One of the biggest problems in the coaching world is that many coach training programs and franchises will take anyone who has a pulse.

Not us.

I am very clear that coaching as a profession is suffering, largely because people who do not have the intellectual ability or presence to be good coaches are getting into coaching anyway. They are getting lousy results for the few clients they attract, and they are ruining it for the rest of us.

At the Institute for Business Growth, I are very careful about who we accept into my program. It doesn't take more than a phone call to figure out whether a prospective member can think on his or her feet, engage a business owner and management team, be on equal footing, build relationships while also getting results, and demonstrate a passion and enthusiasm for helping businesses improve results. We also check to make sure that you have the types of experience that will give you a compelling story to attract clients.

Yesterday a prospective member called me and wanted to join the program. I asked her why she wanted to be a business coach.

She replied by explaining that she was in a declining industry and needed to make a change.

I said, "Okay, that's why you want to get away from what you are doing now. But why do you want to be a business coach?"

She answered curtly, "Because I need to make a living."

Now, I appreciate the need to make a living, but there are many ways to make a living. Business coaches need something more. In addition to the skills and experiences touched on above, they also need passion, enthusiasm, and a love for helping business owners make gains in performance, the value of their companies, and their satisfaction.

I told her this and her comeback was, "Look I don't have a dream of being a business coach. When I was younger I wanted to be a ballerina but that dream didn't happen either. I just want to earn an income."

Not good enough. That, plus a tone in her voice that was negative and made me sure that I would never hire her as a coach, caused me to tell her that I didn't see a fit.

This happens every day at the Institute for Business Growth, and I wish other coach training programs and franchises would do the same. It takes special skills and a special person to succeed as a business coach and earn the respect of business owners.

If you think you have what it takes to be a successful business coach, the opportunity is there. We can do circles around most of the business coaches and advisers in the market today. I'm happy to speak to you and see if there is a fit. My personal cell is 941-539-9623. Just be ready for a truthful assessment.