15 Famous Entrepreneurs Who Had Business Coaching
Famous business people like Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, and Eric Schmidt have all had business coaches at some point in their careers. These famous people in business understood that a business coach is necessary to further elevate their success, despite already being very successful in their careers.
Business coach entrepreneurs are professionals that specialize in helping clients expand and improve their businesses. A business coach offers support, encouragement, and advice for setting and accomplishing certain objectives. A business coach supports the client by offering individualized guidance to help them navigate the challenging business environment by developing growth strategies. Additionally, the coach assists the client in developing their leadership abilities or mindset.
Here are 15 famous people who worked with an entrepreneur business coach:
1. Serena Williams
2. Hugh Jackman
3. Bill Gates
4. Barack Obama
5. Steve Jobs
6. Bill Clinton
7. Oprah Winfrey
8. Sheryl Sandberg
9. Richard Branson
10. Andre Agassi
11. Chuck Liddell
12. Eric Schmidt
13. Jeff Weiner
14. Roger Enrico
15. Christiano Ronaldo
1. Serena Williams
Serena Williams worked with the nation’s top business and life coach Tony Robbins
Serena Williams is a former professional tennis player from the United States renowned for having revolutionized women’s tennis with her aggressive style of play. Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other player during the open era.
Williams started working with the nation’s top business and life coach Tony Robbins after her career trajectory became turbulent while she was recuperating from recurrent injuries in 2007. This caused her ranking to fall from #1 in the world to #172. Serena’s biography describes how difficult it was for her to deal with physical rehabilitation and the effects of depression. She was able to improve every facet of her game prior to the US Open by consulting with Tony Robbins, which not only helped her regain playing power but ignited the desire and drive to start winning again as well.
2. Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman sought help from coach Tony Robbins when he wanted to take his acting to the next level.
Hugh Jackman is an Australian known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men franchise as well as for his leading roles in Van Helsing, Kate & Leopold, The Prestige, and Australia. Jackman performs in stage musicals as a singer, dancer, and actor. He received a Tony Award for his work in The Boy from Oz.
Hugh Jackman sought help from coach Tony Robbins when he wanted to take his acting to the next level. Jackman acknowledges that he had to rely significantly on his coaches in order to get through many difficult parts and situations in his life. In the actor’s words, “A coach just has a different perspective. Still to this day, the best have coaches because the coach is able to see what you aren’t because you’re in the forest, they’re outside of it.”
3. Bill Gates
Bill Gates was coached by Bill Campbell, the Silicon Valley coach
Bill Gates is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist best known for co-founding software giant Microsoft. He was a major figure in the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.
Bill Gates was coached by Bill Campbell, the Silicon Valley coach who worked with Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs as well. Additionally, Gates has been mentored by Warren Buffet, which is why he is able to recognize that a coach brings a fresh perspective to a situation. A coach helps you to take a step back, view the issue or your deficiencies from a fresh angle, and encourages thoughtful self-examination.
4. Barack Obama
Barack Obama worked with John Mattone, one of the top executive coaches in the world
Barack Obama is an American politician, retired lawyer, author, and the 44th President of the US. Obama, who served as the country’s first African-American president, is the author of the best-selling books Dreams from My Father, The Audacity of Hope, and A Promised Land.
Barack Obama worked with John Mattone, one of the top executive coaches in the world, best-selling author, and co-founder of several outstanding coaching and leadership development companies. Mattone received the esteemed International Executive Coach Thought-Leader of Distinction Award in 2015.
5. Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was coached by John Mattone
Steve Jobs is an American business mogul, media mogul, investor, and industrial designer. Jobs served as the founder, chairman, and CEO of NeXT, the chairman and main shareholder of Pixar, and the co-founder, CEO, and chairman of Apple Inc.
Steve Jobs was coached by John Mattone as well. The coaching lessons included discussions on various topics, such as vulnerability decisions, having an entitlement mindset vs a mindset of duty, and having the bravery to carry out an action with pride, passion, and precision. They discussed being watchful, keeping present, and thinking broadly as well according to Mattone.
6. Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton reached out to coach Tony Robbins during his first year in the office
Bill Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the US. Clinton reached out to coach Tony Robbins during his first year in the office when he was having a very tough time and felt that he had lost his way with the public.
Bill Clinton met with Robbins many times, including during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Clinton talked about Robbins in a speech back in 2007, “He has not only the gift to inspire, but he really, from my point of view, teaches the most important lesson that every individual has to learn about living day to day, which is that you have choices in every circumstance.”
7. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey’s coach is Martha Beck, an American author, speaker, and life coach
Oprah Winfrey is a well-known American talk show host, novelist, actor, media executive, and philanthropist. Oprah Winfrey founded her own production firm, Harpo Studios, becoming the first African-American woman to do so. Her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired for 25 years, had the best rating of any program of its kind.
Winfrey’s coach is Martha Beck, an American author, speaker, and life coach. Beck holds a BA, MA, and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and has written columns for O, the Oprah Magazine Since 2001. Martha Beck has been Winfrey’s coach for over 25 years. She makes an assessment, notices possible blind spots, and always tells Oprah the truth.
8. Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg was coached by Bill McGowan
Sheryl Sandberg is a successful businesswoman, philanthropist, and billionaire from the United States. Sandberg is the founder of LeanIn.Org and the chief operating officer of Meta Platforms (previously Facebook). She was the first woman to be elected to the board of directors of Facebook in June 2012.
Sheryl Sandberg was coached by Bill McGowan, a journalist who has won two Emmy Awards and is the founder of Clarity Media Group. The list of famous people he has coached in addition to Sandberg includes Jack Welch, Eli Manning, and Roger Goodell, as well as the CEOs of Facebook, Snapchat, Airbnb, Calvin Klein, Whole Foods, and Spotify.
9. Richard Branson
Richard Branson was coached by Mark C. Thompson
Sir Richard Branson is a business tycoon, investor, and author from the United Kingdom. Branson established the Virgin Group in the 1970s, and it now owns more than 400 businesses across a range of industries.
Richard Branson was coached by Mark C. Thompson, a senior operations executive and New York Times bestselling author with 30 years of experience. Thompson has worked with high-achieving leaders like Steve Jobs, Charles Schwab, and Tony Robbins. He currently serves as the Virgin Unite Entrepreneurship Centers’ founding CEO.
10. Andre Agassi
Brad Gilbert, Agassi’s coach, was known to collaborate closely with him
Andre Agassi is a former American No. 1 tennis player, a seven-time Grand Slam runner-up, an eight-time champion, and the first player to win four Open singles championships during the Open era.
Brad Gilbert, Agassi’s coach, was known to collaborate closely with him, and Andre freely acknowledged his considerable influence on his career. Agassi asserted that “A great coach is able to lead you to a place where you don’t need him anymore.”
11. Chuck Liddell
John Hackleman has been Chuck Liddell’s lifelong coach
Chuck Liddell is a former American mixed martial artist, as well as IFC and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and a UFC Hall of Fame inductee. He works as an actor as well and published his autobiography, Iceman: My Fighting Life in 2008.
John Hackleman has been Chuck Liddell’s lifelong coach. Hackleman is the founder of The Pit and The Crosspit and has worked with the top martial artists in the world. He is a successful businessman and is known for training kids and families as well.
12. Eric Schmidt
Eric Schmidt worked with Bill Campbell
Eric Schmidt is a well-known entrepreneur, philanthropist, and talented technologist. Schmidt was the chairman and CEO of Google He helped Google grow from a Silicon Valley startup to a major player in the world of technology, and he is listed as the 55th richest person in the world.
Eric Schmidt worked with Bill Campbell, a business coach who is known as “the coach of Silicon Valley”. Campbell was the subject of a book written by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle titled Trillion Dollar Coach, which went on to become a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
13. Jeff Weiner
Jeff Weiner worked with coach Fred Kofman
Jeff Weiner is an American businessman and executive chairman of LinkedIn. Weiner was crucial to Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn for $26 billion.
Jeff Weiner worked with coach Fred Kofman, who is the vice president of executive development at LinkedIn. Fred Kofman has instructed more than 15,000 executives and is an economist with UC Berkeley training. He has worked with Sheryl Sandberg and Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, and he advises a number of Silicon Valley CEOs.
14. Roger Enrico
Roger Enrico was coached by John Mattone
Roger Enrico was the CEO of Pepsi, one of the biggest soft drink producers in the world. He was named CEO of Pepsi in 1963 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2001. Enrico contributed to the transformation of PepsiCo through a number of significant initiatives, such as the spin-off of its fast-food restaurant chains.
Roger Enrico was coached by John Mattone, one of the leading coaching authorities in the world alongside Marshall Goldsmith and Tony Robbins. Additionally, Mattone is the author of nine books, including the best-sellers: Intelligent Leadership, Talent Leadership, The Intelligent Leader, and Cultural Transformations.
15. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s coach is Samantha Clayton, Vice President at Herbalife Nutrition
Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both the Portugal national team and the Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr. Ronaldo, who is frequently regarded as the finest player in the world and is considered one of the greatest players in history, has won the most European player accolades and over 30 trophies throughout his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s coach is Samantha Clayton. Samantha Clayton is Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness at Herbalife Nutrition. Clayton is a former British Olympic sprinter and global master trainer for elite athletes, beginners, and everyone in between. She is responsible for all activities relating to fitness and exercise for the footballer.
What Is Business Coaching?
Business coaching is a collaborative process in which a professional coach works with a businessperson with the aim to develop a successful company. Business coaching provides the direction, encouragement, and support a business owner or entrepreneur needs in order to define and achieve their professional goals.
Business coaches rely on their experience and expertise to provide guidance based on the client’s needs. The most effective business coaches combine practical business knowledge with coaching abilities like active listening and constructive feedback. Additionally, the coach helps develop and implement action plans and define KPIs that promote accountability, tangible outcomes, and business success.
What Is the Purpose of Business Coaching?
The purpose of business coaching is to help a businessperson while they learn to resolve problems on their own rather than to provide you with answers and solutions. A business coach supports the client by offering individualized guidance to help them navigate the challenging business environment by establishing clear goals and developing growth strategies. Additionally, a business coach assists the client in developing their leadership abilities or mindset. The purpose of business coaching ultimately depends on the client’s objectives and relationship expectations.
How Does Business Coaching Help Entrepreneurs?
Business coaching helps entrepreneurs to become more efficient and more successful by offering assistance and guidance to run the business. Business coaches for entrepreneurs help you by providing you with unbiased comments, insightful analysis, new viewpoints, and innovative ideas.
A business coach has an unbiased, bird’s-eye view of the situation and is able to highlight your and your company’s strengths and weaknesses. A business coach for entrepreneurs helps clarify and plan the goals and strategies for business growth. The coach assists you in overcoming any difficulty (either personally or professionally) in order to succeed by bringing experience, skills, and expertise to the table.
Who Are the Best Business Coaches for Entrepreneurs?
The five best business coaches for entrepreneurs are Marshall Goldsmith, Alexis Fedor, Tony Robins, Grant Cardone, and John Mattone. The details about the best business coaches for entrepreneurs are given below.
- Marshall Goldsmith. Marshall Goldsmith is an executive coach, speaker, and author. What makes Goldsmith the best entrepreneur business coach is his method of making a positive change in his clients’ personal lives. He has penned 40 books about business, coaching, and personal development, and has worked with CEOs from companies like Pfizer, Ford, and World Bank.
- Alexis Fedor. Alexis Fedor is an NYC-based writer, performance artist, and the founder of Artists In Business, a company that promotes the expansion of creative and artistic businesses all around the world. Fedor’s approach is a mix of intuitive coaching and practical online marketing/business coaching, taking into account the unique requirements of each and every artist. This approach has helped Alexis Fedor facilitate more than $10,000,000 in online art sales so far.
- Tony Robbins. Tony Robbins is a coach, speaker, and author known for the passion and enthusiasm he displays during his speeches and coaching sessions. Bill Clinton, Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey, and Hugh Jackman are just a few of the prominent people Robbins has worked with.
- Grant Cardone. Grant Cardone is a coach, entrepreneur, real estate investor, and author known for putting an emphasis on increasing sales in his coaching sessions. Ford, The Home Depot, Google, SpaceX, and American Airlines are just a few of Cardone’s well-known clients.
- John Mattone. John Mattone is an executive coach, leadership consultant, and author. Mattone distinguishes out for valuing effort and self-sacrifice as well as for its programs, which include coaching sessions for talent management and emotional intelligence. Nokia, IBM, AT&T, Pfizer, and McDonald’s Corporation are just a few of the well-known businesses that Mattone has worked with.
What Are the Benefits of Business Coaching?
The five most important benefits of business coaching include improved confidence, gaining perspective, the ability to work with different types of people, improved employee retention, and better financial planning. The benefits of business coaching are described below.
- Improved confidence. Business people need to have confidence. Business coaching helps build confidence by giving you an opportunity to work through various obstacles, such as resolving crises or handling disagreements.
- Gaining perspective. A business coach offers insight and experience while at the same time assisting the client gain perspective. An experienced business coach asks open-ended questions to help the coachee improve.
- Ability to work with different types of people. Business coaching typically includes personality and leadership style evaluations that help you better understand who you are. The client develops and improves their personality and leadership traits through business coaching and learns how to interact with a variety of people.
- Improved employee retention. The company conveys that growth is important by offering business coaching to its employees. An organization’s performance is improved overall when its staff members’ teamwork, confidence, and communication skills are improved, resulting in improved employee retention rates.
- Better financial planning. A business coach helps the client plan financially as well. The coach helps the coachee make the most efficient use of time, labor, and resources in order to improve financial decision-making and get the best results.
What Is the Difference Between Business Coaching and Executive Coaching?
The difference between business coaching and executive coaching is in what they focus on and how their strategies are expressed. The focus of executive coaching is on empowering the leader, whereas business coaching concentrates on enhancing organizational procedures and methods. Executive coaching works one-on-one with the client, while business coaching places more emphasis on overall strategies. Business coaching offers solutions to actual issues and executive coaching concentrates on enhancing individual performance.
