Mentoring vs Coaching: Understand the differences, explore the benefits and get my take on how each can support your growth and fast-track business success.

 

When you’re the only one wearing the ‘marketing cap,’ it can feel like a lonely place. Coming up with fresh ideas to promote your business isn’t always easy.

You’re the ideas person, the content creator, the brand builder, the strategist, the sales team…

…and quite possibly the tea-maker too.

And let’s be honest – it’s a lot! That’s exactly why many business owners reach a point where they ask: “Do I need a mentor or a coach?”

While both can provide valuable support, the role they play and the results they help you achieve are quite different.

In this blog, we’ll explore those differences so you can decide which is the right fit for you.

 

 

Going Around in Circles

When we are wearing all the hats, we often feel as though we are going round and round in circles with our marketing.

Have you had that “haven’t I done this before?” feeling? Well, you’re not alone.

You keep showing up, posting content, trying new ideas, tweaking your website, buying the next shiny course that promises the world (that course that you always start but don’t finish), but somehow it still feels like nothing is quite sticking.

You start questioning yourself: Is it me? Is it my offer? Why am I struggling and others seem to be smashing it?

That’s when the self-doubt creeps in and the overwhelm takes hold.

It can feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, constantly moving but not really getting anywhere…. which is exhausting and no good for our creativity or mental health.

This is where so many small business owners get stuck, and stay stuck! Not because they’re not good at what they do, but because they’re doing it alone.

And when all said and done, you’re an expert in the thing you’re helping people with, you’re NOT an expert in marketing, sales, finance, HR or any of the other hats you have to wear when running a business.

 

 

Someone in Your Corner

You don’t need to work harder. You need a clearer strategy, a fresh eyes and an expert who’s got your back.

Often, what you really need is someone in your corner.

Not just cheering you on – although that’s a big part of it – but someone to bounce ideas off, talk honestly with about what’s working (and what’s not working), and keep you accountable to those big goals you set yourself at the start of the year.

 

 

Mentor vs Coach – so what’s the difference?

Here’s my take:

Mentor = crucially, it’s someone who’s done the thing you want to do…they’ve been there and bought numerous t-shirts. They share shortcuts, open doors and warn you about potholes. Expect lived-guidance (stories from the trenches), active listening, fast-tracking, constructive criticism, a soundboard, cheerleader and confidant.

Coach = someone who helps you do your best thinking. They don’t need to know your industry or your exact lived experience; they use questions, frameworks and accountability to clarify goals, unlock mindset blocks and build habits that stick.

 

Both roles are valuable, but they serve different purposes:

• A coach is brilliant when you want to challenge your thinking, follow a framework and create sustainable habits.
• A mentor is invaluable when you want someone who’s already walked the path you’re on and can help you navigate it faster and with fewer wrong turns.

Choosing Support That Moves You Forward

Unfortunately, it’s not just about deciding between a coach or a mentor – it’s about finding the kind of support that truly matches where you are right now and where you want to be! The right fit will inspire you, stretch you beyond your comfort zone and keep you focused on the goals that matter most. With the right person by your side, you’ll not only make progress, you’ll unlock potential you didn’t even know you had.

In reality, the best support often blends both.

That’s why I focus on mentoring, with a little coaching mixed in. With 25+ years in marketing and 14 years of running my own business, I bring real-world experience and bigger-picture support to help my clients grow with confidence and fast-track their success.

 

Why Mentoring Matters

Looking back, without really knowing it, mentoring has been a cornerstone of my career – both as a mentor and a mentee.

Learning from those in the know, sharing my knowledge and developing others is what I’ve always loved, and it’s crucial in our ever-evolving world of marketing.

There’s a couple of people in my early career who I thank for shaping the person who I am today. They gave me my hard working ethic, my perfectionism traits and my desire to be the best person I can be.

I genuinely believe mentoring is one of the most powerful tools for growth, both professionally and personally.

And now being a mentor is such a privilege. I get to meet a wide range of amazing, inspiring and resilient people who manage and run some fantastic businesses.

This is what lights me up….it’s where I shine the brightest!

And I want my clients to shine even brighter still. I love nothing more than seeing my client’s confidence go through the roof when they see the results they have generated!

 

You’re in Safe Hands – I’m Qualified

During Covid when we were restricted to our homes and the only work we could do was via Zoom, I realised that mentoring is where I’m my happiest and most fulfilled!

This is why, in 2023, after months of beavering away behind the scenes, I was over the moon when I passed my ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) Introduction and Foundation qualifications in Business Mentoring.

This programme is set against global quality measures and states that “This individual has learnt to develop knowledge skills and new behaviours by contextualising the theory of mentoring and how to put it into practice.”

 

Furthermore, I also became a:

• Volunteer mentor on the Help to Grow Scheme. This management course is 90% government-funded programme for leaders of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to develop their management and leadership skills and boost business productivity, and
• A member of the ABM (Association of Business Mentoring)

 

These accreditations now give my clients the confidence that they’re in safe hands. I don’t just talk the talk, I can walk the walk too….and my client’s results speak for themselves!

 

 

What Does a Marketing Mentoring Session Look Like?

Most importantly, they are ‘mentee-led’ meaning you steer the conversation to what you need right now.

 

Mentoring isn’t just a chat, it’s a strategic partnership. In a nutshell, 1:1 mentoring sessions can be online or in person and cover:

• What’s holding you back
• What you want to achieve
• What you’re going to do next (and how you’ll do it)
• Brainstorm ideas that will keep your business moving forward, and
• Devise clear actions for you to work on in between sessions.

 

The sessions give you a sounding board, because sometimes you just need to talk things through with someone who’s been where you want to be, ‘gets it’ and ‘gets you’.

 

We often also dig into the messy stuff:

• Imposter syndrome
• Loneliness of being at the top with no-one to brainstorm ideas with
• Decision fatigue
• Shiny object syndrome (we’ve all chased those TikTok/Instagram trends).

 

And together, we clear the path so you can focus on what’s actually going to grow the business, brick by brick. We remove the guesswork and create firm foundations and a plan that attracts the right clients and generates consistent enquiries and sales.

I share all the call recordings, so that they can refer back to them.

I also support with accountability nudges (because…hello procrastination!!!), and also offer direct support from me between sessions.

I often say, think of it like having your own personal Marketing Director on your shoulder – without the six-figure salary commitment!

This is why having a Marketing Mentor can boost your small business success.

 

 

Pick Up the Pace

My mentoring approach is literally fast-tracking business owners and in-house marketers to where they want to be, by giving them instant access to my 25+ years of marketing knowledge AND keeping them accountable. This means that they do the work AND get the results they need.

Not only that, they also develop commercial marketing skills that can be taken into all aspects of their business.

 

 

You Don’t Have To Do It Alone

I hope this has helped to differentiate between the roles of Mentor vs Coach.

If my approach sounds like the help you need right now, and your marketing currently feels a bit chaotic and you’re not getting you the results you need in your business, I’d love to help.

Whether you’re a freelancer just starting out, an entrepreneur juggling all the things, a marketing professional working in silo, or a small business owner ready to level up – you deserve to have someone on your team who sees you, believes in you, and knows how to help you get where you want to go.

 

Book a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call HERE.

Or CLICK HERE to find out more about my 12 Week Accelerate Programme.

 

Rachelle x

Founder of The Yorkshire Marketing Company
Award Winning Marketing Strategist | Accredited Marketing Mentor