Hiring a business coach is an investment. For most small to medium-sized businesses, you’re looking at £700 to £1,500 monthly. That’s £8,400 to £18,000 annually on someone who’s supposed to help you grow.
Yet most business owners spend more time researching their next laptop than they do vetting a coach. They book a discovery call, feel good about the conversation, and sign up. Three months later, they’re wondering why nothing’s changed.
The problem isn’t coaching itself. The problem is that the coaching industry has a credibility problem. Anyone can call themselves a business coach. There’s no barrier to entry. Someone can read a few business books, complete a weekend certification, and suddenly they’re an expert in scaling businesses they’ve never built.
So how do you separate the professionals from the pretenders? You ask the right questions. Not the polite ones. The uncomfortable ones that reveal whether this person can actually help you or if they’re just good at sales calls.
Question 1: What Businesses Have You Actually Built?
This is the most important question, and it needs to be first. Not “What’s your coaching philosophy?” or “What industries do you work with?” Those come later.
What businesses have they built, scaled, or exited? Specifics matter here. Revenue figures. Team sizes. Actual outcomes.
A coach who’s read about scaling businesses is very different from someone who’s hired 50 people, managed cashflow through growth, dealt with operational chaos, and come out the other side. Theory will only take you so far.
If they haven’t built a business in your space or haven’t built one at all that doesn’t automatically disqualify them. But you need to know what you’re getting. Are they a practitioner or a theorist?
Question 2: What’s Your Specialisation?
Generalists might claim they can help any business. That’s usually rubbish. The challenges of scaling a creative agency are completely different from growing a manufacturing business or an ecommerce store.
A good coach should be able to tell you exactly who they work with and who they don’t. Revenue ranges. Business types. Growth stages. If they work with everyone, they’re probably not particularly good at helping anyone.
This also tells you whether they actually understand your specific challenges. Someone who’s coached 50 creative agencies will immediately understand your problems with scope creep, creative team management, and project-based cashflow. A generalist coach won’t.
Question 3: What’s Your Actual Coaching Approach?
Every decent coach should have a framework or methodology they follow. Not a rigid system that they force onto every client, but a structured approach to how they diagnose problems and create solutions.
Ask them to walk you through it. How do they assess where your business is now? How do they identify what’s holding you back? What does the first three months look like?
If they can’t articulate this clearly, that’s a problem. You’re not hiring someone to have nice chats about business. You’re hiring someone to systematically improve your business.
Also clarify whether they’re actually coaching or consulting. True coaching helps you find answers. Consulting gives you their answers. Most good business coaches do both they’ll coach you through decisions but also tell you when you’re about to do something stupid. Understanding the difference between a business coach, mentor, and consultant helps you know exactly what type of support you need.
Question 4: What Results Have Your Clients Achieved?
Testimonials are easy to manufacture. Anyone can get three happy clients to say nice things. You need specifics.
What percentage revenue growth do their clients typically see? How long does it take? What’s the most common breakthrough their clients have?
More importantly, ask for references you can actually contact. Not testimonials on their website. Actual former or current clients you can speak to directly. If they won’t provide this, that’s a red flag.
When you speak to references, ask about the challenging parts of working with this coach. Everyone has weaknesses. A coach who only provides glowing references with no constructive feedback isn’t being honest with you.
Question 5: How Do You Measure Progress?
Growth isn’t about feeling motivated after coaching calls. It’s about actual business improvements. Revenue. Profit. Systems. Team performance. Customer retention.
A good coach should have a clear method for tracking whether you’re improving. Monthly reviews of key metrics. Quarterly assessments against goals. Something tangible that shows whether this investment is working.
If their answer is vague—”we’ll know you’re making progress”—that’s not good enough. You need measurable outcomes, not just good feelings.
Question 6: What’s the Time Commitment?
Some coaches want an hour monthly. Others want four hours monthly plus unlimited messaging access. Neither is inherently better, but you need to know what you’re signing up for.
Also ask about the work between sessions. Will they give you homework? Do they expect you to implement specific things? How much of your time will this actually require?
Business coaching only works if you do the work. A coach who promises results without requiring effort from you is lying.
Question 7: What Are Your Fees and What’s Included?
Coaching fees vary wildly. Some charge £500 monthly. Others charge £9,000. Both might be worth it depending on what you’re getting.
But you need complete transparency. What’s included in the fee? Is it just the calls, or do you get email support, resource access, or additional materials? What happens if you need to pause or cancel?
Also watch for high-pressure tactics around signing up. A good coach doesn’t need to pressure you. They know their value. If someone’s pushing you to decide on the call, that’s a warning sign.
The Red Flags
Beyond the questions, watch for these warning signs:
Guaranteed results – No one can guarantee business outcomes. Too many variables. Anyone promising you’ll definitely hit specific revenue targets is either lying or inexperienced.
No real business experience – Coaching certifications are fine, but they’re not a substitute for having actually built something. If their entire career has been coaching, be cautious.
Cookie-cutter approaches – Your business isn’t the same as everyone else’s. A coach who uses the exact same framework for every client isn’t paying attention to your specific situation.
Hiding their prices – If they won’t tell you their fees until you’re on a sales call, that’s usually because they’re expensive and they want to “build value” first. That’s a sales tactic, not transparency.
Making the Decision
After asking these questions, you should have a clear picture of whether this person can actually help you. Not whether they’re nice or motivating, but whether they have the experience, approach, and track record to move your business forward.
The best coaching relationships combine relevant experience, proven methodology, and genuine understanding of your specific challenges. When you find that combination, the investment makes sense. If you need more guidance on the selection process, how to choose the right business coach for your creative agency covers the criteria in more detail.
If you’re specifically looking for support with scaling a creative service business – particularly in the £50k to £200k monthly revenue range business coaching that’s focused on your sector will always deliver better results than generalist advice.
The right questions help you find the right coach. The wrong questions or no questions at all leave you hoping for the best whilst handing over thousands of pounds to someone who might not be equipped to help you.
Ask uncomfortable questions. Demand specifics. Check references. This is your business and your money. Anyone worth hiring will respect that you’re being thorough.