Is a business coach worth it for a sole trader?

It can be, if the coaching helps you earn more, waste less time or make better decisions than you would alone. Our guide to business coach cost in Australia explains how to weigh it up.

What is the difference between a solopreneur and a sole trader?

Sole trader is the legal and tax structure in Australia. Solopreneur is a looser word for anyone running a business on their own, whatever the structure. For structure questions, talk to your accountant.

Can coaching help me stop feeling isolated?

Having a regular, structured conversation about your business helps a lot of solo owners feel less alone with the decisions. If isolation is affecting your wellbeing, please also talk to your GP or a support service.

How often are sessions?

Usually fortnightly or monthly, with short check ins between. We agree the rhythm that suits your business.

Business Coach for Solopreneurs and Sole Traders

Running a business on your own is wonderful right up until you realise you are also the marketing department, the complaints line and the person who forgot to send the invoice.

Mr Purple coaches solopreneurs, sole traders and consultants who want a business that earns well, fits their life and does not depend on heroic effort every single week.

Book 15 with Tom

Sound familiar?

Your income goes up and down with your energy
You never quite get round to marketing until work dries up
You are charging what you charged three years ago
Every task is your task, so nothing gets done properly
There is nobody to talk the big decisions through with

Why solo owners benefit from coaching

When you work alone, nobody challenges your assumptions and nobody notices when you drift. A coach gives you a thinking partner, a bit of healthy accountability and someone to ask why you are still doing that thing you hate.

What we work on

Focus. One clear offer for one clear customer, instead of a menu that confuses everyone.

Pricing. Moving from hours to value where it makes sense, and raising prices without losing sleep. See how to raise prices in a small business.

A steady pipeline. A small weekly habit of marketing and follow up, so the work keeps coming even when you are busy. Getting more referrals is often the easiest place to start.

Systems for one. Templates, checklists and simple tools so the admin takes less of you.

What to outsource first. Bookkeeping, admin or a virtual assistant, and how to hand over without it going pear shaped.

Do you need to grow?

Not necessarily. Some solo owners want to build a team. Others want to stay solo and simply earn more for fewer hours. Both are perfectly good goals. Coaching starts with what you want, not with a growth formula.

Where to start

Write your offer in one sentence a stranger would understand
Block one hour a week for marketing and treat it like a client meeting
List the tasks you dread and price what it would cost to hand each one over
Look at the last six months of income and spot the pattern

Bring one business wobble

Fifteen honest minutes with Dr Tom Hitchcock. Bring the problem you cannot quite name. No surprise proposal ambush and no hard sell. If coaching is not the right move, Tom will tell you, and usually point you somewhere useful.