Coaching in Covid-19 Times - A Personal Journey

My personal journey has evolved over the past 18 months - the number of phone calls has declined significantly, and the invitations to talk or teach in exotic locations have become rare.?

So, I have had to pivot!

I used to specialize in advising "big shots" (now called "executive coaching") mostly at various governments or corporations. However, today in late 2021, I get more queries from small business owners - usually prefaced by a call for "help!"?

In 2021 alone, I have worked with various small businesses - a sardine cannery in East Africa, a household soap manufacturer in the Philippines, a construction equipment supplier in Indonesia, a pizza restaurant in Hong Kong, amongst others.

Coaching for executives is in some ways quite different from advising small business owners. For example, ego and personal ambition can often be a barrier to success for these "big shots," whereas availability of funding and time constraints are critical for the SMEs.

My experience

In 1974, I started a bespoke lounge suite franchise business in a small town north of Sydney, Australia - but by 1976, I was working on a small island in Indonesia for the National Oil Company of Indonesia.?

My experience in the oilfield in 1976 led to the next 35 years traveling the world growing energy projects - both "greenfield" and "brownfield," but I never went back into furniture!

What did I learn from the furniture shop venture? That I knew very little about fabrics, color coordination, and was a poor salesman.?

However, as I was an analytical nerd, I tried to define the primary elements of the business, which are still applicable today:

1. How to find potential customers, (now called prospects or leads)?
2. How to convert these leads into customers?
3. How to increase the number of transactions from each customer?
4. How to increase the average sale price?
5. How to improve the profit margin?

These elements have underlying strategies that need to be utilised.

Still, the first question that needs to be addressed, especially in these pandemic times - is your product or service still relevant today?

This week's next posts will explain my own "COVID-induced" coaching methodology for executives and small business owners, which has evolved from utilising my own real-world experience.?

Keep posted or contact me at [email protected]