-term vision, while also keeping me aligned with my core values as a leader. The ROI? It's not just in the tangible results, like increased revenue or smoother operations, but also in the confidence and clarity that coaching brings. It helps you grow not just as a business owner, but as a person. With the right coach, you'll gain not only strategies for success but also a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, which ultimately leads to more meaningful, lasting success.
Get an Experienced Perspective
Hey,
My name is Geoff Cudd and I'm the Co Founder of Top Dollar Exits. For over 20 years, I've advised executives at Fortune 500 companies, launched multiple SaaS products, and managed a business consulting firm.
One of the biggest reasons to invest in a business coach is gaining an objective, experienced perspective on your challenges and opportunities. As business owners, we often get too close to our operations, making it difficult to see blind spots or inefficiencies. A skilled coach brings fresh insight, helping identify roadblocks, refine strategies, and accelerate decision-making.
For entrepreneurs preparing to sell their business, for example, a coach can provide guidance on increasing valuation, optimizing financials, and navigating negotiations. They hold you accountable, ensuring that you stay on track with your goals while avoiding costly mistakes. Ultimately, a business coach offers clarity, confidence, and a faster path to success.
Geoff Cudd
Co Founder | Top Dollar Exits
website: https://topdollarexits.com/
email: support@topdollarexits.com
headshot: https://bit.ly/3SXnG74
Identify Blind Spots
From my experience at Spectup working with over 100 startups, I've seen that having a business coach is like having a mirror that shows you your blind spots. When I was at N26 during its early growth phase, I noticed how external perspective helped us avoid common pitfalls that many fintech startups were making. It's similar to what I experienced later at Deutsche Bahn - sometimes you're so caught up in day-to-day operations that you miss the bigger strategic picture. At Spectup, we often work with founders who are brilliant at product development but need guidance on investor relations or market positioning. I remember one startup founder who was struggling with product-market fit - they were pushing their solution without really understanding their target market's needs. Through coaching, they completely shifted their approach and ended up securing significant investment within three months. A good business coach doesn't just give advice; they help you develop the skills and perspective to make better decisions long-term. That's why at Spectup, we focus on not just solving immediate problems but building capabilities that will serve our clients well into the future.
Gain Objective Insights
One key reason why it's worth it to get a business coach is that a coach can provide objective insights and guidance, helping you avoid common pitfalls and make more informed decisions. As a business owner, it's easy to get caught up in day-to-day operations and lose sight of the bigger picture. A coach brings an outside perspective, offering fresh ideas, identifying blind spots, and helping you stay focused on long-term goals.
For example, a coach can help you clarify your business vision, develop strategies to scale, or address challenges like improving cash flow or managing a team effectively. Their experience and expertise can help you make decisions that might take you longer to figure out on your own, saving time and helping you avoid costly mistakes.
Ultimately, working with a coach can fast-track your growth, enabling you to become a more effective leader and reach your business goals more efficiently.
Expand Your Customer Base
I specifically reached out to a business coach at the end of last year as we were trying to effectively use our CRM. While I believe I know a lot about my industry, tools like HubSpot are extremely effective in growing a business in ways that I simply cannot achieve on my own. They leverage the power of the entire world and the internet, and my business coach showed me how to utilize tools like email and Instagram marketing lead flows to expand my customer base from just Chicago to the entire world.
Additionally, emails can include affiliate links, which provide me with a mostly passive income stream. This approach has opened up new avenues for growth and efficiency that I hadn't been able to tap into before.
Cut Through the Noise
A business coach cuts through the noise. You can read books, watch videos, and piece together advice, but nothing replaces real-time guidance tailored to you. A coach sees the blind spots you don't and calls out the patterns holding you back. They hold you accountable when motivation fades and push you past the limits you've set for yourself.
In reality, even top athletes have coaches—why wouldn't a business owner? If you're serious about growth, going solo isn't the smartest move.
Escape the Spiral of Overthinking
I've worked with business coaches at different pivotal points in my career-whenever I felt stuck or faced a challenge I couldn't quite untangle on my own. A coach acts as a sounding board, helping you escape the spiral of overthinking, self-doubt, and endless internal debates. They give you something actionable to anchor around instead of just sitting with uncertainty. I've used different coaches depending on what I needed at the time, and every single time, it's helped me push through challenges and come out stronger. The real value? They provide an impartial, third-party perspective-one that's not clouded by emotions or biases-helping you make smarter, clearer decisions.
See Opportunities and Challenges Clearly
There are many reasons why a business coach is a valuable investment, but one of the most significant is the fact that a coach provides you with a perspective that allows you to see opportunities or challenges you miss when you are deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of your business. But I've come to appreciate the need for an undaunted professional advisor during my tenure as DocVA CEO and even before at Barclays Investment Bank, someone to help you refine your strategy overall. Having a business coach can help you cut down on mistakes, including costly ones, streamline business processes, and make informed decisions, all of which are crucial when tackling industries as fast-paced and complex as healthcare and technology.
Combine Accountability and High-Value Networks
One of the most compelling reasons to invest in business coaching is the combination of structured accountability and access to high-value networks—two critical factors that separate successful entrepreneurs from those who plateau. In the fast-paced world of business, execution is often the defining factor between a great idea and a thriving company. A business coach ensures that strategies don't remain theoretical; they help translate vision into action through consistent accountability. By setting clear objectives, tracking progress, and refining strategies in real time, a coach instills the discipline necessary to sustain momentum and drive results.
Beyond personal accountability, a seasoned business coach brings an expansive network of industry leaders, investors, and strategic partners. Access to the right people at the right time can dramatically accelerate business growth—whether it's securing funding, forming key partnerships, or hiring top talent. While many entrepreneurs struggle with trial-and-error networking, a coach can facilitate high-value introductions, opening doors that might otherwise take years to unlock. This combination of structured guidance and strategic connections allows business owners to focus on high-impact decisions rather than navigating challenges in isolation.
Moreover, working with a coach isn't just about advice—it's about leveraging their experience to sidestep costly mistakes. Many entrepreneurs operate in echo chambers, relying on their internal teams or personal experience to make key decisions. A coach, on the other hand, provides a seasoned, external perspective that challenges assumptions and fosters critical thinking. By combining actionable accountability with a well-curated network, business coaching becomes an investment that yields exponential returns.
Challenge Your Thinking
You're too close to your own problems to see the real solutions.
When you're running a business, you're deep in the weeds-solving day-to-day fires, making decisions based on habits, and often missing the blind spots that are holding you back. A business coach gives you an outside perspective that challenges your thinking, not just supports it.
The real value isn't in generic advice-it's in having someone who:
-Asks the hard questions you've been avoiding.
-Holds you accountable when you default to old patterns.
-Brings proven frameworks instead of trial-and-error guesswork.
Most people wait until they're struggling to get a coach. The smart ones get one before they hit a wall-because growth isn't just about working harder, it's about seeing what you wouldn't see on your own.
Gain an Outside Objective View
One of the biggest reasons to get a business coach is perspective. When you're deep in the day-to-day of running your business, it's easy to miss blind spots, repeat bad habits, or focus on the wrong problems. A good coach gives you an outside, objective view—helping you see what you're not seeing and making sure you're not just working hard, but working smart.
Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Tom Brady—all had coaches despite being the best in the world. Why? Because a great coach can help you recognize strengths and weaknesses without bias, giving you the edge you need to grow. Without that outside perspective, you risk becoming the naked emperor—so convinced of your own vision that you don't realize where you're exposed.
Receive Expert Guidance
Being an entrepreneur, I love starting new businesses, but I am not an expert in startups. Hiring a business coach has helped me receive the guidance I needed to move forward in the right direction. Allowing me not to waste time, money, and effort on things that won't help me. Business coaches have a lot of insider info and connections, which is a huge plus.
Align Strategy with Vision
One of the biggest reasons it's worth getting a business coach is that they can help align your business strategy with your long-term vision. A coach provides an outside perspective and objective feedback, helping you identify blind spots, overcome challenges, and stay focused on your goals. With their expertise, you can refine your approach, streamline your operations, and make more informed decisions that contribute to business growth.
By having a coach who understands your vision and objectives, you gain accountability and clear direction. This can ultimately lead to better decision-making, improved leadership skills, and the confidence to drive your business forward in a more strategic and purposeful way.
