Hey Reader
This week, I'm talking about when to get business coaching and how to find the right one for you.
The truth is, we are all tired of it...
Scrolling through social media, where every third post screams, "you're doing it wrong." Then there's that perfect system promising you will be swimming in a pool of $100 bills with no work.
Content fatigue and decision fatigue are real...
Yet even the most wary of us can cave in and buy another coaching program that doesn't serve us.
If you've ever hit a wall in your business, you know how tempting it is to sign up for a course or coaching program, hoping it will solve everything. I’ve worked with amazing coaches...and I’ve also survived a few total trainwrecks. Let me share a few hard-earned tips to help you avoid the coaching chaos.
Never stay stuck
We all meet roadblocks in our business where we don’t know how to do the next thing. And for many people, that's where progress stops.
We try to figure things out on our own, binge watching YouTube videos, reading blogs, and searching endlessly through "how-to" articles. Yet we rarely find answers to the deeper questions we face.
That’s why coaching matters. In a world where we have nearly everything at our fingertips, there’s no excuse to stay stuck.
You can get coaching that moves you forward.
You can find someone right now who’s already done what you're trying to do.
That's the true power of the information age.
Consultant, coach or mentor?
Online, the term “coach” gets thrown around a lot, but what you're actually buying might not be coaching at all. So it helps to understand the difference.
- A consultant gives you a custom plan and tells you what to do.
- A coach offers perspective, strategies, and support, but you're the one making the decisions and doing the work.
- A mentor is someone further along who shares wisdom based on experience, but may not offer structured support.
These roles often overlap, but it’s worth taking the time to figure out what kind of help you actually need and whether the person you're following provides it.
Before you buy: 5 things I look for...
Here's what I watch for now when evaluating a course or coaching offer.
- Make sure the model fits your business.
Many coaches sell their exact method from start to finish. If you're going to follow someone’s entire process, make sure it truly aligns with what you're building. Before you commit, consume their free content like videos, posts, and podcasts.
- Look for a live component.
Pre-recorded lessons are great, but at some point, you'll have questions. You want live group sessions, live Q&A calls, or 1:1 coaching calls where you can ask for and get real-time feedback.
- Ask who is actually coaching.
If you connect with a coach, make sure that coach is the one showing up. If it's a team member leading the live calls, it can feel like a bait-and-switch when you get handed off to someone who wasn't part of what drew you in.
- Make sure the content is up to date.
The online world changes fast. If the training feels dated, it probably is. That can leave you questioning whether the strategy still works.
- Watch out for gatekeeping.
Many programs withhold essential parts of the process unless you buy the highest-level offer. It’s not always obvious upfront, but when it happens, it's frustrating and feels a little dishonest. Everyone’s financial situation is different, and withholding core information based on price point doesn't sit right with me. Higher-priced offers should focus on giving more personalized help or providing done-for-you elements.
Learn from my mistakes
I've been in coaching programs that cost thousands, and still didn't include access to the coach I had been following. Once, the person leading the live calls was a junior team member, and the content was outdated. I remember thinking: Even at this price, I’m still not “worth" their time?
I've also joined courses that were entirely pre-recorded—videos, worksheets, frameworks. Useful, yes. But when I hit a roadblock, there was no one to ask.
In that program, I signed up for a separate workshop just to get a single question answered, but the coach wouldn't answer and said that was covered in the premium coaching program.
These kinds of experiences shaped how I approach coaching now, both as a student and as someone who teaches others.
Coaching Checklist
Here's what I look for today when I consider a coaching offer.
✅ Access to the coach. I want the ability to ask questions and get answers from the top-level coach.
✅ A specific result. I don’t want a flagship program that teaches someone else’s method in 999 lessons. I want to solve my current problem fast with zero overwhelm.
✅ Fresh, relevant content. If it feels outdated, I move on. I want strategies that work right now from a coach who's still doing the work.
✅ Total honesty. If it’s not transparent, it's not for me.
What About You?
Have you had a coaching experience that stuck with you, good or bad?
I'd love to hear what you’ve learned, what you're looking for right now, and how I can help.
I have lots of quality coaches in my network, and I'm happy to share.
Here's to finding the right support at the right time.
Until next week,
Tanya