Business coaching - what is it and why do we need it

Starting a business comes with its own special brand of anxiety.

Like learning to ski later in life: it's exposing and there is a hefty fear of public humiliation.

Often even your closest friends and family – those stalwart cheerleaders – stand, bewildered in fear of a painful and possibly costly crash.

So how do single-minded, self-reliant, perfectionist entrepreneurs find their cheerleader when they feel their confidence may be waning or they can’t get where they are going?

And for so many female founders, years of career confidence can be whipped away when you’re starting a new venture.

I confess I didn’t really know what coaching was or what it entailed when I first spoke to Liz Ward, business coach and Founder of Slick Pivot.

But I knew I didn’t like the sound of it. I don’t like talking about the inner workings of my mind when I can find them.

And it felt rather grandiose to be talking of my life plans with a start-up barely a few weeks old.

So I could see why I needed a mentor and probably a therapist (who doesn’t?) but a business coach?

I spoke to Liz who gave me some business coaching of my own.

Definition of Business Coaching

The saying goes: ‘Therapy is for pulling up weeds, coaching is for planting seeds.’

So what is it?

As Liz told me, ‘Coaching creates a space for someone to think through their ideas, to remove blockers or boulders in their road and give them the confidence to take action on the things that they really want to do.

To create a space that is confidential, neutral. I am a secret cheerleader but also a challenger, stretching your comfort zone so you grow.

We also look at what tangible things you can do to drive your growth. And mindset: things we can work on to improve happiness.’  Ah, happiness….

Looking at Happiness and Anxiety

How can you design your life in the way you actually want, rather than how think you should live?

’ I have always liked that the fundamental American right is the ‘pursuit of happiness’. It’s not a destination or a thing you find under a rock.

It’s a million small things you find on the way to wherever you’re going. As Liz said, ‘The trick is examining how you can design your life in the way you actually want, rather than how to think you should live.’

I sleep fairly well but for some time have woken at 3 am worrying about nothing. We talked about the general anxieties of parents and waking in the night. ‘We can solve that now!’ Liz cheerily breezed. And I have to say, a mini-CBT session of sorts, and it worked.

Visualisation, putting it into the universe and those neurons

‘What does success look like to you?’ My first thought was of pyjamas, wine and sleeping children. Argh. I dread these questions like introducing myself to ‘the group’. So perhaps I needed some work.

I confess I am far too English-reserved to say out loud what I want or where I imagine I’d like to be. But I do know there is great value in it and that visualisation does work.

Putting it out into the universe is indeed A Thing but not, in my opinion, because of higher powers, rather due to our neurons.

There is a scientifically proven shared brain action between imagining something and doing it. Ask an athlete.

That is hugely powerful news to the natural sceptic: you really can work on imagining what you want and making it happen.

The huge help of the business coach is in actually creating a time for you to do it. ‘What are you worried about?

’ Liz would ask. And my replies often sounded ridiculous out loud. We laughed, but this is hugely helpful. Realising that the mind-demons are often just that, rather silly and nothing to worry about.

The space to think

We feel guilty if we are not ‘doing.’ I sometimes make myself wait in restaurants without scrolling through my phone, or sit on the train and stare out of the window.

There is such importance to daydreaming if we can make space.

There just isn’t much time to stop and stare any more. I know people who wake at 3 am to ‘do their best thinking’ simply as they don’t have the time elsewhere.

Coaching gives you that space, constructively, and in daylight hours.

The huge value I found speaking to Liz was in simply finding that time to inspect what I needed to be doing …and what I was very much avoiding doing.

As Liz said: ‘We need to give ourselves the time to think.

Often there is little time invested in you and only you.

I provide space to allow your mind to expand further than it may go on its own.

Or to think if you want to change career, what you would like to do. Pivoting is constant twisting and turning and staying open to where you may end up.’

Practical steps

Liz can work on moving you at pace towards The Idea. Over a period of time, she is with you along the journey, setting goals.

There are phone calls and homework.

Classic coaching exercises and actions based on your own personal goals. And not just of course for founders but for anyone thinking of pivoting their career.

It gives you accountability and undoubtedly you will make a lot more progress with a coach than on your own.

I have a lot to thank Liz for. Taking the pressure off.

That it could be next week or next year.

That I am someone who needs to exercise often. Gulp. Her help focussing on goals and making them happen. And not being (as) afraid to say things out loud.

 I have also accepted that with two small children and two businesses, everything happens around 4 weeks after I say it will. Sometimes longer. But that’s OK.

Liz Ward is Founder and Coach at Slick Pivot. Slick Pivot helps new and seasoned entrepreneurs get good at change. Supporting your pivot journey through one to one coaching, bespoke team workshops, and events to help you find more happiness and growth in your work, whether that is quitting your 9-5, starting and growing that business or developing the right mindset for success. 

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