TGT Meets: Simon Ellson from ActionCOACH

In this edition of TGT Meets, we catch up with Simon Ellson from ActionCOACH.

You’ve built and exited multiple businesses and worked in big companies like Apple and Symantec before becoming a coach, what’s one lesson from your corporate days that still surprises business owners the most?

Probably that someone who has a low boredom threshold and a need to push forward constantly can survive in a corporate environment. To be fair I struggled with the lack of drive and the terrible accountability I saw everywhere. To even begin to do a deal you had to be best friends with legal first or the deal would drag on for months, I made it my mission to be their best friend!

You’re known for your straight-talking, honest coaching style, what’s the toughest piece of advice you ever had to tell a client, and how did they react?

The hardest part of any work with a client is getting inside their heads, at least 80% of the issues in most businesses start there and they are stuck in procrastination, self doubt and all the other saboteurs I talk about in my book. “Fred why do you think the team is ignoring your instructions and doing things their own way? Is that because of them or you?”

Your coaching uses behavioural tools like DISC and Motivators, if you could pick one behaviour style that most successful business founders share, what would it be and why?

It does depend on the type of business and the need to be ‘in charge’ Most business owners we meet are a lead D and then following with an I if they need to out there making friends and building relationships. We also meet a lot of people who are a lead C followed by a D in quieter businesses like accountancy, or solicitors and many other service industries. Who are my favourite to work with? All of them, part of the fun is figuring out how to get the best from the individual no matter their style.

What’s the most common mistake you see business owners make when trying to grow and what’s a quick mindset shift you suggest to fix it?

There are 4 phases to a successful exit in a business, Startup, Growth, Scale, Exit, the hardest one is Scale for many reasons but primarily driven by a lack of systems and processes during the growth phase. Only 4% of business owners ever get to more than £1m in turnover because they fail to scale due to the above.

You’ve coached over 300 business owners and helped many add millions to their business value, what’s one success story that still makes you smile when you think back to it?

My favourite client recently sold for £8.5m an overnight success after 8 years of hard work, he was at £350k turnover when I met him, working from his mums kitchen. A great business, the owner willing to learn and execute, hugely numbers driven and a great salesman. We have been skiing together been to Vegas together and celebrated his sale at the Albert Hall. A truly memorable client and experience, I’m still working with him today on his next steps.

Outside of coaching, what’s something you’re passionate about that most people wouldn’t expect, and how does it influence how you coach?

Family, fitness and health are my reason for doing what I do, however my secret ‘thing’ is DIY and renovation of property, I’m currently refitting 2x bathrooms in my current home. We moved in 2 years ago and I’m working my through the property doing the bulk of work myself. A great escape that feeds my creative side and my need to succeed.

If you could give your younger self one piece of business advice before starting your first company, what would it be, and why?

Get a business coach as soon as you can. I built and sold, closed or am still involved in 5 businesses, if I had had the right coach, I would be retired and living in Bali now. As it happens my greatest pleasure now is helping others do what I didn't as a young man, building a business that works without me.

www.actioncoach.com/