Belief in future of business coaching leads to partnership
Business Coaching is increasingly recognised internationally, by leaders and top performers alike, as one of the fastest
and most effective ways to achieve and maintain peak performance.
Consolidating their belief in the future of Business Coaching, three local organisations have recently taken a
shareholding in Shirlaws New Zealand.
Accounting firms West Yates, based in Nelson, and Polson Higgs based in Dunedin and Christchurch along with Wellington
based businessman and entrepreneur Michael Ahie have all recently finalised a deal to take 12,5% each in the company.
Rob Williams, West Yates Director sees huge potential in the business coaching market. "Shirlaws is internationally
recognised as having a superior coaching service that achieves tangible results,” he comments. “As the leading business
advisors in the top of the south we believe that this is an exciting business opportunity that we should be offering to
our clients".
Michael Ahie, also a director of Clearwater Limited, The Bio Commerce Centre and chairman of directors of Kapiti Green
and Woodhaven Gardens Co., sees huge potential for growth in coaching in New Zealand, and worldwide.
“To be able to invest in a global company at a relatively early stage, in a growth market, was an obvious commercial
attraction,” he says. “Shirlaw’s Intellectual Property is also compelling. In nearly 20 years of business life, I have
yet to see a range of business concepts and models which so succinctly describe and frame-up where a business sits and
where it needs to go.”
Established in Australia in 1999, Shirlaws is one of the fastest growing, international business coaching organisations,
with operations in the United States and the United Kingdom and, more recently, in New Zealand.
“Our own growth path from inception to global business has been very rapid for a service provider and especially for a
business that has been wholly self funded,” says Shirlaws NZ CEO Andrew Mackenzie. “Part of our local growth strategy is
to partner with like minded organisations forming relationships where the synergies will be of benefit to our mutual
clients.”
Tangible return on investment
Shirlaws employs a unique approach based on establishing a balance between commercial and cultural issues using a range
of coaching frameworks that deliver a tangible return on investment.
People take it for granted that a top sportsperson or team will have a coach. In fact, it is unthinkable that they
wouldn’t have one. It’s understood that the coach’s skill lies in facilitating best performance in terms of the ‘outer
game’ of technical excellence as well as the ‘inner game’ of strategy, self belief and motivation.
What is increasingly recognised commercially is that professional business coaching can provide exactly the same
benefits for businesses of all kinds and at all growth stages.
A coach does not tell a business how to do what it does best. Business coaching focuses on how to run a business,
assisting companies gain the insight they need to move forward with greater efficiency, improved performance,
sustainable growth and a lot more enjoyment.
Andrew Mackenzie recognises the spirit of independence and ‘can-do’ thinking that is the foundation of many local
businesses. “There is a lot of entrepreneurial energy here which is great to work with,” he says.
“We understand and respect that our client’s expertise lies in delivering their particular product or service. Utilising
coaching in no way implies any inadequacy whatsoever. In fact, it is quite the opposite since our clients are often well
ahead of their particular game – we like to use the analogy of a gym rather than a hospital. The gap that we fill in any
business is better equipping them to manage and operate a successful, profitable and enjoyable operation with the added
bonus of getting there much faster than they would have on their own.”
Shirlaws will be hosting a launch event on November 1st in Wellington to share its own experience positioning Shirlaws
within the business coaching market. Innovative ideas around positioning businesses will be shared along with the “Love
business” philosophy that underpins the Shirlaws’ approach.
Shirlaws offers its services nationwide. For more information, or to discuss an invitation to the Wellington event,
please contact Andrew Mackenzie on 021 360 842 or Michael Ahie on 021 749 115.
Background
Established in Australia in July 1999, Shirlaws’ is one of the fastest growing, international business coaching
organisations, also with operations in New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom. Shirlaws is redefining
business coaching, with its unique approach based on establishing a balance between commercial issues (eg
revenues/profits/efficiencies) and cultural issues (eg leadership/communications skills). Shirlaws’ coaches work
alongside clients to guide their businesses and achieve long-term, sustainable business growth. Shirlaws uses a range of
coaching frameworks that deliver tangible return on investment to clients.
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www.shirlaws.biz
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