A business coach is an experienced guide who works with business owners to improve decision-making, develop strategic plans, and strengthen leadership skills.
Rather than telling you exactly what to do, a coach helps you find your own best path forward — building the confidence, clarity, and strategic accountability you need to run a successful business.
At The Alternative Board (TAB), we see business coaching as more than just advice. It’s a mix of mentoring, structured planning, and entrepreneurial collaboration that can help you grow profits, lead with confidence, and align your business with your personal vision.
Watch what it’s like to work with TAB and experience business coaching in action
A business coach isn’t the same as a business consultant. A consultant often focuses on a single problem and provides ready-made solutions, sometimes implementing them for you.
A coach takes a different approach. They help you develop the skills and insights to address challenges yourself, not just for today, but for the long term. This means you gain the tools to navigate a wide range of situations, from recruitment and operations to leadership and succession planning.
In TAB’s case, our coaches also act as entrepreneurial mentors and facilitate peer advisory boards, giving you the added benefit of learning from other SME owners’ experiences.
There are many benefits that business coaching can give your business. Here are just a few:
A business coach looks at your entire business, helping you identify opportunities for improvement and growth. TAB coaches use the Business Builder’s Toolkit, an exclusive member platform, to support leaders in creating actionable, long-term strategies.
A coach provides strategic accountability, helping you stay focused on the actions that will move your business forward. This could mean following up on quarterly goals, refining your leadership approach, or addressing weaknesses you’ve identified.
A good business coach will likely have been there, seen and done it. They are business professionals with business ownership or senior leadership behind them (all of TAB’s coaches have a minimum of 10 years of experience). When you work with a business coach, you gain access to this experience to help you run a stronger business.
By helping business owners improve the running of their businesses, developing their skills, and offering the benefit of their own experience, having a business coach could catalyse greater business growth and a stronger support structure for the organisation’s future.
A key reason business coaching works is the combined benefits it gives both the business and the business owner or leader:
A good business coach listens carefully, asks the right questions, and helps you address the root of a challenge. This approach can have a significant impact on your personal development, helping you achieve greater business clarity and balance.
Read more about how business coaching supports personal development.
Everyone has a different vision of success, and a business coach will help you develop a clear vision statement that reflects what truly matters to you. These statements aren’t always about financial targets — they might include more time with family, greater involvement in your local community, or building a business you can eventually sell.
Once your vision is clear, your coach will provide the strategic accountability to keep you aligned with it, ensuring that the decisions you make in your business always support that end goal. Read more about identifying your personal vision.
Interested in learning more? Get in touch with TAB UK today to explore how joining a peer board could benefit you and your business.