Business Coaches in Australia: How to Find the One Who Actually Moves the Needle for You
Introduction I am Nathan Baws, and I’ve been on both sides of the table. I’ve paid for coaching when I was flat-out broke running a supplement chain in the 90s, and I’ve been the coach for the past twenty-plus years. I know exactly what it feels like to Google “business coaches in Australia” at 11 pm, wondering if you’re throwing money away or finally getting the help you need. This article is written for every Australian who has ever asked that question – from the café owner in Launceston to the tech founder in Brisbane, the corporate GM in Perth, and the university lecturer in Adelaide who wants to turn research into revenue. Let’s get straight into it. Key things you’ll know by the time you finish reading: Why Australian Businesses Are Different (and Why Most Overseas Advice Falls Flat) Our country is long distances, high wages, brutal seasonality in many industries, and a taxation system that can bite hard if you get it wrong. I’ve had businesses in Queensland when tourism died overnight, in Victoria when lockdowns crushed retail, and in Western Australia when the mining boom turned to bust. Generic American funnel advice or corporate frameworks from the UK rarely translate. Business coaches in Australia who actually deliver understand payroll tax thresholds, instant asset write-offs, cash-flow timing around BAS quarters, and the realities of hiring good people in regional towns. The Unique Pressures on Australian Owners Right Now A coach who hasn’t paid an Australian wage in the past five years is guessing. What I Look For When People Ask Me to Coach Them (and What You Should Demand) After mentoring hundreds of owners and teams across the country, these are the non-negotiables. 1. They’ve Built and Run Real Australian Businesses – Plural One lucky exit doesn’t count. I want to see multiple businesses launched, scaled, and in some cases closed or sold. Closing a business teaches more than most successes. 2. They Still Have Skin in the Game Today The best business coaches in Australia are still running or investing in companies right now. Markets move fast; advice from someone who stopped operating in 2018 is already dated. 3. They Can Read a Set of Australian Accounts in Five Minutes If they can’t tell you within minutes where your profit is leaking or why your labour percentage is too high, they’re not a coach – they’re a motivational speaker. 4. They Work One-on-One and Don’t Delegate to Juniors Group programs have their place, but when you’re making decisions that affect your family’s future, you want the actual person you hired, not their “team”. 5. They’re Comfortable Telling You Hard Truths Your marketing sucks. That product should be killed. You’re the bottleneck. The good ones say it early and kindly. How Business Coaching Actually Plays Out in the Australian Market Here are five recent(ish) examples from my own client work (details changed for privacy). Example 1 – Regional Manufacturing, Ballarat, Victoria Family engineering business turning over $4.2 m, profit stuck at 4–5 % for years. Twelve months of monthly coaching focused on pricing for margin, apprentice systems, and quoting accuracy. Profit lifted to 19 % without increasing turnover. The owner now works four days a week. Example 2 – Trade Services, Sunshine Coast, Queensland Plumber with 14 vans, owner still quoting and doing payroll at midnight. Built a proper org chart, hired an operations manager, and implemented Jobber + Xero integration. The owner bought a beach house twelve months later and only goes on site when he feels like it. Example 3 – Corporate Leadership Team, Sydney CBD GM brought me in for the top 11 executives of an ASX-listed company. Focused on decision speed, accountability, and psychological safety. Voluntary turnover dropped from 28% to 9% over 18 months. Share price responded accordingly. Example 4 – Events Business, Byron Bay, NSW Wedding and festival stylist crushed by COVID cancellations. Shifted to micro-weddings and corporate retreats, built a repeatable acquisition system using local SEO and partnerships. Now books out 18 months in advance at double the original pricing. Example 5 – University Side Hustle, Perth, Western Australia An academic with a mining-related software idea. Six-month intensive took it from zero to first $180 k in government and enterprise contracts. Still lectures three days a week. These are normal Australian businesses, not unicorn outliers. The Step-by-Step Process I Recommend to Find the Right Business Coaches in Australia Investment Levels in 2025–2026 for Genuine One-on-One Business Coaches in Australia Compare that to the average cost of keeping a bad hire for 12 months ($ 80k+) or of one failed product launch. The Biggest Mistakes Australian Owners Make When Hiring Business Coaches in Australia How to Get Started Without Risking a Cent Upfront Every reputable coach offers a single paid strategy session. You’ll walk away with: I still offer these myself because one good conversation can change everything. Conclusion If you’ve read this far, you’re serious about growth. I work one-on-one with owners, corporate leaders, event organisers, educators, and ambitious students all over Australia. No team, no juniors, no delegation – just me and you, focused on your results. Take the next step and book a strategy call at https://nathanbaws.com/. We’ll look at your numbers, your bottlenecks, and whether I’m the right person to help you break through. You’ve built something you’re proud of. Let’s make it even better. FAQs 1. Are business coaches in Australia regulated or accredited? No formal regulation exists, which is why track record matters more than certificates. Anyone can print “certified coach” on a business card. 2. Can I claim business coaching as a tax deduction? Almost always yes, if it’s clearly related to producing assessable income. Keep invoices and a record of outcomes. Your accountant will love you. 3. How quickly do most Australian business owners see a return? With full implementation, many expect the investment to be returned in 3–6 months. Some in weeks if we fix obvious leaks fast. 4. Is online coaching









