What does a business coach actually do (and do you need one)?

A good business coach does three things: asks better questions than you'd ask yourself, holds you to commitments you'd otherwise let slide, and brings pattern recognition from dozens of other businesses.

They are not a consultant. They are not a therapist. They are not a cheerleader. They are a structured thinking partner with skin in your outcomes.

You probably need one if: you're the bottleneck, you've stopped growing, or you can't see your blind spots.

You probably don't if: you already have a strong board, peer group, or co-founder doing this role well.