Build Your Group Coaching Program With the Right Partner

Many group coaches aspire to work in pairs or teams, but finding the right business partner can feel daunting. You might have been running a Group Coaching business for several years or, maybe, you’re just starting out in your group coaching services. Either way, it’s time to work with a partner and you’re not sure where to start. You’re not alone!

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In this blog, inspired by the professional relationship and teamwork between Dominique Mas and Maribel Aleman, Group Coaching HQ founders, you’ll find tips for your group coaching business to become a team and find the right partner to help build your group coaching programs.

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1. Identify Your Needs (and Your Potential Areas for Growth)

It’s easy to imagine that someone else joining you on your business journey will magically fix all of your problems, but, unfortunately, that probably isn’t true. What is true is that having someone who complements your strengths and weaknesses, and vice versa, is important for making sure the relationship is mutually beneficial.

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Are you a business whiz with a love of spreadsheets and business plans but you feel like your social media presence is poor? Maybe a coach with expertise in Instagram and TikTok is the person you need on your side.

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Alternatively, if you find yourself brand new to running a business, you might look for a partner who has a bit more experience in entrepreneurship. Having a different background from your partner will allow you both to offer fresh eyes to ideas, brainstorms, and problems.

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In the right partnership or team, everyone is given the opportunity to learn and grow through the other’s experiences and knowledge.

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2.  Be Transparent and Honest

You might think this tip is a little more obvious, but how often are we dishonest (even a little bit) with new coworkers - we want to impress them or seem more accomplished or competent than we might feel, and so we puff ourselves up.

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If there’s anyone you need to be honest with, it’s your co-coach. You’re building the foundation of a business and transparency is key. It’s a platitude, but people can’t help you if they don’t know you need help, and this is true in work and life, including group coaching businesses.

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3. Set Agreements and Boundaries

Group coaching can be full of beautiful feelings and experiences. That’s what draws so many of us to this industry - it’s a very human, and, at times, emotional process. Remember how we care about psychological safety and shared agreements in sessions? That extends to your relationships with business partners.

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Agreements can look like clear delegation - “I handle the Quickbooks, you handle the email inbox” - or like an understanding that Friday nights are off-limits for texts after 5pm. Again, it can be tempting to over-commit or over promise to your potential co-coach, but that doesn’t help establish a foundation of mutual trust, respect, and clear expectations.

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Reflections on Co-Coaching

Remember that strong bonds aren’t always built overnight, and it might take a few tries to find the person (or persons) you feel a business connection with. Know that just as you’re looking for someone with certain expertise or experience, so too is someone probably looking for your very qualifications. If you want a partner to work with, keep putting yourself out there!

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