Starting a business?

Firstly, well done. We meet many people who want to become coaches, consultants or trainers and who dream of leaving their job and starting their own business. The fact that you're reading this means it's already gone beyond a dream, and you are beginning to make it a reality.

There's lots of information on the web about how to start a business, create a marketing plan etc. so I will focus instead on the challenges for a business consultancy offering coaching and training. It's worth saying that a lot of the information on the web is based on traditional marketing of traditional businesses. On one hand, working as a coach is different, on the other hand it's no different.

It's different in that you don't have a commodity service, and you often have to help clients solve business problems in order to find out that coaching is the right service to offer. The growing coverage of coaching in the media means people are much more aware of the service, but it's not always the right answer.

It's the same in that your primary focus has to be on running a successful business. You may want to save the world, but you won't be able to do that without a roof over your head and food in the fridge.

The first thing to say is that you need to just start. It's important to immerse yourself in the world you want to live in, so think of yourself as a...as a what? Are you a business consultant, coach, trainer or what? So, when people ask about your job, you know what to say and they will start to connect you with opportunities.

This also helps you to integrate your new identity and start living the life you want, not the one you had.

So, it's time to start planning. Set aside some time to properly review the following questions and answer them for yourself. It helps to write your answers down, and think each question through carefully before you move to the next.

What are you good at? Don't be modest, what are you really, really good at in a way that makes you stand out from other people?

What do you really enjoy doing?

What do you want, from your life and your business?

What kind of people do you enjoy working with?

Where do you find those people?

What kind of problems do they have that have a value i.e. a cost to them, either directly or indirectly?

In other words, what makes their problem worth solving?

And how do you or your skills address that problem?

How do you find those people and tell them what you can do to solve their problems?

How does all that help you get the life you want?

Now that you have answered those questions, you are in a much better position to get what you want.

In conclusion, I'll come back to my favourite piece of advice - it's my favourite because it's simple:

"Just start"

© Communications In Action 2004

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