The six steps
Every engagement follows the same structure, though the content is completely different depending on your business. Here is what to expect from start to finish.
Step 1: Discovery call (free, 30 minutes)
We start with a short video or phone call. You tell us what your business does, how large your team is, what revenue looks like, and what keeps you up at night. We ask questions to understand whether coaching is the right fit. Sometimes it isn't, and we will say so. If a client needs an accountant or a solicitor more than a coach, we refer them directly.
By the end of this call you will know whether we can help, roughly what the engagement would look like, and what it costs. There is no follow-up sales sequence.
Step 2: Business diagnostic (first paid session, 2 hours)
Before the diagnostic we ask you to share your most recent profit and loss statement, a rough org chart, and a list of the five biggest frustrations in your business right now. We review these before we meet.
During the session we walk through your numbers, your time allocation, your team structure, and your customer pipeline. We are looking for the two or three constraints that, if removed, would have the biggest impact on your profit or your quality of life.
You leave this session with a written summary: what we found, what we recommend focusing on first, and a proposed 90-day plan.
Step 3: 90-day action plan
We build the plan together in a shared document. Each action has an owner, a deadline, and a definition of done. We keep the list short: five to eight actions per quarter. Anything more and things start slipping.
The plan covers the specific changes you agreed to make: repricing a service line, hiring for a particular role, documenting a workflow, setting up a weekly team meeting, or whatever came out of the diagnostic. Each item links back to a measurable outcome so we can tell whether it worked.
Step 4: Fortnightly coaching sessions (75 minutes each)
This is where the real work happens. Every two weeks we meet over video (or in person at our Old Gulgowski office if you prefer). The first 15 minutes cover what you completed since last time and what got stuck. The next 45 minutes focus on one topic in depth: maybe a pricing conversation, a difficult team issue, or a decision you need to make about a new market.
The final 15 minutes set the actions for the next fortnight. We record these on the shared task board so nothing is lost. Between sessions you can email us with questions and we typically reply within a few hours during working days.
Step 5: Quarterly review
At the end of each 90-day cycle we sit down and measure what changed. Did revenue go up? Did the owner free up hours? Did the new hire work out? We compare actual results to the targets we set and discuss what to carry forward, what to drop, and what to tackle next.
This review takes about 90 minutes and produces the next 90-day plan. Clients who continue past the first quarter typically see compounding results because each cycle builds on the last.
Step 6: Graduation or ongoing support
Some clients reach a point where they have the systems, the team, and the clarity they need. At that stage we step back. There is no minimum commitment beyond the first quarter, and we actively encourage clients to move on when they are ready.
Others prefer to keep a lighter-touch relationship: one session per month instead of two, focused on strategic decisions and accountability. We are flexible on format because the goal is your independence, not our recurring revenue.
What makes this different from other coaching
We hear this question a lot. Three things stand out.
First, we work on your actual business problems, not abstract frameworks. If your issue is that your lead carpenter keeps quoting jobs incorrectly, we will sit with you and build a quoting checklist. We are not going to draw a quadrant on a whiteboard and ask you which box you are in.
Second, we track numbers. Every engagement has measurable targets: revenue, margin, owner hours worked per week, staff turnover, customer satisfaction scores. If the numbers don't move, we change the approach.
Third, we are honest when something isn't working. If you are not doing the actions you committed to, we will have that conversation directly. Coaching without accountability is just a chat.
Common questions about the process
How long does a typical engagement last?
The median is nine months, which is three 90-day cycles. Some clients finish in one quarter. A handful have been with us for over two years on a monthly check-in basis. There is no lock-in beyond the current quarter.
Can I pause and restart?
Yes. Life happens. If you need to pause for a month because of a family matter or a busy season, we hold your slot and pick up where you left off. We don't charge for months you don't use.
Do you work with startups that don't have revenue yet?
Occasionally, but our approach works best for businesses that already have customers and some revenue. If you are pre-revenue, a startup accelerator or mentor programme is usually a better fit. We can suggest a few if that's where you are.
What if I need help between sessions?
Email us. We respond within a few hours on weekdays. If something urgent comes up, like a key employee resigning or a major client threatening to leave, we can schedule an ad-hoc call at no extra charge within the same quarter.
Do sessions have to be on video?
No. Most clients prefer video because it saves travel time, but you are welcome to come to our office at 9 Mary Street in Old Gulgowski. Some clients alternate: video for the regular fortnightly sessions and in-person for the quarterly review.
Ready to start?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call or send us a message. We will get back to you within one working day.
Phone: +44 1409 508529
Email: [email protected]
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