How to Make the Most of Business Coaching

Here’s the truth about coaching effectiveness.

At Building Great Businesses, we help Sydney business owners build businesses that work without them.

It’s 70% you. 30% your coach.

Two clients. Same coach. Same program. Same price.

One transforms their business. 10x ROI. Everything changes.

Other sees minimal results. Quits after six months. Money wasted.

The difference isn’t the coaching. It’s how they engage with it.

Here’s how to be the client who gets massive results.

The Fundamental Reality

Your coach provides framework, questions, accountability, expertise.

But they can’t do the work for you. Can’t make your decisions. Can’t implement in your business.

That’s your job.

Good coach multiplies your effectiveness. But you have to be effective first.

Think of coaching like a gym membership with a personal trainer.

Trainer gives you program. Holds you accountable. Corrects your form.

But you have to show up. Do the reps. Eat right between sessions.

Trainer can’t do the pushups for you.

1. Be Brutally Candid About Your Challenges

Biggest mistake: sharing sanitised version of your problems.

Coach asks: “How’s your team performing?”

Sanitised answer: “Pretty good. Few minor issues but generally solid.”

Candid answer: “Two of my seven people are carrying the team. Three are mediocre. Two shouldn’t be here. I’ve known for six months but haven’t addressed it.”

Guess which answer leads to progress?

Why candor matters:

• Coach can’t solve problems they don’t know exist
• Pretending things are better wastes session time
• Your ego isn’t paying the bills

What to share honestly:

• Financial reality (real numbers, not rounded-up versions)
• Team problems (who’s failing, why you haven’t dealt with it)
• Your own shortcomings (where you’re the bottleneck)
• Mistakes you’ve made
• What you’re avoiding

Your coach has seen it all. You’re not shocking them. Just give them real data to work with.

2. Actually Do the Homework

The work happens between sessions, not during them.

Session ends. Coach says: “Before next time, implement this hiring scorecard with your next candidate.”

Client who gets results: Implements it immediately. Tests it. Brings feedback next session.

Client who wastes money: “Yeah I didn’t get to that. Been busy.”

The pattern:

• Results clients: 80%+ implementation rate
• No-results clients: 20% implementation rate

Why implementation matters:

• Sessions build on previous work. No implementation = no progression.
• Your coach adjusts based on what happened. No data = generic advice.
• Real learning comes from doing, not discussing.

Make it happen:

• Block calendar time for implementation (2-5 hours weekly)
• Treat coaching homework like client deadline
• If you truly can’t do something, tell coach why (they’ll help remove obstacle)

3. Come Prepared to Every Session

Bad client approach:

• Shows up
• “So what should we talk about today?”
• Wastes 15 minutes figuring out agenda

Good client approach:

• Reviews last session notes
• Updates progress on actions
• Brings 2-3 specific challenges to address
• Has questions ready

Preparation checklist:

Before each session (15 minutes):

• Review last session notes
• Document what you implemented
• Note what worked and what didn’t
• Write down current top 3 challenges
• Prepare any data coach requested

This 15 minutes makes sessions 3x more productive.

4. Track Your Progress Systematically

You should know if coaching is working. Don’t operate on gut feel.

Metrics to track (monthly minimum):

• Revenue and profit
• Hours worked weekly
• Top 3 business challenges (are they improving?)
• Key metrics for your business
• Actions completed vs committed

Simple tracking:

• Monthly scorecard (one-page snapshot)
• Review with coach quarterly
• Adjust if metrics aren’t improving

See our guide: How to Measure the ROI of Business Coaching

Tracking creates accountability. To yourself and coach.

5. Ask Questions When You Don’t Understand

Bad: Nod along. Pretend you get it. Implement nothing because you’re confused.

Good: “Can you explain that differently? I’m not following.”

Your coach wants you to understand. They’re not judging your intelligence.

When to speak up:

• Coach suggests framework you don’t understand
• You disagree with their recommendation (say so, discuss it)
• You’re not sure how to apply advice to your situation
• Something they said doesn’t make sense

Questions make coaching better. Silence and confusion wastes money.

6. Give Your Coach Feedback

Coaching is a partnership. Your input improves it.

Feedback examples:

What’s working: “The weekly check-ins are keeping me accountable. Really valuable.”

What’s not: “The homework is taking 10 hours weekly. That’s not sustainable for me. Can we adjust scope?”

What you need more of: “Could we spend more time on team issues? That’s my biggest challenge right now.”

What’s confusing: “The framework you introduced last week doesn’t quite fit my business model. Can we customise it?”

Good coaches want this feedback. They adjust approach based on what works for you.

7. Prioritise Ruthlessly (2-3 Big Things, Not 20 Small Things)

Temptation: work on everything at once.

Hiring. Marketing. Systems. Pricing. Team. Strategy. Operations.

Result: Overwhelm. Nothing gets done well.

Better approach:

• Focus on 2-3 high-impact areas
• Go deep on those
• Get them working
• Then add next priorities

Example 90-day focus:

• Primary: Build hiring system (gets us better people)
• Secondary: Implement weekly team accountability meeting
• Tertiary: Document three core processes

Everything else waits. Ruthless prioritisation drives results.

Your coach will help identify highest-leverage priorities. Trust that focus.

8. Expect to Be Uncomfortable

Good coaching pushes you outside comfort zone.

Uncomfortable conversations you’ll have:

• “Why are you still doing that instead of delegating it?”
• “What’s the real reason you haven’t fired that person?”
• “How is working 65 hours weekly serving your business?”
• “What are you avoiding?”

These questions are uncomfortable because they’re true.

Growth happens outside comfort zone. If coaching feels comfortable all the time, you’re not being challenged enough.

Lean into discomfort. That’s where transformation happens.

9. Give It Time (Real Change Takes 6-12 Months)

Unrealistic timeline: “I’ve been in coaching six weeks and nothing’s changed.”

Realistic timeline: “Three months in, I’ve implemented hiring system, started weekly team meetings, and begun documenting processes. Not seeing full results yet but foundation is building.”

Typical transformation timeline:

• Months 1-3: Foundation building. Systems design. Initial implementation. Some quick wins.
• Months 4-6: Systems starting to work. Momentum building. Results becoming visible.
• Months 7-12: Systems mature. Compounding effects. Significant measurable improvement.

Don’t quit in month 4 because transformation isn’t complete. That’s like leaving gym after six weeks because you’re not ripped yet.

10. Implement Even When You Disagree

Your coach suggests something you don’t think will work.

Bad response: “That won’t work for my business” (without trying it).

Good response: “I’m sceptical but I’ll test it for 30 days and report back.”

You hired coach because your way got you stuck. If your instincts were perfect, you wouldn’t need coaching.

Test their recommendations. Even when sceptical.

Often the things you resist most are exactly what you need.

11. Be Coachable (Check Your Ego)

Uncoachable behaviours:

• Defending every decision
• “Yes but…” to every suggestion
• Explaining why things won’t work before trying
• Knowing better than coach on everything

Coachable behaviours:

• “I hadn’t thought of it that way”
• “Let me try that and see what happens”
• “You’re right, I’ve been avoiding that”
• “That’s uncomfortable but probably necessary”

Your ego is not paying your bills. Your business results are.

Check ego at the door. Be willing to hear hard truths.

What High-Performing Clients Do Differently

We’ve worked with 100+ business owners. The ones who transform fastest share traits:

They show up prepared: Review notes. Complete actions. Bring specific questions.

They implement immediately: Session ends Tuesday. Work started Wednesday.

They’re honest: Share real challenges, not impressive-sounding versions.

They ask for help: When stuck, they reach out between sessions.

They take ownership: “I didn’t do that” not “I didn’t have time.”

They stay focused: Work on 2-3 priorities, not 20.

They measure progress: Know their numbers. Track what matters.

They give it time: Commit to 12 months minimum before judging results.

What Low-Performing Clients Do

Show up unprepared: “So what should we work on today?”

Don’t implement: Session after session, same actions uncommitted to.

Stay defensive: Explain why every suggestion won’t work.

Disappear between sessions: Don’t communicate. Don’t follow up.

Blame circumstances: “I was too busy.” “My team didn’t…”

Chase shiny objects: Different priority every session. No sustained focus.

Quit early: Bail at 4-6 months. Right before real results show up.

These clients waste their money. Coach can’t help someone who won’t engage.

The 70/30 Rule

Coach provides (30%):

• Framework and methodology
• Expert questions
• Outside perspective
• Accountability structure
• Pattern recognition from experience

You provide (70%):

• Honest engagement
• Implementation between sessions
• Data and context
• Decision-making
• Persistence through obstacles

Both sides have to show up. But your side carries more weight.

Best coach in world can’t help client who won’t do the work.

Bottom Line

Maximising coaching ROI is simple. Not easy, but simple.

Be honest about real challenges.

Do the work between sessions.

Come prepared to every meeting.

Track progress systematically.

Ask questions when unclear.

Give feedback on what’s working.

Focus ruthlessly on 2-3 priorities.

Expect discomfort and lean into it.

Give it time for results to compound.

Stay coachable and implement recommendations.

Do these things consistently and coaching will transform your business.

Skip them and you’re wasting money.

Your choice. Your results.

Related Reading

• How to Prepare for Your First Business Coaching Session
• How to Measure the ROI of Business Coaching
• How to Tell If Your Business Coach Is Actually Effective

Ready to Engage Fully?

BGB Elite works best with owners who show up prepared and implement.

If you’re ready to do the work (not just talk about it), we can help.

Learn about Elite or book a Quick Fit Call.

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