Avoid the Pyramid Trap: When NOT to Hire a Business Coach

This week two conversations really sparked this weeks newsletter. And we need to shout this from the rooftops!

Ah, business coaching—a glittering promise land where your wildest entrepreneurial dreams are but a “limited-time offer” away. Or so Instagram tells you. But before you whip out your credit card and drop $5,000 on someone’s “secret sauce,” let’s have a cheeky, no-nonsense chat about why hiring a coach too early (or the wrong one altogether) is a surefire way to tank your wallet and your entrepreneurial spirit.

Most Business Coaching is... Ahem... Questionable

Here’s the tea: a huge chunk of the coaching industry is essentially a pyramid scheme with better branding. Coaches coaching coaches to coach more coaches, it’s the MLM of advice-giving. They prey on your insecurities, sprinkle in promises of 6-figure months, and make entrepreneurship look easier than heating up leftover pizza.

And while you’re slogging through the trenches of your small business, you’re being spoon-fed a fantasy: endless money, boundless time, and a life so perfect it could star in a Hallmark movie. But spoiler alert: entrepreneurship isn’t about manifestation magic or following a one-size-fits-all formula.

The Instagram Trap

Here’s how it usually plays out:

• You’ve been following a coach on Instagram for months.

• They post a “special offer” with “only 10 spots left!”

• They promise to unlock your inner mogul.

• You picture your future life with vacations, lattes, and leisure...

• Boom. $10K is gone.

The “results”? A cookie-cutter program, vague advice, and (surprise!) zero tangible progress. Worse, when you don’t hit the promised milestones, you’re told it’s your fault. You didn’t manifest hard enough. You didn’t follow the formula exactly. Sound familiar?

Real Talk: Entrepreneurship is Tough

Let me break this down for you: building a business is one of the hardest (and most rewarding) things you’ll ever do. It’s not for the faint of heart, and it’s definitely not a shortcut to easy street. It’s messy, exhilarating, and often involves more late nights and crying into your coffee than anyone likes to admit.

But here’s the good news: it’s also the best damn opportunity you’ll ever have to build something meaningful.

When NOT to Hire a Coach

Now, let’s bust some myths. You don’t need a coach to save your business, build your business, or figure out how to make your first sale. Seriously, if you haven’t sold anything yet, focus on that before forking over your life savings to someone promising to “10x your revenue.”

Instead, consider coaching when you’re at a crossroads, ready to scale, or craving outside expertise to tackle specific challenges. A good coach won’t promise you the moon, they’ll provide honest feedback, actionable strategies, and tailored support.

Red Flags to Watch For

If your potential coach:

• Posts vague testimonials with no real metrics...

• Promises to make you a millionaire in six weeks...

• Talks more about vibes than business fundamentals...

Run. Faster than you’d run from your ex at the grocery store.

The Bottom Line

Coaching isn’t inherently bad—in fact, it can be transformational when you’re ready for it. But don’t let slick marketing lure you into an ill-timed, overpriced mistake. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, and no Instagram coach can change that.

Build your foundation first. Then, when the time is right, find a coach who truly gets your goals and has the chops to back it up.

What’s happening this week in the Dare2Grow Collective?

• There are going to be some changes to the Collective in the New Year but I will save that announcement for the New Year. I hope everyone has an amazing holiday season :)

• The January cohort of the Linkedin Impact Accelerator is now recruiting. For the first time ever I am offering an early bird price of $300. I am discovering the earlier you commit the more likely you are to have success with the program. So come join us and kick off 2025 right. This will be the second last cohort offering a 1:1 coaching session as part of the program which includes:

  • 3 workshops over 90 days

  • a 1:1 coaching session in month 2

  • And a group chat to get peer feedback throughout the program