Suzanne Chadwick
Welcome to the brand builders lab podcast. I'm your host Chadwick, business and mindset coach and the creator of the bold Business Academy and the AMPLIFi mastermind right here on this podcast will inspire you to become a bold and powerful voice in your industry and claim your space with courage and confidence you, you can be bold and go against the grain to become the creative rebel you want to be. Forget average, it's time to level up. Hey, lovely, welcome back to the podcast. awesome to have you here. So recently, and actually not just recently, on a fairly regular basis, I get people who come to me and they're looking for a business coach, or they're wanting to join BBA or amplify. And the story that comes with it many times is I have invested in coaches before and have not gotten the results I don't really know like, I'm worried it's not going to work with for me, I don't really know what I need to be looking for or asking for etc. And so I thought I would share some of my thoughts on how I choose a coach some things to think about some questions to ask how to get the most out of the relationship as well. And so that's what today's episode is all about. So if you are looking for a business coach, then these are some things to think about. Enjoy the episode. And if you've got any questions, just let me know.

How do you know which is the right business coach to hire? How do you know what the results are going to be whether it's going to work for you. One of the things that I think is so important, especially in the market as it is right now with so many coaches around, which is fantastic too. But just knowing what you're looking for. And what you want to get out of it is so important. So today, I'm going to be sharing with you a whole lot of tips when it comes to finding vetting and hiring your next business mentor or coach. And I'm sharing eight key things that you can really start to think about, and use when you're looking for your next business coach. The first one is, which I think is pretty obvious is find somebody who really resonates with you, I think that you have to find somebody whose style you like what they talk about you enjoy. And also finding somebody who maybe talks about it in a different way that really magnetizes you like you want to hear their content, you want to hear what they've got to say, because you want to obviously hire somebody where you're going to be looking forward to the sessions together, where what they talk about doesn't sound like everybody else, and they're gonna give you something unique. And you want to find somebody who has a methodology and a system and a way of working in their business where you're like, yep, that's what I want. Now, one of the things that I say to clients, when they come to me is I am all about personal brand, I'm about visibility, I'm about being bold, breaking the mold. So if you're somebody who doesn't like any of that, who doesn't want to have any of that, than I have said to people before, I'm definitely not the coach for you, because that's my philosophy. So I think really making sure that you find somebody who has the philosophy that resonates for you. Now, one thing I do want to say is that I do get clients that come to me, and they're like, I'm not bald yet, but I want to be like I'm scared, but I really want to be. And so as a business and mindset coach, I can obviously work with them to help them on the mindset side of things. So you also want to have a coach that stretches you. And that challenges you to get out of your comfort zone and do the things that maybe you're not doing right now. And so finding that coach that resonates for you, that challenges you, that makes you feel like you want to step up, that inspires you to do more, create more, be more, then that's the sort of coach that you want to start to connect with. And I do think, you know, consuming some of their free content, I've got the brand builders lab, we've got the YouTube channel and consuming some of their free content is also going to give you an idea of the type of style that they would potentially coach you with as well. The second thing is find somebody whose thought leadership you really like so I have clients that come to me and they're like, I really liked the way that you speak about certain things, whether it's building a profitable business, having a really simple business, that's my philosophy. And so finding somebody where you're like, yes, that's the kind of business I want. One thing I do want to say is that you don't always have to have a business coach who's in the same industry as you sometimes I actually think that it can be a negative sometimes not all the time. But sometimes I have had people that have come to me and said you know I've had two or three different business coaches that were in my industry and I just have found it like they weren't either weren't willing to share everything or the key meaning that I was in was not very giving. Or I just found that they weren't able to give me ideas around things outside of my industry and how I would be able to build my business as well. And so, don't always be looking for a coach that's in your industry, it can have its pros, but it can have its cons. Once again, find a coach that can help you achieve what you need to achieve, find a coach who has the experience that you're looking to gain. Like, if you want to do courses, have they done courses before, if you're wanting to build your coaching practice, do they do one on one coaching or other types of coaching, if you want to build your brand, do they have a strong brand that really resonates for you. So finding a coach that walks their talk, and is able to help you to achieve some of the things that maybe you're seeing them achieve, I think is a really good thing to do as well. You don't potentially want to go with somebody who might have a really big brand and a successful business, but not doing what it is that you want to be doing. So find somebody that has the experience and the expertise, that's going to be able to help you along the way. Now one of the things I do want to say with that is that sometimes a one size fits all model doesn't always work. And so you want to have somebody that might have a methodology, but that can be adaptable. And so having the conversation with them, or understanding their content and their method, and understanding what's flexible about it, how it could work for you. And if there are some elements of it that you don't want to do, or that doesn't resonate for you, is that okay, as well, because you will have some coaches that are like step by step, this is what you do, this is how you do it. And that's it. It's like their way or the highway. So I think really find somebody who has an approach that works for you and how you like to work too. One of the things that I talk about a lot is simple business, I actually think that business can be really simple. I think it's about doing the simple things really, really well consistently over a long period of time that helps you grow your business, your brand, your profitability, your revenue, etc. So figure out which coach works for you, as far as the things that they talk about their thought leadership and the way in which they work as well. The third thing is to get referrals, look at testimonials, understand what their credibility is, so that you feel really confident working with them. So asking around and finding out if anybody you know has had a coach that they really loved and they love to work with and what results they got is a great place to start because then obviously you can have the conversation about what were the pros and the cons. The second thing is taking a look at testimonials. Now I know that obviously testimonials, you know, you'll only see good testimonials on there. But if you've got like 100 testimonials that are really good, and you can see who the person is and what the business is, then that's going to make you feel a lot more confident with hiring this coach because they've got so many great testimonials. The other thing that you can ask your coach as well is Is there anybody that I can speak to who you've coached with before now, different coaches will have different approaches to that I have no problem sharing, you know, somebody that you could potentially speak to. And I've got a couple of clients, as I said, more than happy to do that as well. And so just really thinking about how you're going to understand whether this is the right coach for you or not as well. The other thing that goes with that is credibility. So as I said before, really understanding the background of your coach, understanding where they've come from, what their experience is, what kind of results they've got the clients in the past any kind of accreditation that they might need. So I am a certified mindset coach and NLP neuro rewiring, hypnosis, etc. So if you're looking for somebody that's got the business acumen and the mindset, then that's something that I've worked to get. If that's not important to you, then you might find a coach where you're like, Okay, I really liked the fact that they've come from that kind of background. And so that really works for me, and I want to work with them, but just understand what it is that you need. And then think about is there anything that's really important to me that this person has, that's going to help me to be able to achieve my goals. So as I said before, because I've worked in the consulting space, as well as the entrepreneurial space, I do get a lot of professional services, women that come to me and want coaching because I'm able to show them how to build an entrepreneurial business, but also get clients in the corporate space, if that is what they do, too, because I was in that service space for a really long time. Tip number four is to come with your questions. I have had people that have booked discovery calls with me, and they've just don't really have any questions that is not really sure what to ask. And so some things that you can really be asking when you are vetting a new coach or on a discovery call. I Things like, you know, how does it work? And you know, how have you gotten your clients results in the past? You know, are there any particular methods that you use? These are, what my goals are? How, you know, how would we work together to be able to achieve it now, the coach isn't going to go into all the strategies and tactics and etc, at the time, but just asking questions that you want to know the answers to, I think is really important as well. And if you're not sure about what questions to ask, then one thing I would just say is, know what your goals are, know what it is that you want to achieve, know what you like, and what you don't like, what works for you, and what doesn't work for you. So at least you can communicate it, because it is a two way street. You do want to have somebody where you're having a discussion, they're asking you questions, I asked my clients a lot of questions in the discovery call, so that I can make sure that this is the right fit, because you do want to make sure that this is the right coach for you. And so thinking about what am I goals? And how do I like to work? And based on what I've seen of this person? What questions do I have for them? And even the asking the question of I don't really know exactly what to ask as well. What are some of the things that other clients have asked you? Or that you think I need to know? So even? That's a good question. If you're like, Suze, I don't know what questions to ask. But just knowing what your goals are, and then asking questions around how you're going to be able to achieve that with this coach, I think is really important, too. If you want to know anything about their background about their qualifications, or certifications, then you want to be able to ask that at the time as well. But really use those discovery calls as an opportunity to get to know the coach as well, if you haven't had a chance to fully do that through their socials, etc. But do go back over their socials, check out their free content, really listen to how they are, how they talk, what it is that they talk about. So that you can come to that discovery call, maybe with additional questions, based on some of the things that you've heard in the past. Number five is a really practical thing, logistics, we work in an online world, we work in a global economy. And so a lot of times you might be working with somebody who is not local to you. And so you just want to make sure that you know, the Times work and the time zones work, and that if there's any issues with that, but there's flexibility around it. So my approach is in the US, all of the coaches that I've worked with most of the coaches I've worked with to date have been in the US and sometimes it's been fine. And other times it's been a real challenge. So you've got to think about, you know, when are you are at your best. So I have had other coaches say, Well, if you really wanted to be part of it, you would just make it happen. And I think to a point, you can do that. But if there are calls at two or three o'clock in the morning, and you know that you are just not a night owl, then you're going to be showing up to those feeling pretty rubbish and not focused. And so that's going to affect your experience as well. So I think it's really important to make sure that the physical calls coaching times, all the rest of it work for you now saying that I also do want to put a little caveat in here is that some of my coaching calls with my coach are at six o'clock in the morning. Now I have no problem with with that, because I'm a super early bird, I wake up at like five o'clock. So I that's actually one of the best times for me to be on a coaching call. So that works. So you can absolutely, you know, it doesn't have to be in between nine and five, you can still absolutely be flexible with when you're having your calls. But just make sure that you're at your best or that you're at a time of the day where you are a compass mentors, and that you can really listen absorb, take in ask questions, get the most out of the session, and the time that you're actually working with your coach to number six is understanding what you're willing to commit to and bring to the relationship as well. I think sometimes people are like, Well, I'm just gonna go with this coach, and they're gonna solve all my problems. Coaching is a two way street, I come to my coach with the things that I want to do, the big goals that I have the things that I want to achieve. And then together we work on what that strategy is going to look like. And she asked me questions and has input and all the rest of it. So I think just really taking responsibility for your coaching journey is just as important. You have to decide what it is that you really want from this, and then what you're willing to do to get it because there's no point saying I've got all these goals and I really want to do it and I want to achieve this and then getting the coaching for it and then not implementing it. Like not coming back to the coaching session with an outcome or result or something that you did. Now obviously you there'll be times where you may not be able to do everything, but having tried having made time to implement the things that you are getting coached on and really working on it. Like investing in yourself. And investing in a coaching relationship is not just about the coach coaching you, it's about you taking that coaching and you listening to it again, and you're revising it and understanding what you need to do. And I'm not just talking about tactical, talking about mindset stuff as well, like, really thinking about what did I just get coached on? Why was I thinking that? How can I continue to work on that between our coaching sessions, so that it's something I am helping me to move. And I think that that sometimes it escapes people, like it's your responsibility to take what your coach gives you, and to work on it. And to make it better, and to really embed it into your brain, your life, your business, whatever it is in relation to. So think about what am I bringing to the relationship for myself? What is the investment I'm making? Not just financially, but in myself? How am I ensuring that I'm showing up fully to these calls, so that I'm getting the most out of it? Number seven is an interesting one. I'm going to say to go after the coach that you want. I talk about aspirational desire, yes. So when you have something or someone on your vision board, so there are a couple of people I've got on my vision board where I'm like, one day, I'm going to either speak alongside you or I'm gonna work with you like I am common for you. And that is the aspirational desire. Yeah. And so you might have a coach where you're like, I really want to work with that person. So the coach that I have now I was on their waitlist for like a year, I would consume some of their free content, etc. But I knew that I really wanted to have a one on one coach coming into the new year. So I sent them a message and I said, Do you have any spots coming up, I just want to know the timeframe, I'd really like to work with you. But I also want to, you know, make sure I've got support. And at the time, she just said actually, we could have a position like a spot coming up in December. And so I said, fantastic. Let me know. So I was in a conversation with her. Cuz she was booked out. And then when the spot became available, they emailed it out to the waitlist, I literally got on it immediately I applied. And then I messaged her and said I've just applied, if you need any other information, let me know, like, go after what you want. If there's somebody you want to work with, then make it happen. Yeah, so invest your time, invest your effort, figure out can I do this now? Is this something that I need to be connecting with them, having a conversation with them, etc, then do that. The other thing I want to say about committing to or having the aspirational desire is the financial investment. Obviously, people pay you for the service that you provide or for the product you provide. And so you're paying your coach to be able to help you to reach your goals. And that's what a coach is, a coach sees things in you that you may not see in yourself, a coach helps you reach the goals that you may not have the skills, the knowledge or the inclination, the motivation to be able to achieve yourself. And so they support you, yeah, they help you to get there. And so working out the investment, and figuring out how you're going to make it happen. So a couple of years ago, I made my biggest investment that I've ever made in a coach, and I basically just saved up. So I paid the deposit. And then I said to them, sort of in the next one or two payments, like if I pay the whole amount off, then I would get quite a big discount. And so I just saved it. And then I borrowed a little bit from our personal account, and I paid it and then within a month or two, I paid our personal account back, but I just made it happen. And so you've just got to figure out what are you willing to do to invest in the coach that you want to do the work that you want to get your business to where you want it to be as well. And I think so often we spend so much money on things that do not help us move forward on things that do not help us reach our goals. But when it comes to investing in ourselves and a coach and a mentor, we're like, oh, that just feels too hard. And so I just really want to encourage you to think about having the goal of working with the coach or mentor that you really want to work with thinking about how you're going to get the money to invest in it, how you're going to commit to the outcome, yes, so that you get the results that you want, and who that coach is that you're actually going after. And so just make sure that you are really looking at what that is going to look like and what investment you're going to make in your time, effort and money as well. And number eight is do the work, commit and do the work. So that's something that I basically have blocked out in my diary every week where I go through the list of things that I've talked about with her and I make sure I'm I'm going and I'm actioning, all of them on a regular basis. And I've blocked that time out in my diary so that I don't end up like I didn't have time. And I didn't get that done. Because I'm just like, I know I've got really big goals, and I know that I really want to achieve them. And so I'm going to show up, and I'm going to do that work, and I'm going to make it happen. And as a coach myself, I feel like I will, I always want to coach and I shared before on the podcast that I have got a life coach that I go back to whenever I need her. I've had a health coach recently, because there are certain things that you can't see for yourself. And so really committing to the outcome that you want, no matter whether it's a life coach, health coach, business coach, whatever coach you need, getting somebody on your side to help you to achieve what you want. And you really making sure that you do everything in your power to make the time for it, to put the energy in to you know, create the outcomes that you want is so important. Choosing the right mentor and coach is only one part of the equation, you have to be prepared to do the work that's required to get the results that you want as well. So those are just a few tips on how you can find and engage the right business mentor or coach. So if you've got any questions, let me know. I would love to hear what you've done, or how you found the right coach or anything you've learned along the way as well.

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