{  Meet the Coach   |   The Way it Works }

What is the difference between top sportspeople and the wanna bees? Winners use coaches.

What is the difference between the top business people and those just mooching along? Once again - winners uses coaches.

Distance is no problem as many coaches use phone contact only.  A coach helps you to bring out the best in yourself and helps you guide your business so that it not only survives, but also experiences growth. It is based upon encouragement, constructive comments, openness, mutual trust, respect and a willingness to learn and share.

Coaching provides an effective support system that can contribute significantly to your life and business. It offers a pathway to build skills and move you towards your future goals.

I say again. Look around you. Who is winning and who is just getting by? The top sports people have coaches and so do the top business people.

Coaches have different skills so you need to choose your coach carefully. Take the free fifteen minute intro talk and get to know the coach and then book your time.

‘Coach on Call’ is a unique service in that we provide assistance to get your business on track - so that is not so unique – but we do it in YOUR time at YOUR pace in YOUR space and we pay for the phone call.

What that means is that you choose a time that is mutually agreeable to both you and your coach – no we don’t work 24 hours a day but neither should you. We are available anytime between 8am and 10pm most days Monday to Saturday – that means you can choose a time that is best for you so that you may get the best value out of the coaching session.

Your pace means YOU choose the subject areas that you feel you need to work on; and WHEN that is to happen. Your coach may suggest that it would be a good idea to say, get your paper work problems sorted before 30th June so that you can start your  financial year fresh but ultimately it is YOUR choice.

‘In YOUR space’ means that we call you where ever you nominate so you can stay in your home or office and talk to us even if your office is at home on the other side of the country or even for that matter – the other side of the world.  Help is as close as your phone/computer.

Timing of calls is by agreement and each session is an hour. Time can be extended by agreement if Coach is not committed to another call. The coach will phone you so there are no call costs. You may see your coach on line via Skype at times other than arranged times however we can’t guarantee that they are available to talk to you. If you wish to speak to them send an email. If the coach is free to talk they will reply by email as to their available times. Spontaneous sessions such as these are charged in 15 minute increments with the shortest being 15 minutes.

Let us help you work through the issues in your business.

Your coach can help you identify and understand problems, provide advice and guidance, and recommend effective business focused answers that deliver real value to your organisation.

From concept development to glitches, a coaching session will help clarify avenues to solve your problem and let you move on. From the beginning we help define an overall strategy, work on through planning and structuring record keeping, marketing with an end result that ensures your investment works. We are outcome-focused – we help you identify your goals and then support you while you achieve them.

The Way it Works

1. Email/Phone to book first contact with coach. This is a free call to coach - call is limited to 15 minutes maximum but helps to establish areas you may need to work on your business. During this time you can decide whether coaching will work for you.

Suggestions are:

2. Having agreed on the overall plan in your initial talk, you choose the subjects you wish to discuss. The coach will help you work through the issues and agreement is made on possible action that will help you move forward. Remember Coaching will only work for you when you are committed to improvement of your business.

3. Appointment times are set up and penciled into schedule.

6. At time established for coaching session you phone in and session commences. Please note late calls do not qualify for extra makeup time. During the coaching session you will establish actions to be taken and arrange for follow-up sessions.

7. For each of the follow- up sessions you will receive a phone reminder the day before. If you cannot be contacted and do not have voice mail and subsequently do not phone at your appointed time you will be subject to cancellation policy penalties.

Meet the Coach

Maggie Richardson

Maggie is the Director of the Australian Small Business Centre Pty Ltd. Throughout her lifetime she has been involved in various business ventures in famil y situations, partnership and on her own. The businesses she has had direct involvement in range from catering/ delicatessen, gift shop, organic farm, children’s wear, market stalls selling various items from bread to trailer lights.

Since 1996 she has been involved in a teaching and administrative role in the Federal Government sponsored NEIS program and through that has helped over 1,000 people get started in their own business. These businesses have covered a vast variety of areas including manufacturing, clowning, artistic endeavours, fast food businesses, translation services and many more. She has been a part time TAFE teacher since 1999 teaching business planning, resource management, financial planning, communication skills, marketing and promotion of business, record keeping and tax law.

She started her own consultancy in 1999 providing personal and business mentoring services under the name of Guardian Angels Consultants. In 2000 after the release of ‘Starting a Business in Australia’ the business was renamed The Australian Small Business Centre Pty Ltd as it more realistically reflected the activities and services provided by the business.

The second Edition of ‘Starting a Business in Australia’ was released in January 2004’. This book focuses on business start up, getting a business back to basics and business planning. It is available from the centre.

January 2006 Maggie's most recent book was released. ‘Starting and Surviving, in Business in Australia’ was published by New Holland Publishers and is available here as well as in all good book shops. This book looks at the issues a potential business person needs to look at prior to or soon after starting a business. (Listen to interviews on Dennis Routzou Breakfast Show http://www.drpr.com.au/bb/past07.html  May 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th 2007)

Maggie has also been interviewed on Qantas radio for the inflight Business Show Dennis Rutzos on drive time radio and on the David Koch Sky TV show Money Matters. She is available as a guest speaker. She writes business plans, runs workshops, seminars and courses for the centre and is the ‘coach of choice’ for long distance clients wishing to access help via Voice over Technology or phone. She is constantly working on new products and services to help people in business better manage their businesses, but takes time out to write the newsletter which is delivered on request only.