One-to-one

Sydney Business Coach

Sydney Business Coaching for small business owners

 

As a small business owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate. There are so many skills, so much responsibility, so many things pulling your attention. It can be really easy to let five or ten years go by, without prioritising yourself and your long-term vision for your life and your business.

Hi! I’m Brook McCarthy. I’m a Sydney business coach, facilitator and marketing and sales trainer, with more than 18 years’ experience in digital communications and 11 years’ experience in business coaching. I work closely with small business owners to help you grow your business, your way. What does that mean, exactly? It means that your unique strengths, experience, goals and lifestyle aspirations guide our work together.

As a business coach, I work alongside my small business client in an equal partnership, to help support them as they visualise their goals, create a plan to achieve these, and go ahead to do just that.

I specialise in growing professional reputations, so you can attract publicity, partners, opportunities, and (far) more ideal clients. If you’re looking for a business coach with extensive, real-world experience, who works exclusively with small business owners, then welcome.

Is this you?

You get word-of-mouth referrals, but inquires are neither steady nor predictable

You want to earn more money and you’re not afraid to try something new

You are energetic and action-focused but you don’t want to waste time and effort

You’ve been told your business is different but you struggle to explain this in your marketing in a simple and compelling way

You’re not going to hide from difficult conversations or blindly follow someone else’s advice

You don’t just want more profit, you want to grow a sustainable, meaningful business that does good

It’s time.

 

You’re fiercely independent and derive great satisfaction from crafting your own living, on your own terms, using your own smarts.
Self-employment ain’t easy. I salute you.
As a business owner for eleven years now, believe me when I say I know how you feel.
I’ve met countless extremely talented people who are truly gifted at what they do, with clients who adore them, but still, they struggle to earn good money and feel tired, worn down and perhaps a little over it.
They often believe that they need to figure everything out by themselves.
That is simply not true.

Business coaches are only good for two things

 

There are just two things that business coaches are good for – blind spots and short-cuts.
Our blind spots can cost us lots of money and peace-of-mind. And the worst part? We’re oblivious. We don’t know what you don’t know. And our assumptions, beliefs, and socialisation can oftentimes end up costing us. Business coaching with me will introduce a new approach, attitude, self-belief or perspective that can give you a massive step up.
Short-cuts save you time, money and heartache. You can waste a lot of time and money pursuing the wrong tactic or strategy.
Now I’m playing the long game in business and I suspect you are too. I’d far rather treat people well and trust that it’s coming back to me than make a fast buck.
But that doesn’t mean we’ll refuse a smart short-cut, right?

I decided to engage Brook as my business coach because I’d worked with her before and I knew she knew her stuff and I wanted someone ‘in the know’ to support me during my first online course launch. Brook helped me in those pivotal days to focus on the key tasks that were essential, not only to the smooth running of the course, but reaching the people who would be most likely to benefit and would purchase. She was, variously, my teacher, trainer, cheer-squad, confidant, accountability coach, and business manager and it made the whole experience that much more easy. Brook is a great combination of supportive, plain speaking, encouraging, and firm when required.

Lauren Tober

Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Teacher

I needed help to restart my business marketing because I didn’t have enough clients. I find Brook’s clarity really helpful. She challenges a lot of my assumptions and gets me out of my comfort zone.
The process of working together is excellent. I’ve had a huge amount of practical advice on everything from putting together proposals to writing for my audience. Since coaching, I’ve made changes to my website, started blogging, changed where and how I work, and been far more productive. Brook’s advice on improving SEO led to a new client finding me only through my website for the first time ever! Brook cheered me on as I prepared my proposal and I landed a big new contract. I feel far more confident in my business and where I’m headed since coaching.

Catherine O’Dwyer

Laboratory Accreditation Expert

I decided to engage Brook as my business coach because I needed an objective, credible second opinion to verify my business decisions and Brook has the holy grail combo of no-nonsense business first, with a marketing lens. The process of one-to-one coaching with Brook was fabulous. Her tough questions that were all relevant and useful and she was accommodating when life and business got in the way.

Since working with Brook, I’ve taken big action in two key target areas that I identified when we started working together. I took a big step to invest financially in the business, in both systems and people. Our entire marketing is set up and automated now, so I’m less reliant on personal strengths and time constraints. We have a brand new beautiful website, thanks to Brook and her team. And I’ve engaged a social media person too, to generate credibility-boosting numbers and activity in social media.

Coaching with Brook has renewed my faith in my own decision making compass. The launch of three unique product lines has been far more scalable and less reliant on my personal contacts and my personal hours. Our second corporate event made a profit and received incredible feedback. And our brand is positioned to best capture the audience we want to sell to.

I’d happily recommend Brook’s business coaching.

Cath Nolan

Managing Director, Gender Gap Gone

I’ve been told that I’m not a typical online business coach

 

I’ve been working in small businesses my entire career. The steepest learning curve of my life was working in south-east Asia for two years as a small group tour leader. In this crazy busy job, I honed my interpersonal skills, quickly gaining people’s trust, bonding a group of diverse, intercultural individuals in a variety of unpredictable and sometimes stressful situations, and learned to make quick, and sometimes difficult, decisions without missing a beat.

Prior to starting my business in 2008, I worked in Public Relations, which is where I first started in online communications. When managing the website of a large multinational corporation, we consistently blew our best-ever month-on-month results so much so that the Head of Communications in Sweden flew me over to find out exactly what I was doing. It was easily explained – I was simply writing more interesting, newsworthy articles in a respectful, intelligent tone-of-voice that people actually wanted to read.

In 2008, I struck out on my own and, within three months of commencing, had six retainer clients and was earning the same as in my former PR agency role. Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of sole traders, business owners and entrepreneurs from a variety of industries, on how to sharpen their strategy, tighten their focus, magnify their reach and grow their business.

I’ve been told I’m not a typical online business coach. I’ve been told I’m more like a marketing consultant, business advisor, or reputation strategist than a “normal” business coach.

I’m highly practical, with real-world, up-to-date digital marketing experience. I’m also opinionated. That means you won’t get the same-old out-of-the-box solutions that every book/blog/webinar regurgitates and I won’t waste your time with broad recommendations that you’d find in any business book.

I want to help you build something that will endure – which means sustainable marketing and a solid business model that works to your strengths.

I don’t know whether to love or hate you. You keep inspiring me to do more and more. Your ideas and insights have been invaluable and, thanks to our collaboration, my business has taken on a exciting new direction. Even though you are keeping me very busy, I wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you Brook!

Andi

Yoga Studio Owner

So often as yoga teachers, our hearts and heads are full of yoga. We fall into running our own businesses but there are so many crucial skills we need that we just don’t know about.

After seven years of relying on word-of-mouth to keep my yoga business ticking along, I’m now seeing obvious positive changes having worked with Brook.
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending her public courses and coaching.

Mitch Gibson

Yoga Studio Owner

Together, we can cover:

Business by design

Businesses often grows organically in a direction that doesn’t really work for the business owner. We’ll dig into your strengths, challenges, lifestyle and bigger vision, to help craft a perfect-for-you business by design.

Uncover your ideal client

Knowing exactly who is perfect for your business makes it all so much easier! Your ideal client is ready for what you offer, gains the most out of it, and is the most enthusiastic, making them a joy to work with.

Know your strengths

We’ll dive deep into your particular stories, talents, experiences and expertise in order to play to your strengths, better define your point of difference and know how to work in a way which works with your innate strengths, not against them.

Define your difference

Crafting your business story not only helps differentiate you from your competitors, it will attract your ideal client, and it’s FUN!

Profits and pricing

Clarity around profit means you make empowered decisions and can price your offerings accordingly.

Designing and refining your seductive offerings

Transform your offerings so they speak directly to the wants and desires of your ideal clients while serving their specific needs.

Compelling communications

Writing is one of the essential skills of any business owner. We’ll carefully comb through every word on your website and key communications to ensure that they connect with your people in an authentic and effective manner.

Authentic marketing

Effective marketing communications and strategy that resonates with you and your business, not copies what everyone else is doing.

List growth

Most everybody wants to know how to build their list! Regardless of where your list is at, we’ll work through effective strategies to build your list and keep them engaged and enthused about your offerings so that marketing becomes so much easier.

Devilish digital details

Together, we’ll go through your digital footprint, from your website, to your email onboarding process, social media channels, e-commerce flow, advertising and internal communications, to ensure that every little detail reflects your business value while cultivating relationships and converting strangers into clients.

I engaged Brook because I wanted to build the foundation for my future and make a full-time living out of yoga. I’d met Brook in person and resonated with her sense of humour. I also loved reading her blog. Working with Brook has been fast-moving, yet I’ve felt safe and motivated the entire time. She picked up on my situations very quickly and gave me the necessary mindset and encouragement to not doubt myself so much.
Since working with Brook, I wrote The Clean Yogi book and invited international yogis like Amy Ippoliti, Tiffany Cruickshank and others to contribute. I’ve taught at various festivals around Australia, including Evolve and Wanderlust. I spent almost three months in Fiji offering retreats and teaching yoga in 2014, and I stayed grounded and focused – most of the time – even being involved in so many massive things.
Brook taught me how to be more bold and direct in my communications with my clients and collaborators and to see the things as they are, without feeling so personally affected. It felt safe to express my fears, struggles and to be honest, because you created the space for it and you were too. The sessions were intense, focused and always left me with a juicy heap of inspiration and motivation. I felt strong and totally on the right path.

Alexa Nehter

Yoga Teacher

Who this IS for:

  • You're energetic and ambitious.
  • You're ready to change (for the better!).
  • You're ready to move beyond old patterns and habits and bring a clear-eyed plan to your growth.
  • You're willing to be open and honest.

This ISN'T for you if:

  • You haven't yet launched (check out my courses instead).
  • You're looking for a secret formula or quick fix, without any additional effort on your part.
  • You don't want to do any follow-through actions or homework after our sessions, you just want to talk.
  • You're unwilling to look at any problematic thinking and beliefs, self-sabotaging tendencies, or old, unhelpful stories that you might have.
  • Please no whiners, complainers, projectors, blamers, nit-pickers, perfectionists, and those looking for a mother figure (I'm not your gal). 

Essential info on one-to-one business coaching:
....

  • Business coaching is a six-month commitment of 13 sessions together, on a fortnightly basis.
  • Although I'm based in Sydney, Australia, I coach business owners online, across the world, particularly in Australia, Canada, the US, and Asia Pacific.
  • Our first session together is 90-120 minutes as we attempt to empty your head into mine. We review where you're at and where you want to be, and uncover key goals you have for your business coaching. Following sessions are 60 minutes.
  • Your website audit, done within two weeks of our first session.
  • Together, we develop your Action Plan which includes the key short-term and long-term goals we've set together, as well as your homework. This is a collaborative, online document that ensures you'll always know what you're doing, what to prioritise, and (most importantly) what you don't have to worry about.
  • Support from our Hustle & Heart Accountability Coach and Client Concierge, Kate Cowley.
  • You have access to me in between sessions, via email, for sharing updates, epiphanies, and celebrations, or requests for further information.
  • You have access to any of my short, 90-minute, live online classes that happen during our time together.
  • You have a 30% discount for my flagship group program, Hustle & Heart, which is available for you to use within a 12-month period of our coaching finishing.

  • You'll have access to my little black book of trusted industry experts (invaluable!). If you need a copywriter, website designer, SEO nerd, photographer, videographer, PR person or extraordinary organising-type person, I can help you find the right person and work with them (and no, I didn't find them on Fiverr or through a quick Google search, and I don't recommend you do this either!).
  • Supporting information, checklists, templates and creative exercises, as relevant, which I've developed and tested in large and small training groups.

Investment

$10,000 AUD in full, or $1900/month over 6 months.

I work with a maximum of six one-to-one clients at the same time. I currently have capacity for one person. Is it you?