When you are looking for support as you take action toward your goals, or even to better clarify your goals, it is time to consider coaching and consulting. Although coaching and consulting are different services, they can overlap.
Quick Look at Coaching and Consulting
A consultant typically provides support with a “how-to” (like how to set up a blog or how to write sales copy). As such the relationship revolves around that one task or skill. On the other hand, a coach typically supports an entrepreneur through complex decisions, of which the most pressing issues are not the performance of a specific task.
The two services overlap when some of the methods, such as careful listening and brainstorming, are used with a client in both coaching and consulting situations. The two services differ because the bulk of the methods are different. For example coaches hold clients accountable for their action plans; this is not expected or appropriate for a consultant. Consultants demonstrate best know methods for performing a task; this is never the role of a business coach.
What Coaches Do
A coach’s job is to ask questions that help you clarify your vision, goals, priorities and action plans; the coach then helps by listening and holding you accountable to the action plans that you develop. Coaching helps people sift through their own thoughts to make their own decisions and take action on their business.
A coach can help you set realistic goals and help you attain those goals. Coaches often specialize in helping certain types of people or certain areas of life.
You, the entrepreneur, determine the issues or topics discussed with a coach. However, coaching is different from:
- Therapy. Only trained professionals can provide counseling or therapy.
- Consulting. Consultants are knowledgeable in a specific set of tasks and agree, for a fee, to help you with any of the tasks within that “set” by answering questions and showing you what to do. It can be extended, by some definitions, to include skilled contract work.
- Mentoring. Mentors are successful people in a specific occupation or business that take you under their wing, show you their tricks, and may or may not also coach you. If they offer to do this for a fee, it is usually very high and for a specific short period of time.
As a coach, I specialize in helping home business entrepreneurs as they work to grow their businesses.
Most of my clients either already have an online component to their home business or they are attempting to add internet marketing to what they do. Typical coaching issues:
- Confusion about direction, market, or niche.
- Overwhelm with the many tasks facing the entrepreneur, often complicated by demands of family, job, or others circumstances.
- Uncertainty related to lack of results, distractions, or conflicting advice.
- Uncertainty related to strong results and multiple options.
- Uncertainty about collaborative advantages and disadvantages and where to find resources for successful partnering.
- Complications with collaborative partners.
- Lack of a plan and the desire to have one.
What Consultants Do
A consultant’s job is to answer questions that help you solve specific challenges in your business. Consultants specialize in specific types of tasks. Consultants may contract to work with you (showing and/or training you to do certain things) or they may work for you (you outsource to them), or a combination.
You, the entrepreneur, select a consultant based upon your need to accomplish a specific task and the ability of a given consultant to get the task done for you.
As a consultant, I specialize in:
- Tasks related to live training events.
- Tasks related to online training projects.
- The process of collaboration with other entrepreneurs.
- Idea generation (brainstorming) for collaborative possibilities, products, article ideas, resource creation, etc.
- Writing articles.
- Tasks associated with blog set up.
What I Do
Richard Goutal
I help clients reach their entrepreneurial goals through coaching and consulting, depending on their needs.
I begin by listening to the client’s concerns and questions. I ask my own questions to clarify their progress and needs.
If I sense confusion or uncertainty about goals, purpose, direction, or choices then I provide coaching. If I feel that coaching is needed but that I am not the best resource, I will likely suggest another coach or professional.
If I sense clarity about business goals and direction and I am presented with “how to” questions within the realm of my expertise, I will provide consulting or training as requested.
If you have a concern about your business, I encourage you to get a fresh perspective that comes through coaching. Whether your interest is for coaching or consulting, there is never a cost for a first-time (phone or Skype) meeting.
My Background for Coaching and Consulting
My 15 years experience as a high school classroom teacher was a solid foundation. During that time I taught “Introduction to Psychology” to high school seniors (and some adults) for 12 years, receiving very positive classroom reviews. Even then, without fully appreciating best practice, I provided coaching and consulting to both students and other teachers.
I left the public school system to begin my first entrepreneurial adventure: starting my own small private school. It was a lot of fun and I learned my first lessons in collaboration and long range planning.
During the next eight years, I worked in corporate America as product training manager for a semiconductor equipment company. There I learned the difference between education and effective training, primarily from one of the foremost training gurus, Robert Mager. Of course I also learned of the personal perils of a “job” when I was “downsized” in 1992.
Shortly after that, I once again became an entrepreneur by positioning myself as a training consultant to high tech companies. In that capacity I have conducted live workshops on training strategies and tactics in over 12 countries, for over a hundred companies. In addition I provided feedback to trainers and training organizations, coaching professionals on how to communicate and implement training strategies. I continue to provide training, coaching and consulting services in that industry.
Most recently, I have challenged myself with trying something new: internet marketing. Of great interest to me is the appeal that “online marketing” has for boomers and other retirees as an opportunity to replace incomes lost during the recent (current) recession. 
I have made it my goal to meet and converse with many such folks, both online and at live events for internet marketers, to understand their problems, pitfalls, opportunities, and success stories.
I am actively increasing my coaching skill-set by taking courses in “coaching.”
I have seen that collaboration -working with others- has been helpful in moving ahead and achieving goals as an online marketer. So I have made it my purpose to help others better understand how to use that strategy in their own businesses.
So, if coaching and consulting are services that might help you accelerate your business growth, contact me for an initial free session. Let’s discuss which approach can most help you.
What Smart Seekers of Coaching and Consulting Do
They get to know more about a prospective coach or consultant.
What are they like? To do this you can read what they have written. For example, read their blog posts if they have a blog. Read their free special reports if they have any. Does their way of thinking resonate with you?
Do they have experience in the area of your consulting request? Check what they list for accomplishments. Where possible, look at examples of their work.
Do they have training or credentials for coaching? At present, no licensing is required and anyone can claim to be a coach. Coaches can have a broad background but typically will focus on certain types of client issues (business, family, spiritual, health) or sometimes clients with certain backgrounds.
Smart seekers schedule a short get acquainted session. They use the time to determine if the coach or consultant is someone with whom they can feel comfortable. They use a list of prepared questions so that they make good use of the time. They allow the prospective coach or consultant to ask them questions to enable him/her to determine if they believe they can be of help. They clarify costs involved and other arrangements before making a decision.
If You Are Experiencing…
- Confusion about direction, market, or niche.
- Overwhelm with the many tasks facing the entrepreneur, often complicated by demands of family, job, or others circumstances.
- Uncertainty related to lack of results, distractions, or conflicting advice.
- Uncertainty related to strong results and multiple options.
- Uncertainty about collaborative advantages and disadvantages and where to find resources for successful partnering.
- Complications with collaborative partners.
- Lack of a plan and the desire to have one.
…Please contact me.
Regards,
Richard Goutal
Coaching and Consulting