As both a business coach and consultant, Kristin Vesa, founder of Vesa Enterprises, understands better than most how intertwined these two roles can sometimes become. However, Kristen reminds us that coaching is helping to develop the inner resources of the client as an individual, so in most cases, no industry expertise should be necessary. 

In this episode, Melinda and Kristin help coaches to understand when it might be helpful to have industry-specific knowledge, when it is not and how to be clear with clients about expectations from the beginning. These two seasoned coaches share their professional experience and insight into what really may be going on with a hesitant client and how it just might unmask a great coaching opportunity.

In this episode we discuss:

• Do you need expertise in your client’s industry to coach business leaders?
• What about culture? Do you need to share your client’s culture?
• Do life coaches need to share the major life experience of their clients?  
• What is the difference between a coach and a consultant?
• Can you combine the two?
• How can you find hidden coaching opportunities with hesitant potential clients?
• How can not knowing a client’s industry actually be a benefit to the coaching relationship?

“I think typically, ‘you need to know everything about my industry when you’re coaching me’, is a mask for not wanting to do the deep work that is needed.”

Kristin Vesa

Kristin Vesa is a business consultant and coach, helping conscious entrepreneurs and B2Bs increase revenue, streamline processes, and prosper in alignment with their values. She has degrees in industrial engineering, an International MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and 10 years’ experience honing her consulting, engineering, and business growth skills at corporations including Volvo, Ernst & Young, and Apple. Kristin founded Vesa Enterprises and for 20+ years has nurtured her clients’ skills and talents so they can build thriving companies, live the lifestyle of their dreams, and create winning outcomes for their customers.

Resources or websites for this episode:

• Mirasee 
• Coaches Console
• Kristin Vesa’s website
• Kristin Vesa’s LinkedIn

Credits:

• Guest – Kristin Vesa
• Host – Melinda Cohan
• Producer – Cynthia Lamb 
• Executive producer – Danny Iny
• Writer – Michi Lantz and Melinda Cohan
• Assembled by – Michi Lantz
• Audio Post Supervisor: Evan Miles, Christopher Martin
• Audio Post Production by Post Office Sound
• Music soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely

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Music and SFX credits: 

• Track Title: Clouds
  Artist Name(s): Acreage
  Writer Name: Marshall Usinger
  Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS
• Track Title: Coastline Dream
  Artist Name(s): Wild Sky
  Writer Name: Adam Simons
  Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS
• Track Title: Coo Coos
  Artist Name(s): Dresden, The Flamingo
  Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
  Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
• Track Title: Stars & Trees
  Artist Name(s): Outside The Sky
  Writer Name: Dustin Ransom
  Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION