Business coaching gives you structured, one-to-one support to grow your company — not generic advice, but a programme tailored to your goals, your challenges, and the stage your business is at right now.
I am Toby Pache, a qualified ActionCOACH with over 24 years of experience building and running businesses in the clothing and merchandise industry. I have managed teams, handled seven-figure turnovers, and completed a successful exit. When I coach business owners, the guidance comes from real commercial experience — not theory.
Whether you are looking for business coaching and mentoring to get past a growth plateau, sharpen your leadership, or prepare for an exit, this page explains exactly how my coaching services work and what you can expect.
Business coaching is not a single conversation — it is an ongoing programme designed to produce measurable change. Here is what working with a coach typically covers
Setting clear revenue, profit, and lifestyle goals for the next 12 months and beyond, then mapping out the specific steps to reach them.
Improving how you attract, convert, and retain customers. This includes reviewing your sales process, pricing, customer journey, and lead generation.
Building a team that performs without you managing every detail. From hiring better, delegating effectively to developing the leadership skills.
Understanding your numbers — margins, cash flow, forecasting — so you make decisions based on data rather than gut feeling.
Creating repeatable processes that make your business scalable. If the business depends entirely on you, it is not a business — it is a job.
Getting your working week under control so you focus on high-value activities instead of firefighting.
Not every coach is right for every business. When you are looking to find a business coach, there are a few things worth considering:
Look for real experience. A coach who has actually run a business — dealt with staff issues, managed cash flow, made difficult decisions — brings a depth of understanding that purely academic coaches cannot match. Ask about their background, not just their qualifications.
Check the methodology. Some coaches rely entirely on intuition. Others use a structured system with clear benchmarks and accountability. The ActionCOACH framework, for example, is used in over 80 countries and follows a documented process from assessment through to results.
Ask about accountability. The value of a coach is not just in what they teach — it is in what they make you do. If there is no follow-up between sessions, no action tracking, and no honest feedback, you are paying for a conversation, not a coaching programme.
Consider industry knowledge. A generalist coach can help with universal challenges. A coach with direct experience in your sector can go further. My own background in the clothing and merchandise industry means I bring sector-specific commercial insight to clients in fashion, textiles, and promotional merchandise — while the core coaching frameworks I use work across
every industry.
The International Coaching Federation publishes useful
guidance on what credentials and standards to look for when selecting a coach.
Every engagement starts with a complimentary strategy session. This is a focused conversation — typically 60 minutes — where we look at your current position, your goals, and the obstacles in your way. There is no commitment and no sales pressure. The purpose is to establish whether coaching is the right next step for you.
If we decide to work together, I carry out a thorough assessment of your business. This covers six key areas: finances, operations, team, marketing, sales, and your own role as the owner. The result is a clear picture of where the biggest opportunities sit and where effort will generate the fastest returns.
Based on the assessment, we build a coaching programme with specific, measurable goals. Sessions follow the ActionCOACH methodology — a system refined across thousands of businesses worldwide — adapted to your circumstances. You will know exactly what we are working on, why it matters, and how progress will be measured.
Between sessions, you will have defined actions to complete. I track progress, follow up, and hold you to account. This is where the real value sits — not in the ideas, but in the execution. Business coaching and mentoring only works when the learning translates into consistent action.
Business conditions change. Your programme adapts with them. We review results regularly — typically at 90-day intervals — and adjust priorities based on what the data shows. The goal is sustained, compounding progress, not a one-off boost.
Business coaching is not a magic solution — it requires commitment and consistent effort from you. That said, clients who follow the process typically see:
Within the first 90 days: improved clarity on priorities, better time management, stronger decision-making, and early wins in sales or operations.
Within 6 months: measurable revenue or profit growth, a more capable team, and systems that reduce your dependence on day-to-day involvement.
Within 12 months: a business that is structurally stronger — growing, more profitable, and less reliant on you personally. Some clients at this stage begin planning for an exit or scaling to a level they had not previously thought realistic.
Results depend on the starting point, the sector, and above all the owner’s willingness to implement. I am direct about this from the outset — coaching works when you do the work.
People often use coaching and mentoring interchangeably, but they serve different purposes.
Mentoring is experience-based. A mentor shares what they have learned from their own career and advises you based on their journey. It tends to be informal and relationship-driven.
Coaching is process-based. A coach uses structured frameworks to help you identify goals, remove obstacles, and develop skills. It is goal-oriented, time-bound, and focused on measurable outcomes.
My approach combines both. You benefit from the structured ActionCOACH methodology — proven systems, accountability, clear benchmarks — alongside the practical insight of someone who has spent over two decades building businesses in a competitive industry. The ActionCOACH system is built specifically to deliver this combination at scale.
Fees depend on the programme format, session frequency, and level of support. I offer options ranging from group coaching to intensive one-to-one programmes. The best starting point is a free strategy session where we can discuss what is right for your situation — there is no commitment involved.
Most clients work on a weekly or fortnightly cycle. Consistency matters more than intensity — regular sessions with clear actions between them produce far better results than occasional long workshops.
Absolutely. Many of my clients come to coaching not because their business is failing, but because they know it could be doing significantly better. Common goals include scaling revenue, reducing owner-dependency, improving margins, or preparing for a future sale.
No. In fact, coaching often delivers the fastest results in smaller businesses where changes can be implemented quickly. Whether you have two staff or fifty, the frameworks apply — they simply scale to fit.
If you have a functioning business and you feel stuck — stuck at a revenue ceiling, stuck doing everything yourself, stuck without a clear plan — you are likely ready. The main requirement is willingness to be honest about where your business is and commitment to following through on actions.
I am upfront about this: coaching only works if you do. I cannot run your business for you. What I can do is give you a clear plan, proven tools, and the accountability to stay on track. If after our initial strategy session you do not feel confident it is the right fit, there is no obligation to proceed.
Book a free strategy session to talk through your goals and find out how a structured coaching programme can help you reach them. No jargon, no hard sell — just a practical conversation about your business.