There is a difference between a Business Coach and a Mentor. Essentially a Mentor will have experienced what you are going through and will give guidance based on that experience. A Business Coach doesn’t have to have experienced a situation in order to give insight and solutions.
I’m a believer in gut instincts and I think a lot can be detected during the initial meeting with a Business Coach or Mentor which will help you choose if they are the right one for you.
Here’s some things you should look out for:
- You should feel comfortable with the person
- Feel like you have aired your issues and are being heard
- There should be a synergy between you – an excitement about working together
- There definitely should be a plan such as:
- Length of the program, sessions, frequency
- Cost
- Goal Setting - what to expect by the end of the program (or 5 year, 2 year, 1 year), monthly, weekly
- Weekly accountability structure
- Tools to help you organize your goals and activities
At the end of the first session you should feel clear about the direction you need to go and relieved that you are not on your own. Business Coaching or Mentoring should be able to help you examine tactics, set targets, point out weaknesses, maximize strengths, provide feedback and give you focus. Some of the issues that you may need to deal with may be about the “baggage” that you have carried into your business which is thwarting growth and causing frustrations. A perceptive Business Coach or Mentor who you trust will challenge your assumptions which will help you grow personally and professionally. I have been working with my business coach for almost a decade now, and definitely wouldn’t be where I am now without his advice and guidance.
I have also started the next chapter of my journey and am offering mentoring to a select few bookkeepers, and am really enjoying being on the other side of the table so to speak.
