Before you sign with a business coach in New Zealand, ask twelve things: which problem they will fix first, how they work, what proof they hold, who actually delivers, what it costs in total, how you can leave and how success will be measured. Coaching is largely unregulated, so the quality check is yours to run. Use the checklist below on anyone, including me.

Kevin D'Ambros-Smith is an Auckland-based business coach and advisor who has coached 200+ businesses one-on-one across 30+ industries.

Because nobody else will do it for you. The International Coaching Federation states that "coaching is generally not regulated in most areas of the world", which means anyone can call themselves a business coach. Credentials, track record and fit are things you have to test.

The other protection is on your side of the table. New Zealand's Fair Trading Act covers anything written or said about products or services, and a trader must have reasonable grounds for a claim when they make it. So it is fair to ask a coach to show you the evidence behind what they promise.

Ask these in a first call. A good coach will welcome them. A coach who gets vague or defensive has just answered a question for you.

Watch for guaranteed results, because no honest coach controls your market. Be wary of pressure to decide on the call, of long lock-in terms with no exit, and of a coach who cannot explain how they work in plain language. Treat a ranking or award with no named source the same way you would treat a testimonial with no name: interesting, but unproven. And notice whether they ask more questions than they answer in the first conversation. Diagnosis comes before prescription.

Ask for the terms in writing before you pay anything. Look for the length of the engagement, the number and format of sessions, what is included between sessions, the total fee and how it is invoiced, the notice period to end early, and how your business information is kept confidential. If anything is unclear, ask for it in plain words. For a larger commitment, it is reasonable to have your lawyer read it first. I am not a lawyer, and this is a checklist, not legal advice.

The Fair Trading Act also says traders cannot rely on fine print to correct a misleading overall impression, so what you are told on the call should match what the contract says.

Sometimes. The Regional Business Partner Network can connect eligible New Zealand businesses with advice and funding. Its Management Capability Development Fund subsidises up to 50 percent of management training costs, up to $5,000 a year excluding GST, and you start by meeting a growth advisor for a discovery session. Eligibility and what qualifies are decided by your regional partner, so check before you assume. Simple-Growth is an approved Regional Business Partners Network provider, and I am happy to explain how co-funding works on a call.

Fairly, and you should hold me to it. I start by finding the real constraint in the business before an owner spends another dollar. My background is three global agencies and nine companies founded or co-founded, and I have coached 200+ businesses one-on-one since 2017. Coaching clients surveyed through The Icehouse return a Net Promoter Score of +72.

Here is what one owner says about the work:

"Kevin being from a creative, advertising agency background, he just sees different opportunities so clearly. I would not have considered the B2C market as an opportunity before working with Kevin and now it is a major focus for us. He has opened up so many new opportunities for us."

John Roberts, Co-owner and COO, Oragene

Speak to two or three. Use the same twelve questions each time and score the answers afterwards. Comparing like for like shows you who has done the thinking, and who is relying on a polished pitch.

Long enough to see change, short enough to leave if it is not working. Ask what progress you should expect by the end of the first few sessions, and make sure the agreement lets you exit with reasonable notice.

It is worth it when the coach finds the constraint holding growth back and you act on it. Agree a number to measure in week one, so you can judge the return rather than rely on how the sessions feel.

A mentor shares their own experience, often unpaid. A coach is paid to diagnose, challenge and hold you accountable to a plan. Our guide on coach, consultant or mentor explains when each fits.

If you are comparing coaches, bring this list to a conversation with me and ask every question. There is no obligation. If you are not sure what kind of help you need yet, the Find Your Growth Fit questionnaire will point you in the right direction. Our online programmes are launching soon; join The Inside Track to hear first.

Kevin and The Simple-Growth Team