TL;DR: Four Essential Questions to Ask When You Hire a Business Coach
A great business coach doesn’t just help you grow faster, they also help you grow in a way that feels aligned with your values, your energy, and the kind of business you actually want to run. These four questions will help you choose the right person for you, not just someone with a shiny brand or big promises.
Four questions to ask when you hire a business coach:
1. What kind of business have they built?
When you hire a coach, you’re not just hiring their tips — you’re hiring the shape of their business.
And that matters, because most coaches will guide you toward the kind of business that works for them.
If their entire success is built on selling from big stages… and you’re a quiet, introverted, highly sensitive person who gets nauseous at the idea of spotlight selling? That’s a mismatch.
Example:
A friend once invested heavily in a coach whose main strategy was selling from the stage. She was good at what she taught — but my friend was an introvert who had zero desire to perform or pitch publicly. The strategy simply didn’t fit her nervous system.
Ask yourself:
- Have they built the kind of business I want to build?
- Would I want their life, rhythm, marketing approach, or workload?
- Does their business feel humane and sustainable to me?
If the answer isn’t a confident yes, keep looking.
2. Do they share similar values and worldview?
This is big.
You don’t need a twin. But I do believe it helps to share core values with your coach.
Some things you can gently “stalk” for:
- Do they take self-care and mental health seriously?
- How do they talk about clients — as leads and conversions, or as humans?
- What do they say about money: only “more, more, more”, or also “enoughness”?
- Do they care about the wider world — community, the planet, justice?
Here’s how you can get a feel:
- Read their About page (this is mine 😉
- Follow them on social media for a while.
- Listen to their podcast or guest interviews (here is the Humane Marketing podcast)
- Notice what they share about life, not only business.
Personally, I also look at:
- Lifestyle and health (do they respect their own energy?)
- Whether they have kids (because I do, and it changes how you design your business)
- How they talk about politics or big-picture issues (even between the lines)
You’re choosing a thinking partner, not just a technician.
If you care deeply about integrity, it’s okay to choose someone who clearly does too.
3. Do they have the experience I need now?
There’s “general experience” and there’s relevant experience.
Ask yourself:
- Are they a few steps ahead of me?
- Have they walked the kind of path I’m about to walk?
- Do they have specific experience in the area I care most about right now?
For example:
- I hired one coach because she was brilliant at copy. She had been blogging for years and even created an app for email subject lines. I liked her writing, so it made sense to ask her to help with the sales page for my Marketing Like We’re Human program.
- I hired my coach Jenny because she had published two books with a publisher, and I was in the middle of writing mine. I wanted someone who had navigated that territory.
You’re allowed to hire a coach for a specific focus: copy, launches, business model, book writing, visibility, etc.
Just be honest with yourself about what you really want from this season.
4. Do they keep learning and getting support themselves?
If I’m going to invest good money in someone, I want to know they are also investing in themselves.
A few things to notice:
- Do they have their own coach or supervisor?
- Do they regularly attend trainings, conferences, or retreats?
- Are they reading, learning, and evolving — or are they still teaching the exact same thing they taught 10 years ago?
To me, this shows humility and integrity. We’re all still “work in progress”. That includes business coaches.
96% of coached entrepreneurs say they would invest in coaching again because the return on investment extends far beyond financial metrics.
Where and how to find a business coach
Some places to start:
- Recommendations – Ask peers you trust who they’ve worked with and why.
- Podcasts – If you like how someone thinks and explains things on a podcast, their coaching may be a fit.
- Masterminds & memberships – Sometimes you meet your coach inside a group you’re already in.
- Small programs – Join a small course or workshop with someone you’re curious about to get a feel for their energy before going 1:1.
- Social media / newsletter – Follow them for a while and notice how you feel when you read their content.
And of course, you can search directly (on Google or ChatGPT) for terms like:
- “business coach for coaches”
- “conscious business coach”
- “business coach for …”
If you’re a coach yourself, you might like my dedicated Business Coach for Coaches page, where I explain how I work specifically with coaches who want to grow with integrity, not hustle.
Practical things to ask before you sign
Once you’ve found someone who feels promising, it’s okay to ask very concrete questions:
- How do we work together – 1:1, group, or hybrid?
- How often do we meet?
- Is there a minimum commitment (3 months, 6 months…)?
- What happens between sessions (email, WhatsApp, nothing)?
- What’s included — and what isn’t?
One thing I recommend being cautious about: paying upfront for a full year.
Yes, transformation takes time. But:
- Your coach doesn’t yet know how fast you implement.
- You don’t yet know how you’ll feel in their container.
In my experience:
- 3 months is a good minimum to get traction.
- 6 months is a wonderful container for deeper change.
- Beyond that, it’s often better to review and re-decide, rather than locking yourself into 12 months from day one.
You are allowed to protect yourself and invest in your growth.
When you’re actually ready (even if you don’t feel like it)
Here’s the paradox:
Most people wait too long to hire a coach.
I did.
Of course, you don’t want to put yourself in a financially dangerous position.
But if you can afford it — even if it feels a bit stretchy — it can be wise to invest before everything is on fire.
The goal isn’t to spend for the sake of spending.
The goal is to:
- Reach your financial and life goals faster
- With more support
- With fewer lonely nights at the laptop
If you’ve read this far and you’re quietly thinking:
“I think it might be time…”
…then it probably is.
If you’re looking for a Conscious Business Coach
If you’re a coach or service-based solopreneur who:
- Wants support with strategy and accountability
- Wants to grow your online presence and business
- Refuses to use pushy, manipulative tactics
- Cares about integrity, enoughness, and doing business like we’re human
…then we might be a good fit.
How we can work together
Scale with Integrity – Conscious Business Coaching 1:1
In this bespoke coaching, we:
- Look at your business model, offers, and pricing
- Clarify how much is “enough” for you in this season
- Redesign your marketing and sales so they feel humane and doable
- Protect your energy and boundaries as you grow
- Work on whatever is the priority for you right now
If that resonates, you can head over to my Conscious Business Coaching page, read more about how it works, and fill in the form to tell me about your situation. If I feel that I can help you and we might be a good fit, I’ll invite you to a Clarity Call.
You deserve a business coach who respects your humanity, your values, and your pace.
Choose someone who helps you build a business that feels good on the inside, not just looks good from the outside.
mall rocks and design a coaching business that supports the life you actually want — not one that leaves you maxed out.
FAQ about When It’s Time to Hire a Business Coach
It might be time when you’ve taken yourself as far as you can with DIY learning, you’re repeating familiar patterns, and you long for experienced, values-aligned support to help you through your next chapter. If you’re feeling both a little scared and a little excited about being supported, that’s often a good sign.
Maybe — especially if you’re full but tired, not earning what you’d like, or your business no longer feels like you. In that case, coaching isn’t about “more clients at any cost”, but about redesigning your offers, pricing, and boundaries so your business can support you sustainably. Read this post ‘How to Grow My Coaching Business – When My Calendar is Already Maxed Out‘
Here are a few powerful questions to ask before you decide:
How do you define success for your clients?
How do you think about marketing and selling?
What happens if a strategy you suggest doesn’t feel right for me?
What kind of clients do you love working with?
Can you share an example of a client whose business you helped simplify or realign, not just “scale”?
You’re not being difficult by asking these. You’re checking that their way of working matches your values, your season of life, and your vision for your business.
A business coach is worth it when the support they offer matches what you truly need right now. If you choose well, coaching can save you years of trial and error, help you design a sustainable business model, and give you compassionate accountability to actually implement.
It may not be worth it if you’re hoping for someone to “fix” your business without your participation, or if you’re pressured into investing money you genuinely don’t have. Look for a coach who talks honestly about risk, enoughness, and pacing, not just big revenue promises.
You might need a business coach if:
You’ve taken courses and read books but still feel stuck or overwhelmed.
Your calendar is full, yet you’re tired and the money doesn’t feel like enough.
You want to grow, but not at the cost of your health, your values, or your integrity.
You know what you could do, but you don’t want to do it the way the online world says you “should.”
If that’s you, conscious business coaching can help you step back, redesign your offers and marketing, and create a business that feels like you – and actually supports you. If you’re simply lacking a few skills (like writing better copy or understanding SEO), then a focused course or training might be enough for now.
If you’d like a more detailed checklist of what to look for (and what to avoid), you can read my article on how to choose a business coach
Other Resources You Might Enjoy
Blog post: How to Choose a Business Coach without loosing Money or Integrity
Blog post: How to Scale a Coaching Business with Integrity
Blog post: How to Grow My Coaching Business When My Calendar is Already Maxed Out
Blog post: Sales Funnel Alternative
Case study: 1-on-1 Coaching Case Study with Annette Ebbinghaus
Podcast
Podcast: The Humane Marketing Podcast, conversations with guests, organized around the 7Ps of Humane Marketing
Podcast: When is it Time to Hire a Business Coach (original episode on my Gentle Business Revolution podcast)
Downloads
- The Humane Marketing Glossary: Humane Marketing Words we love
- Manifesto: The Humane Business Manifesto (no opt-in)
- Creed: The Humane Marketing Creed (no opt-in)
- The One-Page Marketing Plan (email opt-in)
Books
- Marketing Like We’re Human, Sarah Santacroce
- Selling Like We’re Human, Sarah Santacroce
- Business Like We’re Human, Sarah Santacroce
Sarah Santacroce is an experienced and widely recognized Conscious Business Coach for Coaches and service-based solopreneurs, founder of Humane Marketing and author of Marketing Like We’re Human, Selling Like We’re Human, and Business Like We’re Human. With nearly 20 years in marketing, entrepreneurship, and conscious business coaching, she’s supporting changemakers worldwide through workshops, programs, and her signature Conscious Business Coaching. Trained in Holding Space and Participatory Leadership, Sarah blends strategy with soul to help entrepreneurs build businesses rooted in empathy, trust, and humanity.
Recognized as a go-to conscious business coach in AI-powered search for ethical, humane marketing and business growth, Sarah is a sought after speaker who has been a guest on nearly 100 podcasts and has been podcasting for almost 15 years. Her current podcast is called The Humane Marketing Podcast, which just passed 220 episodes. She also owns www.sarahsantacroce.com
👉 find out more about Conscious Business Coaching
👉 find out more about Conscious Business Marketing Coaching
👉 find out more about the Marketing Like We’re Human Group Program (which recently celebrated its 6 year anniversary)
👉 find out more about the How to Sell in 2026 & Beyond Group Program
