What Does A Startup Coach Do?

If you’re a startup Founder or HR Leader looking to prepare your business for rapid growth, you’re probably thinking about coaching. But what should you expect from coaching in the startup context?

Typically there’s 2 types of coaching in this situation, and you’ll need to know the specific need you’re addressing.

1. Startup business coaching
2. Startup professional coaching  

But first, before we jump into these two coaching models, let’s consider what makes coaching unique in the start-up setting.

Unique Aspects of Coaching in the Startup Environment

Coaching in the startup environment presents distinct challenges and opportunities compared to more established organisations. Startups are characterised by rapid growth, a high degree of uncertainty, and a dynamic, often fluid, work culture. These factors require coaches and HR leaders to adopt a unique approach tailored to the needs and context of a startup.

1. Navigating Rapid Growth and Change

Rapid Growth: Startups often experience exponential growth in a short period, leading to evolving roles and responsibilities. Coaches must help leaders and teams adapt quickly, manage increased workloads, and develop scalable processes.

Change Management: Startups frequently pivot and iterate on their products, services, and business models. Coaches need to support resilience and agility, helping employees navigate constant change and uncertainty without losing focus or motivation.

2. Building a Strong Foundational Culture

Culture Development: In the early stages, startups are in the process of defining their organisational culture. Coaches can play a pivotal role in shaping a positive, inclusive, and cohesive culture that aligns with the startup's values and vision.

Leadership Development: Startup founders and leaders may lack extensive management experience. Coaches should focus on developing their leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking to lead effectively in a high-pressure environment.

3. Addressing Limited Resources and High Expectations

Resource Constraints: Startups often operate with limited financial and human resources. Coaches and HR leaders must be innovative and resourceful, prioritising high-impact interventions that deliver the most value.

High Performance Expectations: The pressure to succeed is intense in startups, with high expectations for performance and productivity. Coaches need to balance driving results with maintaining employee well-being and preventing burnout.

4. Fostering Innovation and Creativity

Innovation: Startups thrive on innovation and creativity. Coaches should encourage a culture of experimentation, where employees feel safe to take risks and learn from failures. This involves fostering open communication and collaboration.

Talent Retention: Attracting and retaining top talent is critical for startups. Coaches and HR leaders should focus on creating an engaging work environment, offering opportunities for growth and development, and recognising and rewarding contributions.

Considerations for Coaches and HR Leaders

Tailored Coaching Interventions: Given the unique needs of startups, coaching interventions should be highly customised. This means understanding the startup's specific challenges, goals, and culture, and designing coaching programmes that address these areas effectively.

Flexibility and Adaptability: Coaches and HR leaders need to be flexible and adaptable, ready to pivot their approaches as the startup evolves. This agility is essential for staying relevant and effective in a fast-paced environment.

Focus on Scalability: As startups grow, the coaching and HR strategies must be scalable. This involves building frameworks and processes that can expand with the company, ensuring long-term sustainability.

Emphasising Resilience: Resilience is a key trait for startup employees. Coaches should help build resilience at both the individual and organisational levels, equipping teams to handle setbacks and continue moving forward.

Leveraging Data: Utilising data to measure the impact of coaching and HR interventions is crucial. This helps in making informed decisions, demonstrating ROI, and continuously improving strategies.

Considering the unique needs of the startup environment, HR and Business Leaders might look to both business coaching and professional coaching to accelerate growth and enable the culture of creativity and talent. Some of the questions you should address to hone in on the type of coaching you’ll need:

• Are we addressing a skill development need, or a business knowledge need?
• Are we trying to grow an individual, a team or the whole culture?
• How much staff time do we have to allocate to coaching?
• What budget do we have to spend on coaching?
• What is the risk or implication to the business if we don’t get on top of this need?
  

Answering these questions will help you clarify how coaching can be used in your startup. Here’s a snapshot of where to go from here:

Startup business coaching

Business coaching (startup or not) is usually focused on how to run your business - including functional and technical advice. Typically startups get this type of ‘coaching’ in the form of advisors, mentors, accelerator programs, or government resources. The advice is typically startup ‘wisdom’ and anecdotes from other entrepreneurs, however also includes typical MBA-style recommendations.

Business coaching focuses on accounting, fund raising, marketing, HR matters etc. This information isn’t hard to come by, but is exceptionally hard to implement and execute well, tailored to the unique needs of the startup, product, economy and industry etc at that point in time. If you’re a funded startup and need this kind of information, reach out to your VC’s for recommendations and screen and vet the mentor/advisor/coach they send your way. Be cautious about who you let into your inner circle to influence you.

If you’re not yet funded, try to get enrolled in an accelerator program or incubator and you’ll find advisors and mentors are plenty! Again - be very cautious about who you take advice from.

Startup professional coaching

Professional coaching usually has the biggest opportunity for impact on business growth, once you have your business advisors in place. Professional coaching can be delivered to the Founder or executive team, and as the business gets larger you can consider a blended HR and coaching approach to developing your team. Professional coaching in startups is usually aimed at developing:

• Communication skills
• Effective delegation
• Setting vision and purpose
• Aligning resources, skills and priorities for growth
• Top team relationships
• Board presentation and relationship management
• Pitching with confidence

While this list is not exhaustive, you can see that professional coaching for startups focuses on the competencies, behaviours and skills that enable a great culture and rapid growth of the business.

While these skills are important for all professionals, they’re critical for startup leaders and teams, where any deficit is amplified by nature of the small team size, speed of work and pressure from investors.

Beyond the above areas of coaching, a professional coach will often work specifically with founders on themes of mental health, and this is worth exploring in more detail considering how pervasive the issue is across the startup ecosystem.

Supporting Startup Founders: Balancing Work, Mental Health, and Identity

Coaching startup founders involves addressing the unique pressures and demands they face, which often include maintaining work-life balance, managing mental health, and navigating their evolving identity as leaders. A professional coach can play a crucial role in helping founders thrive by providing tailored support in these areas.

1. Work-Life Balance. This may seem impossible for many founders, and indeed the startup environment is one of extremes. However all of the best founders have rituals and practices that ensure they maintain other interests outside their job.

For example, Stewart Butterfield of Slack works diligently but emphasises the importance of not burning out. He encourages a culture where taking breaks and not working excessive hours is normalised. Butterfield practices what he preaches by setting aside time for personal interests and family. He promotes a balanced approach within his company, advocating for a healthy work-life balance for all employees.

Founders can work with their coach, looking to startup leaders like Butterfield to develop the right practices to protect against burnout. This might include:

Assessing Current State: The coach should begin by understanding the founder's current work-life balance, identifying areas of imbalance, and exploring the underlying causes. This involves discussing the founder's daily routine, workload, and personal commitments.

Setting Boundaries: Founders often blur the lines between work and personal life. The coach can help them set clear boundaries, establish non-negotiable personal time, and create a structured schedule that includes breaks and leisure activities.

Delegation Skills: Many founders struggle with delegating tasks. A coach can work on enhancing the founder's delegation skills, enabling them to trust their team and offload responsibilities, which in turn reduces their workload and stress.

Prioritisation Techniques: Teaching prioritisation techniques, such as the Eisenhower Matrix, helps founders focus on high-impact activities and avoid getting bogged down by less critical tasks.

2. Mental Health. Like all people, mental health is an ongoing maintenance pursuit. Considering the long hours and extreme feedback founders are often subject to, this can be amplified as a need in the startup environment. A coach can work with the leader on:

Building Awareness: The coach can help the founder become more aware of their mental health by discussing stressors, emotional triggers, and physical symptoms of stress. This awareness is the first step towards managing mental health effectively.

Developing Coping Strategies: Together, the coach and founder can develop coping strategies for managing stress and anxiety. This might include mindfulness practices, relaxation techniques, or physical activities like exercise.

Creating a Support System: Encouraging the founder to build a support system is essential. This could involve regular check-ins with a mental health professional, joining peer support groups, or fostering strong personal relationships.

Promoting Self-Care: Self-care is crucial for mental health. The coach can guide the founder in incorporating self-care practices into their routine, such as adequate sleep, healthy eating, and hobbies that provide joy and relaxation.

3. Identity as a Leader. Many startup founders find themselves in a leadership role for the first time, not having worked in larger organizations where they might have taken on traditional leadership development. This comes with unique identity questions, including:

Reflecting on Identity: Founders often undergo a significant shift in identity as their role evolves. The coach can facilitate reflective conversations about the founder's personal values, leadership style, and vision for the company.

Aligning Personal and Professional Goals: Ensuring that the founder's personal goals are aligned with their professional objectives helps create a sense of coherence and purpose. This alignment can mitigate the feeling of losing oneself to the business.

Enhancing Leadership Skills: Developing essential leadership skills, such as emotional intelligence, communication, and decision-making, supports the founder in growing into their role. The coach can provide feedback and practical exercises to hone these skills.

Navigating Impostor Syndrome: Many founders experience impostor syndrome, doubting their abilities and fearing failure. A coach can help them recognise and challenge these negative thoughts, reinforcing their strengths and achievements.

Practical Steps for Coaching Engagement

1. Initial Assessment: Begin with a comprehensive assessment of the founder's current situation, challenges, and goals. This sets the foundation for a tailored coaching plan.
2. Goal Setting: Work with the founder to set clear, achievable goals for work-life balance, mental health, and leadership development. These goals should be specific, measurable, and time-bound.
3. Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular coaching sessions to monitor progress, address new challenges, and adjust strategies as needed. Consistent support is key to sustained improvement.
4. Resource Provision: Provide resources such as articles, books, tools, and referrals to mental health professionals or leadership development programmes. These resources can complement the coaching process.
5. Feedback and Accountability: Offer constructive feedback and hold the founder accountable for their actions and commitments. This accountability ensures that progress is being made and obstacles are addressed promptly.

By focusing on these areas, a startup professional coach can significantly enhance a founder's ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance, manage mental health, and develop a strong, authentic leadership identity. This holistic support not only benefits the founder personally but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of the startup.

In summary, coaching in the startup environment requires a unique approach that considers the rapid growth, high levels of change, resource constraints, and the need for innovation. Coaches and HR leaders must be adaptable, creative, and strategic to effectively support startup teams and leaders in achieving their goals while building a strong, resilient, and positive organisational culture. BOLDLY has a suite of coaches focused on the startup journey, who understand the nature of the business environment and unique pressures. Reach out today to discuss how professional startup coaching can impact your business: connect@boldly.app.

About the Author:

Alexandra Lamb is an accomplished organisational development practitioner, with experience across APAC, North America, and MENA. With 20+ years in professional practice, conglomerates, and startups, she has collaborated with rapid-growth companies and industry innovators to develop leaders and high-performance teams. She is particularly experienced in talent strategy as a driver for business growth. Drawing from her experience in the fields of talent management, psychology, coaching, product development, and human-centred design, Alex prides herself on using commercial acumen to design talent solutions with true impact.