Different ways to help your business

Helping business is what I do. If you are thinking about changing your business model or structure The Business Minder can help. You need to consider if you want a facilitator or an advisor. Someone who can solve problems, create a long term team framework or someone who makes recommendations and action plans and you deliver the outcome.

If you are entering a new business field or if your business doesn't have any expertise in managing an issue that you need to address, I recommend to use a Business Consultant. Consultants are experts in their specific area and will review and provide you with a strategic action plan. If you have employees with some experience in a certain area you are addressing, then a Business Coach could be the better choice. A Business Coach will provide guidance and let you and your staff manage issues. This approach develops your team directly 'hands on' in the workplace.

Taking the example from project management: You can either hire a Business Consultant to lead the project, or hire a Business Coach supporting the Project Leader in your business to increase their project management skills while bringing the project to a successful completion.

It's rare to grasp both a new idea and the mechanics of applying it the first time you hear it. I'm always fascinated with how many times I hear something again but from another angle or with a new story about how it worked. These repeated stories take my understanding deeper until I am finally ready to apply it to my business. The other thing that happens is that I think I understand this new idea until I try to use it. Then I realise that I have the overview and understanding of why it's needed. Because it was all new, I missed some of the key pieces. Or, in other cases, my instructor assumed I knew some essential step so didn't cover it. A coach typically provides materials to train you and then will have either individual or group training sessions periodically. The point is that a coach has an ongoing relationship with you.

So which do you need, a consultant or a coach or both? Based on my consulting experience, the difference is in how I work with you. As a consultant I parachute in, analyse your business, identify problem areas, present solutions, develop procedures to implement those solutions and then train you and your staff. You may schedule follow up meetings with me. Otherwise, when I leave, you are on your own to keep the new procedures going.

With a coaching program you can ask me questions and gain deeper insights. My experience will help to broaden your knowledge and inspire new ideas. I also hold you accountable for applying what you are learning. I will critique your work. You learn best from doing, not reading, not listening, and not even watching. My business critique will help you understand what you do right, what needs improvement and why I want you to take my recommended actions. Your staff will be trained and ready for change and you will become a greater leader.

As a business owner you'll benefit from the help of a consultant, or if you want a long term approach, a coach. It's the fastest way to gain new expertise and insights necessary to improve your business. If you continue doing things as you've always done them, you'll continue to get the same results. It's a new day. Take a step up. With some outside expertise from The Business Minder your business will improve both in operations and in profit.