Three approaches to business support often get confused. Here’s how they differ.
Business Consultant
Diagnoses problems and provides solutions through project-based engagements with specific deliverables.
Works best for technical challenges requiring specialized expertise. You hire them for their answers.
Business Mentor
Shares experience from their own entrepreneurial journey, offering informal, relationship-based guidance.
Most valuable when you want to learn from someone’s specific success story. The advice is based on what worked for them.
Business Coach
Guides you through structured processes to develop your own problem-solving capabilities while providing accountability.
Focuses on both business outcomes and personal leadership development. You develop the answers with their guidance.
When Each Approach Makes Sense
The most effective business support often combines elements of coaching, mentoring, and consulting.
Consulting works for specific technical problems with clear deliverables. But it can create dependency. You keep needing them for answers.
Mentoring provides wisdom from experience. But it’s reactive, based on one person’s journey, and may not translate to your situation.
Coaching develops your capabilities long-term. But it requires significant personal commitment and won’t give you quick fixes.
Investment Ranges
- Consulting: £5,000-£50,000+ per project
- Mentoring: £1,000-£10,000+ annually
- Coaching: £700-£1,500+ monthly
Questions to Ask
When evaluating which support fits your needs:
- Do I need someone to solve a specific problem, or develop my ability to solve problems?
- Am I looking for answers or accountability?
- Do I want project-based help or ongoing development?
- What’s my budget and timeline?
The right choice depends on where you are and what you actually need, not what sounds most impressive.
If you’re a creative agency owner looking for structured coaching that combines all three approaches, Scale is my 1:1 coaching programme. It’s built specifically for agency owners doing £20k-200k/month.
Want to explore what working together looks like? Book a discovery call or take the free Agency Valuation to see where your agency stands first.