So, you want to find a Business Coach?

To successfully find a business coach, you should do your
homework first. Looking for the right coach could
improve your business & change your life!

Why Find a Business Coach (or Executive Coach)?

You may want to find a business coach if you feel your business could and should be doing better, but aren't sure what to do about it. Or perhaps you know what you should be doing, but are avoiding it for some reason? In either case, looking for and finding a business coach, who could help you in various ways, might be something you'd like to consider.

Things to Know to Help You Find a Small Business Coach

Here's a brief summary of what you should know if you want to locate a small business coach:

* Know What You're Looking For: When you are looking for an executive business coach, sure, you realize that you may be somewhat stuck or need some type of help in certain ways. But if you can focus on your own and figure out your challenges and what might be useful to you, this will help you in the search for your coach. Interviewing one or two coaches will help you gain more clarity, too.

* No Two Coaches are "Created Equal": Think of finding and hiring a business coach almost like choosing a doctor, or even dating and marrying a spouse. It's an important decision. The goal is to find one you can trust, respect and potentially want to stay with. Business coaches are people and each one speaks differently, thinks differently and acts differently. Some strictly do coaching, while others are willing to wear a lot of hats including business coaching, business consulting, facilitating meetings between employees, brainstorming, mentoring, being a sounding board, and even, being a friend.

Some you will relate to much better than others. Some can be dry, while others you may find pleasantly entertaining on occasion! :-) You want to pick one that you can be really open with, and gives you guidance that feels right for you.

* A business coach does NOT need to be local: Many people think that you need to find a business coach close by. This is not true in most cases. Why? 1) Most coaching is done over the phone and Internet, and 2) Limiting your search for a business coach to your local area is limiting your search; you will be missing some people who may be perfect for you to work really well with.

* Can You "Date" Your Coach First?: As I implied, the goal is to find a business coach you want to be "married" to - at least for a while. I suggest you find and try one or more that will give you an initial free session and then will allow you to hire your potential coach on a small, low-cost project; that way you'll see how you really work together. Typical business engagements often last for 6 months to 2 years, while others can continue much longer. Each situation is different.

* What is Meant by "Small" Business?: Although the government may consider a business small that has hundreds or more employees, when you're looking for a small business coach, find out what size their normal client is. Many typically work with businesses that have less than 50 or 100 employees.

* Good Luck in your Search to Find a Business Coach: Do you have questions? I realize there is always more that would be helpful to know to find and hire a business coach or consultant, and no two challenges are alike. But hopefully what I've provided here is good "food for thought" to help you think this through.

If you do have some comments or questions, please feel free to contact me.

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Find a Business Coach in the Washington DC
Metropolitan Area, Maryland, or Virginia

Maryland - If you are looking to find a business coach/consultant in Maryland, in the following counties, it may be relatively easy to meet you in person:

Allegany - Anne Arundel - Baltimore - Calvert - Caroline - Carroll - Cecil - Charles - Dorchester - Frederick - Garrett - Harford - Howard - Kent - Montgomery - Prince George's - Queen Anne's - Saint Mary's - Somerset - Talbot - Washington - Wicomico - Worcester

Virginia - If you are looking to find a business coach/consultant in Virginia in these counties, please let me know if you would like to meet in person:

Accomack - Albemarle - Alexandria - Alleghany - Amelia - Amherst - Appomattox - Arlington - Augusta - Bath - Bedford - Bland - Botetourt - Bristol - Brunswick - Buchanan - Buckingham - Buena Vista - Campbell - Caroline - Carroll - Charles City - Charlotte - Charlottesville - Chesapeake - Chesterfield - Clarke - Clifton Forge City - Colonial Heights - Covington - Craig - Culpeper - Cumberland - Danville - Dickenson - Dinwiddie - Emporia - Essex - Fairfax - Falls Church - Fauquier - Floyd - Fluvanna - Franklin - Frederick - Fredericksburg - Galax - Giles - Gloucester - Goochland - Grayson - Greene - Greensville - Halifax - Hampton - Hanover - Harrisonburg - Henrico - Henry - Highland - Hopewell - Isle of Wight - James City - King and Queen - King George - King William - Lancaster - Lee - Lexington - Loudoun - Louisa - Lunenburg - Lynchburg - Madison - Manassas - Manassas Park - Martinsville - Mathews - Mecklenburg - Middlesex - Montgomery - Nelson - New Kent - Newport News - Norfolk - Northampton - Northumberland - Norton - Nottoway - Orange - Page - Patrick - Petersburg - Pittsylvania - Poquoson - Portsmouth - Powhatan - Prince Edward - Prince George - Prince William - Pulaski - Radford - Rappahannock - Richmond - Roanoke - Rockbridge - Rockingham - Russell - Salem - Scott - Shenandoah - Smyth - Southampton - Spotsylvania - Stafford - Staunton - Suffolk - Surry - Sussex - Tazewell - Virginia Beach - Warren - Washington - Waynesboro - Westmoreland - Williamsburg - Winchester - Wise - Wythe - York

BusinessTune-Ups is based in the Dunn Loring, Merrifield section of Vienna (Fairfax County), near Tyson's Corners, McLean, and Falls Church, in Northern Virginia. The main requirement for executive coaching with me is to speak or write English and have access to a phone and/or Internet connection.

BusinessTune-Ups has clients and alliances in the Washington Metropolitan Area (including Rockville, Bethesda and Gaithersburg in Montgomery County), Arlington, Alexandria and Springfield, Virginia, Baltimore Maryland, Atlanta, Augusta and CSRA Georgia, Long Island and Manhattan, New York, Providence, Pawtucket and Smithfield, Rhode Island, New England, Denver, Colorado, Texas, California, the West Coast, other locations in the USA, Canada, Great Britain (U.K.), Sweden, Australia, and more; we're just a phone call or mouse-click away!

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Once again, good luck if you're searching to find a small business coach!