Business coaching can be an incredibly valuable investment, but it's not automatically the right move for every business owner at every stage. After working with more than 300 clients and investing in coaching for her own development, Michelle Kline shares three mindsets that can prevent you from getting the full value out of a coach or business coaching program.
In this episode, I explore why trying to prove you already know more, measuring success by how much information you consume, and being unwilling to experiment with new ideas can limit your growth. Through practical examples from my own coaching experience, I explain how to stay curious without blindly following advice, turn what you learn into meaningful action, and remain open to testing new approaches that better serve your pet care business.
Key Takeaways
Don't approach coaching with something to prove. You don't need to agree with every recommendation, but you should remain curious and thoughtfully consider what you can learn.
Apply advice to your own context. No coach will understand your business as well as you do, so evaluate strategies against your goals, circumstances, and experience.
Measure success by implementation, not consumption. Watching every training or working through an entire resource library isn't the goal. Focus on what you need to learn and apply right now.
Use coaching while you're implementing. Bringing real-time questions and challenges back to your coach can help you adapt strategies to your specific business.
Keep a running list of questions. Capture issues as they arise throughout the week so you can make better use of coaching calls and office hours.
Be willing to try unfamiliar approaches. A strategy may feel uncomfortable or foreign without being wrong for your business.
Test changes strategically. You don't have to commit to a new approach forever. Set a reasonable testing period and evaluate whether it moves you toward your goal.
Separate what works for different services. A client onboarding process that works beautifully for pet sitting may create unnecessary friction for recurring dog walking clients.
Stay focused on the outcome. Coaching is most useful when you and your coach work together toward the results you want, rather than making the relationship about proving who knows more.
Ready to Grow Your Pet Care Business?
DogCo Launch helps pet care business owners build stronger systems, make strategic decisions, and move toward their business goals with coaching, practical resources, and community.
Learn more about DogCo Launch and explore the next steps for your dog walking or pet sitting business at dogcolaunch.com/mastermind.
Michelle Kline is the founder of DogCo Launch, and the host of the DogCo Secrets Podcast. Michelle spends her time helping pet care companies in the industry grow and scale their teams, increase their revenue, and increase personal profits - all while protecting their time. Learn more about Michelle here.