BUSINESS COACHING

There is a key difference between a coach and a consultant.  A consultant develops a plan – usually in writing – that tells you what to do.  A coach NEVER tells, but challenges you to think. The answer is not in the coach’s head, but the owner’s. The coach facilitates through exchanging ideas, offering lessons learned through experience, pointing to books or information that will grow the owner’s knowledge, or pointing out pitfalls that the business should avoid. After all, when the coach is gone,  it’s up to the owner to continue operating a successful business.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

So many businesses fail because of lack of capital, so I help companies get the capital they need to stay in business. I recommend businesses that will do well to banks and private equity companies who can provide needed capital. By getting the company the financial assistance they need, the owner can then  implement ideas and strategies that best moves their business to the next level.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING

A business is made up of people, so a key aspect of management is understanding people. Often times, I’ll go into a business, and I’ll watch the owner or the management staff being the “doers.” When I say “doers,” I mean they’re putting their heads down and doing the job that they hired other people to do. Owners who focus on “doing” are not managing and thinking of ways to improve their business nor are they developing their employees. To succeed, a business has to have great employees, and having great employees requires superior hiring and effective management. Understand that employees are an investment, so take time to develop that investment.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The most important parts of leadership are knowing yourself and knowing your team. There have been several times when I’ve gone into a business, and the owner will tell me, “Dick, I just don’t have time.” Well, I don’t believe in time management; I believe in self-management. In leadership, you have to know how to manage yourself so that you can be the best for your team. When you manage yourself well, you have the time you need to build and empower your team. Leadership development starts with taking the business to a place where the owner isn’t stressed and teaching that owner to empower his employees.

STARTUP ASSISTANCE

When I coach a business that’s just starting out, I work with the owner to develop techniques that will help him to reach his goals. Many things are required to have a successful business; there are no 5, 6, or 7 magical steps. But there are two critical factors for  successful business: good planning and GREAT execution! A coach’s only success is that of his clients.