tanuk

If you’re thinking about becoming a business coach, consultant, or advisor, you’ve probably realized something—there’s no point reinventing the wheel.

The question is, with so many options out there, which one actually gets you where you want to go?

When it comes to launching or growing a coaching business, there are three key things you need:

1. Lead generation—knowing how to attract the right clients.
2. Client conversion—turning leads into paying clients.
3. Program material—keeping those clients long-term.

Without these, it’s a struggle. And that’s why most people look for a system that works.

If you don’t want to build from scratch, here’s what’s out there:

Franchises – Expensive, long contracts, and they take a chunk of your income.

Licenses – Lower cost than franchises, but little support and you’re mostly on your own.

Specialists – Great training, but it’s spread out over months before you see results.

Agencies – Can handle marketing, but most don’t understand the coaching space.

In terms of TAN – Think of it like a business partnership.

You’re the front stage talent—we work backstage to make sure you shine.

Done-for-you marketing – You look great across all platforms.

A proven way to sign clients – No trial and error, just results.

All the program material you need – No scrambling before client sessions.

No revenue splits.

No long contracts.

Your brand, your business, with full support.

If you’re serious about building a high-performing coaching business, watch the video and let’s talk about how this could work for you.

Ever wondered how small business owners can afford to pay for advisory services—especially when they’re struggling with cash flow?

Here’s the kicker: we don’t take money out of their pockets—we unlock money that’s already there.

It’s called profit leakage, and every business has it. Lost sales. Inefficient operations. Rising costs. These all drain profit before it ever hits the bank.

Our job? Find the leaks. Plug them. Turn that lost money into revenue—for them and for us.

In this short video, I break down exactly how this works, including how we use our Profit Leakage Calculator to show business owners the money they’re missing.

Watch the video and see why the SME market is way bigger (and more lucrative) than most people think.

Once you see this, you’ll never look at advisory fees the same way again.

We’ve made some major strategic shifts over the last quarter, and the results speak for themselves.

If you’re considering stepping into this space, you’ll want to know what’s changed—and why it matters.

1. In-Person Training is Back

We’ve moved away from online-only training for new advisors and brought back face-to-face sessions. This hands-on approach is already proving to be a game-changer, helping new members gain confidence and results faster than ever.

2. Local Business Focus

Instead of trying to reach businesses across the internet, we’ve narrowed our focus to local business owners—the ones you see in your community every day. These are the people who need real, trusted advisors to help them grow, and it’s making a huge impact.

3. Referral-Based Growth Over Online Marketing

We haven’t abandoned online marketing, but our primary focus is now on referral-driven business development. Leveraging trust, credibility, and strong connections has proven to be a far more effective way to gain quality clients.

The Results Speak for Themselves

We ran our first in-room training in December 2024 with five attendees. Four of them launched in January, and each has already secured one to three clients. Given that each client is worth $20,000 to $30,000 annually, this is a strong start.

One new member, Meg, followed our system step by step and landed her first almost overnight. This proves that when the right training, support, and strategy come together, success happens fast.

What This Means for You

With these changes, we’ve refined the support and launch systems we provide to new advisors:

• A dedicated team to assist with sales, strategy, and tech.
• Done-for-you marketing assets for both online and offline growth.
• A proven launch framework that helps new members land clients quickly.

Some might say this strategy is a return to old-school methods, but the reality is—it’s working.

Curious to see how this approach could work for you?

Watch the video and let us know what you think.

If you’re back at work in 2025 wondering, Is this really it?—you’re not alone.

A lot of experienced professionals reach a point where they start looking for something more—more impact, more control, more fulfillment. Business advisory offers exactly that.

In this video, I take you inside a real advisory session. This is where we help business owners see the gap between where they are now and where they want to be—then guide them in bridging it.

It’s a structured, proven process that leads to a lightbulb moment: I need your help.

If you can see yourself in that role, now is the time to explore what’s next.

Watch the video to get a real look inside business advisory—and if it sparks something in you, let’s talk.

Don’t wait for the rocking chair moment to wonder, what if?

I want to share a quick story about Tony, one of our consultants in North Sydney.

He’s been getting amazing client results, but last year he came to me and said, “I want to help even more people.”

So, we put a plan in motion.

One of the things we do at Trusted Advisor Network is hold quarterly planning sessions for clients. These sessions are game-changers. Here’s why:

1. Peer Inspiration: Clients hear each other’s wins and immediately benchmark what’s possible for them in 90 days.
2. Simple, Actionable Plans: In one session, clients walk away with a one-page plan—quick, focused, and incredibly effective.
3. Invite Guests: We also bring in other business owners to experience the process firsthand, which lets them see the results our clients are getting and how our content works in action.

Tony started running these sessions last year, and nine months later, he’s crushing it.

His clients are thriving, and he’s even taking some time off in Spain before heading to our 2024 conference in New Zealand.

This is what we’re all about—helping businesses grow and making a real impact in our local communities.

How up to speed do you reckon SME business owners are when it comes to driving sales in today’s economy? Let’s be honest—it’s a skill every business owner needs to master. Yet, I keep hearing the same three challenges popping up over and over again.

1. Over-Reliance on Passive Word-of-Mouth

A lot of business owners are just sitting back, waiting for the phone to ring. And when it does? Great, things are moving. But when it’s quiet, they just chalk it up to “a tough economy.”

Relying purely on word-of-mouth is a recipe for inconsistency. We know there are so many proactive things you can do to keep that phone ringing, yet too many business owners aren’t taking control of their lead generation. If you’re sitting around waiting, it’s no wonder sales are stalling.

2. No Basic Sales System in Place

Here’s a typical scenario: a customer asks, “Do you have X to fix my Y?” The business owner says, “Yep, here’s a quote.” And then what happens? The customer shops around, compares prices, and leaves the owner hanging.

The problem? There’s no structured sales process to move that prospect from inquiry to conversion. Information’s being given away for free, and the owner has no idea if they’ll land the sale. Without a solid sales system, it’s just too easy to lose out on potential business.

3. Paying for Leads Without a Follow-Up System

Many business owners think the solution to getting more sales is to hire a digital marketer to generate leads. Sure, that can work, but here’s the catch—it’s not the marketer’s job to make sure those leads convert into dollars in your bank.

Without a proper follow-up system, leads will slip through the cracks. You end up paying for those leads and the campaigns that drive them, but without a follow-up strategy, you’re just wasting money.

It’s not enough to just bring leads in—you need to nurture them, follow up, and turn them into paying customers.

I don’t know about you, but when I hear about a business challenge, I can’t help but dive in and figure out how to tackle it head-on. That’s the kind of work that really fires me up, and it’s what we’re all about. If you’re someone who gets excited by the thought of solving real business problems, then we should definitely connect.

One thing I get asked all the time is what background works best for coaching or consulting…

First up, experience matters. Aim for around a decade in business—whether you’ve run your own show or played a pivotal role in someone else’s venture. It’s all about fluency in the language of business: sales, marketing, margins, productivity, planning.

But what about style? Well, there are four distinct types to consider: decisive, creative, supportive, and objective.

Decisive types are all about making quick, confident decisions. They’re the ones who lay down the law and lead their clients forward.

On the flip side, creatives thrive on presenting a plethora of well-thought-out options. They’re the idea machines, always brainstorming and offering choices.

Then there are the supportives. They excel at offering encouragement and motivation, minus the cheerleading. They’re there to unpack doubts and build their clients’ confidence, step by step.

And last but not least, we have the objectives. They’re the masters of simplification, cutting through the noise to offer crystal-clear explanations. They’re not here to hold hands; they’re here to make things make sense.

Let’s dive into the distinctions between coaching, consulting, and advisory services, specifically focusing on what really sets them apart in client interactions.

When we talk about consulting, it’s all about leveraging your own knowledge and experience to guide your clients. You’re essentially telling them, “Follow steps ABC to achieve XYZ.” It’s a straightforward exchange where your expertise is the commodity.

But let’s flip the script and consider this from the client’s perspective. Imagine someone advising you on the top three actions for your current projects. You’d naturally evaluate their suggestions, pondering their applicability and your willingness to follow through. Even when experts are consulted, there’s an inner dialogue about the pertinence of their advice to your specific situation, which can affect your commitment to the proposed actions.

This is where the crux of pure consulting lies. If clients lack confidence in the advice, they might not act on it, leading to phrases like “I didn’t start” or “I was unsure.” This hesitation often signifies a lack of belief in the ability to execute the advice without direct assistance.

On the other hand, coaching takes a different tack. It’s about asking clients to identify two or three key actions they can undertake before your next meeting. This approach doesn’t rely on the coach’s expertise in the client’s field but on the power of the right questions to stimulate client-driven action.

Advisory services strike a balance between these two, marrying expertise with a coaching mindset to encourage clients to embrace and act on parts of the advice given. This middle ground is where the magic happens, blending knowledge with empowerment.

For those intrigued by coaching, remember that understanding its principles is one thing, but practicing it is another ball game. When you combine coaching with your expertise, you create a potent mix that’s incredibly valuable to the SME sector.

So, there you have it—an overview of coaching, consulting, and advisory services. I hope this sheds some light on their differences and how they can complement each other. Catch you later!

One question I hear a lot is ‘what’s the difference between coaching and consulting?’…

I’ve put together a quick outline above to clear up any confusion.

Imagine you’re a consultant.

You’re great at what you do, but your work is project-based.

You solve a problem, then you’re onto the next gig.

It’s a cycle of highs and lows, with cash flow all over the place.

Now, coaching is different.

It’s about long-term relationships.

We’ve had clients for years, bringing in steady income month after month.

So, here’s the deal: small businesses need guidance.

They could go it alone or partner with others, but that comes with its own challenges.

That’s where we come in.

We offer expertise without the headaches.

Bottom line: consulting is project-based, coaching is about building relationships.

At Trusted Advisor Network, we blend both for the best results.

If this sounds like it could be your next move, then take a look at our prospectus to find out how you can build yourself a lifestyle business that you can scale…