How did you know it was time to engage a mentor or coach to help your business?
This was a question that was dropped into the question box by one of my magical Instagram followers when I put the call out for future podcast episode topics.
Thanks for the question, Jasmin!
It’s a great question – so in this episode of the How I Do Content Podcast I’m going to share how to know when you need support and also how to make smart business support decisions. Because there’s other support you might need in your business outside of a coach or mentor.
So how can you make the right decision to help you and your business grow – well let’s dive in!
How do you know if you need to call in support?
I want to preface all of this by saying I’ve invested in support since Day 1 in my business.
I’m a very considered decision-maker – I gather the information I need and then weigh up my options before making a decision. And once I’ve made a decision I move quickly. I like to make clear decisions and take action immediately.
So 5 years ago when I was doing my research into starting a business and I was gathering my information, pretty much every single person I spoke to said the same thing about starting a business – they wished they invested in a business coach when they first started. They “waited” as so many business owners do and it slowed them down.
And yes I could’ve waited until I had more clients or I was further along in my business and making consistent money…
OR I could sign up to work with a business coach from the get-go, use my savings to pay for it and be guided on how to create a strategy to attract clients quickly.
…so that’s what I did. I chose the cheat code and hired the business coach and I’m still working with the same business coach today.
So my reasoning as to how I knew I needed to call in support was:
- I wanted clients as quickly as possible. As a single person, I don’t have my partner’s income as a safety net. It’s all on me. All of the time. So I didn’t have the time to go around in circles trying to figure it out myself – I needed to make money in my business as soon as possible. This is why I’m such a big believer that being driven to make money in your business ISN’T a bad thing. I’ve been able to support myself (and Ned and Maggie) without relying on anyone else and that’s a big fucking deal to me.
- I’m also a very self-aware person (it often ruins my life) and I knew if anything was going to fuck me up, it would be my mindset. I’m a hard worker, I’m a marketing wizard, and I’m good at figuring shit out BUT I’d also never run a business before and I had a lot of pressure on me to make this business work and to make money. And when you’re doing something new and you’re putting pressure on it to work – that’s when the wobbles hit. I knew I needed someone to reassure me I was on the right track and remind me who the fuck I am.
So knowing these two things helped me decide to hire a business coach at the start of my business journey.
But how do YOU know if you need to call in support?
The way I look at it is – what do you want and what’s your biggest challenge in getting what you want?
For me, I wanted clients quickly and my biggest challenge was me.
So to help you make the smartest business support decisions for you – I want you to get clear on these things first:
- What are your goals for your business (both short-term and long-term)?
- What’s stopping you from achieving those goals right now?
- What could stop you from achieving these goals in the future?
- What are your top 3 priorities in your business right now?
- What do you hope to achieve by bringing in support (is it increasing sales, improving customer service, streamlining operations or personal development)?
- Where are the gaps in your business (strategy, messaging, marketing, sales, systems, tech)?
- Do you have more time or more money right now?
- What’s your budget?
This will give you the clarity you need to decide if you DO need to call in support.
One BIG piece of advice I’d offer you here is to trust yourself. Don’t get caught up in the messaging in the online space that tells you that you MUST have a business coach or you MUST grow your team if you want a successful business. Of course, a business coach is going to tell you that you need a business coach. But if you hire a business coach when you actually need someone to help you set up systems in your business – it’s just going to be a waste of your time and money.
Just as there’s no one right way to do business – there’s no one right type of support or timeline for calling it in that applies to everyone. Yes, calling in support can help you to grow faster BUT it needs to be the right kind of support for you and the level of business you’re at.
Choosing the right type of support
So if you’ve answered those questions I’ve just shared you’ll probably be pretty clear on the type of support you need.
There are of course different types and levels of support you might need. Including:
- Ongoing team members – VA, OBM, Social Media Manager, Bookkeeper
- Outsourcing specific tasks or projects – Copywriter, Website Designer
- Personal Development – Online Courses, In-Person Events
- Coaching or mentoring – Once off, short-term, long-term
There are so many magical businesses that can help you bring your vision to life a whole lot faster if you open yourself up to investing in support. You don’t have to do business alone.
Now to help you make your decision a whole lot easier I’m going to share a couple of other things that I think are really important to remember.
Don’t believe everything you see in Facebook Groups
I see a lot of business owners outsource their decisions to people in Facebook Groups. Yes, Facebook Groups are great for a bit of initial research and gathering your information but they shouldn’t be the sole source of your information.
Remember that the people in Facebook Groups don’t know you, your business and your specific support requirements AND they often have a vested interest in who they’re recommending.
So for the love of dogs – tread carefully.
Yes, ask for recommendations but make sure you do your own further research in terms of whether that coach, mentor or service provider is the right fit for the level of support you need.
You know yourself and your business best – not some randos on the internet.
Choose the right person
Of course, you want this person to be the right fit for your business – the Hermione to your Harry & Ron.
You also want this person to have the right expertise and experience to help you achieve what you most want. Don’t go hiring a VA and then expect them to also be a social media manager on top of that. Choose people who match the profile.
If you’re clear on the level and type of support you need as well as your business goals and objectives – this shouldn’t be a problem.
BUT I often see business owners feel let down or like they’ve been burnt because they weren’t clear on these things first and then they didn’t do their due diligence or ask the right questions of the person they were bringing in. Not to mention their champagne taste on a beer budget.
And on that note – no one will care about your business as much as you do. It might sound harsh but I share this with you for a reason. You want your team members or support crew to buy into your business vision so you need to make them feel like they’re an important part of your business. Equip them with everything they need to succeed and help you grow your business. But at the end of the day – you’re the CEO and you’re driving the ship.
Choose the right offer
Just because the kids in the Facebook Group told you that so and so was the dog damn best business coach in the world – doesn’t mean their offer is the right level of support for you and what you want to achieve in your business.
Don’t engage a coach when you actually need a service provider.
Don’t settle for a mastermind when you need 1:1 support.
Impulse buying has no business when it comes to making smart business support decisions – take your time to find the right person AND the right offer.
You don’t need to settle for “close enough”. Get clear on EXACTLY what you want and need – write it down (be as specific as possible) and I bet the universe delivers that person to you.
Now is the time to think about your 2025 support team
We’re heading into the last 3 months of the year…
There’s still plenty of time to create magic in your business (if you act now)…
AND as we get closer to the end of the year you’ll start to reflect on this year and look ahead to 2025.
So what support do you need in your business right now AND next year?
Just like you create a Christmas wish list – start compiling a list of the courses, masterminds, coaches or service providers that you want to invest in during 2025. Use the questions I shared at the start of the episode to get clear on what that looks like.
Right now is a great time to be making support decisions with 2025 in mind because it’s also silly selling season. There will be lots of launches, Black Friday Sales and a lot of businesses will also put up their prices in the new year so this is why it literally pays to think about this now and not wait until 2025 is here or you’re “ready”.
Making smart business support decisions also comes down to timing. You don’t want to waste a shitload of time Googling how to do things or downloading 5000 freebies. Invest in yourself and your business and you will see the growth a whole lot faster than trying to do it yourself.
Just because you CAN do everything, doesn’t mean you should.
You don’t get a trophy for doing everything yourself in your business. So why not make it easy for you to thrive?
If you’re not seeing the growth you want or you feel like you’re continually spinning your wheels – maybe it’s time to invest in support.
I’ve invested in myself and my business from Day 1 and I’ll ALWAYS continue to look for opportunities to invest in support in different ways. It’s good for me, it’s good for my business AND it’s good for my clients – so it’s a no-brainer.
The best way to make smart business support decisions is to stay grounded in why you’re investing in support. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise online but ultimately YOU need to be clear on the level and type of support you need as well as your business goals and objectives.
For the love of dogs – TRUST YOURSELF.
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