Business Coach, Northampton MA or by Phone

Business Coaching

What is business coaching about? I’ll let one of my budding entrepreneur clients help explain:

Val has a way of creating a comfortable space, and at the same time, really taking you to the limit to unleash your fullest potential. Working with Val is playful, exciting and very productive. After our coaching sessions, I always feel invigorated…and the thing is…it’s not the kind of electricity that fades…. I have found ways to unleash what’s already inside me to be much more productive and creative with her help. I always look forward to our sessions and meetings and I’m so glad I started consulting with Val!!! You really must experience what I’m talking about to truly understand..!! Thanks Val, you are a God-send!! ~Dave

I offer a free initial call and a stand-alone Discovery Session so you can see if it’s right for you. Call 413.320.2182 or email me.

Why Coaching?

80% of businesses fail in the first 5 years! Worse, 80% of those that make it that far will fail in the next 5 years! Ouch. You can avoid that trap.

You’re ready to take your business (or your business ideas) to the next level. You don’t just want more income from working longer and harder (that’s a recipe for failure); you want ease, flow, and success.

But, you’ve read all the books (Linchpin, E-Myth, The Secret, etc.), and somehow they’re not making a difference for you, or not fast enough.

It takes more than ideas, good intentions, and New Year’s resolutions.

I know we can reach these three goals in one unified effort — more impact, more ease, and more fulfillment for all team members. I’ve been part of creating that change many times and I love it!

The key to successfully making meaningful change is to have the right support to clarify your goals and strategies, and make steady progress on it.

Coaching is a supportive partnership process that works for clarifying and achieving nearly any goal. It is a proven method for getting unstuck and living your full potential.

Coaching is proven to increase effectiveness for leaders and those who work for them. That’s why business coaching is taking off especially during a down economy.

Business Coaching vs. Consulting?

These terms are sometimes confused. I often combine the two and find it is an excellent combination to get you moving forward fast.

Often people think they need expert advice (such as provided by a consultant), but I find they actually know a lot already and instead what’s in the way is that they are overwhelmed by options, swirling thoughts, or limiting beliefs. Coaching is a great way to get those blocks out of the way.

Then, with internal barriers addressed, I can put on my consulting hat to help you make well-informed decisions.

Your business is nothing more than a distinct reflection of who you are…. If your business is to change, as it must continually do to thrive, then you must change first.
~Michael Gerber, in The E-Myth Revisited

Why Me?

The most important thing about choosing a coach is that it should feel like a good fit. But here’s some background about me.

I specialize in helping small businesses, especially heart-centered businesses. I help both potential entrepreneurs and established businesses.

Before completing professional coach training and starting my private practice, I gained valuable skills and experience in business management, marketing and communications, human services, education, and human resources.

One of my superpowers is to help people clarify and activate their unique superpowers so they can make their mark on the world.

Since working with Val my goals have become clearer and my action steps more focused. My business has feet now, in a very short time I can see immense possibilities where there were only questions. She keeps the focus, holds the keys of relevance, nourishes the psyche and instills the spirit with a sense of willingness, no, passion for the next step. And if the next step isn’t clear, she will change that!
~Pam White, Artist/Photographer, CT

[More about Val Nelson]

Expected Outcomes for Business Coaching

In the short term, you will…

Confidently make decisions about which strategies are the best fit for you.
Make steady progress on implementing chosen steps.
Feel energized to move forward.
Learn how to bypass your internal blocks to progress.

In the long term, if you continue to follow the strategies we create together, you will…

Enjoy more alignment with your values, more ease, and more impact.

Reasons People Hire Me

I have successfully helped folks with all of these common needs:

Clarifying business vision
Choosing a narrow niche
Charging what you’re worth
Finding ease and success with self-promotion
Finding a sustainable work/life balance
Developing authentic leadership and communication skills
Preventing burnout for you and your team members
Managing change
Needing a thinking partner

What’s Included in the Coaching Package?

Most clients begin with this proven structure:

Three coaching sessions per month. (Sometimes less often.)
Option to have brief email or phone communications between meetings.
A bit of consulting sprinkled in.
Professionally designed structures for forwarding your learning and action between sessions.
Accountability structure if needed.

Some clients switch to meeting less often over time. We design it together based on your needs.

How Does the Pricing Work?

Val’s coaching has more than paid for itself. Her encouragement to believe in my own worth, to charge appropriately for my services and not to undercut myself when negotiating contracts has been invaluable.
~Anonymous, Northampton, MA

I charge by the month so you know I’m on your team all month, without worrying about counting minutes if you contact me between sessions.

Pricing is set based on the number of sessions per month, which we decide together to meet your unique needs.

Business coaching has a proven record of high return on investment. How much is it worth to you to go from underearning to reaching beyond what you think is possible?

I’ve seen my clients notice a difference much faster than they expected. Small changes can make a huge difference.

One client starting booking twice as many clients after only two sessions! And was completely booked up with her ideal clients after another three months. She’s doing more of the work she loves and feeling fulfilled on many levels.

That kind of shift can definitely happen for you too.

Sliding Scale? I try to be flexible for sole proprietors (“solopreneurs”) with a (temporary) tight cash flow. Also we could meet less often to bring the price down. Let’s talk and find something that works for your unique needs.

Don’t let concerns about price stop you from calling. Being in business means you have to invest something, strategically. Especially in the beginning. That’s the nature of it. And coaching is a tried-and-true investment.

Let’s talk.