Business Coach Patricia Simon

Intro: [00:00:02] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for Coach the Coach Radio brought to you by the Business RadioX Ambassador program, the no cost business development strategy for coaches who want to spend more time serving local business clients and less time selling them. Go to brxambassador.com To learn more. Now here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:33] Lee Kantor, another episode of Coach the Coach Radio, and this is going to be a fun one. Today we have with us Patricia Simon with Scotia Business. Welcome, Patricia.

Patricia Simon: [00:00:43] Well, welcome. Thank you for the welcome, Lee. And a very appreciative of being a guest on your show today. As you can tell, I’m not your usual guest. My accent is slightly unique.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:57] Absolutely. Tell us about your journey. How did you get involved in coaching?

Patricia Simon: [00:01:02] Well, actually, what it was, was basically at the age of 22, I achieved a master’s degree in marketing. And I actually went into the marketing model after that in America and became very successful in corporate America. I was a vice president of marketing and training at a financial institution in Tampa, Florida, overseeing a half million dollar marketing budget. And then I went into the performing arts industry and I was doing a lot of coaching of my staff and and overseeing in the music department and the ballet department, the theater department. And I had already taken a course in certification. And at that point in my life, I felt like I was ready. I felt I had all the experience of corporate America and the education certifications, and it was just perfect match timing to launch the business. And that was what I did. And I’m so happy I did. Didn’t.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:09] Now, how is coaching different than kind of working in that enterprise level corporate world?

Patricia Simon: [00:02:16] Well, currently I coach a lot of potential and entrepreneurs or new startups, and I actually enjoy being able to work one on one with the owner of the business or the potential owner, because you have a feeling or you can ask them the questions directly, you know, involved in the multiple layers that you have when you’re in the corporate world. And I found and I loved working in corporate, but the coaching, working, coaching with, you know, executives one on one because also do executive coaching, just working and a journey with them and seeing them progress and achieve their goals and dreams is just very satisfying. So that’s really the difference now.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:11] Are you spending more of your time kind of coaching in general business help, or do you specialize in marketing because that’s your background?

Patricia Simon: [00:03:19] Yes, well, I do a lot of marketing coaching too. So I do game planning your business, preparing your business plan a business, launching your business, managing the growth of your business, but then also to offer marketing, coaching. So if a company comes to me, obviously, Patricia, would you be able to assist in helping us more about stock? And we need direction and marketing strategy, marketing, planning, marketing tactic, tactics, implementation strategies. That’s where my marketing background really comes in, because I’m able to provide that guidance, that strategy, in addition to the coaching so that we sure value to my client. So, yes, I’m able to offer the two services. So that’s very impressive, isn’t it?

Lee Kantor: [00:04:17] Yeah, well, I mean, it seems like it’s a great vehicle for you to use all your skills.

Patricia Simon: [00:04:23] Yes, it’s it’s fantastic. And that’s why I’m so happy that I’m able to combine all my skill sets because I can work with an executive who says, Patricia, I’m stuck. Should I make a career move? I need to you know, I need to set sales goals within the organization. And I need somebody to motivate me to make me accountable, because that’s where a lot of people that get stuck, they may have a good idea. They may have ambition, but maybe they just don’t know where to start and they don’t know what steps to take. And that’s where I’m able to work and help and motivate. And I can help them to be accountable so that they do reach their own goals.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:14] Now, can you maybe it’s time to give our listeners some advice. Do you have any advice you would give that person that’s stuck on how they can kind of make that change maybe they’re afraid of and then lead that life that they dream can be possible?

Patricia Simon: [00:05:30] Yes, if Stark, my recommendation is. What they have to do is have a vision, have a mission, write those ideas down, their mission statement is what is the idea? What is your business idea? Write it down. Keep it close to and always look at it, visualize it, and then start thinking where to you? What’s your end goal? We have to you want to be actually a vision. Where do you see your business going unless people get stuck because sometimes you just don’t know where to start. And that’s where a business coach comes in. Because I help with the planning stage, because you don’t just launch a business as usual, you have to plan a business. And that’s why I do actually offer an intensive six week coaching program specifically for potential entrepreneurs who have possibly a great idea. But see, when it comes down to actually planning it and thinking through writing the business plan, coming up with objectives, goals, strategies, and then looking at marketing, planning, operational planning, financial planning, they might find that they could have actually wasted a lot of money. If they hadn’t done that entire planning process, they may not have had the cash flow.

Patricia Simon: [00:06:55] They might not have had an actual profit margin because you might be thinking, oh, I’m producing this product. But at the end of the day, if you can’t make any money on it, you’re just wasting your time and you’re giving up potentially a good job. So it’s always I always recommend to my clients, start off slowly, do your planning, but start slowly, take step by step approach and maybe start at an early start the weekend and then before you give up the security of a job. But I do. And being an entrepreneur as head was always my dream. And I love to support people or not, but I also want to be realistic with them. But I also want to be their sounding board coach and advises them. And whether that takes special marketing. I should have been involved in a lot of strategic planning stations as well over the years in corporate America. So I’m able to bring a lot to the table, to clients and the business who are thinking of launching a business. So I like to talk early.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:10] Yeah, well, I mean, it’s a lot of important information because I think a lot of people think that the idea is the hard part and they go, hey, I got this great idea, I’m going to do this. And they don’t kind of play out some of the scenarios, the trade offs and the risks and kind of get a at least a strategic plan on on, OK, what if everything goes right? What if everything goes wrong? What if it lands in the middle? I mean, to think about these things ahead of time can save you a lot of heartache, you know?

Patricia Simon: [00:08:38] Absolutely.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:39] And I think that’s really the value of having a coach as a sounding board and someone to play devil’s advocate and somebody to really ask you hard questions, because if you jump into something that you’re not fully prepared for, I mean, this could be a terrible decision if you don’t do this right. I mean, this is a high risk, but high reward. But if you if you if you put some time in the planning, you’re going to increase your chances of success, I think.

Patricia Simon: [00:09:06] Absolutely. I mean, and you’re not going to be a money. I mean, that’s the bottom line to you’re also looking at your projections, your financial projections. You know, how much money, cash flow do you need? Three months, six months, 12 months to go. And, you know, staffing, you know, there’s so many different issues that you have to think about. And you can be an engineer. It can be really intelligent, really smart. It’s an engineering degree. But they don’t teach you how to write a business plan and when you’re doing an engineering degree. And so that’s why, as you said, having a coach, somebody with business marketing background is very valuable for a wide range of people and a wide range of industries because, you know, I of it the marketing and coaching is there are some, you know, coaching. It’s all about people. It’s all about providing. And as you said, I said sound and both the motivation and the accountability. When somebody calls me every week, I call in and they know because I have homework assignments for them and they know that I’m asking them, have you thought this through? Have you have you spoke to your family about it because you need the Byan of the entire, you know, your spouse, your family, because people. So maybe giving up a job and start a business is easy. But in a nutshell. It’s not a lot of challenges, obstacles that you have to encounter if you don’t have the support of the family as well. And you know that sounding board for your own sake and the business would succeed. So you need time as well. So as well as having a coach.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:00] Now, in your work, some of the work that you do from your past is actually consulting. How do you kind of separate the coaching from the consulting or do you or is that just part of more value that you add that sometimes you can be that coach that’s giving him that the homework, the tough love, the kind of the ideas and direction to go in. But then other times you’re rolling up your sleeves and doing some of the work.

Patricia Simon: [00:11:26] Yes, I really do. It really depends on the client’s needs, you know, as depends on what they need from me, that’s what I Stone Payton I ask questions. That’s why I offer a free strategy coaching session and judging your client, because, you know, I need to understand and they need to see if they feel that I would be able to help them. But it is all about identifying is a coaching relationship that they want with me as a consultant in a relationship, meaning the strategizing and what is that combination? And you’re right, it’s I offer both services. I tailored it specifically to my client’s needs. So it’s whatever they need and detail me and that’s what I work with. So, yes, that is what makes me actually unique, because I am a business coach. I’m a marketing coach. I’m also a martial artist. So that adds an added value. And my clients always say that to me, that I like that. Patricia, thank you. That not only given me being a coach to me, but you’ve given me all this experience that you’ve learned about past 20 years and marketing and in the business world. So value add the same.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:51] Now in your work, do you have a specialty? Do you specialize in certain industries or certain size companies, or is it kind of industry agnostic?

Patricia Simon: [00:13:01] Well, basically, it doesn’t really matter what industry you’re where. You’re basically and the reason being is I’ve worked in the performing arts industry, which is so different from the financial services industry. Like I had mentioned earlier, I was a vice president of marketing and training and he trained to eat in Tampa, Florida, a financial institution. But I was also an education marketing manager in the performing arts and sector in the United States and also Tampa, Florida. So marketing and philosophy is a principle. It doesn’t matter what industry that you’re in. If you know, marketing and I went to a very good business school over here in Strathclyde Business School and it was actually modeled on Harvard Business School that I remember from the previous year. He set up the department because he is an MBA at Harvard and that’s what marketing was all about. It was invented in America and he brought it back over and he established a really well known business school. And, you know, I’m able to provide my knowledge, you know, again, with different industries and.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:25] Right. So it doesn’t matter. The industry, the problems kind of are universal problems you’re solving. And so the specific industry doesn’t really matter as much because these kind of foundational kind of the foundation of each of these businesses are similar in that respect of business and marketing.

Patricia Simon: [00:14:44] That’s right. I mean, business is business. Every business should have a business plan and marketing plan, a financial plan and operations plan. So even if you’re a startup, a startup, medium sized business, but a large business, you know, as I say, it’s when I was very surprised marketing, I had to make sure I developed a strategic marketing plan every year with a half million dollar marketing budget or business being a school, which I always say made sure I was under my marketing budget. It never was over a marketing budget. So, yes, it’s just it’s working with different sites and industries and marketing is marketing.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:22] Now, can you share an example? Don’t name the name of the client, but can you share an example, maybe set up what their challenge was and then they hired you and then how you were able to take them to a new level.

Patricia Simon: [00:15:36] Yes, and kind that worked with actually was an ex colleague and like you said, don’t want mention, but. She knew my background as a business coach. And I know not in a position where I was working, doing marketing strategy. And we met, she would ask me if I would call her after work, so I agreed to that and we spent actually several months because even though she loved the job that she you know, she’d been in the job for years and she was out of a senior position, but she always knew she wanted to be her own boss and she felt that the time was right, but she just didn’t know where to start. And she actually needed a sounding board. She needed somebody that she could trust. She saw my experience and how I manage my teams. My staff actually coached them. And she also saw how I was able to sustain the marketing department. So she actually took her MBA. And, you know, after we discussed her next career path, she took an MBA and she later went on and through coaching us, working together, and she actually runs a very successful fitness company. And she said to me. She says, I am happier in my 40s than I was in my 20s, in my 30s. She said, thank you so much. She says, I could have done it without you and your listening skills because you’ve got to be a good listener. You’ve got to be an active listener, and you’ve got to reflect back good questions, you know, because you don’t want to dictate you want them, because at the end of the day, it’s their life, it’s their decision. So you need then to be able to come up with the solutions. And sometimes it can be right away, but sometimes it can be a journey. So the fact that she went through multiple different. OK, let me expand my education. OK, then let me take congressional certifications. Another because she’s got all that background and skill set. She’s running a very successful fitness business. So I would definitely say that’s one of my success stories.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:16] Wow. That is just an amazing story. And congratulations on all the success, the impact you’re having on these people must be so rewarding and fulfilling.

Patricia Simon: [00:18:26] Thank you. Thank you, Lee. Yes, it’s extremely rewarding. That’s actually why. And I just give up a very, very good corporate job job because I get to enjoy helping and seeing other people succeed because it’s like you see them at the very beginning of the journey. And, you know, I’m sure not knowing what to do and then just seeing that process and getting them and helping them and keeping them accountable and keeping them motivated. And you’re seeing the difference in them, the transformation in them, but happier they’ve got better work life balance, you know. So, yes, that’s that’s why I went into coaching, business coaching, business coaching and marketing, coaching specifically and executive coaching because of my background and a lot of working with people and seeing them succeed. If they succeed, I succeed. That’s how I look at it.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:26] That’s great. Now, if somebody wants to learn more, have more substantive conversation with you or somebody on your team, do you have a website?

Patricia Simon: [00:19:33] Yes, I do. Ali, thank you for asking. It’s a business that don’t call. And my telephone number is an eight one three nine nine zero zero seven four zero.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:47] And then that website is C.A.T. a business dot com?

Patricia Simon: [00:19:53] Yes, yes, yes. That’s correct. Leigh, sorry about the accent there.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:58] I just want to make sure they get it right. See, Ottilia business dot com to get a hold of Patricia or somebody on her team. Patricia Simon, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Patricia Simon: [00:20:11] Thank you, Lee. And I appreciate you being allowing me to be on the show today as a guest. Thank you so much.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:16] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you next time on Coach the Coach Radio.