Paul Limb: From Skydiving Instructor to Business Coach

Taking the leap to build a business of his own

Paul Limb has spent much of his career helping people take the next step. From working in publishing and senior sales roles to becoming a qualified skydiving instructor, he has built experience in communication, leadership and helping others perform under pressure.

When he discovered ActionCOACH UK, he saw an opportunity to bring those experiences together and build a business of his own.

Since becoming a Senior Partner in May 2018, Paul has established a business coaching community in Bolton, helping local business owners improve their businesses while creating opportunities for them to work together.

His journey from encouraging people to jump out of planes to helping business owners take control of their futures has been an interesting one. And, as Paul explains, taking the leap himself turned out to be one of the best decisions he made.

A career built on taking opportunities

Paul left college at 18 and began his working life as a surveyor’s assistant on a motorway construction site. He later moved into publishing with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, where he started by writing posters for local newsagents before progressing into management.

“I started off writing posters for the paper, which would go outside local newsagents. I worked my way up and a few years later I moved to another paper as a department manager.”

By the early 1990s, Paul had moved into the corporate world, joining a Fortune 500 company. He eventually became Sales Manager within its global and multinational accounts team, spending around 10 years there.

He then moved to a small family business in Bolton, where he became Managing Director and co-owner of a division that separated from the main company.

Alongside his professional career, Paul had developed another interest that would prove valuable later in life. He was a qualified skydiving coach and instructor, completing around 850 jumps.

“It was my first interaction with coaching. Working in a high-pressure extreme sport environment, you always need to be on top of your game, communicating clearly. It stood me in good stead when I came across ActionCOACH.”

The experience taught Paul how important clear communication, preparation and confidence are when helping someone take on a challenge. Those skills would become just as relevant in his work with business owners.

Discovering ActionCOACH UK

Paul first came across ActionCOACH UK while running a freelance business consultancy. He had been trying to connect with someone through a mutual contact, who happened to be an ActionCOACH.

That introduction prompted him to look more closely at the franchise opportunity. He began researching the business and attended BizX in 2018.

“The conference was the dealbreaker for me. Seeing the great atmosphere there was really impressive. It was clear to me ActionCOACH’s systems and strategies worked, producing results for businesses globally for over two decades.”

For Paul, the opportunity brought together several things he had wanted from his working life. He had experience running businesses, managing teams and developing sales, alongside a genuine interest in helping other people succeed.

“I’d convinced so many people to jump out of a plane, so it was time for me to take my own leap of faith. Business coaching felt like my calling. I’d always wanted to help people and believed I had the necessary professional experience to make a real difference to people’s lives.”

After speaking with Ian Christelow and Julie Wagstaff, Paul decided to go ahead. He signed up and became an ActionCOACH UK Senior Partner in May 2018.

Building confidence and finding his first clients

Even with years of sales and management experience behind him, starting a business coaching franchise brought a new set of challenges.

Paul remembers feeling overwhelmed during the initial training.

“After the first day, I felt a little overwhelmed. I remember asking myself if this was the right choice.”

The support available through ActionCOACH UK soon helped him find his feet. Paul recognised that he would need to develop his coaching skills, but he had access to the training, resources and wider coach community to help him do that.

“What became clear pretty quickly was the world-class support ActionCOACH provides. It’s essential to your success. I didn’t have the business coaching experience but knew I’d develop those skills in time, thanks to the resources available.”

One of the most useful pieces of advice came from another coach, who encouraged Paul to become visible within his local business community.

He joined a BNI chapter and two Chambers of Commerce, using those networks to introduce himself to business owners and develop relationships.

“For me, networking is a must. It’s where most of my clients come from.”

Paul also found an unexpected source of leads through his car. He invested £350 in ActionCOACH branding and began using the vehicle to raise awareness of his business around Bolton.

“I’ve got four or five leads and a couple of clients thanks to my branded vehicle!”

It was a relatively small investment that demonstrated the value of making his business visible wherever he went.

Creating a business community in Bolton

One of the reasons Paul was attracted to ActionCOACH UK was the opportunity to make a difference to businesses in his local area.

Over time, his work has developed into a community where clients can build relationships with one another, share experiences and identify opportunities to work together.

“There’s a lot of cross-fertilisations to be done between clients, generating a large amount of revenue for local businesses.”

Paul actively encourages clients to attend social occasions and get to know one another outside their coaching sessions. He sees the relationships between clients as an important part of the community he has created.

“I think seeing the community you create interact and be successful is one of the best things about being a franchise partner.”

The success of individual clients has also given Paul plenty to celebrate. One example is Sams Helping Hands, led by Shahid Farooq, which won the Fastest Growing Company award at BizX 2023.

“I knew I wanted to help people, so seeing Shahid Farooq of Sams Helping Hands achieve the recognition for transforming the business brings me great pride.”

For Paul, seeing a client receive recognition for the progress they have made is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching.

Being part of a wider coaching community

Paul has also made a point of staying involved in the wider ActionCOACH UK network.

He attends coaching meetups, coaching clubs and conferences whenever he can. These opportunities allow him to learn from other coaches, share experiences and continue developing his own business.

He believes the relationships within the network are particularly valuable for anyone running their own business.

“I think business ownership can tend to make you feel slightly isolated. However, that has never been the case with ActionCOACH. Whether it’s the coaching or client community, you’re surrounded by excellent individuals eager to learn and develop.”

The support extends beyond the formal training and resources. Paul has found that speaking to other franchise partners and sharing ideas can help him work through challenges and make better decisions.

It is also an opportunity to contribute to the success of the wider network, rather than focusing solely on his own business.

Planning the next stage of growth

By the time of his original interview, Paul had reached a new stage in the development of his business. April had been his best month to date, following a record year, and he was planning how to build on that progress.

His immediate priority was recruitment. Having recently lost a couple of team members, he was looking to replace them while adding further business development capacity.

He was also considering a move back into an office and had forecast that the business could increase its coaching revenue by 50%.

“April this year was our personal best month, coming off a personal best year. The future is bright. In fact, a few weeks ago I sat down with my coach to produce my business plan for the next 12 months.”

Growth remains important to Paul, but so does having the time to enjoy life outside work.

Having recently turned 60 at the time of the interview, he was thinking carefully about what he wanted the next stage of his career to look like.

“Having the time to do what I want outside of work is important for me. My work-life balance has certainly improved since investing in 2018. I’ve got a plan in place to make sure taking more time out is achievable.”

The business plan was therefore about more than increasing revenue. It was also about building a team and structure that would give Paul greater freedom over how he spends his time.

Advice for anyone considering an ActionCOACH UK franchise

Paul believes that anyone considering joining ActionCOACH UK should take the time to understand what they want from the opportunity before making a decision.

For him, having a clear plan and being prepared to put the work in are important parts of building a successful franchise.

“You need to work out what you want from your ActionCOACH business. Create a plan on what you want to achieve and how you want to get there.”

He recognises that investing in a franchise is a significant commitment, but believes the support available through ActionCOACH UK makes a real difference.

“For some it’s a big investment, but as long as you’re prepared to do the work, you’ll be on the right path. It’s hard to find a franchise with the same level of support, understanding and desire for you to be successful you get from ActionCOACH.”

Paul has spent years encouraging people to take a leap of faith, whether that meant stepping out of an aircraft or taking on a new challenge in business.

His own decision to join ActionCOACH UK gave him the opportunity to build a business around his experience, help other business owners and create a connected local business community.

As he puts it:

“I’ve got plenty of experience in telling people to make the leap, this time into coaching, not out of a plane!”

Interested in becoming an ActionCOACH UK franchise partner?

If you have experience in business, sales or leadership and want to use it to help other business owners succeed, discover what it takes to become an ActionCOACH UK franchise partner.

Discover how an ActionCOACH UK franchise could help you build a business with purpose, flexibility and the support of an established coaching community.