Navigating the world of business support can feel like a minefield; are you looking for a coach, consultant, or advisor, and what’s the real difference anyway? In this episode, Tonya Kubo and Gwen Bortner engage in a lively, no-holds-barred discussion that cuts through the confusion. Gwen breaks down the nuances between these roles, helping you determine exactly what support your business needs to thrive. They dive into real-world scenarios, playing a fun “matchmaking” game to pinpoint whether a coach, consultant, or advisor is the right fit for common business hurdles. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to invest your resources, this episode is your essential guide to making smart, strategic decisions and finally getting the support that truly propels your business forward.
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Coach, Consultant, Or Advisor? Demystifying Business Support Choices
Finding The Right Business Help
Have you ever had the experience of hiring help in your business that didn’t help? If you’ve been in business for any length of time, exactly what I’m talking about. Chances are, you’ve invested in a coach, a consultant, maybe somebody who called themselves an advisor, and they didn’t deliver what you needed. Maybe they delivered something, but it wasn’t what you expected. We are going to tackle the critical question of how to choose the right type of business support for your specific situation. I’m joined by Gwen Bortner of Everyday Effectiveness, and we are going t make this super practical and super fun.
I’m going to give Gwen ten common business problems that she doesn’t know about yet, and she’s going to tell us whether a coach, consultant, or advisor is the best choice and why. By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly what support to look for the next time you need to invest in your business growth or solve a specific business problem. Gwen, before we get started, I’m going to need you, for the sake of our readers, to tell us what the difference between a coach, a consultant, and an advisor is, because there’s a lot of confusion. As you know, people call themselves a lot of things, but just because you call it a duck doesn’t mean it is a duck.
Just because you call it a duck doesn't mean it is a duck. Share on XThat’s part of the problem, of course, I’m going to define these and then someone else is going to come in and say, “No, I’m an X.” It’s like, “Yeah, but would they just describe as a Y?”
I know it is subjective. Let’s just say it is subjective.
The way I define it and the way I think is most clear is that a consultant is someone who’s going to deliver you a specific result. They know ahead what their result is that they’re going to deliver, and they usually have a limited number of ways that they are going to deliver it. They have a tool packet that is their favorite tool packet. Whatever their tech stack is, whatever their methodologies are, etc. They’re coming in to deal with a very specific issue, and you’re hiring them for their expertise in that issue.
It’s not necessarily that you’re getting them to teach you or anything else, they can teach you, and I will say when I think of buying, like an online training. I think of that as a consultant, not as a coach, unless there is a whole lot of individual one-on-one personal conversation associated with that training. The second is a coach. The official International Coaching Federation, or ICF is that they does not provide answers.
Defining Roles: Coach, Consultant, Advisor Explained
They’re asking questions, and they’re pulling information out of you. A coach spends most of their time just asking questions and rarely, if ever, in the true definition of coaching, are they providing answers for you, because it’s about you deciding what is the right thing for you, and them helping you take you down a path that maybe you haven’t gone before. A lot of people call themselves coaches, but sometimes they’re a little bit closer to the consultant side. The reason I don’t call myself a coach, I call myself a business advisor, is because although I will ask questions like a coach, I also have specific advice that I’m going to give you.
Particularly in areas that maybe you don’t have the expertise to be able to pull it out of yourself. If you haven’t had the experience, how on earth would that particular option as an answer? A business advisor typically is someone who is asking questions to understand, but giving advice, but different than a consultant. They don’t have a specific tech stack or a favorite tech stack, or a favorite solution. They have lots and lots of solutions that they can present to you, given what your unique situation is.
In this context, do any of those individuals provide hands-on support, done-for-you services?
Typically, a consultant is going to be doing the hands-on services. They are going to come in with a solution and do the work most of the time. There are exceptions to this, but that’s pretty consistent when they’re coming in as a consultant. A coach should not be doing anything. An advisor could usually if they’ve got a team behind them that are able to implement the various options and solutions. An advisor might, if not absolutely, depending on how they define themselves.
That’s helpful. A consultant is somebody who’s going to come in and say, “This is what you need to do, and this is how you do it.” A coach is going to ask questions. “What do you think? What if it sounded easy?” That’s one of my favorite coaching questions. Why? It’s because I’m like, “Nothing sounds easy.” I wouldn’t have hired you if something sounded easy. Ask me that question, sure. An advisor is somebody who asks questions based on what you’re saying. I’m thinking they ask questions to get to the heart of what’s needed. The root cause is something that you’ve talked about before. They offer advice based on that. They might say, “What you need to do is this one thing,” or they might say, “You’ve got three options.” Anything else you want to add to that?
I don’t think so. I’m getting excited about the game show questions.
I had this whole long preamble, but I’m too excited to wait. I’m not going to do my whole long preamble. All I’m going to say is if you’re reading this and you’re like, “I had no idea there was a difference between coaches, consultants, and advisors. I had no idea that the people who call themselves coaches aren’t coaches.”
You’re not alone. That’s why we’re doing the episode. The first three people I hired to help me with my business were coaches, and the expectation I had was that they would advise me because I didn’t know the difference. It wasn’t until I started working with ICF coaches that I understood that a coach’s number one job is to pull the information out from you. If this is new information, you’re not alone. Here’s what we’re going to do.
Feeling Stuck? When To Hire A Business Coach
We are going to play a little matchmaking game. I am going to come to the table with a concrete problem that I have heard people say, like people primarily in my own network say, and Gwen is going to tell us who the right person is to hire for the job. Not the right person, as in “Go Call Sheila, and this is her phone number,” but the right person is in “This is the type of service provider you’re looking for.” Gwen. Number one, this is one I hear all the time. “I’m feeling stuck in my business, and I don’t know what direction to take next. Who can help me?”
That typically is going to be a coach. It could be a business advisor, but it’s probably a coach because what I’m hearing is I probably internally know what I want to do, but I’m afraid to say the words out loud. I’m afraid to make the commitment. I’m afraid it’s going to sound silly that I think I know what I want to do. Now, if you actually know what to do, but you don’t know how to do it, that could be a consultant. Could be, possibly. More likely it’s an advisor. This one could go multiple ways, but my instinct is that’s probably the coach. What I’m hearing is that I internally think I have an idea, but I’m not comfortable.
A coach would help me figure out because when I sit here, I’m feeling stuck in my business. I don’t know what direction to take next. I hear I have a couple of options that have come to mind, and I might need help choosing which option, and a coach can help me do that.
Yep. Absolutely.
Next one. My Facebook ads aren’t converting, and I don’t understand why. Who do I hire, Gwen? It’s not Tonya Kubo. Please do not hire Tonya Kubo for this if this is your problem.
No, I wouldn’t suggest Tonya Kubo either. We probably do have recommendations for almost all of these. If you feel like you can reach out and let us know, and we can give you specific names. This would be much more of a consultant. This is someone who has a particular area of expertise, has a way of doing it. Understands the tech stack, knows what needs to be done, and can ask you the very specific questions about it to be able to make the tweaks, the changes, and the things, and/or take over doing your Facebook ads for you if that’s what you need a consultant.
The moral of the story. Don’t hire a coach who says they can help you with Facebook ads. Hire a consultant. You’ll be happier. Trust us. Third one, “I need to decide whether to pivot my business model or double down on what’s working.”
Moral of the story: don't hire a coach who says they can help you with Facebook ads. Hire a consultant. You'll be happier. Share on XThis one is probably also a coach, but it could be a business advisor. The reason I say it’s probably a coach is back to, what I’m hearing is, “I’ve got ideas and I need to filter through them.” Whenever I hear I’ve got ideas and I need to filter through them, usually that’s a coach. Now, the reason I say it could be a business advisor, and you’re going to hear me say this a lot because the line gets a little fuzzy between the two, is that you don’t know what you would do in one or the other case.
You’ve just heard this on Facebook, you’ve heard this on Instagram, you’ve seen it on social media, you’re reading about it on LinkedIn, whatever it happens to be. You think you may need to do these things, but you don’t have a burning desire or are a little more worried that you’re going to miss an opportunity that you’re supposed to take. That would be more of a business advisor situation for me, where we’re going to help you think through how this will change your business.
Does this change align with where you want to go? What are the eighteen different ways that you can do either one of these things, and make the best choice? My instinct is that it’s probably what it really is, a business advisor question that’s a little bit couched in a coaching question. It sounds like what you want to do, but I’m guessing you don’t. There’s not something in there. It’s about everyone talking about this, I don’t want to miss out.
What I would say, not that this is about me, but anytime I hear somebody talk about changing their business model, I would automatically send them toward an advisor because most coaches specialize in clients who are following a specific business model.
If someone mentions changing their business model, go to an advisor. Coaches usually specialize in clients with a specific business model. Share on XTrue.
I had a coach at one point. In my head, I was working on a marketing solution. I was working on visibility, and I was like, “I should do this or I should do that.” The coach who was like, “You’re talking about two different business models.” The coach got me there, but when I was like, “I’m trying to figure it out, they were like, “That is not my area of expertise. You’re going to have to know more about each business model you’re talking about in order for us to have a solution for you.” Next one. Now we’re on our fourth. “I know what I need to do, but I cannot seem to follow through consistently.”
That absolutely sounds like a coaching answer. It totally could be a coaching answer. It’s not a consulting answer.
Definitely no, it’s not consulting. Got it.
It’s not a consulting answer. It’s probably a coaching answer, which is, do we have mindset and behavior issues? Those tend to be more around coaching issues. It also could be a business advisor’s answer. The reason being is often when we talk about “I cannot get myself to do it.” What we aren’t really understanding is maybe we’re doing things that we don’t need to be doing at all. That resistance or that procrastination or whatever is telling us something positive instead of something negative. Where the coach is going to help you work through the mindset of why you’re not doing it.
The business advisor is going to ask not only why are you not doing but what’s keeping you and what makes you think that you should be doing it in first place and looking at your overall business and business model and saying, “Does this make sense for what for what you’re doing ss a bigger picture.” It could be one it could be the other, but typically what we find is it’s usually not about that I cannot do it, because most women entrepreneurs have a lot of drive and ability to get things done. There’s usually something else going on there, and like I said, it could be a coaching issue, but a lot of times this is more of a business advising issue that we’re amongst activities that aren’t productive.
Now we’ve got scenario number five. “The problem is I need more revenue, but I’m already spread too thin. Who can help me?”
Revenue Problems? The Business Advisor Advantage
That’s most likely going to be a business advisor.
This is the first one where we’re like business advisors, period.
It’s because that’s a very broad problem. Broad problems need a broader vision. It’s probably not a coaching issue. It’s probably not something that you’ve got inside of you that just needs to be pulled out, most likely. You might end up needing to bring in a consultant once you get clearer on what the problem is. Whenever there’s this vagueness about the problem, that’s almost always a business advisor issue. Can they look at what all of the issues are that could be causing your revenue problem? What are all the places?
Vagueness about the problem almost always signals that you need a business advisor. Share on XA consultant is going to apply their particular tool to the problem. If you brought in a networking consultant or a marketing consultant, they’re going to say, “This is a marketing problem.” If you bring in a sales consultant, they’re going to say, “It’s a sales problem.” If you bring in a finance consultant, they’re going to say, “It’s a financial profitability problem.” All of those could be correct. Any one of those could be correct, but you want to be looking at a broader stroke. That’s where you want to be, looking at a business advisor who will really help you look at the root cause and then move forward.
This is one that I’ll just chime in briefly on and say, this is also one of those things that if you’re working with a coach and you say these words, a lot of times they will tell you, “Why are you spread too thin?” You’ll give them a few answers, and then they’ll say, “We’ll go hire a VA to offload those low-level tasks.” They know that the question is outside of their scope of service. They know they cannot advise you, but they also know that for some people, hiring help alleviates the pain.
What I would say is back to a consultant will tell you whether you’re ready to hire a VA or not and what you need to do to hire a VA. The advisor would tell you if it’s the low-level task that are the problem to begin with or if it’s something else. It’s a little similar to the last, but in scenario six, “I am overwhelmed with too many ideas.” I am such a creative Gwen. I just have visions and visions, and I just don’t know which to pursue.
A consultant can tell you if you're ready to hire a VA and how to do it, but an advisor will tell you if low-level tasks are even the problem. Share on XThis would be true for so many people, and it’s interesting because people often want to hire a consultant to implement all of these visions. Which is not generally the best idea because we’re still end up spreading ourselves too thin. A lot of times, they want to hire a coach to try and help them filter through all of those ideas. That could work depending on the coach and depending on your own self-awareness. Most of the time, this is where you need a business advisor who will tell you no and ask you much harder questions about why we think this is the next good idea.
Now you have to tell me. I just got like a little bit of hair on the back of my neck that stood up here. Why would I pay you or anybody to tell me no?
Telling you no helps you stay focused and put your energy and your time, and your money into the things that are going to create more energy and time, and money.
That sounds like a very useful answer that I quite honestly do not like. Just going to tell you that. Don’t like it. It can be true. It can be useful, but I guess that’s where the whole advisor thing comes in.
Yeah, it is. It’s the difference of not just, I’ll say, placating, but saying, “No.” That just doesn’t make sense. If you are going to do that, what are you not going to do? It’s like, “I’m not going to not do any of the other things, that’s like not going to happen.” At some point, that’s all going to implode on itself.
I will get used to hearing the word no, then if I hire a business advisor. Making that note. Scenario seven. “I’m trying to scale my business, but I keep hitting roadblocks. Who can help me?”
This one, if specifically what the roadblocks are, often, this is a consultant who can help you remove a particular roadblock. If you’re just generically hitting roadblocks and you cannot describe them well, I would generally say that’s probably a coach, because part of it is getting clear on what you are defining as a roadblock. What is the roadblock? In this case, we’re using a little more generic, but if you can give me a specific roadblock, then probably a consultant.
My roadblock is, “I cannot get past $90,000 a year.”
Scaling Roadblocks? Coach Or Consultant?
That would be a coach to first start understanding why you are hitting that? That easily could be a mindset issue. If they’re a good coach at the point that they help you realize, is it a mindset issue? Is it a sales issue? You don’t like getting and being on sales calls. What is the issue that’s around the, I’m not getting past $90,000? They would bring in the consultant, who would help you get past that piece.
Scenario eight. “I need somebody to help me create SOPs for my business.” Those are Standard Operating Procedures. Why a consultant and not a business advisor in that case?
It’s because putting it first off, you have procedures. They may not be standard. Everyone has procedures. Everyone thinks they don’t have processes, procedures. You do. They may not be standard. They may not be consistent. They may not be the most effective. This is where you want someone who pays attention to those levels of detail, of what are those details, and where are we being consistent and where are we not being consistent?
How do we want to, and all of those things? Typically, a business advisor is not going to be the person who’s going to come in and do that. If they had a team, possibly they would help. Generally, what they’re helping you figure out is the areas that you need to focus on first to put your standard operating procedures in place, as opposed to putting them in place.
Number nine, “I need to raise my prices, but I’m afraid of losing clients.” Who can help me with that problem or should I just suck it up and move on with my life? That’s, I guess, a fine answer.
This is definitely a coach or business advisor, depending on, because a lot of times this is a coaching issue. “I know what I need to do. I’m not quite sure how to do it. I’m having mental blocks to doing the thing.” Everything I heard there is, “I know I need to break my prices, but I’m afraid of something.” Typically, that’s a coach. Now, a lot of times, a business advisor can help you through that, but I wouldn’t necessarily hire a business advisor for that problem. I would look at working with a coach. If you had a business advisor, they probably could help you with that problem. Wouldn’t necessarily need to hire a coach for that problem in addition.
Finally, “I’m struggling with cash flow. The money goes out faster than I can bring it in.” Who helps me with that solution?
Cash Flow Struggles? Consultant Or Advisor?
This is an interesting one because it’s the only one that we’ve had that I would say it could be a consultant and it could be a business advisor, and we’re jumping over the coach space. The reason being is that it could be a consultant. In this case, I would call bringing in an accountant, a CFO, a bookkeeper, a controller. All of those in this case, I would be calling a consultant. They might not define themselves as a consultant, but as we are defining the three categories.
We only have three choices here, so we’ve got to figure.
A CFO is much closer to a business advisor. A bookkeeper, accountant, or controller is much more in the consultant range. You may just need to get a handle on all of those details. That’s really where your cash flow issue is. The business advisor’s place, though, is that the cash flow is we’re making bad choices that we aren’t understanding the broader ramifications of those bad choices until we see it in our cash flow, until we see that our bank account is empty. That would be a business advisor issue because they’re going to look at the broader place and say, “What are all the places that we need to be making some tweaks, some adjustments, some things?”
We don't truly understand the broader ramifications of those bad choices until we see the impact on our cash flow - until our bank account is empty. Share on XNot just in the, I’ll say the historical way of looking back and saying, “Here’s expenses you should cut.” That can also be part of what a business advisor does, but a bookkeeper or accountant can also be helping with that. Instead, also saying, “Let’s talk about what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, and why we’re doing it. Are those the things that we should be doing in the future?” That we’re improving our cash flow. It could be one, it could be the other, and this is one where likely it’s both.
Tell me what that would look like if it were both.
This is a problem that I’ve solved for a lot of our clients. They’ve had this issue. I come in on the advising issue, looking at the big picture and the bigger future decisions, and often helping them think about process and how they’re using their money differently. We also bring in a bookkeeper, an accountant, controller person who’s making sure that the details are being tracked. That, as we’re trying to make these bigger decisions, we have more accurate information. It’s a bit of both in this case. Almost always in that situation, I’m starting to get a clear understanding so that we bring in the right type of person, whether it be a bookkeeper or an accountant, or a controller, all three. Some combination thereof.
I’m curious from you, because we’ve just gone through ten scenarios. First of all, how realistic are these scenarios? Do you feel like these ten are things that most business owners encounter?
I hear these all the time. I hear them all the time from my clients. I know you hear them all the time from your clients. I bet if we grab ten random people who’ve done any of this service consulting, they would say, “I’ve heard at least six of these.”
These are all pretty fair, realistic examples. Are there any of these that you think are more common than others in a business? Let’s take it in phases. I don’t like to do phases by revenue because you can be a brand new business and barely know what you’re doing, but the right place, right time. You can be a half-million-dollar business. I do know that some of these issues tend to be tied to revenue. What do you think’s most common when you’re say under six figures? Let’s do under six figures, then let’s do like 100 to half a million, and then above half a million, just for ease.
Usually, under six figures usually is going to means that it’s an earlier-stage business or it isn’t yet a full-time gig. There are quite a few things that usually happen under six figures. You could have been doing it for five years, but hopefully you haven’t been doing it as your full-time gig, because although it sounds like six figures is a lot. Yeah, 100,000 when we start paying all the expenses and whatnot, doesn’t leave a lot to go in our pocket.
Typically, most of those are going to be either very narrow, specific consulting problems or coaching problems because it’s usually a lot more about what do we understand. How are we thinking about things for ourselves? It’s a lot of the self-talk that’s going on in our heads that tends to be the problem. The issues that we’re coming across are usually either a consultant, which could be, like I said, taking a course, because I just need to learn some things.
I don’t know how to do something, or bringing in someone who knows how to do something to teach me how to do something. It’s a coach. Like I said, this is where a lot of places that we find folks that are doing instructional programs, but with a coaching element, is some live interaction with somebody. That tends to be a really good place for that because it also tends to be cost-appropriate for that level as well. I’m not answering your actual question because I cannot remember what all of ten were.
It’s all good.
That’s generally what I’m expecting people to be investing in at that level.
You’re answering a better question than the one I asked, so keep going.
Navigating Mid-Six Figures: Finding The Right Fit
When we get into the 100,000 to the mid-six figures. Whether it’s 450 or 600, whatever, but in that early to mid-six figures. That’s where you start seeing more of a mix between services. I think it becomes the hardest place, quite honestly, because the price tags vary greatly. What I see happen a lot is that as people are moving into that six-figure realm, particularly as they’re moving up closer to the mid-six figures, they’re often still using the same types of solutions that they were using at the five-figure and low six-figure answer.
The problem is their problems aren’t those kinds of problems. They have pretty good knowledge. They have pretty good experience. They’re seeing success. You would always say at that point, they’ve undoubtedly got product market fit because you probably cannot get there if you don’t have product market fit. A lot of times, they’re still trying to solve marketing issues that aren’t the issue anymore. They’re investing time and money, and energy.
I think this is the place where most people get frustrated with their investment because it’s like, “I’m doing all the stuff, but I’m not getting the results I want.” I think it’s because it’s like, “Yeah.” The results you want aren’t the results that you need or are appropriate for where you are in business. The things aren’t, “It’s a miss.” Things just aren’t lining up the way that they’re supposed to. As I said, I think this is the place where it’s complicated because there are probably a few things that can be done with a class or a course or a very directed piece.
That’s one of the statements I say a lot, is if it’s a very specific acute problem, then you can go with a very specific framework, a detailed, prescriptive answer. When you’re in that range, that low 6 to mid 6 range, it’s usually not that prescriptive. The problem probably has a lot more nuance than you’re giving it credit for having. That’s when you’re probably needing to move to more of a real coach and or a business advisor who’s going to take into consideration that nuance, that context.
You’re going to have to flash up your cam because I don’t have my drink with me, but the context matters, exactly. This is where the context matters starts making a difference because that nuance is way more important than you’re giving it credit. This is where we’re going to look at the coach or go look at a business advisor. The problem where I see, and I think you’ve seen it too, and I’d love to get your perspective, because I know you’ve had a lot of these conversations as well, is I think a lot of people go to coach because they think that’s what they need because they think it’s them.
What they need is a business advisor because it’s not them. They need new information that they don’t have and that they’re not going to get through an education program. They need an outside perspective, and they need wisdom to come into the conversation. What are your thoughts? We’ll do the last level.
I think you’re exactly right. Unless they’re uncoachable, unless they are the type of person who is like, “I know what I know, and I just want somebody to make this thing happen for me,” then I think they need to visit business advisor because they’re at the place now where oftentimes the only way they can get any help is by paying their way into bigger rooms. Oftentimes, they’re paying their way into bigger rooms with people who only know how to preach success in the way that they got success.
It’s a reach it.
This has been my own story as well, but it’s one that a lot of my peers, because a lot of my peers are low to mid six figures, as they should be given, where I’m at in business. A lot of it is going into rooms. I have a friend who is doing production. She is moving away from traditional coaching, and she is going into supporting creators with production. Everybody tells her that is the fast track to burnout, and there’s no money to be had there.
What she needs to be doing is coaching creators and then directing them to hire offshore talent for production. One, that’s not what she wants to do. That does not sound like a good day to her. She doesn’t want to be on coaching calls all the time. Two, she’s like, what you’re telling me to do is just sell them on the idea of subpar production. Not that you cannot get offshore talent that’s incredible. I have hired offshore talent that’s amazing.
Oftentimes, what they’re talking about is charge a premium and make sure your cost of fulfillment is as tiny as possible. That’s one way to do it. If you have a vision and you want to achieve something, what you need is somebody to come in with some wisdom who can ask you the questions to find out, “Are you striving for something you want or are you striving for something that somebody else told you you should want?”
This is happening with somebody I know. “Is this the track that you should be running on, or do you lack so much confidence that you’re on the right track that every time somebody presents a new idea, you automatically think you should go chase that?” That’s where an advisor, this is back to your point about advisors telling you no. This is when it’s like, “If you keep changing your path every month, you’re going to have tried twelve paths at the end of the year that you will think all have failed, but most of the time, none of them were ever given the right opportunity to succeed.” I would agree with you.
As you said that I was thinking about a client I had some time ago, that it’s like, “Let’s do this thing now.” It’s like there’s no evidence that this isn’t the thing what we’re doing isn’t working. Everything shows that it is. It may not be working at 100%, but it’s not working at 2% either. It’s working, and we’re early enough stage that I feel like we need to give it more time. It’s like, “No, we’re going to try this other thing.” It’s like, “But why?”
The other thing that this mid-six is that’s usually also where you do need to start bringing in some consultants. Some consulting-type roles, whether it’s a VA, whether it’s someone helping you with social media. There’s all sorts of places that the consultant piece can be fitting in, but back to making sure that you’re bringing in the right one for what you need, not the one that everyone says is what you’re supposed to do because that’s what everyone says back to best practices are usually just common practices.
Investing Wisely: Consulting Dollars And Context
That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re best, and hardly ever does it consider context. Back to a business advisor can help you see where do you want to invest, what I’m going to call your consulting dollars. Having someone help you do get the work done. As I said, sometimes we’re in there, you need a coach. You need to get out of your head and start understanding what’s in your head and how your head is working.
Best practices are usually just common practices, and that doesn't make them the best option, especially since context is rarely considered. Share on XAll three could be true in that place. I think the biggest challenge is that people keep investing in the same type of help that they were early on, which is not the type of help they need anymore, because it seems scary. It’s like, “I’m going to have to pay quite a bit more for a business advisor. If you look at it, a lot of times it’s like that’s not that much more expensive than what you’re going to pay for this other program. It just seems different.
It’s like, yeah, but you’re getting a lot more individual help. It’s probably a good investment. It’s one of those things that it feels like, “It’s a huge difference.” When you look in there, it’s like, “It’s not a difference.” As we move into the upper six figures in the early seven figures, this is where they typically don’t need coaches. If they do, it’s coaches who are very specifically niched in their coaching direction.
This is like a money mindset coach.
A business coach. They are a sales coach. They are a like an attitude coach. They have very specific areas that they’re focusing on. You more likely need a business advisor because you’re too small to have an advisory board, but you need someone who’s functioning in that role. The advisory board is to hold you accountable, tell you, “No, and ask you really hard questions.” That’s a business advisor. Couldn’t also still need a coach and definitely will probably be hiring consultants to do specific aspects for you in your business, either long-term ongoing consulting work or short-term. “I’ve got this project I need help with.”
Key Takeaways: Matching Support To Your Needs
We have covered a ton of ground. Thank you for letting me fire it all at you because it’s so much easier to be the machine gun than to be the person on the other side of the machine gun. In more ways than one, I suppose. The key takeaway is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to business support. I will say that I was surprised at the number of scenarios that had more than one option. When I was coming up with them, I had my own bias on what made sense.
What we now know is that coaches help you draw out your own knowledge and develop personally. Consultants provide expert advice on specific problems. Advisors are the ones who step in with strategic guidance based on extensive experience, wisdom, and perspective. Sometimes you’ll need more than one type of support at the same time. That’s fine. Sometimes you need one, and then you, “I don’t want to say graduate to the other, but you have one, they solve the problem, and then that uncovers a problem that’s better suited for another.”
The most important thing here is that you match your specific need with the right type of professional. That’s how you maximize the return on the investment. Otherwise, it’s just spending, unfortunately. When you make the right match, you save time, you save money, most of all, you save frustration, and you get the results you’re looking for. This also helps you come away with the reality that it’s not just you. You’re not the only person on the planet with the problem.
You have been hiring the wrong service provider to help you out with solving it. Now, if you want to try to figure out, or if you need some help figuring out the right type of support for your business at this time, this is one of those things that Gwen loves to do. Gwen loves to connect people with the right service provider.
Whoever that is, if it’s a coach, if it’s a consultant, she already mentioned, we’ve got a pretty extensive network between the two of us, I would say. There’s not much you might need that we cannot offer some support with. We have a special 30-minute call that you can book with Gwen. If you go to EverydayEffectiveness.com, click on contact, and we’ll have the call button right there.
You can just book a call directly with Gwen, chat for 30 minutes, and then she can let you know do you need a coach. Do you need a consultant? Do you need an advisor? Based on your specific circumstances, she’ll even maybe front you with a few names of who would be the best fit for you. It’s not a sales call. That’s not what this is about. This is just making sure that you don’t invest in a really good service provider who just isn’t equipped to help you with your actual problem. Anything you want to add there, Gwen?
No, I love that, because there’s nothing worse. I know that I’ve done it. I know that you’ve done it because we’ve talked about it. There’s nothing worse than investing a ton of money in somebody who doesn’t get you the result that you need because they aren’t the person that you need.
It’s not your fault. It’s not their fault. It’s just the wrong fit.
It's not your fault. It's not their fault. It's just the wrong fit. Share on XIt’s just the wrong fit.
We will see you next time. Gwen, thank you so much for doing this. This was fun. We’re going to have to do it again.
I loved I love the game show. Give me the questions.
Next time, I’m going to find a way to do sound effects. It’s going to be so much fun. We’ll see you next time.
Mentioned in This Episode
- Everyday Effectiveness
- Gwen Bortner on LinkedIn
- Gwen Bortner on Facebook
- Tonya Kubo on LinkedIn
- Everyday Effectiveness on YouTube
About Your Hosts
Gwen Bortner has spent four decades advising executives and entrepreneurs in 45+ industries. She helps women succeed in business without sacrificing happiness by identifying their true desires and aligning their business functions. She spots overlooked bottlenecks and crafts efficient plans toward sustainable success that center your values and priorities. Known for her unique approach to problem-solving and accountability through the G.E.A.R.S. framework, Gwen empowers clients to achieve their definition of success without sacrificing what matters most.
Tonya Kubo is a marketing strategist and community builder who helps entrepreneurs build thriving online communities. As co-host of The Business You Really Want and Chief Marketing and Operations Officer (CMOO) at Everyday Effectiveness, she keeps conversations on track and ensures complex business concepts are accessible to everyone. A master facilitator with 18+ years of experience in online community building, Tonya takes a people-first approach to marketing and centers the human experience in all she does.
