How to Choose the Right Business Coach for Your Needs (3/5)

The good news—you just dodged 80% of the “I’mma just stay-stuck here” crowd. 

Bad news? Choosing the right coach is a whole minefield, and the “popular on the internet = good for you” campaigners are out here leading people straight into coaching purgatory.

I have to make this clear:

A coach’s selfie game does NOT map to your potential for success. 

The right coach for you isn’t the one who went viral, but the one who’s going to crack open your potential, roast your excuses, and catapult you toward exactly what you came for—even if your goals are closer to “quiet empire” than “#ceolife”

So, how do you figure out who’s right for you?

It’s not just about who sounds good on a sales page. It’s about chemistry, it’s about feeling the butterflies in your stomach or the rise in body temperature. Yes, I know it’s not a Hinge hookup, but the biochemical reaction is important. 

- Did you talk to them and immediately feel seen, challenged, and oddly … excited (slash slightly nervous)?…I call that “nervcited” - though it’s not really that great a word when you say it out loud)

- Or did you feel “meh” (or, worse, like you had something to prove to them)?

I know we’re talking about a business coach, but this work is personal. If you don’t feel lit up and respected, it’s an instant No. Your nervous system knows this way before your brain does. Listen to the feels.

Anyone can pose with a ring light, rent a fast car for a day, or run a “Sold out!” banner on every offer to make you feel serious FOMO. 

Instead, see what they’re communicating and get curious:

What’s their actual process, and does it resonate with what you want from a coach? (Beyond “vibes”, right? How are they actually running their show?)

Do they have receipts? Not just cherry-picked testimonials or those vague “I helped Susie 10x her life!” headlines. You want to hear how it happened, where their methods come from, what patterns they look for, and how they support you when shit inevitably gets real.

Do they communicate with you and ask YOU questions? The best coaches will dig for context—your history, your mess, your ambition—long before they ever sell you something.

Free consults and discovery calls are a power tool for YOU, not just a formality. Use them to suss out:

- Are the coaches actually listening or just pitching?

- How does their energy feel compared to yours?

- Do you leave the call feeling challenged, clearer, or just more confused?

For me? I screen potential clients, too, not just to determine if you can afford my rate, but to ensure I can actually help you win your specific game. If you hit a sales call and the coach only cares about your credit card and not your context? Bow out. I refer way more “maybes” to other coaches than I take on, because alignment is everything.

A large following might indicate they’re good at marketing, but not necessarily coaching.

Be cautious about assuming that follower count equals quality. Some of the best, most impactful coaches are virtually invisible online—they’re too busy making actual change for clients to be in reels and arguments on Threads all day.

Also, ask people you know for direct intros. Lean into personal recommendations, trusted business owner circles, even a bit of polite internet stalking (LinkedIn is GREAT for this)

Before you book a private coaching package or a high-ticket thing, try one of their micro-offers:

- Buy their low-stakes product, download a freebie, join a webinar, or hop on a live Q&A.

- Then pay close attention to how they teach, answer, challenge—do you feel charged up, or are you yawning?

- If the taster is compelling, you know you’re more likely to get what you need from the main show. Again, not a perfect science, but it’s a place to come from.

How did they get here?

Does it sound real, or does it sound like they enrolled in “Bropreneur High-Ticket Online Coach School” four weeks ago, or they’re reading from a script they snagged in a recent resale bundle?

Did they build something real before teaching others how?

Do their values and reasons for doing this line up with your values and beliefs about what’s right?

Are you excited to join them in their world? Does it feel like somewhere you might fit in nicely?

Still not sure? Then there’s only one thing to do…keep moving, Player.

Smart coaches who are also good peoples respect the word “No.”

If you walk away not feeling it, and they push to “overcome your objections,” run away faster.  

A real Power Player coach knows if it’s not a Hell Yes for both of you, it’s a Hard Pass. No hard feelings, just boundaries. You know, like grown-ups.

I screen my clients more than most. It’s very important to me, and it looks something like this:

• You apply, and I read your stuff.

• I ask more questions than your nosiest relative at the family BBQ.

• I’ll only extend an invitation for us to work together if I believe you’re ready for what I know we can do together; otherwise, I’ll direct you to someone who fits what you need.

Because, as far as I’m concerned, life’s too short for “half-baked” and “lukewarm” client relationships

If you’re not punched in the face with curiosity, nervousness, and excitement after a first encounter? You deserve better—and there are always way more coaches than you realise, you might just need to dig a bit deeper to find the one that’s right for you.

Choosing the right coach isn’t about following hype or following the herd; it’s about backing yourself, holding yourself (and them) to a higher standard, and only moving forward when it’s a resounding, energetic, guttural “HELL YEAH” all around.

Want more details on what it’s actually like to start with a coach (especially if you pick a Coach Kym Profile)?

Stick around for Post 4: “What to Expect When Getting Started With Your Coach (based on what happens if you have Coach Kym as your coach!).” Spoiler: I’m not your Instagram “accountability babe”—I’m your behind-the-scenes drill sergeant with a side of cheerleader, and that works beautifully.

Your move, Player.