At about $1,000 an hour, it was a pricey lesson. Business coach Dominic Rubino remembers trying to call a client one day, and being told the boss was busy. The client was the owner of a landscaping business. Turns out he was busy changing a tire. It would take him two hours.

The next time he saw him, Rubino told him, "You are not allowed to touch equipment any more." With that instruction from his coach, a wave of relief washed over his client.

"It was like he finally got permission to not touch the lawnmowers," Rubino said.

The problem, said Rubino, was that the owner was dealing in the day-to-day and not focusing on the future of his enterprise. As owner, his job was ensuring there was enough money coming in to keep the 30 employees working. Rubino and his client estimated that, based on the company's annual revenue of $2 million, those two hours changing a tire cost about $2,000.
"The point is, he shouldn't touch the tires. That's not his job," said Rubino.

A coach's job, said Rubino, is to help owners of small and medium-sized operations -- whether an auto mechanic with a three-bay garage or a lawyer with a small practice -- to become better business people. That means seeing themselves as entrepreneurs as well as trades people or professionals.

Rubino believes owners will call on a coach for one of three reasons: they want to make more money; they want more time for themselves; or they want better people. But the circumstances for hiring a coach are as varied as the client.

One business owner called Rubino when the owner's wife thought he was cheating on her because he spent so little time at home. In reality, he was working late and often sleeping under his desk, so he could afford hockey equipment for his son.

When a coach gets a call, he or she will meet with the client to get an idea about the business. A coach will then assess the client to see if they are serious. "They have to be willing to make a change. We're change agents," said Rubino.

If both agree, the coach and client will commit to a fixed period - for Rubino, usually a year - and decide on goals which can range from growing sales to improving efficiency to hiring the right people.

"Any good coach will find what the owner wants and then set up a systematic plan to get there," Rubino observed.

Rubino explained that he doesn't perform the business's day-to-day work for his client and neither should the client. The whole point is to get the business running properly without the boss around all the time.

"We focus on making the business run without the owner having to be there," he said.
Clients vary, but one common problem is poor, or no time-management skills. Of Rubino's 23 clients last year, only one had a daytimer, he said.

Another common failing goes back to the landscape business owner. By not focusing on growing their business, and not delegating the menial tasks, owners weaken their operations. Take care of those two areas and the enterprise can be well on its way, said Rubino. "If you're a true business owner and entrepreneur, you know you have to leverage the people around you."

If you're stuck in a rut and looking for a way up, or out, Rubino offers the following suggestions:

• Think like an entrepreneur and focus on the future.
• Set priorities and goals.
• Set deadlines and follow them, with the assistance of your coach.
• Be accountable: A business coach acts like an "unreasonable friend" to make sure business owners are following up on their promises. "We hold their feet to the fire," said Rubino.
• Follow your own agenda: It's up to the owner, not the coach, to set goals.
• Accept the positive influence and support of a coach. "We're on their side," said Rubino.
• Don't expect a "yes man": A good coach just wants to see the goals achieved, and will tell what you're doing, or not doing, that gets in the way of that.
• Work smarter, not harder. For instance, if trying to grow sales, look first at your existing client base.
• Be competitive: You will be if you use a business coach, who has a wealth of practical knowledge.
• Find a coach who uses a business coach. Rubino has his own coach, who helps him find better ways to help clients.
  

Dominic Rubino is the President of The Ultimate Sales Tips "The modern approach to sales tips and training for today's economy", he is a Sales Trainer and Business Coach, helping independent sales reps, managers and companies "Work Smarter, Not Just Harder." He can be reached at http://www.ultimatesalestips.com/