Buyers beware! Over the past few years the word, “coach” has come to mean sooo many things (dare I say, being a coach has become the new black?).

There are many people who now claim to be coaches.

So in the sea of oh, so many… how do you find a coach that’s right for you? A coach that really “gets” you and suits your needs?

Here are 2 tips to help you find an awesome coach:

1. START WITH THE END IN MIND

Decide the outcome you want to achieve from working with a coach. Do you want to start your own business? Find the right job? Or perhaps get in the best shape of your life?

Once you have the end in mind, begin searching for a coach that specializes in the area of your life that you’re seeking to transform.

If you want to make a major career transition or to lose 20 pounds before your wedding, find a coach who specializes in these specific areas. Also, make a point to learn about your coach’s personal journey. Your coach’s personal journey is key, as it will directly relate to their ability to empathize with your journey.

For example, I don’t recommend hiring a health coach who says they can - oh, by the way, also help you find the next step in your career. While this may seem obvious, you could run into a situation where a coach changes their tune regarding what they specialize in order to secure you as their client.

Bottom line, rather than a coaching generalist who claims to be all things to all people, find a coach that specializes in helping their clients achieve the outcome you are seeking.

2. HIRE A COACH WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THE OUTCOME YOU’RE SEEKING

I’m a strong believer that it’s extremely difficult to teach (or coach) what one has not personally experienced. For example, it would be a major disservice to my clients to claim I’m an expert golf coach when I haven’t picked up a club in 8 years (nor can I make it through more than 9 holes!).

It’s key to find a coach who has personally experienced something similar to what you are aspiring for.

Why?

Empathy is the number one key ingredient in a coaching relationship. You’ll find that you spend less time explaining a situation to your coach and more time discussing your desired transformation and outcome - because they really “get” where you’re coming from… and they “get” you! They can put themselves in your shoes.

All that said, if you think you’ve found the coach that’s right for you, there’s one more thing to determine - are they all FLUFF or all STUFF?

How to find out:

ALL FLUFF, NO STUFF. Don’t fall for an extremely high cost coaching package that doesn’t come with any tangible materials or outcome. This is fluff. I once had a coach pitch me a $7K+ package that was comprised of loosey-goosey “chats” and even a hike in the woods if I wished.

That was a real head-scratcher. I wasn’t looking for another hiking friend, I wanted actual help in transforming my current life situation!

It just wasn’t clear how thousands of dollars of casual chats and walks in the woods would map back to my desired results. I wanted tangible, tangible, tangible - a coach that would help me with a solid plan.

Sure, you’ll have to do the bulk of the work when you have a coach. But a good coach will be your guide and cheerleader along the way. They’ll keep you accountable to help you accomplish your goals. With all the right STUFF. Baby.

Holly works with professionals to create services-based businesses using expertise and strengths they already have. Holly is the creator of The Consultant Code, a program will have you up, running, and profitable with your services-based business in 60 days or less! Want to learn more? Drop her a note at: holly@hollyknoll.com