Can I just start by saying right up front that I hate the term "coach." Coach implies that I'm going to teach you how to play the game. I'm Not. It implies that I'm going to call the plays. I'm not. It implies that I'm going to get the credit when things go well. I'm not. So why do we call it coaching? I guess for lack of a better term. We could call it mentoring, but even seasoned leaders can benefit from a coach (depending on how you define the term.) They certainl

I got a call from a young friend the other day. He indicated he’d finished his education, been certified as a CPA and had worked in public accounting for 2 – 3 years. He felt like he was ready to start his own business. Did I have any advice for him? I indicated I’d be happy to help, and he began to ask questions. Should I buy a business or start a new one? What industry is going to be best in the long term? Should I go it alone or have partners? Are there any pitfalls

Over the last several years I have found I derive much more satisfaction out of mentoring others than I do from building a business myself. As part of that self-discovery I did a stint at Brigham Young University in Rexburg Idaho as a professor of entrepreneurship. Teaching others about entrepreneurship was gratifying in some ways, but it was really quite frustrating in others. The problem with teaching in a setting like that is two fold. First, almost everyone is more int