Let’s be honest: many founders, even having problems, are more sceptical than incentivized to hire a startup coach to help them sort things out. Reasons vary, but the main one is the same for all—you need to know exactly what you’re getting into.
For many business owners, startup coaching sounds like just another form of business guru hype. A middle-aged motivational speaker, lounging on stage and saying something like, “Do this to transform your business and life.” At this very moment, you might logically think, “Can they really solve my problems, or they’re just selling me another bill of goods to separate me from my money?”
Actually, business startup coaches are different. And many of them can really help your business, you just need to know how and where to find the right one.
In this article, we’ll speak about startup coaches, what they really do, and how to find a business coach who can really help your company.
What is startup coaching, and when might you need it?
Startup business coaching is what it actually sounds like—working with someone who knows how to build and run successful businesses to help you build yours. A lot in common with a fitness coach—whether you’re a newbie or already have some training experience, a good coach will show you how to exercise, motivate, and guide you through the whole process. That’s exactly what happens when you hire a startup coach—they help you run and improve your business.
Good coaches have either founded companies themselves or helped many other founders solve the exact problems you’re facing now. Coaching no longer means listening to a former founder’s glory days, trying to catch some critical insights. Today’s startup coaches often come from top accelerators and high-growth companies, while some are former Y Combinator partners, ex-Stripe executives, and veteran angel investors. And what they bring to the table are typically data-driven methods and practical playbooks (it is fair to note that storytelling and sharing personal experiences are still valid, but they now have a more practical side). However, you shouldn’t bet only on big names; look more at how well this startup coach can leverage their knowledge and experience to help you solve your unique problems.
Business coaching for startups now looks like a mix of strategy consulting and behavioural therapy. Coaches check your metrics, challenge your assumptions, and sometimes even deliver uncomfortable truths about your business models and team dynamics. All to make you look at your business from a different angle and find new ways to run it more effectively.
This is what startup coaches typically do:
They help you prepare for fundraising.
They try to minimize (or even avoid) expensive errors.
They improve your business efficiency.
They spot your weak sides and pain points and help you deal with them.
We’d also like to say a couple of words about the tiers the coaching market is split into:
Tier 1: Elite startup coaches
These are usually ex-founders who’ve had $100 million exits, former VCs, or coaches with deep expertise. If you’re a Series A+ startup looking to scale fast and aren’t against taking much money out of your pocket, this might be a good option for you.
Tier 2: Specialized coaches
They typically focus on specific areas like sales, product, or fundraising and are a good choice for Seed to Series A startups that have some specific problems and need narrow assistance.
Tier 3: General startup coaches
Often, these are former operators or consultants who can help Pre-seed and early-stage founders run their first company. This is a good option if you’re an entrepreneur without a clear business model or product-market fit or you just need some help with strategy building and don’t have much cash to spare.
How to understand that you need a startup coach
Look through the following when-to-hire-a-coach checklist, and if you tick most boxes, you know what to do (a hint: hire a business startup coach):
You’re stuck making the same mistakes again and again and can’t figure out why.
You’re a first-time entrepreneur and you don’t know how to establish basic systems correctly.
Your growth has plateaued and you don’t know what to do next.
You’re about to make big decisions (like raising money or onboarding top talent) and want to make everything right.
You feel overwhelmed and need help prioritizing what matters.
You’re preparing for fundraising and want to make your pitch better and stronger.
Your team isn’t effectively executing your vision.
Fair to note that not every startup needs a coach, and even if some do need one—not at every stage.
To summarise, startup coaching can help early-stage startups figure out product-market fit and prepare for their first funding round, and later-stage startups avoid leadership bottlenecks and stagnation.
Startup coach: Does and don’ts
When you’re looking for a startup coach, you need to know what to expect—and what to watch out for. Too many coaches over-promise and under-deliver, while others may confuse coaching with consulting or interim management.
Let’s break down what a good business coach for startups actually brings to the table and what they should never do.
How to find the right business coach
When you decide to hire a startup coach, first of all, you must be perfectly clear about what you need help with. Are you struggling with managing your operations? Maybe you don’t know how to put your sales strategy together? Or do you want to raise funds but aren’t sure how to prepare for your first round? Find the area you need help with, as different coaches solve different problems across different industries (your market also influences your choice).
Once you’ve figured out the purpose, you should know where to search actually. Good places to start are your local startup community (for example, if you’re searching for a business coach in Los Angeles), recommendations from other founders, startup accelerators and incubators, and online platforms like Clarity or GrowthMentor.
Now, you have several potential candidates, and it’s time to check which one fits you and your business needs the best. Look at their:
Track record: Not just exits, but all relevant experience for your stage and industry.
Network: Whether they have broad connections to investors, customers, and top talent (note that some startup coaches might be a great option due to their experience and expertise even if they don’t have a broad investor network).
Coaching style and expertise: Which approaches do they use? Are they data-driven? Do they have knowledge and experience relevant to your industry? Do they really understand your business specifics and your vision? How do they communicate? Is this business coach for startups adaptive and follows market trends?
References: Check testimonials and talk directly with their current/former clients
Also, here are some questions you might want to ask your potential startup coach before taking the final decision:
What types of startups have you worked with?
Can you share any real-life case studies?
Do you have experience in my industry?
What’s your coaching process like? How do you typically work with founders?
How often do we meet, and are you available between sessions?
How do you prefer to communicate—calls, emails, Slack?
Asking these questions can help you see if this startup coach fits you, or you’d better keep searching further.
The bottom line: Choose your startup coach wisely
A good startup coach isn’t the smartest person in the room who will successfully run your business for you. This isn’t the point here. But what’s then? Business startup coaches can help you step back, see the whole picture, and build the systems your business needs to grow. Sometimes, this means asking tough questions and pushing you out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, this means rolling up their sleeves and helping you implement solutions.
But most importantly, a business coach for startups should help you make your business problems simpler and easier to overcome. If a coach can’t explain exactly how they’ll help your business, you’d better keep looking. After all, you’re not going to pay for motivational speeches; you need someone who can help you break through the ceiling that keeps your startup from the next phase of growth.
The same applies when choosing a market research or a venture capital consultant. You must check all the candidates thoroughly in order to choose the right one. At Waveup, we know how to help you successfully raise funds and grow your business, as well as craft startup and investor documents. If you need help fundraising or scaling your startup, reach out to our team for assistance.