Seven signs you need a coach to unlock your brand potential
Elizabeth talking with a client at an in-person coaching session
In conversation with Elizabeth Cairns - transformational coach and empowerer of entrepreneurs
Have you ever wondered whether you need a business coach? When's the right time? What's the difference between a coach and a mentor? How will this transform my business? We sat down with Elizabeth Cairns, author of 'The Empowered Entrepreneur' and co-host of 'Style and Substance' a branding and business podcast for entrepreneurs to discuss all things coaching and the transformational benefits of working with a coach. Over the last couple of years, we've had a number of sessions with Elizabeth who has helped us to shape how we build our business to make it more sustainable and productive as well as clarify our offerings - so we know first hand how helpful it can be to unpack practice and refocus for the future success of building your brand.
Introduction to coaching for your business and brand
When deciding whether working with a coach is a good move for your business and your brand, there’s a lot to consider. It can be tricky territory, especially if we have a less than limitless budget and there are competing priorities for both time and investment. Here I'll walk you through some of the key markers that might help you decide if coaching is right for you, how to go about choosing a coach, and how, for those wondering which route might suit them best, it differs from mentoring.
A strong brand and a successful business is more than the combination of a great product or service and a stellar logo or visual presence.
A beautiful brand identity will go a long way to strengthen your business and the impression you make in a potentially crowded market. Savvy entrepreneurs know that it’s essential. But there is so much more that can get in the way of us reaching full potential both of our brand and the work we are here to do in the world.
Not only are there key decisions to make that impact the branding process itself, and those require a certain level of clarity and alignment, but there are elements that shape how you move forwards once you have that knock out logo or web presence, that can be the difference that makes the difference to the longevity, sustainability and ultimately success of your brand and your business. So much of that happens inside the mind, body and soul of the entrepreneur and that’s where coaching comes in.
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1. What are the signs that a business owner might benefit from a coach?
When an entrepreneur is able to work in a way that is purposeful, clear, aligned and focussed, with a high degree of self awareness, the right mindset and a sense that they have inherent value, great things tend to happen.
When they know themselves intimately; what drives them, what matters to them, what gets in their way and how to get the best out of themselves, they tend to approach decisions and tricky patches with greater ease, more flexibility, more compassion and in many cases find a deeper, more meaningful connection to their work and their brand.
When they feel brave enough to make choices that open doors and move them in the direction of their goals and dreams businesses and people tend to grow and in many cases they achieve far more than they might have thought possible.
Coaching, when it's done well, can be such a powerful ally getting us to this point and, no surprises, I honestly feel that all of us can benefit hugely from a coach throughout the whole journey of finding, shaping and doing our best, most authentic work.
It becomes particularly crucial before, during and after that branding process if we want to give our business and our brands the best possible chance to be all that they can be.
If you’re wondering if coaching might be particularly helpful for you and your business right now then there are a few signs you might notice.
i. You’re unclear, or have lost sight of the bigger picture
Lack of clarity shows up in myriad ways;. Not having a clear sense of purpose, not knowing where to focus, not having a clear plan, and feeling like you are operating more reactively than strategically in the day to day. This lack of clarity all contributes to a sense of not really feeling like you have a handle on where things are going or that you’re really living into the potential for you and your business. Decision making becomes difficult, and we lack that sense of being pulled forwards with purpose and drive.
Perhaps you’ve lost touch with the original spark that lit your business in the first place. You’re showing up, doing the work—but it feels mechanical rather than inspired and meaningful, slightly chaotic rather than strategic and well thought through.
Coaching can reconnect you with your “why,” your deeper purpose and align your daily action with that vision so running your business feels more energising, authentic and like it’s really heading somewhere,
This clarity is an essential precursor to the branding process. If you don’t have it, it’s so much harder to be able to articulate just what it is that sets you apart from your competition, to brief your designer and to have a brand that is fully aligned with the authentic core of who you are and what you do.
ii. You don’t really know what it is you do and why people will value that?
To brand a business well you need to have something to brand, a great product or a great offering, and you need to know why it’s great. You need to have a clear way of delivering that product or service and what it is that makes what you have to offer different and valuable.
If you’re entering into the branding process without clarity of what exactly it is that you offer, what makes you different and how the business is going to work, then a coach can help you clarify your thinking, shape your offerings in a way that will work for you and help you explore your value.
iii. You feel stuck or like you’re spinning your wheels
If you’re stuck on the big, or the small decisions, don’t have a clear handle on priorities, are working hard but getting nowhere fast, feel like you’re revisiting the same challenges without any real learning or forward momentum coaching provides a framework for reflection, to create structure and to facilitate momentum.
iv. Unhelpful habits are holding you back or you feel like something is getting in your way but you’re not really sure what
You find yourself stuck in perfectionism or procrastination, you’re blighted by imposter syndrome or people pleasing is making work inefficient and unrewarding. You might be fearful of getting out there, charging what you're worth, setting boundaries or making the bolder moves you’d like to make and can’t quite put your finger on what’s going on or how to move past it. Coaching can help both bring awareness to and shift these internal patterns at their root and develop more helpful strategies that are aligned with where you want yourself and your business to be. Sometimes these patterns get in the way of us taking the step to invest in our brands and our business and sometimes they prevent us from getting out there with our brand identity once it’s created. Either way, good coaching can bring you the awareness and strategies to unstick you and create the much needed momentum to move forwards.
v. You’ve reached a plateau and can’t seem to move beyond it
Maybe revenue or impact has flatlined despite a lot of effort. Maybe you want to scale but don’t know what structure model or team is right for you, perhaps you’re wearing all the hats but don’t know what or how to delegate. Coaching creates a space to rethink strategy, explore your leadership capacity, find ways forwards that will work uniquely for you rather than a one size fits all model for growth.
vi. You’re exhausted, overwhelmed or have lost the love for your work and your business
If you feel like business is running you rather than the other way round, if you find yourself feeling resentful of the time, energy and effort you put in for less than sufficient reward, if you’ve lost your big why and that spark that you had early on and are questioning whether it’s all worth it but have no idea what to do about it, then coaching creates space for rest, renewal and re-alignment.
vii. You want to take things to the next level
Coaching isn’t just for people in crisis, far from it. Some of the deepest transformations happen when things are “fine”—but fine isn’t enough anymore. If you want to grow yourself and your business in a way that’s aligned with your values and sustainable, coaching can provide you with the scaffolding to step up with more intention. If you want to show up more authentically with your brand but aren’t sure what that looks like or what might be getting in the way, coaching can help you see what’s possible, ensure you have alignment between yourself and your brand and help facilitate you taking the next step in the process and turn ambition into aligned sustainable action.
2. How can a business coach help with decision-making and clarity?
A coach can be a helpful ally in authentic decision making and getting you a clear internal map of your values, your sense of identity and cutting through the noise to work out what’s really important not just what feels urgent or is someone else's agenda.
A coach will help you work through complex choices, understanding your motivations, sifting through both the emotions, the body signals and the logical thinking to find an integrated solution that takes into account all parts of you.
A good coach is both an excavator and a mirror and should help bring to the surface blind spots, limiting beliefs or patterns that are holding you back. They can often take the eagle perspective, helping you see yourself clearly as they aren’t stuck in the weeds of your business or your brand in the same way you might be.
The branding process can be fraught with emotion and the stakes can often feel high. A coach can help regulate your nervous system, help you tune into intuition and make more grounded decisions that aren’t made from a fearful fight or flight state but are centered in deeper wisdom. If you want your brand to stand the test of time and not come and go with your emotional waves this grounding can be vital.
3. How does coaching help business owners break through mindset barriers?
Awareness is the first step to breakthrough. A good coach will create a supportive, strategic space to identify, challenge and rewire the inner beliefs that hold you back. They make the invisible visible and will help you reframe things to find more empowering narratives that will better serve your goals and shift you from inner criticism to compassion, from a limited view to expansive possibility and from rigid thinking to a growth mindset.
A good coach will challenge your limitations, holding the highest version of what’s possible for you and encouraging you to stretch beyond what you might currently be able to see. Really good coaches understand the nervous system and use that awareness to work with the body and mind, a somatic approach that helps you regulate away from fear, identify trauma responses and move towards more grounded and intuitive rather than from a reactive unconscious reactive space.
4. What’s the difference between a business coach and a mentor?
Coaching in its purest form is essentially a well crafted and deeply delving conversation with a clear objective. It's about asking the right questions, at the right time and in the right way to clarify, make decisions and overcome internal or strategic blocks. It opens up thinking and creates the shift in awareness, belief patterns and understanding needed to facilitate transformation.
Coaching gives you a valuable sounding board, enabling you to access your own answers to gain clarity and insight, explore ideas, generate new ones, and put your thoughts in order. Coaching is often future focused, moving you towards growth, awareness and alignment.
Mentoring differs from coaching in some very key ways. A mentor is someone who has gone before in your specific field and shares their own experience and wisdom to help actively guide. They might offer advice, shortcuts or lessons learned. Coaching helps shape and draw on your inner compass if you like and mentoring offers the map of someone who has walked the path before.
A coach will ask, reflect, listen, challenge and hold space for you to discover things for yourself and doesn’t need to be an expert in your field. A mentor will likely be more directive and sometimes more informal, and is there with their industry knowledge to give advice. A mentor might share their network, facilitate connections and help you make tactical decisions from their own experience. A coach would support your evolution, a mentor would support your navigation.
Business coach Elizabeth writing and thinking in tranquil surroundings
5. Common misconceptions about coaching and why they are worth reconsidering
Even if you’re curious about coaching, it’s easy to hold back because of a few lingering misconceptions. These are some of the most common ones I hear:
i. “Coaching is expensive”
It will be an investment, yes. But it’s not just a line item in your budget—it’s a foundation for sustainable clarity, alignment and momentum. The real cost often comes from staying stuck, burning out, or making decisions that aren’t aligned with your values or long-term vision. Coaching, when it’s the right fit, tends to pay for itself in better decision-making, more focused action, and stronger inner leadership. Some coaches will offer a pay as you go structure, which if cash flow is a challenge and you don’t feel like you can commit to longer, more expensive programmes, might be a worthwhile place to start. With one caveat: deep and meaningful shifts can take a little time and we often have a tendency to bail just when the juicy work begins, so finding a coach that will gently encourage you to keep going to get the results you’re looking for is a worthwhile investment.
ii. “Coaching is formulaic or cookie-cutter”
The best coaching is anything but. While some coaches might offer structured frameworks (which can be helpful!), coaching that transforms is a deeply tailored, relational process. It's not about slotting you into a model—it’s about meeting you where you are and helping you uncover your unique way forward.
iii. “A coach will just tell me what to do”
That’s more mentoring—or even consulting. Coaching is about helping you hear yourself more clearly. It’s a space where powerful questions and reflection lead you to insight. A good coach will walk beside you, not in front of you. They won't take your agency away—they’ll help you strengthen it.
iv. “Coaching is only for people who are struggling”
Many clients I work with are doing fine—but fine isn’t enough anymore. They’re ready to stretch, to align more deeply, to step into the next evolution of themselves and their business. Coaching is just as powerful for expansion as it is for navigating challenge.
v. “Coaching is basically the same as therapy”
There’s some overlap—both create space for reflection and growth—but they are likely to have a different focus and varying purposes. Therapy often looks back, tending to wounds and history. Coaching is often future-focused, generative, and action-oriented. It’s about supporting your goals and helping you navigate forward, whilst being informed by the patterns of the past. Some coaches, particularly those who are trauma informed or have timeline therapy, energy work or other somatic practices in their tool kit, may offer other tools to supplement coaching and aid you in clearing some of the deeper blocks to progress but this isn’t to be expected from your average coach.
vi. “Coaching is a magic bullet”
Whilst breakthroughs and powerful lightbulb moments can (and in my opinion should) be a hallmark of good coaching, instant transformation shouldn’t be expected. Whilst coaching may move you forwards quicker than some more past orientated therapeutic approaches, coaching isn’t about overnight success—it’s about honest, embodied, sustainable growth. Yes, sometimes a single session can shift something huge. But more often, it’s a gradual unfolding, a series of small insights that lead to lasting change.
vii. “Big shifts have to be hard work”
I genuinely believe that working hard doesn’t have to feel like hard work in our businesses and the same applies to coaching for me. It is entirely possible to make profound shifts in a lighthearted and light touch way. Some of the most profound shifts happen when we soften, not push. Coaching can help you find ease and flow—not by bypassing effort, but by helping you align your energy with what matters. It’s less about the grind, and more about finding efficient and effective ways to flow.
viii. “I need to know exactly what I want before I start coaching”
Feeling stuck in uncertainty or lack of clarity holds so many people back from seeking the support of a coach, not knowing is often the perfect place to begin. Many people come to coaching with foggy goals or a vague sense of discomfort. That’s okay. The process itself is designed to help you get clearer, step by step. You don’t need a five-year plan—you just need a willingness to explore and a good coach should help you untangle the mental threads and shine a light through the fog.
Elizabeth taking a moment to contemplate and reflect on her business
6. How do you find the right business coach?
Ultimately, coaching is a relational process. Your success depends on how safe, challenged, and resourced you feel. My advice would be to choose someone who makes you feel seen, heard and valued, someone who makes you feel braver, not smaller, who believes in your vision and can hold it for you when you struggle to do that for yourself.
A good coach will have a clear process even if it’s intuitive or organic and will be able to reassure you when it comes to confidentiality, scope and boundaries. A good coach will know the limits of their role and when they might need to refer you elsewhere for therapeutic or financial advice for example.
Ask for a discovery call. Many coaches will offer this either for free or at a reduced rate, and then trust how your body and intuition responds. Do you feel safe or do you feel uncomfortably challenged, or judged? Did they ask good questions? Make you think? Did they hold your feelings in a way that made you feel heard and understood?
7. What advice would you give to business owners considering coaching?
Look beyond credentials or social media presence and choose a coach you trust, not just admire. Do they make you feel seen, heard, valued? Do they ask great questions?
Don’t wait till you’re at crisis point. Coaching isn’t just for when things are falling apart. Some of the most powerful transformations happen when business is okay—but you sense there’s a next level waiting to emerge
Your mindset, energy, and alignment are some of your business’s most powerful assets. You're not just buying advice—you’re investing in your clarity, leadership, resilience, and growth.. and that is priceless
8. Key points for knowing when to get a business coach
Here’s a summary of what we’ve learned about when to get a business coach and the factors that go into it:
Work with a coach when you lack clarity, feel disconnected from your purpose or struggle to make aligned decisions about your brand or business
Use coaching to identify unhelpful patterns, overcome mindset blocks (like perfectionism or imposter syndrome) and to create momentum in your business
Coaching supports sustainable growth by helping you refine your offer, own your value and navigate plateaus or burnout
Choose a coach based on trust, connection and how well they hold space for you—not just credentials or popularity
Don’t wait for a crisis—coaching is powerful at any stage and especially valuable when you're ready to evolve or take things to the next level
9. Anything else I need to know about when I should get a business coach?
If you’re wondering whether it’s the right time to work with a coach, the truth is: it might be. Coaching isn’t just for when things feel stuck—it’s for when you’re ready to grow with more clarity, alignment and ease. It’s for when you’re tired of second-guessing, ready to step into something more expansive or simply want to feel more grounded in your purpose and confident in your next steps.
Whether you're preparing for a rebrand, trying to make your business feel more 'you' or just sense there's a better way of doing things, coaching can offer the support and clarity to get you there. The right coach won’t give you answers—they’ll help you find your own. And that’s where real, lasting change happens.
If this has sparked something for you, come and connect with me @andthrive on Instagram or explore more about how I help creative business owners build brands that feel aligned from the inside out at elizabethcairns.com.
In this article:
Introduction to coaching for your business and brand
What are the signs that a business owner might benefit from a coach?
How can a business coach help with decision-making and clarity?
How does coaching help business owners break through mindset barriers?
What’s the difference between a business coach and a mentor?
Common misconceptions about coaching and why they are worth reconsidering
What advice would you give to business owners considering coaching?
Anything else I need to know about when I should get a business coach?
About the author:
This is a guest blog by Elizabeth Cairns, a transformational coach, therapist and bestselling author who helps purpose-driven founders build aligned, thriving businesses with clarity, confidence and wellbeing at the core.
Her book The Empowered Entrepreneur is available worldwide at elizabethcairns.com.
