I have never used a coach in my life, but there have been many times when I wished I had a coach who could help me with various things.
The problems are as follows:
- If a coach is truly effective, they are often unaffordable.
- There are many charlatans out there.
- Distinguishing between charlatans and genuine coaches is not easy.
- Most of the people you would find in the internet are skilled in SEO or marketing, rather than coaching.
- If you are a good candidate for being coached, you are probably capable of conducting your own research and learning on your own.
For me, I have always been my own coach.
I opened a dance school without much knowledge of dancing. I became a real estate investor without ever taking a real estate class. I ventured into the stock market without formal training. I pursued a career in professional photography without taking a photography class.
I have managed to succeed without a coach. Many times, I have wished for someone to guide me, but I have not found that person yet.
On the other hand, I have been asked to coach in various aspects of business.
I have coached in personal finance, and approximately 50% of the people followed my advice while the other 50% completely ignored me. I have also coached people on marketing and SEO, and for the most part, I have been ignored. However, I do not actively market myself as a coach; my primary focus is my photography business. Nevertheless, I am open to coaching if anyone requests it.
My final tip is this:
Most of us do not need coaching, and many coaches are scammers. Those who are genuinely skilled might be too expensive. Occasionally, if you put yourself out there, you might find a coach willing to help you for free. My advice is to get started in your business. Failure, experimentation, and hours of reading are the best teachers. Coaching is often an investment with uncertain returns.
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Comments
2 responses to “Do I need a coach to succeed in business?”
I felt the same way as you, until this year. I never thought in a million years I would hire a coach. I’ve always been self-motivated and like you, I’m the coach. But I started this year feeling like I reached my plateau. I needed an extra push to get to the level I wanted to reach and I admitted that I didn’t think I could do it on my own. I hired someone through referral, and he’s 100% the reason I’ve been able to surpass by goals this year.
I agree, many coaches are full of fluff and just look good on social media. Also, many people hire coaches when they really don’t have the mindset, thinking a coach will “fix” them.
I look at it this way – even professional athletes need coaches. At that level, it’s easy to fall off track or for your game to remain stagnant.
I do agree with you. The only way to find a good coach it through referral.
The funny thing is that when you find a good coach is like finding a good cleaning leady or a good baby-sitter. You want them to do good but not so good that they become unaffordable or unavailable. You want to keep it mostly as a secret.
Thank you for sharing.