Do you remember when you played sports, and you had that one coach who REALLY made you believe that you- as a player- had what it took to up-level YOUR game? Do you remember how that coach not only gave you the confidence you needed to make that play or nail the shot, but they also gave you the drills and skills to get you there? They weren’t toxically positive telling you that your mildly athletic self was going to go pro, but they did truly encourage you and made YOU believe that you could level up your game? My favorite softball coaches, Coach Clark and Coach Sissel, were like this, and gosh, I loved playing for them. My game improved so much under their coaching. 

before we get into it, pin this post for later!

Oh how I wish that there were more coaches in the business world like them. Spend a few minutes googling about how to grow your business, and before long an ad or website for at least one business coach will pop up in your results. And while I am a fan of business coaches, (hello, I am one) I have to warn you:

Not all business coaches are created equal. Not all coaches are as good as my old softball coaches. 

Now while this post may seem like a shameless plug to hire me (and if you think we’re the right fit, please do) my main objective in writing this is to help you avoid hiring one of THOSE business coaches who really aren’t in it to help you OR who don’t actually have the tools to help you. 

Side note: If you ARE a coach and you feel called out by some of these, how can you pivot and learn to use your gifts in a way that better serves others?

14 Things a good business coach will never say or do:

1. Make YOU feel like shit

No matter where you are at in your business, you are doing amazing simply because you keep showing up and you care enough to keep growing. 

2. Imply that you NEED them to have success

You are not desperate. You got to wherever you are in your business without them. If they feel your success is completely dependent on them then they believe too highly in their abilities and not enough in yours. 

3. Require that you hire them for basically forever

If a coach ever tells you that “you’re in this for the long haul” and “you need to work her payments into your budget for months and months,” RUN THE OTHER WAY.

4. Guaranteed 10K months.

No one can actually guarantee a certain amount of growth. They cannot truly predict the economy, the changing needs of the market, or how much work you will actually put in. 

5. That they will do all the work for you

If it is truly a coaching relationship then you need to learn. If you get a done for you service then you won’t actually learn anything. If you need DFY work, that’s fine, but hire that out accordingly and don’t call it coaching. 

6. That they are always on call

Boundaries and self-care are an important part of life for everyone. Your coach needs to have healthy boundaries and hours to ensure that they actually have the energy to give you their best. 

Read An Open Letter to Mompreneurs from a Mompreneur

7. Utilize only negative coaching tactics 

Do all of their sentences start with “you have to STOP?” That doesn’t sound too bad at first, but what if you don’t know HOW to stop something? Or what if you don’t know what to do instead? 

Does a coach try to shame you? Please, walk away immediately. This tactic helps no one and merely strokes their fragile ego.

8. Are toxically positive

You don’t need someone who tells you that you can do things that you really aren’t capable of doing right now. No, they don’t need to be a jerk,  but they also need to understand your skills and the room for growth in your market. 

9. They only ever hype you up without giving you actual tools and skills to grow.

You are not looking for a cheerleader. You are looking for a coach- one who will actually help you get better at running your business. 

10. You have to do it exactly their way to be successful

There are so many ways to run a business and be successful in your industry. In fact, there really is a way to do it all that’s wildly unique to you. 

Need help writing captions that are wildly effective and wildly you? Get my free captions guide here. 

11. They tell you to Borrow money to invest in a coach

Please don’t ever let someone pressure you into going into debt to pay them. Please. 

12. If you don’t invest in their coaching/program right then, you don’t really care about your business.

Run, don’t walk, RUN the other way if someone says this to you. 

13. Are openly rude and disrespectful about other clients and coaches

If they have to name-drop trash talk other coaches or other clients to build their business then they are probably not your people.

14. They tell you to not be yourself. 

You, being you, is your biggest asset in business and in life. If a coach cannot get behind you, the real you, to help you level up, then don’t partner with them. 

Needing support & guidance is a natural process. We have all gotten help to get where we are now, and chances are good that we will all need coaching in some form to get where we want to go.  While I LOVE helping entrepreneurs step into their superpowers and set up systems that work for THEM, I realize that I am not the perfect fit for everyone. But please, PLEASE don’t hire a coach that says or does these kinds of things. You and your business are too valuable to be treated like this.

And if you are ready to start getting some super valuable coaching, apply here for a 1:1 coaching spot. 

Not quite ready for that investment yet? Check out our new membership option, The Wildly You Membership. Open enrollment coming soon! Waitlisters save $20!!