Independent Hospitality Professionals- Do You Need a Coach?

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.”
Ara Parasheghian – Former Notre Dame Football Coach

A major part of my responsibilities include coaching and mentoring each of the independent meeting planners that have joined my team. I love being a leader, trusted advisor and mentor helping individuals build their businesses and achieve their desired success. But sometimes, the coach also needs to be coached…so I engaged a business coach.

Many of the best athletes, business people, politicians and entertainers are surrounded by coaches and advisors. They know they need help along the way to ensure their success. As the world continues to move faster and get more competitive, it’s difficult for us to keep up with the hospitality industry transformations and the innovations in event planning, sales, marketing and business strategies.

Continuing with the sports analogy, let’s compare a business or professional coach to a golf caddie. The few times that I have been fortunate enough to golf with a caddie, it has been an amazing experience. I had someone standing next to me, looking over my shoulder, giving me advice on what club to use and how to best make the shot. Imagine if you had this person assisting you in the business world, helping you stay on track and making the right decisions. A business coach can be your ‘professional caddie’.

Maybe you are still on the fence….is hiring a coach the right decision for you? Let me give you some reasons why YOU may want to consider a business coach:

Your Business Coach Will:

1. Be there for you personally to support and inspire you.
2. Help you clearly define your goals.
3. Identify roadblocks in advance and help you work through them.
4. Provide a roadmap to ensure your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly activities are facilitating your biggest priorities and ultimately achieving your goals.
5. Share a wealth of ideas, knowledge, expertise, tools and resources. They will help you brainstorm on how to solve the challenges of your business.
6. Be honest and help you overcome your fears and doubts. Your coach won’t judge you and will be an objective listener.
7. Pick you up when you fall short and celebrate with you when you reach the finish line.

Engage Your Business Coach When:

1. You want to grow your business.
2. You want to improve your systems and operations.
3. You are developing your business and marketing plan.
4. You want to work ‘on’ your business and not ‘in’ your business.

You have a dream of a better life, freedom and the rewards of being an independent business owner in the hospitality industry, but you may need help. For all the reasons previously mentioned and the burning desire to achieve my dream, I engaged a business coach! Imagine what you would accomplish this year with the support of a coach…are you ready to change your life?

“I never cease to be amazed at the power of the coaching process to draw out the skills or talent that was previously hidden within an individual, and which invariably finds a way to solve a problem previously thought unsolvable.”
John Russell

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in “Hospitality Professionals: Is Being An Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right for You?”