Part Three of Six.

A coach can have a huge impact on the lives of his or her clients, and I certainly know that’s been the case for me. I’ve worked with five different coaches. I hired each one for a different reason, at a different time in my life and career.

That being said, the work I did with each coach built upon the work I’d done before. My results have been greater because at each step of the way, I’ve already laid the foundation for further growth and expansion.

Here’s a summary of my experience with my second coach:

The Coach:

Michael Port

Why I Hired Him:

Kate Steinbacher (my friend, former coach, and business partner and co-founder of The Coaches Console) and I hired Michael because we were just starting out in The Coaches Console, and we needed clarity on what kind of business we actually had.

We were coaches, coaching others, and had only ever had a coaching business providing coaching services. Then, we launched our software and technology and offered that to coaches. Running a technology was a whole different model that required a different mindset and skillset. It was a whole different landscape, and we needed help getting clear on our business model.

We were the proud owners of a tech company—but we were coaches, not techies.

How He Helped Us:

Michael helped Kate and I get clear on our business model so we could grow it.

He helped us with visioning and business planning; more specifically, he guided us in the powerful process of figuring out which specific tasks we needed to complete in which areas to translate our business plan into reality.

Finally, he introduced us to our programmer, who eventually became our Chief Technology Officer.

Why He Was Invaluable on My Journey:

Michael was invaluable on my journey because he gave us the clarity we needed to identify what, specifically, we brought to the market, and how, specifically, to use it to reach our mission.

One of the greatest lessons Michael shared with me (and that still impacts my business and life 12 years later) was: “Become profoundly comfortable with the discomfort of being an entrepreneur.”

He coached Kate and I through what it really means to live as an entrepreneur: to be a leader and to show the way, to take risks, and to continually improve while creating the discipline to navigate yourself (with support) toward your dreams and goals.

In Conclusion …

Working with coaches has transformed my life, personally and professionally.

Because you’re a coach, you already know about the benefits of coaching. But what you may not realize is the huge ripple effect that happens when you coach someone effectively; the amazing impact it has on his or her life for years to come.

That’s why, over the course of the next several weeks, I’ll be posting articles that focus on my coaches and what I learned through working with them. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, comment below:

When you worked with a coach, how did he or she help you overcome one of your biggest obstacles, and what impact did that have on your life as a result? Post below and let’s celebrate together! If you haven’t worked with a coach, post below and let me know how you could imagine a coach (as a guide, accountability partner, confidant, and trusted resource) helping you to overcome an obstacle you’re facing now. What would that mean for your life and business?

The Importance of Coaching