 What you should look for in an ideal coach? Solopreneurs need someone to talk to for mentorship. It comes down to your relationship with the person you take as your business mentor. Coaching relationship transforms to mentoring relationship over time. Best coach is also a mentor. Who Qualifies for an Ideal Coach? You as an interior design business owner needs to do some research whether you want a general coach or niche specific mentor. This decision needs careful investment of money and time. It is a long-term commitment to follow the road-map provided by your business coach. Finding an Ideal Business Coach The best way to find the perfect match is by asking around, networking or attending events where mentors are present. You may also want to consider joining a professional association that has a mentoring program. Ask your network of friends, colleagues, family members, business associates, etc., if they know anyone who might be willing to serve as a mentor. If no one comes up, then start looking online at sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc. There’s always somebody out there! Organizations like SBA, NKBA, AIA or ASID have resources and connections with business coaches. Small Business Association (SBA) mentoring services vs business coaching is another aspect. Private coaching doesn’t have external funding. Their digital training levels may also vary. Interview Your Potential Coach Where do I go from here? Where your coach fits in your business hierarchy? Accountability partner, helper etc. Once you have identified potential coach, it will be important to determine how much time each person would be able to devote to helping you grow your interior design business. It’s not uncommon for people to say “yes” when asked but later back off because their schedule doesn’t allow them to commit fulltime. So make sure you ask about availability before committing to any relationship. Know their personality type to find the best fit for your business. Know their communication style and norms. If you decide to work with more than one coaches, try to keep things balanced so everyone gets equal attention. Also, don’t expect too much from your first few relationships; just get started and see what happens. As long as you stay focused on growing your business, everything else will fall into place. Benefits of Having a Business Finance Coach A Finance Coach can provide insight about income tax issues, financial planning strategies, estate plans, retirement savings options, insurance coverage, investment management, banking services, loan refinancing, education loans, home ownership assistance programs, debt consolidation, mortgages, credit cards, student loans, auto financing, small business administration, real estate transactions, and other topics related to finance. An experienced person can offer advice regarding these matters based upon his/her expertise and experience. For example, he/she may recommend additional courses of action such as investing in stocks versus bonds or buying life insurance vs health insurance. The bottom line: a good Business Finance Coach will save you money over time through better decision making. And yes, we all love saving money! Right Time to Hire a Business Coach Hiring a mentor is an opportunity to learn in a business coaching environment. You need them the most when you need your attention, you feel you are overwhelmed, you feel you are stuck and you need a jumping off point. A coach can be an accountability person to help you uplift and to refine your plan on a holistic approach. For more information you can review CEU Webinar on our website under Resource Library section. If you have any questions or just want to speak with one of our professionals to learn more contact our office or schedule a strategy session to see how we can be of service.
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 Systems vs Processes
Systems in a design business may include interior design service, accounting system, marketing systems, SBUs and so on. Whereas, processes define road-map and definite steps you as a designer needs to take to help your clients reach next level in their project. Importance of Systems & Processes Why is this so important for a design business? How economically accurate are your systems and processes? Do they save you time? In order to answer all these questions, you need to start with a framework and hone in your style of work to develop your systems and processes. There is not enough historical data available to device systems and processes from scratch. You can look into other businesses to take motivation. Look around and see ways to improve your current systems and processes. Are Your Systems & Processes As Good As Happy Meals? McDonalds serve you same taste every time. It is reflected in the consistency of their systems and processes. Keep your systems and processes simple and repeatable. Having your systems and processes in place will make you more creative and your client happier. This can free up your mental space to focus on other things. Having systems and processes can help you bring in human resource that can replicate same results. Should You Hire a Business Coach to Supervise Your Systems and Processes? You as a designer might not be classically trained to manage those systems and business basics like licensure, office organization, trading group information etc. But good news is that you can be vulnerable and honest about your business with the coach you put your trust in. Coach can help you in deciding on good business practices by defining boundaries, ensuring accessibility and building confidence. Second opinion is important. A Coach can help you build your genius zone and business mindset. What are top 3 basic systems to start with? First and foremost condition is that you should be fully mindful of your design process. There are several processes that need your attention as priority including onboarding a client, writing a proposal, process of writing and signing contracts. You need to brain dump on a piece of paper and draw a framework. Project management templates like Persona can help you align your thoughts and task division strategy. Find your local ASID, AIA where your ideas are translated and discerned the way you want to convey. Secret takeaway is to jot down everything and create different binders for different processes in your biz. What Business Transformations Can You Expect from Your Systems and Processes in Place? Inviting freelancers, internees in your business can help you boost your progress. Persona templates help you assign tasks to your employees. You can trust people more when they are given right tools to do the project. You can have enough mental space to brainstorm and improve your biz processes like finding new income avenues. You can work more on your business. You can generate more business assets that are purchasable. If you want to sell your business, is it attractive enough? Systems and processes, well documented, increase worth and market of your business in buyers’ group. For more information visit our website kitchenandbathmarketingsolutions.com |
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