A Short History of Business Coaching

Going from Where You are to Where You Want to Be

The literal meaning of the word ‘coaching’ is “the process used to transport people from where they are to where they want to be.” In terms of the relatively new industry of business coaching, it means providing support, advice and feedback to a company owner, Managing Director, or a group at the helm of a company, in order to maximise the effectiveness of their roles within that company, so that all areas of operation ultimately benefit. That looks simple on paper, but it takes special individuals with particular business skillsets to become business coaches.

 The Rise of Business Coaching

Since the mid-1990s business coaching and other coaching disciplines, such as Life Coaching, have rapidly become crucial to the success of companies and individuals in the competitive modern business world. Business coaching as a recognisable, legitimate concern has been around for little over twenty years, but is now one of the world’s fastest growing industries. In the uncertain financial climate of recent times businesses have increasingly embraced new strategies to forge ahead, many employing the services of a business coach to help steer their ships from stormy seas to calmer waters.

Demand for ActionCOACH

In on the ground floor of the business coaching revolution was Australian entrepreneur, Brad Sugars. In 1993 he founded ActionCOACH, now the world’s undisputed #1 business coaching company and one of the world’s top franchises in any area of business. Originally known as Action International, Sugars founded the company in response to the overwhelming demand from companies for his unique business-building strategies. Advancing ActionCOACH by adopting a franchise business model seemed the only way Sugars could satisfy the demand. Twenty years later, with over 1,000 offices in forty territories around the globe, demand is being met despite remaining as high as ever.