Why Every Growing Business Needs a Business Coach: Planning for Growth and Spotting Blind Spots Early

Ashley Boaz
Jul 7
5 min read

Updated: Sep 5

Growing a business is an exhilarating journey—full of opportunities, breakthroughs, and moments of celebration. But let’s not kid ourselves. It’s also filled with complexities, blind spots, and decisions that weigh heavy on even the most confident entrepreneurs.

This is where a business coach becomes invaluable. Whether you're building your empire from scratch or actively maintaining a growing operation, a coach helps you strategically plan for growth while also spotting issues before they become costly mistakes.

Much like an athlete relies on a coach to fine-tune performance and stay focused on the bigger goal, business owners benefit from having someone objective in their corner—someone who brings clarity, direction, and accountability.

Let’s unpack why having a business coach during your building and maintenance phases isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

The Building Phase: Laying the Foundation for Sustainable Growth

When you’re in the startup or early growth stage, your to-do list is infinite. From hiring staff and creating processes to marketing and budgeting, everything seems mission-critical. But amid the chaos, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters most: scaling smartly and staying sustainable.

A business coach brings fresh perspective to your vision. Instead of being buried in your day-to-day grind, you’ll have a strategic guide to help:

1. Clarify Goals and Objectives

You might know where you want to go—but do you have a realistic, measurable roadmap to get there? A business coach will help you refine your goals into actionable steps, avoiding vague ambitions and turning them into KPIs, financial targets, and specific outcomes.

2. Avoid Costly Early Mistakes

In the early days of business ownership, enthusiasm can cloud judgment. Whether it’s over-hiring, underpricing, or making decisions based on emotion, a business coach will serve as a neutral, experienced voice of reason to keep you on track.

3. Establish Healthy Habits from Day One

Creating scalable systems, documenting processes, and learning how to lead a team are skills many owners learn the hard way. A coach helps you set these up properly so your growth isn’t built on a shaky foundation.

The Maintenance Phase: Keep Momentum, Minimize Burnout

Once your business is up and running, you may think the hard part is over. But maintaining success—and continuously evolving with your market—takes just as much intentionality as the build phase.

A business coach helps you keep growing without burning out or losing control of your business. Here's how:

1. Spotting Blind Spots You Can’t See

Even the best leaders have blind spots. These are the areas of your business (or leadership style) where inefficiencies, missed opportunities, or unaddressed conflict may be lurking.

The problem? You're often too close to recognize them.

A business coach acts like a mirror—reflecting what’s really happening and offering you insights you might never notice on your own.

Some common blind spots include:

Underperforming team members protected by loyalty
Overspending in areas with poor ROI
Micromanaging instead of delegating
Ignoring shifts in customer behavior or market trends
Relying too heavily on a single revenue stream

Your coach won’t just identify these; they’ll help you address them in a way that fits your leadership style and business culture.

2. Strategic Thinking vs. Emotional Decision-Making

Let’s be honest—business ownership is personal. That means emotions often sneak into the decision-making process. A business coach gives you space to talk through decisions out loud, pressure-test ideas, and weigh options with less emotional bias.

Think of them as your board of trustees—a third party who is invested in your success but not emotionally entangled in your day-to-day operations.

3. Navigating Growth Pains

It’s easy to assume growth always feels good. But even good growth can be overwhelming. As your team expands, your profit increases, and new opportunities arise, you’ll likely face new challenges:

Hiring and retaining the right talent
Delegating responsibilities without losing oversight
Upgrading systems and infrastructure
Managing cash flow with a bigger payroll

A business coach helps you navigate these transitions without compromising your values or culture. They provide both strategy and sanity as your business evolves.

What Sets a Business Coach Apart from Other Advisors?

You may already have a CPA, an attorney, or a mentor—and they’re all important. But a business coach offers a unique blend of insight and accountability.

Here’s what makes coaching different:

1. Unbiased, Ongoing Support

While your CPA is focused on your finances and your attorney focuses on legal risk, a business coach looks at the full picture of your operations, leadership, vision, and execution. And unlike a mentor who may provide occasional advice, coaching is structured and consistent—offering accountability over time.

2. Industry Insight + Growth Psychology

Many business coaches bring years of industry-specific knowledge and leadership development tools to the table. They understand the psychological hurdles entrepreneurs face and offer tailored support to help you work through fear, self-doubt, and decision fatigue.

3. They Help You Stay the Course

Have you ever gotten excited about a new idea, only to pivot before completing your last five initiatives? It happens to the best of us. A business coach helps you stay grounded in your strategy while still staying open to innovation.

When to Hire a Business Coach

The best time to bring in a coach? Before you’re in crisis. But even if you're already feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure, it’s not too late.

Here are key signs it’s time to bring in a business coach:

You’re experiencing rapid growth and struggling to keep up
You’re uncertain about your next move or major decisions
You’re noticing increased conflict or disengagement in your team
You’ve plateaued in revenue and can’t figure out why
You want to launch a new service, team, or location and need support to plan it
You’re feeling isolated in your leadership and need a sounding board

Even if none of these apply today, proactively working with a business coach will set you up to handle future challenges with more confidence and less chaos.

The ROI of Working With a Business Coach

Think of coaching as an investment in your longevity and success—not an expense. The return on investment often includes:

Increased profitability through better decision-making
Reduced employee turnover due to stronger leadership
Greater clarity and confidence in your role
Streamlined operations that save time and reduce burnout
Faster recovery from setbacks and missteps

A coach doesn’t just help you grow your business—they help you grow as a leader and create a company that reflects your values, vision, and goals.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Build Alone

Building and maintaining a successful business is not for the faint of heart. You’ll be tested, stretched, and faced with more decisions than you ever imagined. But you don’t have to do it alone.

A business coach offers clarity in chaos, strategy in uncertainty, and confidence in decision-making. They’ll help you identify blind spots before they trip you up and guide you through growth with a balanced, sustainable approach.

Your business deserves to have more than just hustle behind it—it deserves intentional strategy, honest reflection, and a clear path forward.

Want to See if Coaching Is Right for You?

Take a moment to reflect with this short questionnaire. If you answer “yes” to three or more, it may be time to explore working with a business coach:

Business Coaching Self-Check:

Do I feel overwhelmed by the number of decisions I make daily?
Have I hit a plateau in revenue or growth?
Am I unsure how to scale without losing control of operations?
Are there recurring issues with team accountability or communication?
Do I feel like I’m constantly working in the business, not on it?
Would I benefit from having a trusted sounding board to talk through ideas?
Do I second-guess my leadership decisions or delay making big moves?
Am I looking for more structure, support, and strategy in my day-to-day leadership?