A Year in the Life of a Business Coaching Client
As we close in on the end of a year isn’t it always great to reflect on the wins and success achieved? What better way than to give you an idea I’d like to share with you ‘ year in the life of a coach’s client’. Clearly, it would be inappropriate to discuss my client’s details with you so throughout I’ll refer to them as Derek and Pat. Derek and Pat.
These business coaching clients own a small manufacturing and retail business. They have been in business for a decade making and selling their own branded widgets. Their annual revenue has been circa £450K and they will be our business coaching client for the year. I should stress these are fictional clients, however, the anecdote relates to client’s experience.
Business coaching clients – first contact
I first met my business coaching client at a networking event I was speaking at, where I was sharing an insight into the 6 steps to growing your business and the impact of business coaching. After I’d given my presentation Derek and Pat caught up with me for a chat. It turns out much of what I spoke of they resonated with.
They felt they were by far the busiest in their business. Most importantly they had a good team but, they believed they could do more. They couldn’t seem to break the cycle of cash flow ups and downs. Most frustratingly was the low profit. They wanted to find out more about business coaching with me.
We arranged to have a coaching meeting to explore their challenges and opportunities and what might be a way forward for them. A week later we met for the complimentary coaching session. I warned them that as a coaching session, I may ask tough questions.
Therefore I wouldn’t accept the first answer and go into areas that might be a little uncomfortable. Additionally, I highlighted that at the end of the session, they would have a clear understanding of the impact of coaching and that we were very likely to unlock the opportunity. At the conclusion, they would know if coaching was going to be a fit for them.
The Business Success Alignment
10 days later I met my business coaching client at my offices for the Alignment. They had indeed found the complimentary coaching session to have an impact and wanted to get started soonest. The Alignment was their first taste of coaching and critical in the coaching relationship. The day was a deep dive into every part of the business performance and potential.
Taking a look at what was working, what wasn’t working and what could work. We discussed their dreams and ambitions from the business. That was tough because they had lost touch with why they started the business and where it was taking them.
Interestingly another challenge when I asked them to look to the future of the business and what it would look like. From here current levels of efficiency, financial health, marketing, sales and the team were discussed.
At the end of the day over a drink, they reflected on the day. ‘I don’t think I have ever looked at the business in such depth’ Derek said. ‘No, and that there were so many areas we needed to understand’ added Pat. They both agreed that the day had really solidified what they wanted to achieve. The outline of the plan for the next 18 months was set.
Weekly Coaching for our business coaching clients
With Derek and Pat undertaking business coaching weekly coaching arrangement it was clear from the start they were serious about making the shift and growing the business. With all the cards on the table, the coaching sessions got underway. The business coaching clients’ first few sessions really focused on reviewing what was going on in the business right now.
One key challenge was to make sure they both had the time available to actually focus ON the business. Funnily both couldn’t see where they were going to find the time. With a time analysis completed and some new managerial processes and efficiency in place, they suddenly found the time.
The new habits and processes introduced soon started to have an impact on the team as well. Although it has to be said they were less thrilled with the changes being made in the beginning. That was to change.
The business coaching clients started to develop An eye for detail
Derek and Pat also started to gain an eye for process and data. They both embraced that in order to grow we needed to ensure productivity and also start to measure. We started with 5 areas of measurement; leads generated, conversion of leads, the number of transactions, the average sale and their profitability.
Within a couple of months, they could start to see trends which had alluded them and with that making growth-orientated decisions. Having never really looked at the business data before they started to develop a dashboard and established a series of business-wide Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
Now it wasn’t easy setting these processes up and having the discipline to maintain them. That said their commitment paid off and when they attended their first quarterly planning day they had a newfound focus.
Quarterly Planning, GrowthCLUB
Attending their first GrowthCLUB Derek and Pat set about developing their second-quarter plan. Over the next 90 days, working towards their plan which aligned with their 18-month goals set at the Alignment. Following the planning process, they soon had a visible Gant chart produced with a set of clearly defined goals.
They had identified who in the business would be responsible for delivery and set a very clear timeline. In addition to setting out their quarterly plan they also got to know some of the other businesses, I’m working with.
One thing we are really focused on is building a community of like-minded business owners. It never ceases to surprise me the relationships between the businesses we are working with. Their first GrowthCLUB complete Derek and Pat finished the day on a real high with the WIFLE.
The WIFLE or what I feel like expressing is a ritual we have to encourage sharing and openness in communication. Little was I to know that by our next coaching session, they would have introduced their own WIFLE to great effect in the business.
The business coaching clients went from chaos towards control
As coaching entered into the 2nd quarter of the year and with their quarterly plan there was a different feel around the business. They started to fully embrace some of the processes and suggested efficiency habits introduced. They started to get it. There was also a shift in focus with the team with a shift in mindset.
Embedded in the coaching was an education in nurturing a growth mindset. Coaching had really impacted on Derek and Pat with a true understanding of ownership.
They had fully embraced the concept that everything that happened in the business, good or bad, was down to them and their leadership. They had also a clear comprehension that they needed to focus on who they wanted to be and not be held back by interFEARence.
Performance and Efficiency Gains
During the coaching sessions, it was great to hear the accounts of the team and how they were now starting to look to create performance and efficiency gains. The numbers and KPIs now started to tell a different story as well. We could now see a steady increase in lead generation.
Through having started to focus on some new and revised marketing strategies we could see growth. There was also greater attention on the sales process. The conversion was now a focus and how to increase it.
From point of interest to making the sale and building the customer experience and relationship Derek and Pat now had a focus on the process.
It wasn’t long before they had established the early version of their sales process. They had even started to look at advance marketing strategies. Indeed at their second GrowthCLUB, their marketing focus was now looking into quarter 3.
The Team Alignment
Into quarter 3 I hadn’t directly engaged with the team. The team all knew me and understood that I was the coach, we hadn’t actually worked together. With so much having been achieved it was time to ensure the team fully comprehended the journey Derek and Pat were on, and the importance of the team.
I explained that the Team Alignment was an opportunity to explain to the team the full picture. It was an opportunity for them to engage and share their thoughts. Most importantly it was an opportunity built on the cohesion and engagement of the whole business. The business coaching client agreed this was now a great point in the coaching to do it.
A Team Shift
On the morning of the Team Alignment, the business coaching clients had set out their conference room with refreshments and brought in a new flip chart.
As the team arrived they helped themselves to a coffee and sticky cake, some took a couple. It was great to see that everyone in the team, had arrived, they all had understood the importance.
They were also probably intrigued to understand more about the impact coaching was having on the business and Derek and Pat. We started with an introduction from everyone on the team. This gave me an opportunity to understand and identify the characters in the room.
We went on to conduct a number of exercises, from problem-solving as a team, to identify how the team could focus on helping an individual. By the end of the day, the team were truly energised and really understood how WE empowers ME.
We Empowers ME
The Team Alignment and WE empowers ME started to take real effect going forward. The business coaching clients made a commitment to agreed processes, strategies and new ideas. There was a newfound motivation and most importantly fun within the business.
What was really great was the previously introduced WIFLE had a profound impact after the Alignment. The relationships within the business really did break through the feeling of ‘just coming to work’. Real friendships began to appear. There was a visible increase in team engagement.
Going from Strength to Strength
As we entered into quarter 4 it became apparent the significant changes that Derek and Pat were experiencing. They both had identified the road to this point had been really hard work and challenging. They both really appreciated the high levels of accountability they now experienced through our coaching.
Through a focus towards ‘pigheaded self-discipline’ and the introduction of some management processes early on they had found more time and improved overall efficiency.
Their newfound understanding and continuous learning in regards to sales and their marketing had yielded incredible results. They had more leads than ever which were now qualified and their conversion rate had hit over 70%.
Through team training and higher engagement, the team really understood the impact of customer retention and as a result, they had been recognised in numerous testimonials for excellent service and support. Most interestingly this was now creating referrals. Their customers were now actually referring other customers.
With such a high focus on productivity, high value and customer care they had also decreased operations costs and now for the first time significantly increased their net profit.
For both Derek and Pat one of the most rewarding aspects was the fact they now had their lives back. They had more time to spend with their families. The stress was gone from the business, it was a fun and exhilarating place to be. Most interestingly for me as their coach was what happened next.
Sky’s the Limit for a business coaching client
As the end of the year approached we discussed the Re-Alignment. Essentially with so much change and growth in the business, we would need to take a look at what next from a completely different perspective. A position of experiencing success and growth.
It was at this point I knew we were going to be striving for even greater things and truly scaling up the business when they shared their dream with me. 12 months previously they couldn’t gain clarity on tomorrow let alone have a dream and driven ambition. 12 hard months later and so much had changed, so much had been learned they were now ready for the next step…..
