Small Business Coaching!

[StoneLink]

Hello

My name is Nicholas Tsiougos, Head Coach at StoneLink Coaching and I am new to the forum.

I believe this is a great place to network amongst like minded individuals and businesses!

I look forward to speaking to you all and exchanging ideas.

Best Wishes
Nicholas

_________________
Nicholas A. Tsiougos
StoneLink Coaching
Tel: 0845 838 2464
www.stonelinkcoaching.com
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[mumper]

Hi Nicholas,

Welcome to the forums

 

[Jayne]

Welcome Nicholas,

Lot's of nice people on here! There is nothing they don't know about business between them. Hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Best Wishes

Jayne

 

[StoneLink]

Hi,

Appreciate the warm welcome! Time to call it a night...

Cheers,
Nicholas

_________________
Nicholas A. Tsiougos
StoneLink Coaching
Tel: 0845 838 2464
www.stonelinkcoaching.com
"every step of the way"

 

[Rob Holmes]

Hi Nicholas,

Welcome to UKBF

I recently participated in a 5 week business coaching session and although I was sceptical before I had the meetings after 2 or 3 meetings things really developed and our business was transformed within a couple of weeks after the coaching. What was strange was the coach didn't actually suggest anything himself - just got me to.

Rob

 

[Twokids]

Welcome Nicholas

Where is Stonelink based? You give no physical address and you use a 0845 telephone code.

Is Stonelink a virtual company which hires coaches when and if needed?

regards

Jim

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

[StoneLink]

Hi Rob,

Coaching does make a difference, however many people are skeptical about whether it really works and how.

It's an intangible service and therefore, it is important that coaches have model, a strategy they follow that they can show clients either on paper, powerpoint, in helping them towards fulfilling their objectives.

Otherwise, StoneLink is home based in London...

Regards,
Nicholas

 

[Twokids]

Hi Rob,

Coaching does make a difference, however many people are skeptical about whether it really works and how.

It's an intangible service and therefore, it is important that coaches have model, a strategy they follow that they can show clients either on paper, powerpoint, in helping them towards fulfilling their objectives.

Otherwise, StoneLink is home based in London...

Regards,
Nicholas

Hi Nicholas - I guess the difficult thing about selling intangibles is that they depend on a lot on word of mouth recommendation.

No offence but I have had some bad experiences with BC's in the past - the trouble is their deliverables cannot be measured until after you have signed up with them - sometimes a long time after.

The big players - I'm talking about consultancies here - can get away with recommendation and 'board level buck shift' - ie the board recommends Acenture or whatever - if things go right they get huge pay rises, if things go wrong they know that nobody gets fired for hiring a top level Consulting firm regardless of the outcome - and the board still gets a pay rise...

What I'm saying is good luck! It's a tough sell but rewarding when you get repeat/recommended business.

Jim

( ex Acenture Andriod) :wink:

 

[Magnum Opus]

Hi nick

I could do with some coaching or at least some advice!

 

[StoneLink]

too right, Jim... There have been some horror stories not only in the UK but OZ (where I'm from) and the US...
For this reason alone, over the past 6 months, we've sifted, analysed, and broken down as much research as we could, in order to come up with a model that is not only simple and effective for a small business, but one that will deliver results.

We've incorporated a test pilot phase as well within each of the 7 key areas of one's business, after a thorough assessment. It is a pre-requisite before we go live. This minimises the gap between failure and success, and you get to see the "what if's"....

Otherwise, thanks for best wishes. I'm optimistic that if I maintain my current approach which is very similar to Warren Buffet's, “Look at the business you run as if it were the only asset of your family, one that must be operated for the next 50 years and can never be sold”, then I should be okay...

Best Wishes,
Nicholas

 

[Twokids]

Good reply Nicholas!

I like your pilot idea - that would go a long way to making me feel confident in what I would be recieving at the end of the assignment.

I will note your details for when my needs arise.

Thanks

Jim

 

[Mark Powell]

I recently participated in a 5 week business coaching session and although I was sceptical before I had the meetings after 2 or 3 meetings things really developed and our business was transformed within a couple of weeks after the coaching.

What was strange was the coach didn't actually suggest anything himself - just got me to.

That's one of the main differences between Coaching and Consulting. A consultant would suggest ideas which may or may not fit in or be practical within your business. Furthermore as it's their idea not yours then there is less ownership on your part.

A coach on the other hand will get you to come up with ideas yourself, and these are not just the obvious ideas but they will get you to think of alternative solutions, reframe the problem and keep going until you get some novel ideas. You then sort them and identify the ones that are going to work.

After this process you have a set of ideas that are specific to your business, your staff, your market and your customers. Not only that the ideas are your own so you are 100% committed to them.

It's no wonder a good coach can transform your business but as in all things make sure you get a good coach.

 

[Twokids]

That's one of the main differences between Coaching and Consulting. A consultant would suggest ideas which may or may not fit in or be practical within your business. Furthermore as it's their idea not yours then there is less ownership on your part.

A coach on the other hand will get you to come up with ideas yourself, and these are not just the obvious ideas but they will get you to think of alternative solutions, reframe the problem and keep going until you get some novel ideas. You then sort them and identify the ones that are going to work.

Thanks for that Mark - I (obviously) hadn't thought of it that way before and saw coaches and independant consultants as one and the same.

Jim

 

[daveashton]

Good luck with this.

We have worked with Action International and the results have been v good for the clients. As people have said the problem is perception and NOT the results that even an average coach will bring let alone a good one.