Why work with a business coach?
 

Simply put, a business coach can help a business owner grow professionally and achieve their business goals. A coach can help analyze the purpose of the business—the “why” as well as the “how” of the business—challenge certain assumptions about running the business, and look for ways to overcome current and future obstacles to growth.  A coach is not a mentor, consultant or counselor. Rather, a coach helps a business owner step back from the day-to-day pressures of running the business to see the possibilities for growth and improvement.
 

What are the requirements to be considered for membership in a Growth Group?
 

Prospective members need to meet several basic requirements for consideration:
 

1. A prospective Growth Group candidate must own an existing business and reside in one of seven Northeast Minnesota counties (Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Koochiching, Lake, Itasca, and St. Louis) or Douglas County, Wisconsin.
   
2. A Growth Group candidate is a business owner/entrepreneur who has been in business for at least two years.  For businesses with significant growth potential but less than two years of history, the business owner needs to have had a previous business for more than two years.
   
3. A Growth Group candidate has a plan for his or her business projecting significant (i.e., more than incremental) business growth. Such growth could be achieved through strategies such as adding products and services or expanding existing operations. A commitment to significant growth would typically be demonstrated by one or more measurable objectives. For example, a small start-up firm may seek to double its current revenues. For a more established business, “significant” may mean a 25% increase in sales or a 50% increase in workforce. For another enterprise, launching a new product that would be marketed outside our region would be regarded as a significant growth move. The actual objective(s) will, of course, depend on the business, but these examples give a sense of the scope of growth envisioned.
   
4. A Growth Group candidate must commit to working on a growth project that advances his or her business plan.  A growth project is a defined part of a business plan aimed at achieving concrete, measurable results that propel the business toward significant growth.