Billy Smith: Reaping the Rewards of Business Ownership

From corporate consulting to building a thriving coaching business in Cheltenham, Billy Smith has found the professional fulfilment, family time and freedom he was looking for.

After more than 20 years working with large corporate businesses, Billy Smith wanted to use his experience to help smaller businesses achieve the same levels of success. Discovering ActionCOACH UK gave him the opportunity to turn that ambition into reality. Now, with a growing team, an expanding client base and a renewed sense of purpose, Billy is building a business that delivers rewards both professionally and personally.

Turning Corporate Experience into a New Opportunity

For much of his career, Billy had been passionate about consulting, working with individuals and coaching management teams within large organisations. Over more than 20 years, he played an important role in developing people and helping businesses progress. The first management team he supported went on to secure a buyout from global insurance firm Zurich.

Yet, as his experience grew, Billy began to notice a significant difference between large corporations and smaller businesses.

“Over time, I witnessed the extent that larger companies command power and influence, giving them many more opportunities than smaller businesses. I began to wonder how I could help SMEs harness that same power and influence. I actually look back on that as a sort of epiphany.”

In December 2018, Billy came across ActionCOACH on a franchise website. He quickly recognised that business coaching could offer a way to bring the strategies and thinking used by larger organisations to small and medium-sized enterprises.

He booked a place at the next discovery day to meet Ian Christelow, ActionCOACH UK's co-founder, and learn more about the opportunity.

“I'd never really had the chance to work with and develop SMEs before, and ActionCOACH opened up that opportunity for me. What's more, after living in Cheltenham for over 20 years, becoming an ActionCOACH franchise partner meant I could put my expertise to good use and support my local business community.

“From the short time I spent with Ian and the rest of the UK support team, I felt confident I would have an extensive toolkit to support businesses of any age, size or industry.”

Billy was determined to make an informed decision. He carried out his due diligence and spoke with franchise partners at different stages of their journeys, gaining insight into the realities of building an ActionCOACH business.

“The more I looked, the more it seemed perfect for me. Very soon, it became clear that it was a no-brainer to invest in a franchise.”

A New Start with ActionCOACH UK

Despite his extensive corporate experience, Billy found the initial ActionCOACH training both detailed and valuable. He already had a strong foundation in sales, marketing and business development, but the training helped him develop additional skills and knowledge to manage the wider demands of running his own business.

“Despite the fact I've got over 20 years' experience of corporate life, the level of detail included in the training was amazing. I already had an established skill set, including sales, marketing and business development, but the training equipped me with additional skills to cover other disciplines needed for running the business day to day.

“Once I arrived home, I was ready to put everything into action. I felt so inspired by the whole support team and fellow franchise partners. I was raring to go.”

With his wife, Fiona, supporting the business as Operations Director, Billy began building momentum in Cheltenham. The firm gained traction quickly, and he was soon working with local business owners to help them strengthen their operations, identify opportunities and plan for growth.

Then the pandemic arrived, presenting a major challenge for businesses across the country.

Billy took a hands-on approach, focusing on helping his clients navigate the disruption and find ways not just to survive, but to thrive. The experience reinforced the value of having access to practical business advice and a supportive professional network.

Growing Through Challenge and Collaboration

As businesses began emerging from the pandemic, Billy saw encouraging signs that his clients valued the support they had received. The firm was also expanding its own capacity to help more local businesses.

In June 2021, ActionCOACH Cheltenham welcomed Roz as a new business coach. She was set to launch a women's coaching group, bringing together women in business across the local area through one-to-one and group coaching.

For Billy, expanding the team was an important step towards increasing the firm's impact.

“The UK support team has been incredible since the start, constantly updating me on best practice, ways to approach new clients and how to retain existing ones. It's funny because Ian had mentioned how ActionCOACH survived the 2008 recession, and although it was great to be proven right with this latest crisis, I didn't expect to be challenged just a few months into my ActionCOACH business.

“Speaking with other franchise partners, they all expressed the same gratitude towards the team as I had. I recruited my team in Cheltenham, so I knew their effort would be phenomenal, but the behaviour and support of our UK support team and fellow franchise partners is what has made this whole experience so exceptional.

“Everyone at ActionCOACH wants each other to do well, which creates this fantastic cycle of support and growth. The environment is just perfect for building a business. Joining is the best decision I've ever made.”

That culture of collaboration has become a defining part of Billy's experience. Alongside the support from ActionCOACH UK, he values the willingness of fellow franchise partners to share their knowledge and encourage one another's success.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Just over two years into his franchise journey, Billy's income had comfortably exceeded what he earned in his previous corporate career. He and Roz were working with 28 clients across group and one-to-one coaching, with further opportunities to expand through additional programmes, including BookCLUB and the new women's coaching group.

The firm had established a strong platform for growth, and Billy was ready to build on it.

“If anything, the pandemic only gave me the thirst to take things even further. At the start of 2021, we were hoping to have 10 new clients by 2022. We've reached that target, so I'm confident that every goal we set ourselves from now is attainable. I'm proud to support local businesses, and I'm positive about getting my own business up to a serious rate of knots.”

Billy's ambitions extended beyond growing the client portfolio. He wanted to create a business with a talented team, clear responsibilities and the capacity to help significantly more owners.

“This year I've got big plans. We're looking to have four employee coaches and a turnover of seven figures by 2023. Last year, as well as Roz, I also employed Anne as Head of Marketing and Georgina to lead our admin activity.

“With their skill in converting enquiries and inspiring prospects, I know we're in the position to grow rapidly. We've established a great team, and I look forward to welcoming even more new members. In the next few years, I want to bring a general manager in to run the business. I wouldn't be able to step away from the business entirely, though. I love what I do too much!”

These targets reflect Billy's plans at the time of the original interview.

For Billy, building a team is about more than increasing revenue. It gives the firm the capability to support more clients while creating opportunities for talented people to develop their own careers.

Most importantly, he has discovered a level of professional fulfilment that was missing from his previous career.

“My franchise has had an overwhelming impact on my sense of satisfaction. The work we do to improve businesses makes a huge difference to people on a personal level, which then impacts staff, their families and the community at large. To experience the rewards from that is like nothing I've felt before.”

Building a Better Lifestyle

Financial success and business growth are only part of the story for Billy. One of the biggest benefits of becoming an ActionCOACH franchise partner has been the opportunity to build a lifestyle that better reflects his priorities.

His previous corporate career involved commuting, travelling abroad and spending long periods away from home. Now, he can protect his weekends and spend more time enjoying life outside work.

“In my spare time, I play football for the over-35s, and this summer I'll be playing some tennis again. I also enjoy spending a lot more time with my family. I get to watch my son play football for the local team and support my daughter when she plays hockey, among all the other family activities at the weekend.

“And that's only been made possible by ActionCOACH and their support, both in the early stages of getting my business up and running quickly and through their continued support.

“The freedom that comes with being my own boss and being able to reap the benefits of my work entirely exceeds any sense of career satisfaction I've had before.”

For Billy, being his own boss means having greater control over how he spends his time, the people he works with and the impact he makes. It is a more rewarding way to work, allowing him to combine his professional ambitions with the family life he values.

A Business Built Around What Matters

Billy Smith's journey shows how years of corporate experience can provide a strong foundation for a new business venture. By joining ActionCOACH UK, he found a way to apply his knowledge to the challenges faced by smaller businesses, while building a team and supporting the local community.

With a growing firm in Cheltenham, new coaching opportunities and ambitious plans for the future, Billy has created a business that offers both professional purpose and personal freedom.

For him, the real reward is not simply earning more or achieving business targets. It is helping other business owners succeed, seeing the positive impact that success can have on their teams and families, and having more time for the people who matter most.

Ready to Reap the Rewards of Business Ownership?

If you have business experience and want to put your skills to work in a new way, an ActionCOACH UK franchise could give you the opportunity to build a business that combines commercial ambition with meaningful impact.

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