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What The Experts Say

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

Sales Teams Need More (And Better Coaching) by Scott Edinger

“We hear constantly about the importance and value of coaching, especially in sales. But, the reality I have observed while working with hundreds of organizations is that a true culture of coaching rarely exists. "In a survey conducted a few years ago with a sales team in a Fortune 500 telecom company I found an interesting contrast.” Read the Full Article→

FORBES

Eight Signs Its Time To Hire A Business Coach by Forbes Coaches Council

“As a leader, you might think you should have everything figured out already, but this simply isn’t true. While all of us have our own talents, leadership skills are often something we have to learn along the way. Enter the business coach.” Read the Full Article →

ENTREPRENEUR

Coaching Makes All The difference By John Brubaker

“What separates the winners from the losers? At the most elite levels it’s not talent, because everyone is supremely talented. Coaching is what makes the difference.Coaching isn’t just important in sports, it’s the X-factor that makes a big difference in your business results as well.’” Read the Full Article →

4 Reasons You Should Seek Out A Business Coach by Jeff Boss

“There comes a point where stagnation sets in. You can take yourself only so far without the help of others. Hey, it happens. Consider it part of the startup lifecycle. Enter the business coach. There isn't anything else that you receive 100 percent dedicated attention to you.” Read the Full Article →

What To Look For In A Business Coach

9 Things to Look For When Hiring A Coach

Hiring a business coach is a big decision. It is also one of the best decisions you can make for your business. There are a lot of coaches out there these days, so how do you find the right coach for you? Here are 9 things to look for when hiring a coach.

Experience: Your business coach should have extensive and applicable experience in the business world. In order for a coach to be effective, they need to have "lived it". They must have experienced many of the challenges their clients are facing.

Outside Perspective: Your business coach should provide a clear outside perspective of your business. Some prefer to hire a coach that works specifically in their industry. While this can be valuable in certain situations, it is very often the "fresh look" from someone outside of that industry that provides the most value.

Proven Systems: Your business coach must have a proven, consistent system by which they guide you and your business. If your coach "flies by the seat of their pants" and moves around from topic to topic with no organized process, this may be a warning sign. More importantly, your coach and their system must be demonstrated to have produced quantifiable results for their clients.

Aligned with Your Goals: Your coach should be able to be flexible and focus on your goals, needs, and concerns. If you express a desire to focus on a certain area of your business, your coach should respond to and satisfy that request.

No Fear of Numbers: Good coaches measure the results that are achieved with their clients. They want to make sure that their clients are getting a substantial return on their investment in coaching. You should know what kind of return you are getting.

The Accountability Factor: One of the many reasons why coaching is so effective is because of the accountability factor. Your coach should hold you accountable to your commitments. If he/she doesn’t, this is also a warning sign. If you want to move your business forward, you need to be held accountable.

Empathy: As business owners, we all have periods of frustration and need to vent. Your coach should listen and let you vent, but not jump into the "pity party" with you. Once the venting is over, your coach should be guiding you through possible solutions to address the problem.

Enthusiasm: Second only to you (and perhaps your spouse), your coach should show that they care completely about the success of your business. Their outlook should always be positive and solution oriented.

Confidentiality: You must have the utmost trust in your coach, having 100% confidence that everything you discuss in your sessions remains confidential unless you have given permission for it to be released.

4 Signs Its Time To Consider Hiring A Business Coach

Are you asking yourself, "Why would I need a business coach?"

As a business leader, often the majority of your day is spent dealing with day-to-day tasks, leaving little to no time to spend on considering and planning for the long-term success of your company. In other cases, you may be the owner of a business and an expert in your field, but find that leadership ability does not come naturally to you.

These are but two examples where you could benefit through a partnership with a business coach. A business coach is your guide to starting, growing, and developing your business. They work with you to understand your unique needs and concerns and help you develop the skills necessary for success.

Here are 3 other signs that it may be time to consider hiring a business coach:

You don't know where to turn for help

If the feeling of having too much to do and not enough time to do it overwhelms you, you are not alone. Owning a business can be a lonely endeavor and having someone to bounce ideas off of can mean the difference between success and failure. A business coach offers an outside perspective on your business and can help identify the root of what is overwhelming you. Your coach will hold you accountable and provide feedback that will help keep you focused on business growth.

Your direction and priorities continuously change

The single most important factor in running a small business is a unified vision. Without clear vision or priorities, it's impossible to get where you want to be. This is especially important if there are multiple owners, but even if you are a solopreneur, the importance of a consistent vision can't be understated. Whether your business is struggling or thriving, a business coach can help you create a map for the future and stick to it.

A 60-hour workweek is your new normal

If you cant remember the last time you took a vacation - or even a day off - theres a good chance you are overextending yourself, which could adversely affect your business. Often times business owners feel doing it themselves is the best option when it comes to completing specific tasks. As a business owner, you need to delegate some of the tasks to employees. A business coach can help you get out of this vicious cycle and decide what to hand off.

Being a business owner can be lonely, and the challenges are significant. Having a business coach by your side to help keep focused on the important elements in your business can prove invaluable.

Do you know what success looks like for your business? Hear from our coaches as they talk about how they help their clients in setting, measuring & redefining goals for their business.

FocalPoint Coaching has been educating and motivating business owners, corporate executives and other passionate professionals to move past obstacles and accelerate their personal and business growth for more than 30 years.

Over 1,000+ companies have successfully employed “The Focal Point Way”. If you are facing time, team, money or exit-strategy challenges, FocalPoint coaches can utilize our proven methods and systems, tailored for you, to reveal new ways of approaching business issues and find new opportunities that may been previously obscured by the day-to-day “grind”.

Focus on Vision: The FocalPoint Way starts with a focus on your vision. What is the vision for your business, for you personally, and for your family? Where do you want to be in a year from now, five years, ten years?

Focus on Strategy: Your FocalPoint coach will help you identify your vision and will guide you through a process to systematically identify the most important factors and the optimal business strategies to achieve your goals. We work with you one-on-one, helping you concentrate your efforts in the most meaningful and productive areas of your company.

Focus on Understanding: An important part of the FocalPoint coaching process is education – helping you gain a crystal-clear understanding of where you are today, what resources you have available, and what obstacles you anticipate encountering on the path to reaching your vision of the future. We focus on quantifiable results, tracking and measuring key metrics so you can clearly see the gains you are making towards your goals.

Focus on Success: With a clear vision, strategy and an understanding of what you will need to achieve your goals, you can begin the process of driving forward to create that vision. Your FocalPoint coach is your confidant, mentor and guide along that journey, helping you leverage your strengths, improve upon areas for development and realize previously unimagined gains across multiple areas of your company.

Here at FocalPoint we clearly understand that our value as professional coaches can only be measured by the success that is achieved by our clients.

Become our next success story - reach out to me and LET'S GET STARTED!

Speak With Coach Pam

Hear from our coaches about how they employ the FocalPoint Way to help their clients to “Find Their Why” - understanding who they are and what drives them in their business.

Client Stories & Successes

As a FocalPoint Coach, I work directly with business owners, executives, corporate teams and other professionals to change their business lives for the better. Below are a sampling of client testimonials to begin discovering what is possible for you or your business through coaching and training with me.

"Pam Hargis was my direct manager and is a perfect example of an outstanding leader and mentor. She sets a very high bar for her team, leads by personal example and is always willing and available to her team to coach and share her wealth of professional knowledge. Pam helped me build out an intensive focus on understanding customer needs, finding ways to address them and constantly challenging myself to improve and become a better business partner and person. I would recommend her to anyone who is interested in finding and implementing new ways to succeed in their profession and becoming better in every aspect of their personal lives." - N. Rajagopalan - Washington

"I had the pleasure of working with Pam Hargis for 6 years in various roles and she is, without question, one of the finest leaders I’ve had the opportunity to work with. She understands how to break down complex problems into manageable parts and knows when a guiding hand is needed and when to trust her team to deliver. As a manager, she helped me understand my potential and supported me as I matured in role and took on new challenges. She had an immensely positive impact on my career and I cannot recommend her enough as a problem solver, coach, and mentor." - T. Moustapha - Arizona

"I always look forward to my conversations with Pam. She is able to strike a unique balance of mindful listening with sharing her wealth of experience and ideas. She quickly pinpoints the core of a situation and never failed to leave me with helpful insights, ideas or questions to think about. She allowed me to grow in my own unique way, while helping me to hold focus on the bigger picture. " - K. Zaitani - Delaware

"Pam is a vibrant and dynamic leader, coach, mentor and friend. I had the pleasure of working for Pam for over 2 years. During that time, Pam was able to assess my skill set and coach me through action plans to grow my strengths and develop my weaknesses. Pam is a positive, encouraging individual who is always pushing her team and peers to excellence and developing practical solutions to complex problems. I have become a better manager and executive under Pam’s tutelage." - J. Cooper - Delaware

"Pam embodies a customer-centric philosophy and delivers an extraordinary experience to her clients. She always displayed professionalism and leadership to her peers and employees. She continually impressed me with her warmth and kindness as a leader. At all times, she is capable, confident and committed to her mission." - J. Morrison - Arizona

"Pam is a wonderful mentor and coach. She has the innate ability to listen and cut through to the most important issues. You may be thinking in one direction not knowing that there could be a better way or a path you aren’t exploring. Pam has just the right expertise and experience that serves as a great guideline to follow professionally and even personally." - C. Mukherji - North Carolina

"Pam, you were an extremely attentive manager. I knew that you had my back and went out of your way to see me succeed. For that, I am appreciative! I am happy that you are creating your own destiny with your business adventure. You will do great! " - M. Croskey - Arizona

"I worked on Pam’s team for over a year. From day one it was evident that Pam cared about her teammates. She took an interest in our personal lives as well as career development and provided guidance on how to achieve our goals. From communication tips to time management advice, Pam has left a lasting impression. To this day I still have periodic reminders on my calendar to recognize a teammate, pursue volunteer activities, complete business education, etc. " - B. Bender - Delaware

"Pam is a predictably tough manager that sets clear expectations, and who I could always trust and count on for guidance and encouragement. She taught me to see beyond the numbers and at the bigger picture. She always had my best interest in mind." - C. Owens - California

"Pam Hargis was an amazing manager and coach when we worked at the bank. She was fully engaged in supporting her team members’ career growth. Pam rolled up her sleeves and coached me on my annual development plan, and that year I achieved my goal of becoming a Senior Vice President. " - K. Cap

"Feedback regarding the August 2nd presentation on “Where Did the Year Go?” "Thank you… It hits home!” “Only reason I gave a 4 was constriction of agenda time.” “Thank you for presenting today!” “I’m familiar with Brian Tracy and his work. This presentation was perfect timing and just the right level of content. We should do more of this!”" - NSB Board of REALTORS

"For nearly 2 months I struggled to get my company incorporated. Pam at FocalPoint overheard my situation and immediately suggested a website where I could incorporate myself. She also offered to talk me through the process if I had problems. Website worked. Filled out forms in 25 minutes and electronically filed for incorporation. Received approval in 5 days. It’s obvious to me that Pam knows how to help business people. Next time I have an issue with my business, I’m going to Pam first. " - Harry P; The Cranefeather Society

"Pam did a great job this morning presenting to our Network Group. I'm sure it was really hard to cram the concept into the short amount of time you had, but you did a good job of pointing out the differences between Problem Solving and Coaching. The hand out gave us a nice visual checklist and the video snippets were spot on! " - Ellen F; Steam Clean My Carpets

"Feedback from 16-18 year old young ladies attending an event designed to elevate their self-worth. The presentation was titled: Me.... A Business Owner? I feel more confident and encouraged to start my own business, thanks to Ms. Hargis presentation. I got a lot from the presentation and it gave me a lot of info concerning goals and owning a business. This speech inspired me. It helped with people that want to start their own business. I gotta start now. Basically don't wait before time passes. Thank you so much for coming! The presentation gave all the bullet points we need to have a great, successful business. I think this presentation was amazing and very useful seeing as I am now working on my own business. Even though I was only here for half of it, I like what was said and it was very powerful. " - The C.A.M.P. (501C 3 Non-Profit Organization)

"Pam is amazing! She really makes you look at things in a different perspective which helps to become a better business owner. I have found her tips and knowledge to be very beneficial in growing my business. Thank you Pam. " - 1Raw Yoga

"Pam is a great business coach. She goes above and beyond to help grow your business. Pam has been a tremendous help with our business. We had no idea what we were doing when she started coaching us. I would highly recommend her." - Judy Myers - 520 on the Water

"Pam is enthusiastic and on a mission to assist business owners with organization, sales, and keep them motivated. Her style of teaching derived from Brian Tracy's success is the key. Give her a call today, she's very pleasant to speak with and will guide you in the right direction." - Lenny Legger - TechMeter Business Solutions

"Pam knows how to "extract" from her clients "pain points" and enable them to grow exponentially. I am happy we partnered up and had LinkedIn be part of her repertoire" - Howie Appel

"Feedback from 2-Hour Coach for Performance Training - Good concepts & experience; Appreciate the information & group exercises; Would like to have you deliver something similar to another group of leaders focusing on leadership and motivation; Absolutely loved it; Very helpful & informative; Lots of information in a short period; Excellent training – I will definitely use this; Excellent training for only 2 hours! Straight forward and easy to understand format. Great for front-line supervisors in law enforcement; Great job and simple to implement – thank you!; Thank you for the fun class – very informative!; Enlightening – I’m not much for role-play but I learned new things; Excellent session – well planned; This will help me learn to be a manager & obtain the skills to speak publicly and not be behind the leader who has all the answers – I can express myself with my team; As a new supervisor, this training was extremely helpful and I will be using all of these tools as I continue to develop – thank you!; Great experience" - City of Sanford Leaders

"Feedback from 20-Minute Time Management Session Very helpful – I will do my best to implement new strategies for time management; Eye opener; The exercise affirmed I’m on track with work/life balance; the “block time” was something that stood out to me. Great presentation; Loved it -= feel energized to get applying what I learned; Thank you for all the helpful information and tools; I learned a lot – I would love to meet with you one-on-one – Great info!; Would love to make this a habit!; So glad I attended this session – learned a LOT! " - Chamber of Commerce Participants

"I worked with Pam Hargis at Focal Point Business Coaching and had a very good experience. She gets you to better focus on the things you need to do and to seriously prioritize those things. It helps eliminate wasted "windshield" time and challenges the need to spend time on the things you are doing. Her approach is to listen, observe and to say the things you may not want to hear but you realize are important for the business." - Jake Karakosh - Cartridge World Altamonte Springs

"Feedback from participants at an "Increasing Sales" 8-minute presentation: The tips were well grounded and easy to get my head around. Can't wait to try them out and see my success! Great ideas and concepts - potential to change my life! Will use the selling techniques when money or price is the #1 objection. Outstanding!!! You are a very engaging speaker Very informative - thank you! Thank you for reminding me that it's OK if you wind up in front of a non-decision make and how to work through that. Always ask open-ended questions to get the other person to reveal the nuggets of information." - Seminole County Chamber - River Council

"I was having a really bad week, and Pam picked up on that while we were walking to our cars after a meeting. She asked me some very good questions to get me to open up, and then provided two tips to try. That was ONE week ago and already I've made sales with two key prospects! I also learned from one of her networking sessions that I should always have a goal for the number of new people I want to meet. Put that # of business cards in my hand plus one so I can keep track of where I am to goal at the networking event. I've exceeded goal every time!! " - Kim - Sam's Club

"Feedback from participants attending an 8-minute session on "Increasing Sales" - All GREAT info but wish we had more than 8 minutes! - Super enjoyable and great reinforcement on biz principals - Thank you for the handouts and sales tips - I'm using them right away - Setting goals piece was a great reminder - Outstanding as always - Excellent presenter and creative way to generate curiosity for the persons and encourage us to learn/do more - Gave great points on how to network - good open-ended question ideas - Great Job!! - It was very good - learned a lot in a short time-frame - Looking forward to our next encounter to combine my skills - handouts were perfect! - Well-done, Pam. Very informative! - It was an excellent presentation. The information was very valuable. - Great points that anyone in sales, such as myself, needs to know and follow. Very articulate and focused presentation. - Liked the power point & encouragement of interaction. - I feel like your presentation had a little bit for every one no matter how involved they are in networking. " - Seminole County Chamber - River Council

"Feedback from participants attending a Time Management Session - Very helpful. I will do my best to implement new strategies for time management. - Truly an eye opener! - The exercise affirmed I'm on track regarding work/life balance - whew! - The "block time" tip was something that stood out to me and I'm going to try it. Great presentation. - Loved it. Feel energized to get going and applying what I learned. - Thank you for all the helpful tools and information. - I learned a lot. I would love to meet with you one-on-one. Great info. - Looking forward to making this a habit " - Sanford Chamber of Commerce - Focus on You Fridays Seminar Series

"Feedback from participants attending a Realtor Networking event on "Maximizing Networking and ROE" - It is all very good information. The problem is ME. I've got to start focusing on putting things into action! - Nice content/great reminders of what we should be doing! - Very good presentation and a great reminder - GREAT presentation and content. Would like to have you do this at an upcoming Lunch & Learn! - Excellent reminders - loved the ROE piece - VERY powerful! - ROE - you always hear about ROI, but ROE certainly puts things into different perspectives!! " - Winter Park Breakfast Club - Certified Mortgage Planners

Case Studies

MERLE NORMAN DAY SPA

Patricia and David were doing a good job growing their Day Spa business, however, they were facing problems with employees and profitability.

Find out how their FocalPoint Business Coach helped them increase their net income by +300% in one year.

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

The owners of a busy installation and service contracting firm lacked confidence in their field employees and were not making a net profit.

Learn how their FocalPoint Business Coach helped them reduce their billing time by 90% resulting in a $10K savings to the business.

ANIMAL HOSPITAL

The doctors of the Animal Hospital had a successful practice but recognized they needed to increase efficiencies within the business and revamp their marketing plan.

See how their FocalPoint Business Coach helped them identify cost savings of $10K/year while increasing client satisfaction, revenue and profits.

You could be our next success story - Contact Coach Pam today!

Contact Me