Stephen Unwin Celebrates 12 years of Business Coaching Success
Stephen Unwin Celebrates 12 years of Business Coaching Success
It is twelve years since Stephen Unwin decided to share his own business experience and train as a business coach. Stephen came to the world of coaching with 30 years of experience as a business owner, director and senior manager in consumer goods, supply manufacture and professional service sector. His background with family businesses, SMEs and an international corporation ensured that Stephen has both management and practical experience across all disciplines.
With a successful track record in growing companies Stephen was attracted to the ActionCoach business model as he identified with the emphasis on
the fundamentals common to any business that place it in the best position to grow. “I have always found business fascinating in itself but it is the people and their leadership skills that make the businesses either succeed or fail. My experience of the coaching process goes back to a course at the Cranfield Business School and it brought immediate benefits to the Copella Juice business that I was Managing Director of at the time” says Stephen. “When I came across the Action approach to Business Coaching I found it really hit the mark in terms of its practical systems and business tools”.
“My clients include both small and large companies but the common factor is that they are private or family owned and committed to business improvement and growth. Challenges with Time, not having enough hours in the day, and Money, generating sales and cash flow, are typical areas of focus; but the discipline of goal setting, planning and regular financial information are equally important.
A further challenge that I see repeatedly, and one that can be a real obstacle to progress, is the business owners’ struggle to build a great team of people and to manage them effectively to grow the company. This requires the development of leadership and management skills, the ability to delegate effectively, and an effective recruitment process. These are not areas that can be mastered overnight; they require on-going attention and improvement so that over months and even years clients progressively develop their skills and can build the great team that they need.
Overall if there is a lack of these leadership and team skills and engagement I invariably see frustration, time being wasted and real financial cost to the business.
Conversely in businesses where these skills are developed and continually applied and improved the multiplier effect is enormous with the whole team working well together, feeling motivated and enjoying being part of a team that is achieving success and growth.
I have found that coaching is a powerful way to develop these leadership and team skills and it is immensely rewarding for me when a client comments that they find new enjoyment from working ON their business rather than IN it, and that I am making both their business and personal lives more rewarding and enjoyable”.
This experience has been borne out by many of Stephen’s long standing clients who have typically seen their businesses double and triple in size, and more importantly they have seen their profits grow at an even greater rate. Businesses range from specialist engineering, manufacturing and distribution companies, to a variety of professional firms, and others in the logistics, leisure and food and drink sectors; all share the ambition to achieve the very best results that they can.
Husband and wife team Lucinda & Crispin Clay, founder owners of Munchy Seeds have found that “Since joining Stephen Unwin at ActionCOACH in 2013, we have seen a terrific overall improvement in our business,” says Lucinda, “The single greatest thing Stephen did for us, was to help us identify our own job roles & responsibilities. I now hugely respect what Crispin does, as I can see this improving by what he is achieving, plus best of all he’s not interfering with me in my marketing role! .We look forward to working with Stephen for years to come, he really does bring out the best in us, our team and ultimately our Munchy Seeds snacks”.
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