I am more effective, efficient and less stressed

Michelle Love produces three local, monthly magazines. After eight years of running the business, she had reached a point where paying the bills had become her key priority and she didn’t love what she did anymore.  She realised that this wasn’t enough, and she had to escape the rut she found herself in.

Michelle had already worked with a couple of different business coaches, and had poor experiences.  On both occasions she’d felt like they were foisting a one size fits all approach on her that didn’t generate results whilst needing a significant financial outlay.  A business coach definitely wasn’t something she was prepared to consider again.  Yet now she finds herself working with ActionCOACH.

I had nothing to lose

“I’ve known Zoë, Matt’s business development manager, for quite a few years.  When we talked, she obviously wasn’t trying to sell business coaching to me, but when we talked about our work she told me about what Matt did, how he was helping other business owners and how proud she was to be part of the organisation.  I wasn’t in a great place with the business, and when she suggested having a chat with him, to see if he could help me, I decided I had nothing to lose.

Within half an hour of talking to Matt on the phone he’d managed to clear a massive block that I’d been struggling with.  I then had a follow up face to face meeting, and had a massive WOW moment.  He’s got a really great way of using questions to help you reach your own conclusions, rather than telling you what he thinks, and that really helped me work things out.

I got so much value from the free taster sessions I wanted to carry on

Both the phone call and the 121 session were completely free.  I’d got so much value that I really wanted to carry on working with him.  I chose to sign up to ActionCLUB, the group coaching product he offers, because it fitted my budget.  Because I work alone, the idea of being in a group coaching environment was also really positive.

I’m so glad that I did sign up.  We have a great dynamic in our group, with real trust and honesty between us all.  Matt is incredibly knowledgeable, and the way he delivers and keeps everyone engaged is brilliant.  If you need clarification, or have to ask an obvious question, he never makes you feel stupid.  And, even though we are following a programme, it doesn’t feel like a one size fits all approach at all.  He still manages to tailor everything to each individual’s requirements.  The businesses in our ActionCLUB are all totally different, but the challenges we face are pretty similar.

Coaching is now a priority for me

My ActionCLUB meeting is an absolute priority in my diary every fortnight.  I have a new found love for my business and, because I’m tackling challenges head on, and don’t feel like I have to deal with everything on my own, I’m really positive about things that might previously have made me anxious.

We measure the results of everything we do, so I feel in control of the outcomes and how to influence those outcomes.  It’s great.  I’ve been able to examine my work habits and make changes so that I’m more effective and efficient, and much less stressed.  That has also had a positive impact on my personal life, and that’s great too.

If he couldn’t help me I know he’d have said said so

Lots of people think that business coaching isn’t for them, that they’re too small, they’re not business like enough etc, but until you know exactly what it involves, and exactly what the benefits and outcomes are, you can’t make an informed decision about it.  That’s the great thing about Matt, he offers tasters etc so that you can try it and see for yourself if it could work for you.  And there was never any hard sell either.  I always felt that Matt was really honest, and that if he didn’t think that he could help me he wouldn’t accept me on the course.

I’m also reassured because Matt’s gone through the process of running his own business too, so he properly understands what we’re all going through.  He got coached through the growth and sale of his old business and now, even as a business coach himself, he still has a coach to make sure he’s constantly improving too.  If it’s good enough for him, it’s certainly good enough for me!”