By: German Garcia
Owning and growing a business is a challenge. Founders must become masters of many business disciplines. Some of these may be far from the expertise they carry. Challenges with management, marketing, operations, finances, and legal procedures are all top priorities, even when founders don’t have the expertise in many of these areas.
When a founder faces so many challenges at once, they must seek out advice. They can receive all kinds of training and crash courses on must-know functions to keep the business running, but that does not necessarily lead to success. And failure may not always be due to economic factors. It may be in the execution of what they’ve learned.
Ryan Kauth works as a professional coach. He is not an advice merchant, selling quotes from books on how other people succeed. His process starts with the founders themselves. Rather than giving advice on how they should act like someone who has already found success, he equips them with the wisdom and knowledge to grow personally as a founder who can adapt to the business that has grown around them.
The principle of Ryan’s methods works on the simple fact that the owners of the businesses he coaches are people first. They have backgrounds, lives, preferences, and abilities that differ from textbook cases. He doesn’t try to mold them into the one working example of a business owner from a “manual” because not every business thrives under the same kind of leader. He works with them directly, gets to know them, understands their unique challenges and goals, builds trust, and helps them adjust to their work by leveraging their personal strengths. This approach fosters a deeper connection and leads to more tailored, effective outcomes.
One of Ryan’s favorite testimonials stated that he encouraged them to take a break. Just a weekend to separate from work, relax, and return to their work with a refreshed mind and perspective. It worked. It was something so simple that they never thought of giving themselves permission to do. The owner was able to spend time with their loved one, recharge, and tackle the issues they faced with a more level head and a significantly calmer demeanor.
When faced with so many challenges at once, the mind can stall or lag behind. Taking on things one at a time is the natural course, but some tasks require a sudden shift in priority. If owners can’t keep pace with an ever-changing list of demands, they must find ways to be successful, even if it means adjusting their strategies or mindset. When the steps get shuffled and priorities become muddied, there’s only so much general training and advice can do, especially when deeper personal insight is needed to guide the way forward.
Offering an outside perspective is something that has supported Ryan in coaching numerous business owners. His clients vary, from first-time start-up founders to family business owners navigating generational transitions to serial entrepreneurs who could benefit from a new approach for their current ventures. This diverse range allows him to tailor his methods to suit individual needs, helping each client navigate their unique challenges with a fresh outlook. By focusing on their specific goals and obstacles, Ryan provides personalized guidance to foster growth and long-term success.
When asked to give advice in an interview, Ryan said, “I don’t give advice per se, but I would say this: if you want your business to grow, you must personally grow ahead of it!” His method of focusing on individual personal development to match the growth of a founder’s business has led many owners to emerge from the valleys of a failing business. He helps bring owners out of the constant cycle of advice that may not be executed effectively and gives them the tools to trust themselves first, helping them evolve into the leaders their businesses require.
