Business Development Coaching that achieves results!

Some people believe business coaching is only for those struggling – and whilst a coach will definitely help in that area, coaching is frequently about improvement and/or growth.  Until something is near perfect, there is always room for improvement.  I help businesses take their business to the next level.  That ‘next level’ can look different for each different businesses.  For some, this is growth and expansion or greater profits and for others, it’s improved efficiencies.  There are also a number of Australian business owners who dream of success, but just can’t get there – for many reasons.  It might be fear of failure (or fear of success), not knowing what to do, how to proceed, or simply not having someone to keep them on task and be a ‘guiding hand’.  Business (especially marketing) is ever changing and keeping up can be a full time job.  We often get bogged down with challenges around money, staff or time and wonder why year after year we’ve not progressed, or worse, we’re slipping behind.  Is your marketing not getting you the results you need?  Are you just working harder and harder for less and less?

There are heaps of business coaches out there, so why choose me?   To start with, I have first-hand experience as a successful business owner; having grown my own from a garage to five locations around Australia.   I have formal qualifications (Accounting & Management) but more so it’s the 30+ years of real-world experience that my clients get to tap into.   I have specifically been coaching clients for almost 15 years.  I am more than a coach, I’m somewhat of a hybrid; a cross between business coach, business advisor and business consultant.  I access, guide, help and coach.  Most importantly, when you hire me, you hire ME.  I don’t have sub-coaches or contractors I fob you off to … you get me.  I pride myself on providing a professional, quality and personalised service.   My approach is hands-on and results focussed.  I now provide short or long-term consultancy services in the areas of:

  • Coaching and Mentoring – No fixed long-term contracts (I know you’ll stay because you’re getting great value); various plan levels – customised to your needs. Confidentiality assured and remember my goal is seeing YOU do well.   Heaps of handy resources and templates are shared with clients to improve your efficiency.

  • Organizational Growth – Train executives, management and staff to maximize your potentials to ensure the growth of your organization.

  • Leadership Coaching – Making great leaders who know how to step up, be confident and lead your own teams to success.  Read more here.

  • Business Plan Development – Preparation and execution of business long and short-term plans relating to growth, expansion, diversification and development.  Creating plans which don’t just service a purpose, but achieve a goal.  Having a great plan, attached to a sound strategy, broken down into achievable actions is the recipe for business growth.

  • Finances – KPI’s, planning for profit, budgets, reviews > strategies for fiscal improvement every business owner should be on top of.

  • Systems & Procedures – Get you set up and organised – from scratch or a mini project

  • Time & Efficiency – Practical strategies to ensure you (or your team) get back more time in your day so that you’re working on what counts and what generates income.

I specialise in service-based businesses and particularly help a number of specific industries including professionalshealth professionalsbookkeepers and those in building and construction.

Coach the Coach TM  program is available for business coaches, business advisors and consultants entering the industry and who are seeking a coach and mentor themselves in order to start and grow their own coaching and consulting business.  Click here.

12 Reasons You May Need a Business Coach

  1. You’re brand new to business (or contemplating on starting or buying a business) and you know that it won’t be easy. You appreciate the value of coaching to ensure your new venture will take off and be successful – with as little pain as possible.
  2. You are exhausted, out of time, frazzled, running in circles and just don’t know where to start or what to do first (or for that matter how to tackle the problem).  Time, lack of direction and clarity are real issues for you.
  3.  You’re not making the money you need – bluntly put – your cash-flow sucks.  Alternatively, you may need help implementing KPIs, budgets, forecasts and making sure the financial side of your business is sound.
  4.  You’re not getting in the new business, the leads are becoming less and less OR when a lead does come in, you’re not converting them to paying customers as much as you used to or less than what you need to.
  5.  You have heaps of leads and business and are super busy, but the business still isn’t perfect.  Possibly the back end is letting you down, customer satisfaction is dropping, you don’t have a great system (or perhaps none) or there is a lot of error and waste creeping in which erodes your profits and creates unhappy customers.
  6.  You provide a great service, but you feel your image is letting you down; your business isn’t projecting the right message, or you’re not being seen in the best possible light.
  7.  You have some specific challenges around staff or customer service.  This can be anything from needing more staff; to getting the most from those you already have and ensuring you have all the necessary staff support systems in place.
  8.  You want to grow and take your business to the next level, perhaps interstate, globally or to a new market or product – and need guidance and assistance on how to achieve that.  It may be quite simply that you need to get a great plan in place.
  9.  You have no-one in business to ask questions of, bounce ideas off and generally offer you support.  You may want to grow more as a leader and develop more of an entrepreneurial mindset.  Do you lack self-belief and confidence?
  10.  You need a connector.  Someone who has been in business for decades who knows who to use, who not to use and what the best options are from selecting a great accountant to the right social media expert.
  11.  You want to sell your business and achieve the maximum price for it, but you’re not quite there yet and need some help (short or long term) to maximise what is probably one of your greatest assets.
  12.  You need motivation and accountability.  Staying on task, being disciplined and getting done what you need to do can be hard for you at times.  Perhaps you work well to structure, or just need some help.

I have been helping clients for almost a decade in these areas with practical, hands-on action. But don’t just take my word for it – check out what others say about my services, click here and go to the bottom of the homepage.

One client story …

A number of years ago I began working with the owner of a manufacturing business which had been established awhile, had a good reputation and was doing reasonably ok.  However, he had some really big frustrations.  One was around sales and the other around his time.  Interruptions were a massive problem for him.

I first helped him implement some sales closing strategies which almost doubled his sales turnover in three months.  He was delighted, but what really excited him was the extra time I helped him get back in his day.  We worked out pretty quickly where the interruptions were coming from and then implemented plans to substantially reduce them.  It worked a treat.  He has a life again and enjoying his business so much more.  I couldn’t say this for a fact, but I have a strong feeling we saved his marriage as well.

This is just one story.  I’ve helped hundreds of clients expand, grow, increase profit, get back time, and sometimes yes, stop hating their business.  Check out the client feedback at the bottom of my home page or visit this link to see the reviews there too to see some of my social reviews.   So many people are delighted with the results and service that I deliver to them.

Donna Stone Business Coaching provides solutions