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frequently asked questions

Here are just a few of the most common questions I get asked as a business coach.

frequently asked questions

Here are just a few of the most common questions I get asked as a business coach.

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Do you need experience in my specific industry to help me as a business coach?

Some questions people ask us about Business Coaching & Mentoring

A business coach or business mentor is someone who helps business owners see their ‘blind spots’ so that they can grow and improve themselves.

A business coach typically works with a business owner on whatever aspects they need to improve. In general, a business coach will help improve all facets of a business, such as increasing profitability, leadership skills, marketing strategies, goal setting, time management, business finances, etc.

A business coach will help business owners achieve 100% clarity on where to take their business and act as a sounding board for the business owner to make the right decisions.

Getting a seasoned business coach is one of the best ways to ensure your business flourishes and achieves its goals, and you can do this by getting external feedback. Small business coaching services can provide insight, advice, and guidance on various topics directly or indirectly related to running your business.

A great business coach will have an undeniable passion for business and experience running a business. They help business owners and entrepreneurs succeed in creating a successful business, whatever that means to them.

Business coaching experts will also be able to bring out the best in people, no matter the background or specific skill of the business owner.

Business coaching is effective when the coach and the business owner have clear expectations and a shared commitment to the process. Open and honest communication is essential at every stage. When the right coach-client fit is established, and both parties do their part, success becomes not just possible—but highly likely.

A professional business coach helps business owners develop strategic plans, improve financial management, and strengthen marketing, sales, and leadership skills. They also provide guidance on building high-performing teams and addressing operational challenges.

Effective business coaches have deep expertise in leadership development, time management, and delegation—three areas many business owners struggle with. Strong leadership is key to business success; a coach can help refine decision-making, improve communication, and enhance team motivation.

Business coaches also work closely with small and medium-sized businesses to create efficient systems and processes that enhance customer engagement and drive growth. Additionally, they help with financial insights, assisting with cash flow management, financial statements, employee incentive plans, and pricing strategies to maximise profitability.

If you’re looking for an experienced business coach in Sydney to help navigate challenges or take your business to the next level, you're in the right place. Fill out the contact form below to learn more about how my coaching services can support your success.

A professional business coach will help a business owner develop strategic planning (where are we taking the business), financial management, marketing, sales, and leadership skills. They will also help put in place a fantastic team and give guidance and feedback on any issues.

Coaching businesses across different industries have a distinct advantage; many innovations and ideas in one business or industry can apply to another. All businesses run according to the same principles: attract the right prospects, convert them into customers, deliver a fantastic experience with your service or product and ensure you get paid on time. We also ensure we get the best out of you and that you continue to learn and grow in all aspects of running a business and making a difference while living a good life. Another principle is to ensure the business is a commercial, profitable enterprise that can run independently without you constantly having to be there. Having a great team, strategies to increase turnover, reduce the COGS (cost of goods sold) and keep the fixed costs in check so that you end up with the only thing that matters: achieving a healthy net profit so that you can enjoy the benefits of running a business and achieve the lifestyle you desire.

Size is irrelevant. The ATO defines most small businesses as having an annual turnover of less than $10 million, while the ABS defines a small business as having less than 20 employees. Far more critical is that the business owner has the drive and desire to get the most out of their business and is willing to put in the (worthwhile) work to achieve this.

No. A business can be at any stage of its lifecycle, including a start-up (with proper funding, however). Most business coaching clients tend to have established businesses that have been around for a few years, right up to decades-old family businesses.

Becoming a successful and effective business coach takes a specific type of person. Anyone offering professional and high-level business coach services needs passion, drive, determination, good communication skills, and the ability to read and lead others effectively. A great business coach will also understand that business owners come from different skills and backgrounds. What works for one business owner may not work for another. Therefore, this is crucial when creating a business coaching and mentoring program that provides the business owner value and gives them the right path forward.

Below are some of the core skills needed for a successful Sydney business coaching and mentoring experience:

Leadership Skills—A business coach is more than just a sounding board. They need to help you improve your leadership skills by being an example. They need to ‘feel’ where their client is at and should always be one step ahead in understanding what the coaching client needs at any given time. This includes making sure the client is accountable, no matter what.

An Array of Different Business Skills—A business coach should have extensive business experience in understanding marketing, sales, recruitment, planning, leadership skills, systems, and procedures, to name a few. A background in finance or management will also be highly useful. While people from all backgrounds can offer business coaching for small business owners on running their businesses successfully, the skills required to be a successful business coach are in a class of their own.

Flexibility with Clients– Contrary to popular belief, SME business coaching should not be a cookie-cutter process. Yes, specific, proven ‘best practices’ should be followed, but there must be enough flexibility for the business owner to design the business with the ideas they are passionate about. The most effective business coaches are flexible and understand this when working with their clientele. They know that although some best practice approaches or steps are involved in any situation, clients often come up with random questions, which means the business coach must be open-minded enough to provide them with all the necessary feedback without having a stubborn agenda about where things should go next.

A High EQ– A skilled business coach will understand how to approach you best to get the best from you. It is that ‘gut’ feeling around what the client needs next before the client even knows themselves.

Go Above and Beyond—A seasoned business coach should have a high ‘care factor’ and go above and beyond for their clients. They want to see their clients achieve great results. To them, it is a matter of honour. They will think about their clients in between coaching sessions, plan the next moves, randomly check in with their clients, and literally do whatever it takes.

If you are interested in exploring our small business coaching program, please fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page and have a confidential and no-obligation chat about how Mark can help you forward.

Absolutely. We do whatever we need to do to achieve results. It is entirely up to you. You can bring in your spouse, a business partner, an employee or a combination. They can join you occasionally or constantly. You can even send in an employee or manager alone if that’s what we feel is required.

While both business coaching and mentoring aim to support business owners, they differ in their approach and focus. Business coaching is a structured partnership designed to accelerate results. A coach provides accountability, strategic support, and guidance, ensuring the business owner stays on track to achieve specific goals. Rather than offering advice or sharing personal experiences, a coach helps create a framework for success while fostering a safe environment for taking risks and making bold decisions. Business mentoring, on the other hand, is more about sharing personal experiences, insights, and wisdom gained from years in business. A mentor acts as a trusted advisor, offering guidance based on their own journey.

Mark’s alchemy is combining elements of both coaching and mentoring, so business owners can gain the accountability, structure, and support they need while also benefiting from real-world insights—creating a powerful transformation for both them and their businesses.

Business coaching is the ‘business owner’ version of executive coaching. It is a professional relationship between a business coach and a client in which the coach helps the client achieve specific goals. Business coaching focuses on the present and future, with learnings from the past. Business coaches work with clients to assist them in identifying their strengths and weaknesses, setting goals, creating a plan of action, and tracking their progress. Executive coaching typically involves coaching someone employed in a management position and desires to become more effective in all aspects of their job.

Yes, but not with the actual selling of the business (we will get a reputable business broker to help with this), but making sure we get the business ready for sale so that you have the best possible chance of maximising the best sell price. Suppose an investor can see that the business is solid with healthy, predictable numbers and excellent systems and can run without them always having to be there. In that case, you will achieve a far higher sell price than a business where the owner needs to be IN the business to survive (they would just be buying themselves a job). Profits from a business and the eventual capital gains of achieving an excellent price for the business are the ultimate measures of building a successful business.

Why would I want to work with a seasoned Sydney business coach?

The business world is a competitive place even for successful entrepreneurs, and it is so challenging to be your best when you are unable to see your own blind spots.

A master business coach should have the skill and insight to help you with the knowledge and provide a sounding board to help you fast-track ongoing success in your business. The best Sydney business coach will have sound experience to point out what you may be missing.

Entrepreneurial business coaching can help entrepreneurs grow and reach new heights. A professionally trained business coach can see how some entrepreneurs can lie to themselves by thinking they are doing much better than they are. The best business coaches will know when it’s time for entrepreneurs to take some constructive feedback, and this will include giving honest feedback about things that may be hard to hear but need to be said to make the changes that need to be made. As the saying goes, “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results!”

An entrepreneur’s coach will also recognise the subtle things that will have the most significant impact. It is all about leveraging you and the business in the best possible way.

To learn more about Mark’s business coaching and mentoring services, fill in the form below for an obligation-free chat to see how Mark can help you.

You can read some of Mark’s business client testimonials on this site. Some clients have been with Mark’s coaching practice since 2007. That should speak volumes! There is no doubt that there must be a good fit. So, if you are serious about positive change in your business and your life, reach out for an initial chat, and if we want to take it a step further, we can meet up (face-to-face or via Zoom) for an obligation-free 90-minute discovery session. At that point, we will, without any doubt, know if we are a great fit to work together.

It’s my network of action-taking business owners who are both coaching clients and trusted people I’ve met along the way who are very good at what they do. We all need ‘the right people in our tent’, people who can go ‘narrow and deep’ for you so that you can do the same in your business, focus on what you do best. Who knows, you might be that expert another client or contact needs in their business too.

Should any sports team or athlete invest in a coach? Of course, they do. It would be unthinkable for them not to. A good Sydney business coaching expert will typically help fast-track the path to designing a successful business in far less time than someone trying to achieve this on their own. Think about how much more focus and effort one typically puts into working with a personal trainer compared to training on their own. The same principle applies when working on your business.

The best way to determine the right Sydney-based business coaching program and investment for your needs is to speak directly with Mark. If you'd like to explore our highly respected business coaching programs, you can contact Mark by filling in the form below for a confidential, no-obligation chat.

How do I take the next step?

Call 0403 881 105 for a chat, you can also book a phone chat on Calendly here.

We use a simple coaching agreement that doesn’t lock you in. Ever.

There’s no official trial period, as we use a simple no-lock-in agreement. You can stop coaching at any time with one month’s notice, but we’re sure you won’t want to once you start. Everything will change – for the better.

Yes. Unlike other business coaching firms, you will only ever work with Mark. Every step of the way.

Yes, Mark works with clients all over the world. Some clients are on Zoom, while others prefer the phone or a combination of both to do their business coaching sessions.

If you’re keen to discuss your business aspirations further, please call 0403 881 105 or you can also book a phone chat on Calendly here.

Business Coach Mark

MARK VISCHSCHOONMAKER

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