One organisation on a mission to help local businesses navigate ‘what does different look like’ in our post-lockdown, Covid-19 reality is ActionCOACH St Albans

Herts Advertiser: Jeremy Graham-Clare from ActionCOACH St Albans. Picture: ActionCOACHJeremy Graham-Clare from ActionCOACH St Albans. Picture: ActionCOACH (Image: Archant)

We caught up with Jeremy Graham-Clare from ActionCOACH St Albans to tell us how business coaching can help you manage ‘different’ for your business today.

Q: What are business coaching services?

A: Business coaching supports and enables you to learn how to resolve challenges with skills and techniques which will last you a lifetime.

Services range from 1-to-1 support sessions for individuals, through to group business education programs.

Herts Advertiser: Find out more about what business coaching can do for you and register for your free session at ActionCOACH St Albans. Picture: Getty ImagesFind out more about what business coaching can do for you and register for your free session at ActionCOACH St Albans. Picture: Getty Images (Image: Rawpixel Ltd. (Rawpixel Ltd. (Photographer) - [None])

In both instances the coaching sessions are ideal for business owners who are looking to position their company at the forefront of its industry, deciding on what their personal future needs to look like or perhaps looking to introduce additional resource into the business.

The sessions are also well suited to anyone looking to:

- Develop strategic plans for the business, product development, sales and marketing.

- Advancing the company’s mission and objectives, revenue, profitability and growth.

- Consider what an exit strategy might look like.

- Looking for additional funding streams for growth.

The sessions can cover a wide range of topics, from planning to sales and marketing, financials, management and leadership as well as systems and your personal goals and skills.

Q: Why is business coaching important?

A: It’s an all too familiar a feeling to be isolated or lonely when starting and growing a business. No-one completely understands your situation. A business coach offers shoulder to shoulder support but it’s often much more than that.

Just like in sport, a good coach will excel you further and faster than you would on your own. Eric Schmidt the former CEO of Google put it simply, “without the help of a coach nobody can realise their full potential”. Good coaching can provide you with:

- New ideas, tactics and strategies for sales, profits and cash flow

- An ActionPLAN for you and the business

- An outsider’s perspective and someone to hold you accountable

- Critiques of your work with honest feedback, recognition or further support

Q: How can business growth be achieved?

A: Coaching initially supports you to get a view of different considerations, ideas, opportunities and potential challenges with growth.

At ActionCOACH St Albans, we believe that business growth is achieved through our five elements of coaching.

1. Awareness

If you think of a pie chart, 1% is what we know, 2% is what we know we don’t know and the rest, 97%, is what we don’t know we don’t know.

2. Responsibility

As a business owner your responsibility is for the business so taking action on things you need and want to do, is imperative.

3. Education

If we’re looking to grow into something different, then a different set of skills are typically needed.

4. Objectivity

Coaches aren’t partners, family members, bank managers, accountants, shareholders, employees etc. The objectivity comes from having a clear understanding of what outcomes are desired, and the fifth element, accountability.

5. Accountability

Coaches provide an accountability which keeps the drive, focus and results in the right places at the right time. Our clients get the best results when they apply the tools, tactics, strategies and frameworks ActionCOACH have built up over the last 27 years. For example, on average in 2019 ActionCOACH St Albans clients achieved 54% increase in profit.

Q: How much does business coaching cost?

We’re offering seven complimentary strategy sessions a month for free. Basically, we gift you a session, to help come up with a few strategies to propel your business forward. To register for a free session please email admin@actioncoach.com or visit stalbans.actioncoach.co.uk/contact-us.

Find out more about what business coaching can do for you and register for your free session at stalbans.actioncoach.co.uk/contact-us.