Most business owners who come to me aren’t sure exactly what coaching involves. They know something isn’t working — revenue is flat, the team’s not performing, or they’re working 60-hour weeks and still can’t get ahead. But they’re not sure if a coach is what they need, or what working with one actually looks like day to day.
Let me be direct about it.
It’s Not Therapy. It’s Not Consulting. It’s Something More Useful.
A business coach doesn’t come in and tell you what to do. And it’s not about mindset talks or motivational frameworks.
What I do is work with you, as the business owner, to identify the specific thing that’s holding your business back — and then hold you accountable to fixing it.
That might be your pricing. Your team structure. The fact that every decision in the business flows through you. The way you’re winning work but not making money from it. There’s always a constraint. Finding it and working through it — that’s the job.
What Actually Happens in a Coaching Engagement
Here’s what working with me looks like in practice:
We start with a clear picture of where the business is now — revenue, margins, team, your time. No guessing, no assumptions. Just an honest look at the numbers and the structure.
From there we identify the primary constraint. Most business owners are trying to fix five things at once. Coaching narrows it down to the one lever that will move everything else.
Then we build a plan — specific actions, clear owners, real timelines. Not a document that sits in a drawer. A working plan you’re accountable to every week.
We meet regularly — typically fortnightly — to review progress, troubleshoot what’s not working, and keep momentum going. The accountability piece is often what business owners say makes the biggest difference. There’s no one else in your world who’s going to ask you the hard questions and keep you honest about your own goals.
The Problems I Work On Most
After 35 years in business, I’ve seen the same patterns come up again and again. The most common reasons business owners come to me:
- Revenue has plateaued and nothing they try seems to shift it
- They’re working more hours than ever but not seeing it in the profit
- The team isn’t performing — or the owner can’t step back because no one else can make decisions
- They’ve grown fast and the business now feels chaotic and hard to manage
- They know what they need to do but can’t seem to make themselves do it consistently
These aren’t unusual problems. They’re the normal growing pains of running a business. But they don’t fix themselves, and they rarely get better by working harder.
What a Coach Is Not
It’s worth being clear about what I don’t do.
I don’t run your business for you. I don’t give you a generic framework and send you away to implement it. I’m not a consultant who comes in, writes a report, and leaves.
The work happens between sessions — in your business, with your team, with real decisions and real consequences. I’m alongside you for that, not in front of you.
A Real Example
One of my clients runs a trades business in Sydney’s Inner West. When he came to me, revenue was strong but margins were tight, staff turnover was high, and he was working every Saturday. He was busy, but not building anything.
We worked on three things: his quoting process (he was underpricing by 15–20%), a simple KPI structure for his team, and getting him out of the day-to-day by giving his site supervisor more authority.
Within six months he’d recovered his Saturdays, margins had improved significantly, and he had his first real holiday in four years.
That’s what coaching does. Not magic — just clarity, structure, and accountability applied consistently.
Is It Right for You?
Coaching works when you’re ready to look honestly at what’s not working and committed to changing it. It doesn’t work if you’re looking for someone to validate what you’re already doing, or if you want results without putting in the work between sessions.
If you’re genuinely stuck — if the business is running you instead of the other way around — it’s worth a conversation.
Read more about what to expect from a business coach and the real benefits of business coaching if you want more context before reaching out.
Ready to have that conversation?
Book a free Discovery Call with Mark. No pitch, no pressure — just an honest conversation about where your business is and whether coaching is the right next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a business coach actually do day to day? A business coach works with you regularly — typically fortnightly — to identify the constraints holding your business back, build a clear action plan, and hold you accountable to following through. The focus is always on practical outcomes: revenue, margins, team performance, and your time.
How is a business coach different from a consultant? A consultant comes in, assesses your business, delivers recommendations, and leaves. A coach works alongside you over time — the relationship is ongoing, the accountability is built in, and the work happens in your business between sessions, not in a report.
How long does business coaching take to show results? Most clients see meaningful change within 3–6 months. The speed depends on how clearly we can identify the primary constraint and how consistently the work gets done between sessions.
How do I know if I need a business coach? If your revenue has plateaued, you’re working more than you want to, your team isn’t performing the way you need, or you feel like you’re busy but not building anything — those are the clearest signs. The first conversation is free and will give you a clear answer.