Business Mentor vs Business Coach: What is the difference?

Want to know what the difference is between a business mentor and a business coach? Have you got to the point where you know you need some one-to-one support to grow your business, have started having a look around and are now confused about whether you need a business mentor, business coach or something else altogether. If so, keep on reading to find out what the difference is between a business mentor and a business coach so you can work out what you need to hire for your business.  

 

This page may includes affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.

BUSINESS MENTOR VS BUSINESS COACH: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? 

 

To understand the difference between a business mentor and a business coach it is first important to understand in general what a coach and a mentor are.  

 

Definition of a mentor

A mentor, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “a person who gives a younger or less experienced person help and advice over a period of time, especially at work or school” .

 

Definition of a coach

A coach, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “someone whose job is to teach people to improve at a sport, skill, or school subject”.  

 

Whilst I agree with this definition of a coach in relation to the world of sport, when it comes to the world of coaching for other things (life, career, relationship, financial etc) I don’t agree with the definition because most coaches don’t teach, but guide.

 

To delve into this further it is worth looking at the definition of coaching by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). ICF state that they define “coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.” 

 

Here the word partnering is key. This isn’t about the coach having all the answer and telling the client what to do. It is a partnership. 

 

LOOKING FOR A BUSINESS MENTOR TO HELP GROW YOUR ONLINE SERVICE-BASED BUSINESS?  I offer 1-to-1 mentoring services to solo coaches, consultants and online services providers. If that is you, then you can find out more about my business and marketing mentoring services here.

 

Business Consultant vs Business Mentor vs Business Coach 

To really understand the difference between a business mentor and business coach it is useful to also consider what business consultants to. Personally, I found the diagram below to be the clearest way to simply differentiate how a business consultant, business mentor and business coach works with their clients.

 

 

This diagram shows how the difference between a consultant, mentor and coach based on whether input is coming from the facilitator (the professional) or the client. 

 

In consulting, the consultant is hired to diagnose the problem and tell the client what they need to do.  

 

In coaching, the coach is hired to help guide the client (through questioning and listening) to discover for themselves what they need to do.  

 

Mentoring is in-between consulting and a coaching. The mentor will provide guidance and advice. This will involve directly providing instructions, but unlike a consultant the client will be actively participating in the discussion. 

 

How to choose what is best for your business? Business Mentor vs Business Coach 

 

By now you should have a better idea of the differences between a business mentor and business coach, which will help you work out what is best for you. Think about the involvement you want to have in the process and the level of instruction you require. Do you want to work with a coach who will be a great sounding board and ask you questions that carefully lead you to making decisions? Or do you want to work with a mentor that will be more direct in approach and give direct recommendations of what you should be doing? 

 

One thing to note is that the lots of people use the terms interchangeably or have a different definition of what a business mentor is and what a business coach is. Therefore, it is super important that you get clear on the type of experience you want with the professional you are hiring, rather than be fixated on the title they use.  

 

Personally, I refer to myself as a business mentor and I have a business and marketing mentoring programme. However, there are a lot of online business coaches who have services very similar to mine. Since I work with a lot of professional and certified coaches, who take their profession seriously, I would never refer to myself as a business coach (as I know I’m not coaching). My clients are actively involved in the process, but I do make personalised recommendations and will tell clients what I think they should do.

 

That’s it. You now know what the difference between a business coach and business mentor is. 

Choosing to work one-to-one with a professional to grow your business is a wise decision, but it is important you find the right person for you and your business. 

 

As I mentioned earlier, worry less about whether someone calls themselves a business mentor, business coach or something else entirely. Instead focus on how the describe the service they are providing and ensure that you can see yourself having a productive working relationship with them.  

 

To find out more about my business mentoring service see below.  

WORK WITH ME (BUSINESS MENTORING SERVICE) I specialise in helping solo coaches, consultants and online service providers to grow thriving online businesses that they love.  No matter where you are right now I can help you to strategically grow your business. I’ll help you to work smarter, not harder, so that you sign your dream clients, smash your revenue targets and build a business you are proud of. To find out more about my 1:1 business and marketing mentoring programme click here And to discuss your precise needs book a free, no-obligation, introduction call to discuss your business here.