The Top 10 Business Coaches and Mastermind Groups to Help You Grow Your Marketing Agency or Graphic Design Firm

The world of marketing and design is always changing and evolving, and it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with it all. For those who are just starting out in the industry, there are several different resources available, in various forms, to assist you along the way. Of course, the first thing that you have to do is swallow your pride and admit that you could use the assistance. 

After all, if there are people in your industry who are more successful than you are currently, wouldn’t you like to find out firsthand how they got there? That’s where a business coach or coaching group can come in handy. There are several of these out there, hundreds really, and they’re designed to help with all kinds of business needs. Some specialize in the marketing industry, while others are more generalized business experts that use things like thought leadership to promote positive change. 

Bringing in a business coach or mastermind group provides several potential benefits for your firm. Most notably, you’ll have an unbiased third party that will unabashedly tell you exactly what you need to hear. They’ll hold you accountable for your actions and let you know what you’re doing wrong so that you can make corrections and improvements. 

This can lead to things like:

• Increased productivity and individual performance
• Increased confidence for everyone
• Greater self-awareness of what your business is capable of
• More clarity on what success means and how to achieve it
• Better development of critical skills like decision making 
• Better profits overall

There are several styles of coaching and mediums to choose from, including online courses and seminars, in-person events and seminars, one-on-one coaching sessions, in-house group coaching, and more. In order to determine what’s right for your team, you’ll have to consider the options as well as what you’re trying to learn. We’ll let you in on a little secret, though: you should use as many mediums as you can. 

That means if there’s a podcast and a YouTube channel, subscribe to both. If you find a coach that also offers a blog with free insights and advice, follow it. Take advantage of all the tools you are given because today’s coaching groups and individual coaches are a lot more generous than you might realize. 

Before we get into the 10 best business coaches for your agency or firm, let’s go over a few things to keep in mind when choosing a coach or group for your organization. 

Factors to consider in choosing a business coach

The Internet connects you to several useful resources today and makes it easy for you to find the different solutions that you need. Of course, it also means that you have to do a little more diligence in checking your sources before you enlist their assistance. After all, just about anyone can build a website and claim to be a business coach—but do they really have the expertise?

In order to make sure that you choose a solid investment for your business, consider things like:

• Area(s) of Expertise: Although there are several coaches that have a more generalized business focus, having a coach that specializes in the marketing and graphic design industry could definitely work to your advantage. They'd not only have great insights, but they would be industry-specific insights to help you make smarter business moves. 

• Image/Reputation: If a coach doesn’t have a positive reputation in the industry, or at all, you’re obviously not going to want to work with them. When considering coaches, check out their reputation. Read reviews, look around online, and get as much info as you can so that you can choose the best coach. 

• Media/Formats Available: What type of coaching are you looking for? Some coaches offer one-on-one sessions, while others offer online training and programs, videos, podcasts, books, and other mediums. Most coaches have a little bit of everything, of course, which will allow you to immerse yourself in their teachings in the way that works for you. 

• Audience: You can’t just take someone’s word for it when they tell you they have a strong following. If you’re going to hire a business coach for your marketing or design firm, you need to make sure that you check their audience following and ensure that they are really as popular and successful as they claim. This partially comes in checking out their reputation, but you’ll also want to explore their online presence and all the places people follow them. 

• Services Offered: This one might seem obvious, but we put it here because we feel like some people might overlook it, assuming that all business coaches and groups have similar services and solutions. While they are similar, however, each coach or coaching group is totally unique in how it offers services and what is offered. Therefore, you’ll want to check this with any business coaches or groups you consider hiring. 

• Size/Scalability: Does the coaching group or individual coach fit the size needs of your business? Can they handle the volume at which you do business or the number of employees you have? Some groups coach for SMBs while others focus on enterprise organizations, so you’ll want to make sure that you pay attention when you’re hiring yours. 

These are a few of the biggest considerations, and of course you should feel free to add anything else to this list that you deem necessary. You’ve got a lot of options out there, but when you choose the right coach for the job, you’ll get the results that you deserve. 

If you’re ready to embrace business coaching for yourself, here are the ten best choices for marketing and graphic design. 

The top 10 business coaches for marketing agencies and graphic design firms

1. Dan Sullivan

A 40-year veteran of the business world, Dan Sullivan primarily focuses on coaching these days, but he has tons of successes behind him. He is a planner, coach, speaker, and entrepreneur, founding the Strategic Coach, Inc. This organization provides educational resources and coaching for businesses that are looking to grow their bottom line by changing their thought patterns and adapting to the changing world of business. Through his coaching program, Sullivan offers one-on-one and group coaching, along with other consults, to help you improve operations and become a better marketing firm. 

2. Liz Scott

Founder and owner of Brighter Strategies, Liz Scott is a marketing genius. She’s been ranked among the best of the best for several years now and has created tons of her own successful businesses over the years in addition to helping other companies succeed. Her consulting firm now assists companies looking to improve operations and grow at faster rates than ever before. She helps all kinds of brands produce quick results, and there are tons of books, blogs, and other resources on the website in addition to standard coaching services. 

3. Jay Abraham

Jay Abraham is a renowned business coach, as well as the CEO and founder of the Abraham Group, Inc. He has a unique coaching style where he likes his students to read his books and materials and then he offers a one-on-one consultation to help discuss the various insights and advice that would be most useful to you. He has written several different books, there’s a blog on his website, and he has helped more than 10,000 clients over the years

4. Vanguard Business Coaching

Founded by marketing and sales guru Andy Turner, this company was founded to assist businesses who are looking to grow faster and more competitively than ever before. The website offers online courses, a blog and other resources, and direct coaching opportunities, including individual and group sessions. Turner is so confident in his abilities that he promises his 45-minute consultation will locate at least $10K in additional revenue for your company. As a marketing firm, you’ll appreciate his no-nonsense approach to marketing. 

5. ActionCOACH

The Action COACH network was founded by Brad Sugars, one of the earliest business coaching professionals in the industry. The company was built on the concepts of Brad’s own successes, and each visitor gets a complimentary coaching session to see what exactly they’re signing up for. ActionCOACH believes that once you see what they can do, you’ll quickly realize they are the best choice. The organization works by focusing on the needs of your business, not just generic suggestions and advice. 

6. Melinda Emerson

Melinda Emerson is a woman that doesn’t take “no” for an answer. She’s known today as the SmallBizLady, but she’s also helped brands like Sam’s Club, American Express, and Staples. She has a variety of methods, but her main focus is on marketing execution and engagement strategies that are invaluable to your marketing firm or graphic design agency. She's got one-on-one consultations available along with tons of other resources, including online courses, and there’s more than 15 years of experience in her history. 

7. Matt Ward

Those in the world of E-Commerce and online marketing will love Matt Ward. Although he typically deals in things like augmented and virtual reality and space, he’s also a huge fan of AI and E-Commerce, offering companies the chance to learn how to become more successful in their online marketing efforts. He's built several companies over the years that now earn more than seven figures and he is all about helping you “hack the system” to increase profits, reduce costs, and fundraise like never before. If you’re looking to make the most of your marketing online, Ward is a good choice. He offers one-on-one coaching and a variety of other resources. 

8. Tiffany Williams, Rich Girl Collective

Tiffany Williams is the founder of Rich Girl Collective and focuses on helping women create, define, and build their businesses to create their own success. She can offer advice on turning your marketing side hustle into a practical business, or how to use your graphic design firm’s services to build your brand image. She has a monthly academy, offers one-time online classes, and even has a community of more than 40,000 women entrepreneurs who are connecting and networking on a daily basis. She will tell you her story and help you write yours, whether you’re already in business or just getting ready to get started. 

9. Kelsey Reidl 

Kelsey Reidl is the founder and creator of the Visionary Method, which is her own personal strategy to help you grow your business and create a steady flow of income. The program focuses on changing your thoughts and creating actionable steps that allow you to scale-up your business appropriately over the years. She offers customized coaching solutions for businesses, and she has helped hundreds of small businesses grow with her courses and coaching expertise. 

10. Barry Moltz

Barry Moltz is an entrepreneur and business coach that has spent decades consulting on various operations. He focuses on the modern small business and how they can use agility and adaptability to stay ahead of the competition. There are videos and blogs on his website, along with tons of other resources. You can also set up one-on-one coaching sessions and group coaching or contact him about other concerns that you have. 

Spend more time on marketing and let Smith.ai handle the details

While you’re getting invaluable business advice from any one of the coaches on this list (or another that you choose to work with), you can depend on the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai to field all of your live chat inquiries, phone calls, SMS messages, and so much more. Our team of dedicated agents works 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that your business never sleeps. 

When it comes to growing your business, making an investment in streamlined operations is always a good choice. When you work with the team at Smith.ai, you’ll get dedicated attention to all of the areas you need help handling, no matter how many there might be. We’ll even help you craft the perfect strategy to manage it all so that you can trust that everything is under control. 

Learn more when you schedule a consultation to discuss our 24/7 virtual receptionists and their solutions, including after-hours call answering, live website chat, intake and appointment scheduling, and so much more. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.