Creating a life to love for your family and your clients
It’s the time where some might feel the seven-year itch, the need to move on to something new after seven years in the same role. But Lucas Vigilante doesn’t give moving on from ActionCOACH a single thought. He explains how he’s built a successful business of his own by improving those of his clients and meeting some great people along the way.
“In 1991, I worked with a few friends in a telecoms business which started out in a semi-detached house in Romford, Essex. Four major buyouts later, the business was floated on AIM and after de-listing finally found a home with the global communication company Arqiva. Having spent 20 years helping to build the company, in that Arqiva deal, I finally sold my shares.”
Looking for a new challenge
“After a few years off, I began to look around for the next challenge. That’s when I found a business coaching firm called ActionCOACH who offered franchises but, more interesting to me initially were their published ‘Points of Culture’. There were 14 of them and every one made sense to me. I wanted to know more so I made a phone call to their office and arranged to meet them in September 2010.
“My wife, Amanda, and I had talked about starting a business together with the main criteria for any new venture being it would be close to home. No driving silly distances or having to stay away for periods of time. In the telecoms business I’d been privileged to work with a great mentor and true entrepreneur, Richard Thompson, and it seemed like becoming a business coach would mean working with many more great people just like him. I liked the culture; the business could be built on my own doorstep and everything was suggesting that the work would be fun and fulfilling so we decided I should go for it.”
Lucas flew to Las Vegas in January 2011 for 10 days of intensive training. Even though he’d taken the UK franchisor’s advice of reading several specific business books and watching over 20 hours of video before the initial training, Lucas was overwhelmed by the experience.
Launching the business
“The intensive 10 days of training was very self-reflective, really demanding and delivered brilliantly. I ended up with a lot of new knowledge and the realisation that not to share it with local business owners would mean it had been worthless acquiring in the first place. My issue was I had lived in my local area for years but never actually done any business there. The advice I took from the UK support team before I went to training included joining the networking clubs in my area. I’d managed to secure the seat of Business Coach at BNi before I went away so just a few days after I landed back in the UK, I was at my first meeting. The people at BNi knew all the real movers and shakers so I quickly got to know my way around the local business scene. I’d signed my first client within five weeks of launching my business.
“I set myself two goals for my ActionCOACH business. Firstly, by month three, I wanted to have enough clients and be billing sufficiently for the business to be self-funding. I hit that goal and began to create a financial cushion to support my next goal – build relationships with people who I could ultimately go into business with, creating a portfolio of new and interesting investments. My first ActionCOACH client was a removals company who I worked with for six months, helping the business owner make more money and gain more control over his business but it was the next removals company I worked with where the owners gave me the opportunity to invest and help them grow it to the largest firm of its kind in the region.”
From day one, Lucas worked closely with other ActionCOACH franchise partners. He observed how they won new clients, how they worked with clients and how they retained clients.
Working in co-opetition
“When I started out I had experienced franchise partners Kent Rhodes and Peter Boolkah on my doorstep – what a stroke of luck. They let me sit in their offices and attend the seminars and group coaching events they ran for local business owners – which for me, has been the fastest way to learn. Then Kent invited me to co-present a seminar and join his bi-weekly group coaching programme – in ActionCOACH we call this ‘co-opetition’, something that’s part of our culture. There are six seriously high performing ActionCOACH franchise partners within a 10-mile radius of me, but there’s so many business owners out there happy to be coached that we’d probably need another 20 coaches to stand any chance of helping them all.”
The results
“By the 12th month I had six one-to-one coaching clients and by year three I was confident that my business coaching was a catalyst for good business owners to achieve remarkable things. By year seven, I’d developed my business into a well-oiled machine choosing to coach 17 one-to-one clients in just two and a half intense days a week. I had also been able to invest in three other businesses where I spend a total of half a day a week making the rest of my time available for me to use for other important things in my life.
“On a personal level, of course Amanda and I wanted a profitable business, but we also wanted a business we would love whilst being close enough to home to enjoy plenty of family time. My own childhood was jam-packed full of fun, so Amanda and I were keen to do the same for our two daughters. The remarkable thing about ActionCOACH is that setting your business up correctly gives you back valuable time. I get plenty of opportunities to pop out on my mountain bike, visit the driving range and do the crossword with my elderly parents. It’s allowed me to do so many things which a high-powered corporate job simply wouldn’t, something that contributes to putting a constant smile on my face.”
Will this be what you’re looking for?
“My advice to anyone thinking of joining the franchise? Run your own due diligence, just as Amanda and I did all those years ago. Work out who will be doing what as you build it. Because Amanda is such a brilliant Mum, our children never suffered in the first 18 months as I was consumed with activity and learning to get things moving for us. Recognise that nothing is perfect, ActionCOACH included (it is close though). Speak to a range of franchise partners, in a range of locations, even ask to speak to some of their clients too. And when you do take the plunge, remember; every business owner out there will be better with you than without you. When you truly believe that, this thing’s a cinch.”
Next step
If you would like to know more about the ActionCOACH opportunity and you:
- Get a buzz from helping others succeed
- Love learning and developing yourself
- Have enjoyed success in your career or sport…
