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The Benefits of Business Coaching

Feb 10, 2020

The Benefits of Business Coaching. Are you struggling to make your business vision come to life? Do you feel stuck in your career? Has your revenue stalled? When it’s time to take your business or professional growth to the next level, it’s a smart idea to seek the help of a coach. Not only does this help provide a fresh perspective, but coaches have also often been in your shoes before and know first-hand the challenges being faced. The list of benefits doesn’t end there.


Thinking Outside of the Box


It’s easy to feel stuck or stagnant if you’ve been working hard to build a business without much recent success. The risk of trying something new might be a scary thought, but it’s something that could be holding you back. A coach will ask the questions needed to determine if it’s time to think outside the box and help weigh the pros and cons. They’ll also encourage that spark of innovation that your business needs to light the fire that will help create new products, systems, or services.


Hear Objective Opinions


Your employees or partners may be compliant or worried about disagreeing with your ideas. This is a good way to avoid friction, but it also means you won’t get much objective feedback — good, bad, or ugly. Remember that a coach isn’t going to be a permanent part of your staff so they can challenge your ideas in productive ways. They’ll observe without fear of repercussions and give honest feedback on your current policies and procedures. Coaches will also offer advice where they see fit.


Grow Your Confidence


It’s a common misconception that all leaders have confidence. Although it’s a common trait, it’s not necessarily inherent but it is something that can be learned. Business coaches will work with you to help identify skills, strengths, and abilities. They can also enable you to develop strategies that will allow you to weather any storms that come your way. This builds confidence, which in turn allows you to hire employees you can ultimately learn from; employees that will help your business grow. 

Improve Networking


If you’re not a natural networker, hiring a business coach can help you develop the skills you need to get better. Connecting with colleagues will grow your reach and expand visibility for your business, both of which will help your bottom line. Networking also takes up valuable time and resources that you may not have as you work hard on the high-value processes your business needs to thrive, and coaches may be able to make those connections on your behalf. Even when your coach has moved on, you’ll still have these valuable industry relationships to rely on.


The Benefits of Business Coaching Nurture Top Talent


It’s not just leaders and owners that benefit from business coaching. In a job market where it’s tough to find top talent, your organization needs to do what it can to retain high performers. Employees who are challenged and engaged with their job are more productive and less likely to jump ship. Creating an opportunity for growth within their position and offering personal development can be huge incentives, and coaches can work closely with the entire staff to recognize those opportunities. 


Learn Strategic Leadership Skills


Not even the most successful or wealthiest entrepreneurs have everything in place or are immune to burnout. You can’t do it all, and trying to be everywhere at all times will only hurt your business. Working with a business coach will refine your leadership focus so you can understand where to allocate your time and energy, and which tasks you can delegate to other team members. While it’s important to have your eyes on everything that happens within your business, you don’t need to do it all — and you do need to lead strategically.


Business owners sometimes need to leave their comfort zones to grow, and this can include taking advantage of the benefits of coaching. If you’re looking for guidance as you try to avoid pitfalls and work toward that growth, you’ve already taken an important first step. Simply put: If you’re not willing to learn, you can’t improve. You’ve made mistakes, but a dependable small business coach can help you avoid repeating them.


The Alexander Group uses decades of business experience to guide owners towards the fulfillment of their visions. For over ten years we have helped owners navigate high-pressure situations and potential pitfalls, all to come out better than ever on the other side.


To learn more, contact us online or give us a call today.

What Small Business Owners Need to Know About Email Authentication Requirements

08 Mar, 2024
Have you been having trouble sending out bulk emails and email blasts recently? Are you suddenly having deliverability issues with clients and vendors you've been emailing for years? If so, you're not alone — Google and Yahoo rolled out new DMARC requirements in February, creating headaches. We have heard that many of our small business owner clients and their IT departments are having such headaches.  To investigate this issue, we have leaned on IT expert and long-time TAG peer board member Fred Moore of Moore Computing. Fred has walked us through changes to DMARC and offers advice on how small business owners can get their emails back into the inbox. While DMARC changes have thrown many into a temporary tailspin, the changes represent a move to safer and more secure email communication for all parties. Let's discuss what small business owners need to know about DMARC, how they can ensure their emails reach customers' inboxes, and how to keep their business digitally secure. What is DMARC? Cybersecurity measures are similar to cars: most of us drive one daily, but most are unable to lift the hood and understand exactly how it runs. Most of us rely on cybersecurity measures to keep our businesses safe online, but we may need help understanding the technical elements that keep us safe. That said, all small business owners should have a general background in cybersecurity, and DMARC is a great place to start. DMARC stands for "Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance." The idea behind DMARC is to limit the volume of scams and phishing on the internet. DMARC works with SPF and DKIM. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a list of services and servers that are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain, and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is a digital seal that verifies the content of your email hasn't been altered or tampered with. DKIM is also able to withstand email forwarding, whereas SPF can not. Senders and Recipients At its core, DMARC validates the authentication of the sender of an email message. When there are deliverability issues with a message, it usually falls back on the sender. Small business owners know the importance of getting marketing campaign emails and other communications into their customers/clients' inboxes; to accomplish this, it is crucial to follow all protocols to ensure you have the best chances to reach customers' inboxes at an optimal place (i.e., not the spam folder), and avoid spam complaints. How does your email make its way to recipients? It follows a basic flow: ● The email is composed and sent ● The sending mail server will add DKIM ● The email is sent to the recipient's server ● Validation tests begin, checking DKIM, SPF, and DMARC policies ● The email either passes, is quarantined, or is blocked/deleted ● If the email passes, it goes through the recipient's user filters and inbox rules

The Costly Mistakes of DIY: Why Small Business Owners Should Invest in Professionals

11 Jan, 2024
Running a small business is a challenging task. It requires dedication, hard work, and juggling multiple responsibilities. Often, small business owners try to cut costs by taking on tasks themselves, even if they are better off calling a professional. While the intention may be to save money, the reality is that DIY can lead to costly mistakes and legal pitfalls. Let's explore the common mistakes small business owners make when they opt for a do-it-yourself approach and why investing in professionals like lawyers, accountants, and general contractors is crucial for long-term success. The Myth of Saving Money Many small business owners believe that handling tasks themselves will save them money in the long run. However, this is often a misconception. While it may seem cost-effective initially, the lack of expertise and knowledge in critical areas can lead to costly mistakes that can ultimately hinder the growth and profitability of a business. The Value of Professional Services Professional services, such as lawyers, accountants, advisors, and general contractors, bring expertise, experience, and a deep understanding of industry regulations. They can provide valuable guidance, prevent legal issues, and help small business owners make informed decisions that align with their long-term goals. Most of the time, business owners don't consult with their advisors because they are wary of spending money on bills from their advisors on top of other expenses. The phrase "You can pay me now, or really pay me later" comes into play in these situations. Business owners should not be afraid to discuss money and bills from professionals with their advisors, and they should properly compensate advisors for their time. Complaining about spending a few thousand dollars to review a $20,000,000 contract can cost hundreds of thousands due to difficult payment and dispute resolution terms.  Protecting Your Intellectual Property Intellectual property (IP) is a valuable asset for any business. Failing to protect it can lead to brand confusion, loss of revenue, and legal battles. Trademarks, copyrights, and patents should be filed appropriately and protected to ensure exclusive rights to your brand name, logo, or product design. How Professionals Can Help Lawyers specializing in intellectual property can guide small business owners through filing the necessary documents and paying the required fees. They can conduct an IP audit to identify and protect essential assets, develop IP protection strategies, and enforce IP rights if violations occur.

What Business Owners Can Learn From Al Pacino’s Locker Room Speech in “Any Given Sunday”

09 Oct, 2023
In the 1999 film “Any Given Sunday,” directed by Oliver Stone, Al Pacino delivers a powerful and memorable locker room speech that has resonated with me for years. The speech, delivered by Pacino’s character, Tony D’Amato, before a crucial football game, encapsulates the essence of the film and the themes it explores. While the speech is specifically about football, its underlying message can be applied to various aspects of life, including business. The idea of fighting for inches, continuously improving, and eliminating mistakes is a powerful metaphor for the importance of perseverance and adaptability in business. It highlights the value of small victories, incremental progress, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. For business owners, the speech serves as a reminder to focus on the details and the small wins that can accumulate over time. Just as a football team must fight for every inch on the field, a successful business must be diligent in managing its resources and seize every opportunity for growth. It emphasizes the importance of building a team that shares the same values and is committed to continuous improvement. Think of it in terms of all the inches and seconds around us in business and how $200 here and $50 there adds up. The whole concept of continuous improvement, eliminating mistakes, and fighting to get better is what I believe Oliver Stone intended when he wrote it. I love it as much today and as when I first saw it and the metaphor of getting into business and being profitable. You can read the transcript here . Or watch it here:
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