Building Better Businesses and Lives: A Business Coach’s Inspiring Comeback Story

Discover how Andrew Joy reignited his passion for coaching with ActionCOACH, transforming businesses and lives.

For Andrew Joy, his role as General Manager at ActionCOACH Harrogate was not his first foray with the franchise. Initially working with the brand in the late-2000s, Andrew left to pursue an opportunity with one of their clients. 

A decade on, and after becoming dissatisfied with his role’s emphasis on the numbers and not the people, Andrew was drawn back to ActionCOACH. Rejuvenated and equipped with a desire for self-improvement, he rejoined as a General Manager in July 2021. 

Initial investment

After leaving university, Andrew’s first role came at a global IT firm, working there for seven years before feeling the need to search for a fresh challenge. “I put my CV out there and was pretty quickly approached by ActionCOACH. It was a bit of journey into the unknown but everything I heard about the business was really exciting.”

Initially joining in 2007, Andrew became one of the youngest coaches in the country at the time. “It was a whirlwind ride - I was at ActionCOACH for two years and it flew by – I learnt a lot about myself and the skills I had. Jump to 2009 and I was then presented with the chance to work with one of my clients. At the time it seemed like the right decision but maybe with hindsight I should’ve stayed with ActionCOACH!”

Preferring people to private equity

Most of the time from leaving ActionCOACH to rejoining in 2021, Andrew worked for a pest control business based just outside of Harrogate. Starting as their UK Sales Manager, he progressed to Sales Director, leading larger teams and managing a variety of new territories. “We took the business from turnover being around £26m to £120m in just under a decade – on the whole it was a really enjoyable experience – again providing me with loads more valuable lessons helping my professional development.”

However, when the business was taken over by a new private equity firm the focus shifted. “The new CEO brought in their own team and the whole operation became about hitting a target for an exit. What I loved about my role previously was being able to work with my team, maintaining relationships with existing clients or forming something fresh with prospective clients. Under the new regime, I was working more on the numbers than with people. 

“So, after a couple years I decided to leave and look for my next role. I was preparing myself to apply for other sales director vacancies but had this strange draw back to ActionCOACH.”

Contacting ActionCOACH UK’s co-founder Ian Christelow in January 2021, Andrew wanted to discuss his next steps. “I wasn’t sure becoming a franchise partner was the right move for me, so when I spoke to Ian, I wanted to see what other options were out there.

“Living in Harrogate, I knew there was a rich history of ActionCOACH in the area but Ian told me they were still looking to invest in the community. He told me about the position of General Manager – a really important role created by ActionCOACH UK for their company-owned territories where they trial new strategies and tactics before rolling out to the entire franchise network – it was the perfect next steps for me ! I signed the dotted line and was ready to give ActionCOACH another crack.”

Successful systems and super support

Rejoining in July 2021, Andrew was reassured to see the systems remained relatively similar. “It showed me the model not only works but consistently delivers results. You simply can’t achieve the level of success the brand has without having those solid processes and frameworks in place.

“My training was a little less glamorous the second time around as I was in my living room rather than Las Vegas but I felt ready to hit the ground running. I closely followed what I learnt in my training about attracting and onboarding new clients and just 6 weeks later I was coaching my first client.”

The biggest change for Andrew from his previous experience with ActionCOACH was the support on offer to him. “I was, and am still, blown away by the amount of support available to us. There are chances to learn and develop your skills on an almost 24-7 basis – it’s pretty incredible!

“I’m a firm believer in self-improvement. In fact, one of my favourite quotes is from American entrepreneur Jim Rohn: ‘Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.’ And ActionCOACH is the best in the business for letting you do so!”

Finding a winning formula 

With 19 one-to-one clients and a further 8 group-coaching clients, ActionCOACH Harrogate is now turning over north of £250,000. “I just love the nuts and bolts of coaching. Getting to work with loads of different people and businesses is truly fascinating.

“I’ve worked with one of my clients for about two-and-a-half years now and he’s seen his turnover increase by 300%! Another doubled his profit in the first year of working together and was able to take the time away to climb Kilimanjaro – seeing your clients’ lives and businesses change for the better is such a wonderful feeling!”

Whilst Andrew’s coaching style is closely comparable to before, he feels much more confident in identifying the right client for him. “I now know who my coaching style suits and am not afraid to turn down clients if I don’t think we’re the right match. I also feel more confident asking the right questions and holding them to account when I need to.”

Currently with no plans to invest in his own exclusive territory, Andrew’s vision for the future is clear. “We want to keep the business on the same upwards trajectory we’ve managed over the past few years. We’re currently a team of three but as we grow, we do want to be able to recruit new members too – having the right people on board will allow us to go from strength to strength!

“Ultimately, it’s about investing in myself and continuing to enjoy what I do. I haven’t ruled out the possibility of becoming a franchise partner in the future but I’m more than happy with what I’m doing at present.”

The rewards are in the results

For Andrew, working for ActionCOACH is much more than a job – it’s the most rewarding role he’s ever had. “Helping clients transform their business and change their lives while doing so is what makes this so special. 

“I think it was wanting to do something more meaningful which drew me back to ActionCOACH for the second time – it really was the perfect fit. I love what I do but it’s all about finding the right clients to help continue to do so – that’s what keeps me motivated.”

For anyone considering joining ActionCOACH, Andrew’s advice is, “Take your time and really think it through. I speak at discovery day talks from time-to-time and the message I always try to get across is, although it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, it’s also the hardest, which does make your success all the more worthwhile!”

Andrew also emphasises the need for humility. “I remember a line from a talk by ActionCOACH founder Brad Sugars really sticking with me – ‘this business humbles successful people’ – and he’s bang on. You need to be willing to be proven wrong and be prepared to learn from those mistakes. But with the right attitude, this journey can be incredibly rewarding – both personally and financially!”