How much does a salon business coach cost?

What is salon business coaching?

Traditionally, a coaching relationship is a 1:1 arrangement, where a coach meets with you regularly over a period of time to help you make progress in a particular area of your business.  A looser, more general arrangement becomes something closer to mentoring.

Of course, coaching has adapted and changed over time as technology (and indeed the businesses we serve) have changed too.  Meetings are not only face-to-face but often supplemented or replaced by telephone coaching or online video calls.

We've also seen the rise in popularity of group coaching programs, which can take any number of forms.

Do I need a salon business coach?

Whether you need a coach at all is one question.  Whether you need a specific salon business coach is another.

Personally, I've always believed that the times I have invested and leaned into coaching has yielded the best business results and at any one time I may have multiple coaches concerned with particular areas of my life and business.   You might have a fitness coach, a life or productivity coach, and a specific business coach, for example.

My motto in life and in business is: "Always have a coach, always be a mentor" which alludes to the fact that mentoring can teach you as much as a coach and helps bring a lot of clarity to your thinking.

I think there are times when having someone who is industry-specific is useful.  They tend to 'speak your language', understand your circumstances more readily and often have previous experience dealing with situations and businesses similar to yours.

Make the most of a salon business coach by getting their help with relevant matters - for example, if your biggest problem is personal productivity, you may get stronger results from a productivity coach rather than a salon coach.

Is a salon business coach worth it?

Salon business coaching is a big investment - and it should be.  Think of coaching as the hyper-drive or the shortcut.  Generally, I like to believe that my clients could get the results they enjoy without my help - but my coaching gets them there quicker, with less wasted time and frustration.

No coach is going to be able to guarantee results - think of it in terms of personal fitness coaching.  The coach can provide a plan, a regime or a diet.  But they can't stop you reaching for the Ben and Jerry's or actually lift the weights for you.

A coaching relationship is ultimately about equipping and empowering you to get great results.  And if the advice is sound, you're open to change and put in the work a good coach will exceed your level of investment.

How to choose a salon business coach

You're going to be spending a lot of time with your chosen coach, so choose carefully!

Your coach is not your business bestie, so you don't necessarily have to be friends but you should at least be friendly.  Bear in mind that your coach may occasionally need to kick your butt, so don't choose someone who you feel could struggle with that.

As a business coach, the most difficult clients I've ever dealt with have been those who have struggled to give me whole story.  It's important that you choose someone you feel you can be open and transparent with in all aspects of your life or business.

Most coaches will offer a one-off 'strategy call' or similar.  This isn't really designed to get you and huge results but more to see whether you and the coach are a good fit, and to allow the coach to assess how best they might be able to help you.

Great personal recommendations and a written coaching agreement are good signs.  High-pressure sales calls or rushing for the signup before they get to know you is a bad sign.

How much does a salon business coach cost?

Group coaching programs vary hugely and are largely dictated by the level of contact you personally have with the coach and the caliber of the cohort.  If, for example, you're on group calls with hundreds of others and your chances of actually speaking to the coach are small, and if those others are operating at a very low level, your level of investment is likely to reflect that.  By contrast, an elite group coaching program of a dozen clients, all operating highly successful businesses is likely to cost you a lot more.

The cost of my own 1:1 salon business coaching is dictated by:

• How long the coaching will go on for 

• The mix of face-to-face or online coaching

• How much contact we'll be having each week or month

Personally, I don't take on clients for less than 3 months - less than that is normally a one-off consultancy arrangement.

As a guide, your investment for 3 months of 1:1 coaching with me, with fortnightly video calls of an hour each would be £3,000.  Weekly calls, face-to-face coaching or a shorter 1-month duration increase the monthly investment.  Less frequent calls or a longer sign-up period bring the monthly investment down.