COACHING

IS IT RIGHT FOR ME?

HOW DO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BENEFIT FROM COACHING?

As a small business owner, you wear many hats. You’re an expert in your products or services, but you may struggle with other aspects of running the business, such as marketing, selling, or managing employees. You may fall into the trap of doing everything, including tasks that would be better delegated or outsourced. You may have blind spots that prevent you from seeing ways you can improve your business.

I regularly work with small businesses to break through these and other obstacles, so they can better manage their business and become more profitable. I can help you do what it takes to:

  • Grow and scale your business
  • Increase sales
  • Create or improve your business plan
  • Make sure your plan gets implemented
  • Significantly improve your time-management
  • Focus on what you do best and delegate or outsource the rest
  • Improve employee performance
  • Attain better work-life balance
  • Get past the limitations that have held you back
  • Improve your focus and accelerate your success

WHAT IS BUSINESS/SALES COACHING?

Coaching is a specific process of interaction designed to help you achieve your business vision and goals, more quickly and effectively than you would on your own. Coaching helps you break through limitations and obstacles that hold you back, and develop the strategies, actions, mindset and discipline you need to attain the results you're after.

WHY USE A SALES COACH?

Many salespeople "top out" at a certain level. Try as they might, they have a hard time breaking through to a higher level of production and income. The right sales coach acts as a catalyst—to help you break through whatever is standing in your way and do what it takes to meet or exceed your production goals.

I’ve worked with hundreds of salespeople, in a variety of industries, including financial services, insurance sales, employee benefits, commercial and residential real estate and mortgage, and high tech, to name a few. I’ve coached salespeople who are just starting out all the way up to seven-figure producers. I can help you or your team do what it takes to:

  • Increase your sales
  • Get over any resistance to selling, call reluctance, or fear of rejection
  • Enhance your sales/prospecting plan
  • Stay on-track and accountable for your plan
  • Become an effective closer
  • Manage your time more effectively
  • Develop a repeatable sales process that works
  • Quickly hone in on your prospects’ motivation to buy
  • "Unseat" a prospect's current vendor
  • Handle objections and turn them into opportunities
  • Significantly increase your referral business
  • Develop better rapport and sales skills
  • Accelerate your sales success

HOW DO FINANCIAL ADVISORS BENEFIT FROM COACHING?

Being a financial advisor or accountant can be a juggling act. You’re under constant pressure to provide a high level of client service, stay current with an unending inflow of information, and do the ongoing marketing and outreach activities needed to acquire new clients. All this becomes even more challenging in an uncertain market or economy. How do you keep up with all the day-to-day work of servicing clients and running your business, plus do what it takes to grow your practice?

As a business coach, I work with advisers to address their biggest challenges and grow and better manage their business. Over the past decade, I’ve coached a multitude of financial advisors, insurance brokers, and accounting firms. I’ve worked with people in both small and large organizations—from one-person advisory firms all the way up to Fortune 500 companies. I can help you or your team do what it takes to:

  • Bring on more new clients and get more referrals
  • Create or enhance your business-development/marketing plan
  • Stay on-track and accountable for your goals, plans, and actions
  • Significantly improve your time-management
  • Work with the “right” clients that represent the highest level of opportunity
  • Balance client service with new business acquisition activities
  • Keep up with the information needed to stay on top of your profession
  • Become more effective at selling
  • Improve your client communication
  • Make your team more productive and efficient
  • Attain better work-life balance
  • Improve your focus and accelerate your success

AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR COACHING?

There are four prerequisites for a successful coaching engagement:

  • You need to know the outcome you want to achieve or the direction in which you want to move.
  •  You must have a sense of urgency about achieving your outcome.
  • You must take responsibility for yourself and and your actions.
  • You must be willing to make changes and do the work to make them.

WHAT MAKES COACHING EFFECTIVE?

Business coaching is highly effective for four main reasons:

  • Coaching provides structure, discipline, and regular focused attention to what you want to achieve. In the coaching process, you break down those big goals that may seem unrealistic or unachievable into manageable chunks.
  • A good coach helps you see what you cannot see on your own, because you’re too close to your own situation. This includes ways you may be holding yourself back and opportunities that may you may not recognize.
  • A good coach will teach you effective strategies and techniques for improving and managing yourself and your business.
  • The coaching relationship helps keep you on-track and accountable for the actions you take in pursuit of your goals.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A COACHING SESSION?

Coaching is very much and interactive and synergistic process. I ask you focused questions designed to elicit goals, ideas, strategies, obstacles, opportunities, and solutions. I give you feedback, suggestions, and assignments designed to stretch you and forward your agenda. I work closely with you to keep you on-track and accountable for your commitments and to measure your progress along the way.

HOW DO WE MEET?

We meet two to four times per month. Meetings are 60-70 minutes. I meet with clients all over the world. If you live in the Los Angeles area, we can meet in person. If you live outside of LA, we can meet on the phone or by Skype. Extended sessions, and group processes are available.

WHO IS COACHING FOR?

Coaching is for individuals and companies committed to performing at a high level and improving their business operations and results. Coaching can benefit individuals or organizations at various stages of development, including:

  • Those who are presently in challenging circumstances and need to change
  • Those who are coasting or just surviving and want to raise their standards and move to a new level
  • Those who are thriving and want to pursue an even higher standard of excellence

WHY DO PEOPLE HIRE A BUSINESS OR SALES COACH?

Businesses and individuals hire coaches for a variety of reasons, but the bottom line is that they want a way to bridge the gap between their present circumstances and some future state or goal faster, easier, and more efficiently. Some of the typical reasons people hire coaches are to help them create effective strategies and design specific actions to:

  • Improve individual or organizational performance, productivity, and profitability
  • Increase sales
  • Achieve important business objectives
  • Enhance communication and collaboration and team performance
  • Provide a sounding board for executives and other decision-makers
  • Improve time management, stop overworking, and have a more balanced life
  • Reduce or eliminate unnecessary stress
  • Have or find a more satisfying career
  • Break through undesirable work habits or "mental blockers" that stifle performance

HOW MUCH DOES COACHING COST?

I have several coaching packages available. The cost varies depending your particular needs and the package that suits you. I will answer any questions you have about pricing once we determine what coaching package will serve you best. Contact me to set up an interview. I accept major credit cards.

HOW IS COACHING DIFFERENT FROM PSYCHOTHERAPY?

Most forms of psychotherapy examine your present behavior, beliefs, relationships, and self-image, and attempt to trace their roots back to relationships in the past. As its name implies, therapy treats a condition that requires healing. In general, therapy looks to the past to understand and work on the issues and problems of the present.

In contrast, the context of coaching is the future you want to have—specifically, designing the necessary strategies, mindset, and actions to get there from the present. In the process, the influences of the past may come up, but always in the context of what you want to have in the future. Though coaching recognizes the influence of the past, it assumes you are a whole person, capable of moving on and taking responsibility for your current and future actions.

HOW IS COACHING DIFFERENT FROM CONSULTING?

Most consultants are subject-matter experts who perform actual work or give technical advice. Some examples of consultants are accountants, financial advisers, and training specialists. In contrast, a coach is an expert at enhancing your competency and performance. A good coach is an expert in strategic thinking and planning, human performance, success strategies, communication and influence, and group and interpersonal dynamics. Another way coaching differs from consulting is that the coach does not perform work on your behalf; instead, he or she helps you work smarter and focus on doing what you do best, in order for you to achieve your business objectives.

HOW IS COACHING DIFFERENT FROM TALKING WITH A FRIEND OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATE?

A coach is an ally, but different from a friend or business associate in a few respects. First of all, a coach is trained specifically in how to work with you in clarifying and achieving your goals. Secondly, a coach brings objectivity and neutrality to the table. A coach is a non-stakeholder, off the playing field of your business and life, and that's an important advantage. A coach's only agenda is to see you succeed at the goals you set. Finally, unlike some friends, most coaches are success-oriented, positive, and know how to recognize and harness human potential.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO SHOULD NOT SEE A COACH?

Coaching is for those who are ready to move ahead and accept responsibility for their circumstances and actions. Coaching is designed to help you maximize yourself and your resources. It is not for those who are looking to be told what to do or rescued.

Coaching is not to be construed as, or as a replacement for, psychotherapy, legal counsel, or financial or medical advice. Coaching can be compatible with psychotherapy.

HOW SHOULD I SELECT A COACH?

Many coaches will give you a free initial consultation. Talk to your prospective coach about what you want to achieve and what your concerns are. Ask questions and listen to the questions the coach asks you. A good coach seeks to understand and draw the best out of you. A good coach doesn't jump to advice or tell you what to do, but helps draw solutions from you.

There are some coaches who may attempt to dazzle you with their charming upbeat personalities and brilliance. They may build you up and promise you phenomenal results. No coach can guarantee you great results—your results are up to you. If the coach asks thoughtful questions to better understand you and your situation, that's a good sign. If he or she makes assumptions or jumps instantly to conclusions and proposes solutions, watch out—he may be operating from his own ego, rather than having your best interests at heart.

The coaching conversation should be about you, not the coach's achievements. Pay attention to your gut feelings. You should feel that the coach has a genuine desire to understand your situation and objectives and support you in achieving them.

Feel free to ask the coach for references from his clients.

WHAT QUALIFIES SOMEONE TO BE A COACH?

These days a lot of people are calling themselves coaches. Currently, there are no laws in place to restrict anyone from hanging out his or her shingle and starting a coaching practice. Though someone’s innate and acquired wisdom are valuable elements in coaching, wisdom and business experience alone do not make someone a good coach.

Many coaches receive specific coach training. I'm very fortunate to have had outstanding training. I was personally mentored for four years by a Master Executive and Business Coach. I also attended Corporate Coach University International, where I was trained by a number of highly experienced business and corporate coaches from all over the world. I have received extensive training in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming—a system of technologies for improving human communication, influence, and performance). I am a certified Trainer and Master Practitioner of NLP . I am dedicated to excellence in my field and regularly attend trainings and seminars to sharpen my skills so I can better serve my clients.