Interview Questions To Ask Your Business Coach
Welcome back to the video series on how to hire the best coach for you. Today we are talking about the key questions to ask when you are looking for a business coach.
These are the topics we’re going to cover:
What to remember before and while you’re on the call with the coach
Cheat sheet of what to look for before, during, and after your interview
You can watch the full episode here, read a summary below, or read the full transcript at the bottom of this article. Whatever works best for you!
And before you even get on a call with a business coach, there are a few important things to consider:
1) What to remember before and while you’re on the call with the coach
What was the booking experience like?
Did you hear from the person straight away?
Did they have an intake form?
If the coach doesn’t have an intake form, I’d be a little suspicious about the quality of the person they take on. With intake forms where you answer a few questions before you can book in a coach tells you the person will be prepping for the call and that they don’t just take on anyone who needs a coach.
2) Be present
Remember to take a couple of deep breaths before you get on the call, so you can be truly present when meeting with the business coach.
Also, ensure that you clear your schedule so you can focus on the conversation without being distracted.
3) How do you feel while talking to this coach?
It’s natural to feel a little nervous and awkward when you first hop on a call with a stranger. Once you’ve gotten over the initial hump, be sure to notice whether you feel at ease in the presence of the person?
Do you have a natural rapport?
Are you or the coach doing most of the talking (ideally -- you should be the one doing most of the talking.)
Is the coach listening to you? And are they curious and asking you lots of questions?Or does it feel more like they’re trying to convince you of everything that they can do for you?
Are they forcing you to make a decision there and then?
Are they being too pushy?
4) Questions to ask while on your discovery call
The following questions will help you to figure out if the business coach you’re interviewing is the right fit for you:
How long have you been in business?
If you’re newer in business, it’s OK to hire a coach that is also relatively new to business. When you’re a seasoned entrepreneur you want to ensure that the business coaches you interview all have 5+ years of coaching experience and have adequate credentials.
For instance: I currently work with clients with companies who gross a million dollars or more and have been in business anywhere between 5 - 30 years. I’m able to give and guarantee quality support and results to these folks because I’ve had my coaching practice for eight years, I’ve got an ICF accredited coaching credential and a business degree, and I’ve built two award-winning businesses in less than 5 years, and I have 17 years of experience growing businesses in various industry (and countries.)
How many clients do you typically take on?
Remember, you’re about to give this person quite a bit of influence in the decisions of your business that will shape your results and the future of your company, you don’t want to be just another number. You should expect a coach to be candid about the number of private clients they take on at one time, and you can use this information to understand how much dedicated time you can realistically expect from them.
Someone who has 2 or 3 private clients at any one time will have a different capacity for ad hoc feedback than a coach who takes on 20 clients at any one time.
I typically limit my private clients to 10 at any given time. I strive to provide a high-touch and supportive environment for all my clients and I have found that the quality of my coaching is best when I limit the number of clients I work with privately.
How much one-on-one coaching time will I get with you?
Typically coaches usually work in bi-weekly increments. This guarantees that you build momentum and get enough time to practice and implement the knowledge and takeaways between sessions. In my 10+ years of coaching, I have personally found that working with new clients once a week is too much and once a month is too little to attain their desired results.
Do you offer support between sessions?
Coaches usually offer some sort of support via text or email between coaches. I also offer my clients the opportunity to book a quick 20-minute emergency call just in case of fire. It’s important that my client knows I have their backs at all times.
Do you have experience working with businesses like mine?
What you’re looking for here are signs that your potential business coach has worked with businesses that are similar to yours in some way. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are in the same industry, or even are at the same level of growth.
What results have those folks experienced?
Your coach should be able to provide examples of clients they’ve worked with who have achieved great progress with their business as a result of working with them.
I have case studies at my fingertips along with a list of the types of businesses I’ve worked with over the past decade.
What guaranteed results/promises do you offer for clients whom you work with?
You should listen carefully to hear what your coach is prepared to promise. If a coach sounds shaky on what they can deliver to you
However, there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule for what a coach can promise for you at this stage of the process, because they probably won’t be as familiar with your business as you are. So talking in terms of concrete deliverables probably isn’t realistic.
I never take on clients if I don’t believe that I can absolutely give them results.
How long will the coaching engagement be?
In order to be able to see real change for your business, you will often need to work with a business coach for a substantial period of time. It takes time to get to know a coach (and they you) and for them to get to fully understand your business. You need to invest time in this relationship in order for it to really work for you.
In most cases, you should consider an engagement of a minimum of 6 months to get the results you want.
What’s the cancellation policy?
It’s not uncommon for there to be a zero-cancellation policy. Coaches can only take on a certain number of 1:1 clients per year, and in selecting you as a client, they may have had to turn down other potential clients.
For this reason, many coaches (and myself included), usually have people commit to a 6-month no cancellation policy.
5) Things to remember when interviewing a business coach
Also, remember to ask any questions that came up when you were reading about the person.
You’re about to hand over the keys to your business to this person, to make sure that you feel comfortable with them, their credentials, and their experience.
6) Cheat sheet of what to look for before, during, and after your interview
Who are they, and what are their experiences and credentials?
Did you have a good rapport with the person?
Do you trust them?
Do you believe that they can help you?
Do you believe that you can attain your results?
What was the booking like? Do they have an intake form?
Did they do most of the talking? (you should be the one talking the most.)
Did they follow up after your call?
If you’d like to pick my brain to ensure you hire the right business coach for your business, remember you’re more than welcome to hop on a quick call with you!
As you’ll have learned, I’m a multi-award-winning business coach and entrepreneur based in Boston, MA. If you liked what you read here, here are some other ways to get more support from me and fulfil your potential as an entrepreneur:
Accelerate your growth with this free handy download
Read my bestselling book, The Up Level Project
If you’re in Boston yourself, you might also enjoy this: Wanted: Business coach, Boston.
7) Read the full video transcript here
I was just getting set up and went live, greeting everyone. I made sure to have my notes ready and welcomed those who are new to me. I'm excited to continue this series on how to hire the right coach. Today, we're diving into the questions you should be asking when seeking a business coach. The aim of this series is to aid you in making the best investment for your business. If I appear to be looking around a lot, it's because I'm broadcasting live on several platforms.
Just to introduce myself to newcomers, my name is Hanukkah. I'm a two-time award-winning entrepreneur and a best-selling author of the book 'The Up Level Project.' With seventeen years of experience growing businesses in various industries, I'm also a certified, award-winning coach. My main focus is helping multiple six to seven-figure entrepreneurs grow their businesses, develop their leadership skills, increase profits, and unlock freedom.
Before we dive in, there's still time for you to join the Up Level Accelerator. We'll be spending 21 days together, shifting your mindset into a can-do, can-achieve-everything mode in 2021. We start on January 10th. As a bonus, you'll also receive a copy of my new workbook, 'The Up Level Project.' Our focus will be on shifting you into a success mindset, equipping you with the tools, strategies, and exercises needed to build sustainable habits that will aid in growing your business.
If you've missed the previous segments of this series, we've discussed what to do before you start looking for a business coach and what to do before you even book that call with the coach. Today, we're diving into the questions you should ask during your call with a prospective coach. I'll also give you a few pointers on what to look for while interviewing these potential coaches.
Firstly, it's vital to be present during the call. Schedule the call at a time when you know you can fully focus. Consider your experience while booking the call. Did you hear back promptly? Did the coach provide an intake form? If they don't, that might be a red flag, as it suggests the quality of clients they take on. The intake form usually consists of a few questions you answer before the call. This also indicates whether the coach will prepare for your call or simply hop on without prior knowledge of you.
When on the call with a coach, it's natural to feel a bit nervous, especially if you're meeting a new person one-on-one. However, once you overcome that initial unease, pay attention to whether you have a natural rapport with this person. Are they genuinely listening to you? Do you feel acknowledged and seen? Are they curious about you, or are they simply pushing their own agenda?
[5 minutes]
Are they heavily selling to you? Are they talking more than you're talking on the call? That should be a red flag. If it feels pushy or uncomfortable, it's not you, it's them. Listen to your gut feeling. For a coaching relationship to be successful, the energy and trust need to be there as they play a huge part in the success and the results that you will get.
Once it's your turn to ask questions or while you're on the call with them, ask them, "How long have you been in business?" This is important to know if you're a more experienced business owner. If you've been in business for over five years, then you really want to make sure that you are working with someone that has business knowledge and experience of a similar level. If you're new in business, then you can still get away with hiring a new coach.
For instance, right now, I work with people who have been in business for five to thirty years. I'm able to support these people because I have eight years of experience growing my coaching business. I've also built two award-winning businesses in the last decade and have over 17 years of experience growing companies in various industries. So you want to look for that caliber of experience and expertise when you invest in a business coach.
The next question you want to ask them is, "How many clients do you typically work with?" This is important because you don't want to just be another number in this person's coaching practice. You're about to give this person a lot of influence over the future of your business, so you want to make sure that this coach isn't overbooked and working with too many clients where you just become another person in their practice. For instance, I've realized over the years that ten is the magic number for me. I usually only work with ten private clients at any given time so that I can provide a high-touch and supportive environment for my clients.
If you guys have any questions while I'm speaking, please feel free to ask them. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about hiring a coach.
Another question you want to ask your coach is, "How much one-on-one time am I going to get with you?" I once interviewed someone who said that they would help me with my business and they were only going to speak to me once every six weeks. That is definitely not enough time for you to create changes and implement any of the strategies that you two are going to discover together. The cadence that I've found works best and gives my clients the best results is twice a month for new clients for a minimum of six months. After we've worked together for a while, for more established clients, we can reduce this to once a month.
[10 minutes]
Access to your coach is also a perk, it's crucial that they offer the opportunity for you to get in touch with them between sessions on Voxer, via text, or email. You want to feel like this person has your back. You also want to ask them about the support you'll get between sessions. For example, I usually offer my clients a 20-minute emergency phone call in case something goes horribly wrong. They are also able to reach me from Monday through Friday, nine to five on Voxer, and I respond pretty quickly.
The next question you want to ask is whether they have experience working with businesses like yours. It's crucial for you to know that the person you're going to entrust your business to has relevant experience. Normally, I have my case studies at hand that I then tell my clients about when they ask this question. I also have a list of previous businesses I've helped and how I did it.
Another question to ask is what guarantees, results, or promises the coach offers. I never take on clients unless I'm a hundred percent sure that I can help them achieve some of the results they're seeking. Although there are factors like the economy that are out of our control, when it comes to increasing leadership skills, building confidence, clarity, better team management, or delegating more tasks to your staff, I only take on clients that I believe I can help achieve those results.
Then you want to ask your coach how long the coaching engagement will last. Change takes time to effect, and because it's going to take a little bit of time, I usually have my clients sign on for no less than six months. There are many things that we want to get done and usually, we score a few big wins right away. However, there's also that period where you still want some accountability and support along the way as things continue to be implemented. For that reason, I work with people in increments of six months or twelve months. Don't be alarmed if this engagement is a little longer. There's a lot of work that needs to be done and it does take time, but with the help of a good coach, you will be able to achieve some quick wins and then sustainable results over time.
The next question you want to ask is about the cancellation policy. It's not uncommon for coaches to have a zero cancellation policy. As I mentioned, I can only take on a certain number of private clients per year so that I can deliver on the results that I promise. For that reason, I don't allow any cancellations. By limiting the number of people I work with, I say no to a fair amount of people. Therefore, if you were just going to cancel on me, then the coach would be at a loss. Remember, in the end, the coach is also running a business.
Once you've asked all those questions, go ahead and ask any of the other questions you were thinking about while you were learning about this person. If you're feeling rushed, or if the person is pushy and not really listening to you, these are all red flags. This is a chance for you to really lean into your gut and trust what your gut is telling you.
[15 minutes]
Here's a quick cheat sheet for you, considering the many questions you would like and need to ask a coach before you hire them or while you're on the call with them.
You'll want to determine whether or not you have a rapport with that person. Do you trust them? Do you believe that they can help you? Do you believe that you can attain your results? It's important to assess if you believe in yourself, too. Consider whether they did most of the talking or not, and if they followed up after the call. Think about your booking experience as well.
Now, the actual questions that you want to ask them are as follows:
How long have they been in business?
How many clients do they take on per year?
How many one-on-one clients do they take on, and how much one-on-one time will you get with them?
Do they offer support between sessions?
Do they have experience working with businesses like yours?
How long will this coaching engagement be?
What is the cancellation policy?
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Also, remember that you can still sign up for the "Up Level Accelerator". We are taking on new people and members until January 4th, and then we start this program on January 9th. When you enroll, you're also going to get a workbook.
Finally, if you're unsure about what kind of coach you need or if you need a business coach, please comment "Interested" to speak with me. We can hop on a 20-minute call together, and I can help you make the best investment for your business.
Thank you so much for being here. It's been a joy and I'll catch you next time.
[Transcript ends]
How can we work together?
As you’ll have learned, I’m a multi-award-winning business coach and entrepreneur based in Boston, MA. If you liked what you read here, here are some other ways to get more support from me and fulfil your potential as an entrepreneur:
Accelerate your growth with this free handy download
Read my bestselling book, The Up Level Project
Join my group accountability program: Business Growth Achievers
Work with me: Book a 1:1 consultation with me here
If you’re in Boston yourself, you might also enjoy this: Wanted: Business coach, Boston.