Choosing the wrong business coach can set your agency back months or even years. I’ve seen agency owners invest tens of thousands of pounds working with coaches who lacked relevant experience, only to end up more frustrated than when they started.
The challenge isn’t finding business coaches – they’re everywhere. The challenge is finding one who truly understands the unique complexities of running a creative agency, has successfully navigated those challenges themselves, and uses proven methodologies rather than generic business advice.
After 13 years building and exiting my own creative agency, then helping dozens of other agency owners scale their businesses, I’ve learned exactly what separates effective agency coaching from expensive business therapy. This guide will help you make the right choice for your situation.
Why Industry-Specific Experience Matters
The biggest mistake agency owners make when choosing a business coach is prioritising general business credentials over industry-specific experience. A coach who’s helped retail businesses or manufacturing companies might have impressive testimonials, but agencies face fundamentally different challenges.
Creative agencies operate in a unique environment where client relationships are complex, revenue comes from projects rather than products, and success depends on managing talented creative professionals who think differently about work and motivation. These realities require coaches who understand the nuances of agency life.
When I was scaling my own agency, I learned this lesson the hard way. Early business advice from people without agency experience often missed the mark completely. They’d suggest strategies that worked brilliantly for product companies but fell apart when applied to project-based creative work. The difference between understanding challenges theoretically and having lived through them personally is enormous.
Generic business coaches often underestimate how client relationships affect every aspect of agency operations. Unlike selling products, agencies manage ongoing relationships where scope, expectations, and deliverables evolve constantly. This creates unique challenges in pricing, project management, and resource allocation that require specific expertise to navigate successfully.
Similarly, managing creative teams requires different approaches than leading sales organisations or operations departments. Creative professionals are motivated by different factors and respond to different management styles. Coaches without this experience often suggest leadership approaches that actually demotivate creative talent.
Essential Qualifications to Evaluate
The most valuable coaches for creative agencies are those who’ve successfully built and scaled agencies themselves. They understand the difference between what sounds sensible in theory and what actually works when you’re juggling client deadlines, creative challenges, and business growth simultaneously.
Look for coaches who’ve built agencies beyond £500k annual revenue and successfully managed the transition from founder-operator to business leader. This transition is particularly challenging for agency owners because you typically start the business due to creative or strategic skills, but scaling requires completely different capabilities.
Someone who’s navigated this journey personally understands the emotional and practical challenges involved. They know what it feels like when every decision flows through you, when talented people leave because there’s no clear progression path, and when growth creates operational chaos rather than systematic improvement.
Exit experience is equally valuable, even if you’re not planning to sell soon. Coaches who’ve successfully prepared for and completed agency exits understand how to build systematic value rather than just solving immediate problems. This perspective influences every aspect of their coaching because they recognise what creates long-term business value versus short-term fixes.
The coaching methodology matters as much as experience. Effective coaches use systematic approaches rather than ad hoc advice. They should be able to explain their process clearly, describe how they measure success, and provide frameworks that have been tested through multiple client implementations.
Be wary of coaches who are vague about their approach or focus primarily on “discovering solutions together” without structured methodologies. While collaborative discovery has value, you’re paying for proven frameworks and external expertise, not just facilitated thinking sessions.
Red Flags to Avoid
Generic business advice represents the biggest red flag when choosing an agency coach. If their approach could apply equally to restaurants, retail shops, or manufacturing companies, it’s probably not sophisticated enough for creative agency challenges.
Avoid coaches who can’t explain agency-specific applications of their methodologies or haven’t worked extensively with creative service businesses. The nuances matter enormously, and generic approaches often create more problems than they solve.
Be equally cautious of coaches who can’t provide specific case studies with measurable outcomes. Testimonials saying “Connor transformed our business” aren’t sufficient evidence. You need detailed examples showing initial client situations, intervention processes, specific results achieved, and realistic timelines.
Unrealistic promises should trigger immediate scepticism. Sustainable agency transformation takes time and consistent effort. Anyone promising overnight results or dramatic changes in unrealistic timeframes either doesn’t understand the complexity involved or isn’t being honest about what’s achievable.
Poor communication or availability creates frustration and reduces coaching effectiveness. Your coach should be responsive within reasonable timeframes, clear in their explanations, and available for support when you’re implementing recommendations. If they’re difficult to reach during the sales process, they’ll likely be even less accessible once you’re paying them.
Key Questions to Ask Potential Coaches
When evaluating potential coaches, ask specific questions that reveal both experience depth and practical understanding. “What’s the largest agency you’ve personally built or scaled?” helps you understand whether they have experience with businesses at your level or beyond.
“What was your biggest challenge when scaling your own agency, and how did you overcome it?” reveals both experience authenticity and problem-solving capability. Generic answers or inability to discuss specific challenges suggests limited real-world experience.
If they mention exit experience, ask them to walk through their process and what they learned. This demonstrates whether they built a business valuable enough for acquisition and understand the preparation required for successful exits.
Regarding methodology, ask how they typically structure coaching engagements and what specific frameworks they use for common agency challenges like pricing optimisation, team development, or operational scaling. Their answers should demonstrate sophisticated, tested approaches rather than theoretical concepts.
“What results have you achieved with agencies similar to mine?” should generate specific examples with metrics, timelines, and context. If they can’t provide concrete evidence of success with comparable businesses, question whether they can deliver what you need.
Understanding their approach to accountability and change management is crucial. Ask how they handle situations where clients resist implementing recommendations. This reveals whether they have effective systems for ensuring progress or just hope clients will follow through independently.
Evaluating Investment and Expected Returns
Business coaching represents a significant investment, so understanding value and expected returns is essential for making informed decisions.
Coaching fees vary significantly based on experience, methodology sophistication, and level of support provided. Entry-level coaching might cost £1,500-£3,000 monthly but typically offers limited personalisation and basic frameworks. Mid-level coaching ranges from £3,000-£6,000 monthly and should provide experienced guidance with systematic transformation support. Premium coaching can exceed £10,000 monthly but should include comprehensive support, proven methodologies, and extensive relevant experience.
Most agencies should expect substantial returns on coaching investment within 12-18 months through improved profit margins, systematic revenue growth, reduced founder time requirements, and enhanced business value. Returns of five to fifteen times the coaching investment are typical when working with experienced coaches who understand agency dynamics.
Be cautious of coaches who are significantly cheaper than market rates without clear explanations, use high-pressure sales approaches, or won’t discuss expected returns and success metrics. Quality coaching is a significant investment, but the right coach pays for themselves many times over through improved business performance.
Making the Final Decision
Beyond credentials and experience, personal compatibility matters enormously for coaching success. You’ll be working closely with this person through challenging changes and difficult decisions. Consider whether you feel comfortable being challenged by them, respect their judgment, and trust their experience.
Their communication style should match your preferences and needs. Some agency owners prefer direct, no-nonsense feedback, while others need more supportive, encouraging approaches. Neither is right or wrong, but mismatched styles reduce coaching effectiveness.
Ask for references from recent clients with similar businesses and challenges. Speak with them about specific results achieved, how the coach handled difficulties during implementation, and whether they’d engage them again for future challenges.
Consider starting with shorter initial engagements if possible. This allows you to test compatibility and evaluate their approach before committing to longer-term relationships.
The Move at Pace Difference
Having experienced the complete agency journey from startup to successful exit, I bring unique perspective to business coaching for creative agencies. My approach combines practical experience from building an agency to £220k monthly revenue with systematic methodologies developed through helping dozens of other agency owners scale successfully.
The combination of real agency experience and structured coaching methodology means I understand both what challenges you’re facing and how to address them systematically. When I discuss pricing transformation or exit preparation, I’m sharing tested solutions rather than theoretical frameworks.
My coaching focuses on measurable business improvements rather than just good conversations. We establish clear success metrics, implement systematic tracking, and maintain accountability for progress toward specific goals.
Taking the Next Step
Choosing the right business coach is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your agency’s future. Take time to evaluate options thoroughly rather than rushing into the first available relationship.
For comprehensive understanding of what effective business coaching looks like for growing agencies, read our complete guide to business coaching for growing agencies.
If you’re ready to explore whether Move at Pace business coaching aligns with your needs and goals, book a discovery consultation. We’ll discuss your specific challenges, evaluate whether our approach matches your situation, and determine if there’s good fit for working together.
The right coach can accelerate your agency’s growth by years and help you avoid expensive mistakes. The wrong choice can set you back significantly. Take the time to choose wisely – your agency’s future depends on it.