How to Choose the Best Business Coach for Your Private Practice | IP 195

Thinking about hiring a coach to help you grow your private practice? 

Before you invest time, money, energy, and trust into someone else’s guidance, it’s important to know what you’re actually looking for. 

In this episode, I’ll share 5 key questions to help you evaluate potential coaches wisely — from experience and accountability to intuition, alignment, and integrity. 

Because finding the right support can absolutely change your business... but choosing poorly can cost you, too. 

So in this episode, you’ll hear... 

1. Why the coaching industry can feel so overwhelming (and what to watch for). 
2. The importance of choosing someone who actually walks their talk. 
3. How testimonials, referrals, and client stories can help you evaluate a coach. 
4. Why emotional resonance and personal connection matters more than you think. 
5. The difference between a coach who cheers you on... and one who calls you forward. 

As you’ll hear, I’ve been working with coaches off and on for 20 years, and I’ve learned something from every single one of them - including how to choose the right coach to begin with! 

I’m going to help you figure that out too, so that you can choose the kind of support that fits what you need with confidence. 

If you’re standing at the threshold, wondering how to take the next step - you’ll love this. 

Give it a listen. 

~Wendy 

P.S. Working with excellent coaches has literally changed my life - AND my business. What if it's possible that that could happen for you? :) 

_______________ 

RESOURCES 

• Interested in a Quick Start Consult? If you’re ready to step into your growth edge, this 1:1 coaching work session could make all the difference. Learn more here. 
• Looking for free resources for your Private Practice planning? Click here. 
• Interested  being a Guest on the show? Submit your application here. 

Transcript

INTRO + WHY THIS MATTERS

Wendy Pitts Reeves 0:00

I You're listening to Ideal Practice, episode number 195. All right, guys, I promise you I would do this today. In last week's episode, I gave you five things to ask yourself to determine if you might be ready to hire a coach because it's not for everybody and it's not always at the right time. That's what we talked about last week. And I promise you that if indeed you might be ready, and this might be a good next step for you in your evolution as a practice owner, that today I would tell you what to look for when you are choosing a coach who's right for you. All right. So that's where we're gonna go today. So stay tuned. Hi, I'm Wendy Pitts Reeves, and with over two decades of experience in the private practice world, I've built my six-figure business while learning a lot of lessons the hard way. This is the first podcast that shows you how to apply the principles of energy, alignment, and strategy to build a practice that is profit-centered, but people forward. This is the Ideal Practice Podcast.

WHY CHOOSING A COACH IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS

Wendy Pitts Reeves 1:23

Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the Ideal Practice Podcast. This is Wendy, Wendy Pitts Reeves, your host. And you know what I'm gonna say? It's such a treat to be hanging out with you today. I hope you like these little short episodes. You know, I don't do this very often because it's just not in my nature, but every now and then I have it in me to like, you know, get to the point. And I just wanted to create a couple of episodes here. And I was thinking about why did I want to talk about this? The reason I wanted to talk about this right now is because I have had um a lot of folks reaching out to me for coaching uh in the last couple of months, and it's it's been gratifying and lovely, and I am thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying it. I only do one-on-one coaching right now. I don't have any groups or masterminds going on right now. I do on the counseling side of things, but not here. But um, as I have been taking on some new folks, it has been a reminder of how delightful it is to do. I just love this work so much. It is really, really joyful. And coaching has made a tremendous difference in my life. Like, seriously, it has literally changed my life. Like, literally changed my life in more ways than I could have ever had predicted when I hired my first coach way back in what, oh four, oh five, something like that. Yeah.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 2:44

So today I want to teach you like how to like how to evaluate somebody when you are thinking about hiring somebody. So I want you to be careful. I do want you to watch it because there's a million people out there. And it's really funny when I first came up with the idea of calling myself a private practice coach, which took me a while, y'all, because in the beginning I was coaching all kinds of different businesses attorneys, event planners, um, artists, like you name it. Like I thought, you know, business is business, and small business is small business. And I could work with just about anybody, which is true. But the business I know the most about is definitely private practice for healers. That's what I had the most experience with. And so somewhere along the way, I quit pretending otherwise and just like, you know what, Wendy, this is what you know how to do, so do this. Um, so I've been doing that a long time. Um, and when I first started calling myself a private practice coach, I had not heard anybody else saying that. And I was feeling so clever. Well, Lord, you can't throw a nickel without running into another private practice coach online if you move in the worlds that I move in. They are everywhere. And um, there's lots of really good ones out there, I'm sure. And everybody kind of has their angle or their area of expertise, and that's awesome.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 3:58

But how the heck do you know who to turn to when you have decided that indeed this would be a good next step for you? Well, let's say that you have done your homework. Let's say that you have taken the time to consider the things that I talked about in that last episode, that you have gone for long walks and journaled and talked to your friends and to your colleagues, and you have thought about it from every angle. You have studied your business, your private practice, and your internal self. And you have asked yourself the tough questions about whether you are ready to work with a coach and hire a mentor for your business, and you've made a decision. Yes, Wendy, I'm ready. I'm ready. Let's do this, you say to yourself in the mirror.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 4:44

Now you got to find somebody. And not just anybody either, right? Because the truth is, y'all, this is kind of a this is the downside of this world. Anyone can call themselves a coach. And as helpful as I think a coach can be in your life, it is, and y'all need to know this, it is a completely unregulated industry. There are training programs and certification programs, yes, but there are no state requirements. There are no licensure laws, there's nothing that says you have to meet any particular standard to call yourself a coach. This is not like being a licensed mental health provider or a licensed massage therapist. This is this is the Wild West. And just because someone tags the title coach to their name doesn't mean they have any idea what they're doing, honestly. So for that matter, actually, even if they know exactly what they're doing, that still doesn't mean that they're right for you.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 5:42

I have worked with coaches off and on for over 20 years, y'all, and I have loved and learned something from every single one of them. But I have also been super picky about who I hired. Following a combination of, you know, like left brain logic, which I do actually have, and right brain intuition, which I have a lot of, I've done pretty well. Every coach I've worked with has been exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed them. And that's changed over time. As my skills evolved, as my needs changed, that has changed. But I've always found the right person. And as I've grown, my choice of coaches and the level of work that I've done with them has grown as well. So if you're ready to take the leap, do your research first and choose carefully. Now, most coaching work is done these days, actually online by phone, by the internet, on Zoom. You can literally work with a coach anywhere in the world. The first coach I hired was in Pennsylvania. I live in Tennessee. And this is a cool thing because it means that there is a very wide pool to choose from. That can also be a little overwhelming sometime because how the heck do you pick somebody?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 7:02

Well, maybe this will help. I'm gonna give you five things to consider before you hire your next coach. You ready? You might want to write write these down.

Question #1: Are they successful in their own business?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 7:13

Okay. Number one, is this coach successful in their own business? The financial guru Dave Ramsey, who I I sometimes disagree with these days, but one of the things I've heard him say back in the day was he was always cautioning his listeners, don't take financial advice from someone who's broke. And as harsh as that sounds, he kind of had a point about that. When you are evaluating a potential coach, take a look at their business first. What have they done? How successful have they been? Where have you seen them grow? Do they understand the strategies that are involved in launching a successful startup? Do they work with businesses and practices that are already well established? Can they help you with mindset issues as well as strategy? Because you know as well as I do it takes both. It doesn't necessarily have to be all about their financial net worth, although it could be. But what experience do they have? What have you seen them do? What tells you that they know what they're talking about? Are they, have they done what they want to teach you how to do? Do they walk

Question #2: Do they invest in their own growth?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 8:21

their talk? Okay. Number the second question, along those same lines, do they walk their talk? Do they invest in their own growth? If this person believes in coaching as a critical tool for your development, they should practice what they preach. What coaches have they worked with in the past? Who do they work with now, if anyone? How has coaching made a difference in their own growth and development? And what are they doing today to make sure that they are still growing just as they are encouraging you to do? That's important. You know, a therapist is going to be a better therapist if they have done their own therapy, right? Same idea, same principle.

Question #3: What do their clients have to say about them?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 8:59

Question number three: what do their clients or customers or colleagues say about them? Do they have any testimonials on their website or in their newsletter? Can they share case studies on their blog or tell you stories on their podcast or online about some of their clients' successes? Would they be willing maybe to let you talk to a couple of people they've worked with in the past? That's a biggie. That's very helpful. For years and years, my first coach that I worked with way, way back, would ask me every now and then to talk to prospective clients. She was outstanding, so I was more than happy to tell people about her work. If your coach or the person you're considering is just getting started, maybe they've got a ton of experience, but they are just moving into the coaching world. They may not have testimonials yet, but we all have to start somewhere. So that's okay. That's not necessarily a deal breaker, but it is something worth asking about.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 9:56

Question

Question #4: Do you resonate with their message?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 9:57

number four: Do you resonate with the message that they carry? This is a biggie for me. This is one of the things that I have actually paid the most attention, maybe because I am a more heart-centered person. So this is this is just important to me. Do does this person that you are interested in, do they speak to your head or your heart or both? Personally, I think this is huge. There are thousands and thousands of coaches out there with something to share, something to sell, and something to celebrate. And as with all preachers and teachers, y'all, and a coach is a little bit of both, they each have their own individual style, their own unique ability, and their core beliefs for how they practice their craft. Some of those will work for you and beautifully, some of those won't. I have listened to some of the biggest names in the field, and I am struck by how completely flat some of them feel to me. On the other hand, my own coaches have often been people that I admired personally and people with whom I felt a really deep connection. I hired my first coach, partly because she had 20 years of experience successfully doing what I was wanting to do at the time. So that's the tr that's the strategy side, right? That's the that's the asking myself the hard questions. But mostly, if you want to know the truth, I hired her because she wrote a blog post that really spoke to me about finding a special stone in the river near her house. Yeah, what can I say? What can I say? You know what? I think things through logically and then I make decisions intuitively. I hired my the coach that I did the most work with, the longest I worked with one particular coach for seven years. I did that mostly because I had seen the massive amounts of information that she had to share, and I knew how good it was. Um, that was the strategy side of it. But mostly I hired her because I saw the genuine joy and pride in her face when her own clients were successful. She cared. I could see it, it showed, and that spoke volumes to me. What speaks to you about the person you want to hire? There has to be heart in it, y'all. Strategy is important. All the things I'm sharing with you are important, but there has to be heart, I personally think, for the kind of people we are. I think we need that. And

Question #5: Will they hold you accountable?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 12:21

finally, and I this is also quite juicy, and to me, is also one of the most important things. Question number five is will this coach hold you accountable to the goals you have set for yourself? I feel like that's a little bit about hiring a good therapist, to be honest. A good coach will be able to teach you all kinds of things from what to do to how to think. A good coach will be your biggest fan. They will be someone to help you stand strong on the tough days and help you get back up and back at it when you crash. Because you will, y'all, you will. You will start off with great enthusiasm, and then you will hit a wall, and then you will have to get back up and keep going. And a good coach will be there for that. But a really good coach is gonna call you on your stuff. They will challenge you when you are playing small, when you are using excuse, when you are getting in your own way. They're not gonna beat you up because Lord knows you do enough of that to yourself, don't you? So we don't need that. I'm not looking for a Dr. Laura here. Nope. I am looking for a coach who will call you up and out into a better version of who you are, because they can see what's possible for you, even if you don't quite yet see it yourself. I love that so much. And I can, I'll tell you, for my clients, like I see it in them. Sometimes it takes a while for them to catch up to the vision that I I almost always have from the beginning. But if I can have them long enough and they're willing to stick with me and do the work it takes, we get there. And it's the best feeling ever.

Final Thoughts: Think Logically. Decide Intuitively.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 14:04

Hiring a coach, y'all, I'm not gonna kid you, it is a significant investment, as I said last time, of your energy, your time, your resources, your money, all of it. So it's important. Take the time to interview people, to evaluate a potential coach, to select the coach who's really right for you. And y'all know this because I talk about it all the time. I offer something called a quick start consult. That's that's my way of letting people sort of try it on to get a taste of what it's like to work with me. It's basically a single session, a working session where we dig into one particular aspect of your practice.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 14:37

Any coach that you're interested in, I would ask them if they have something like that. Is there some way you can do sort of a trial work meeting with them, a work session, a working interview, so to speak, right? And just get a taste of what it's like. Now, that's less likely if you're looking at someone who runs a large group program. But even in those, sometimes the coaches who work under them can do that. Or they may have sort of an entry-level position, an entry-level kind of like course that you can do to taste to sort of get a sense of how they work. That's fine too. That works, that counts too.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 15:09

Take your time, do your research, consider the questions that I have raised for you today, because I'm telling you, these will make a difference as you try to sort of evaluate the people that you're choosing. And as I said a minute ago, I think things through logically, and then I make decisions intuitively. And if you and I have something in common, there's a good chance you may function the same way. It is all important. Okay?

Wendy Pitts Reeves 15:34

So do your homework, do your research, do your due diligence, ask the questions, study, think, and then feel. Feel your way through that decision and try somebody and see what happens. But I think you might be kind of excited about what's possible. And if it makes you a little nervous, that's good too, because there's lots of good stuff on the other side of terrified.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 16:01

All right, everybody, have a great week, and I will see you next time. I think I've got an interview coming up for you next week that's going to be awesome. So stay tuned for that. Have an awesome week, and I will see you next time right here on the Ideal Practice Podcast. Bye now. Hey,

Support the Show

Wendy Pitts Reeves 16:19

y'all. If this program has become important to you, if ideal practice matters, it would mean so much to me if you'd be willing to take just a minute to do one or two of the following things.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 16:32

First of all, would you follow or subscribe to the show here at Ideal Practice? Following me helps you because you'll never miss an episode, but it helps me as well for all kinds of reasons. To do that, all you have to do is go to the show page for Ideal Practice on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. There, just click on the plus sign that you'll usually find in the top right hand corner, or click on the word follow that you're going to find somewhere there on that page. Of all the things, this really is the most important thing you can do for the podcast itself.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 17:14

While you're there, it would be extra special if you would be willing to give me a five-star rating. And even better than that, a review with your own words. Your words matter. And when you write what you feel, what you think, you uplift and encourage others. And I love that.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 17:35

If you want to go a step further than that, take your favorite episode or two, one of the ones that has meant a lot to you, and share it with a friend.

Wendy Pitts Reeves 17:42

Could you do one or two of those things for me? I promise I will love you forever. You guys matter to me, and I value your support more than I can possibly say. Thank you, sweet friend, for anything you can do to help me out and support the show. I'll see you again soon.