Jeff Williams: Planting the Seeds of Success

After decades of success in franchising, first as a franchisee and later as a franchisor, Jeff Williams was ready for a new challenge. Having helped grow GreenThumb from a £500,000 business into a £50 million organisation with more than 200 franchisees, he had plenty of experience to share.

But his next ambition was about more than building another successful business. He wanted to help other business owners reach their potential, develop stronger teams and create businesses that supported the lives they wanted to lead.

Having spent much of his career helping others succeed, Jeff began exploring how he could put that experience to use in a new way. Discovering the ActionCOACH UK franchise gave him the opportunity to turn decades of commercial and leadership experience into a rewarding career in business coaching.

From franchisee to franchisor: Building a £50 million business

Jeff's career in franchising began in 1994 when he joined GreenThumb, the lawn treatment business. Working alongside the company's CEO, he became one of its pilot franchisees as the business looked to expand beyond its original base in North Wales.

His experience as a franchisee gave him first-hand insight into what it takes to build and operate a successful franchise business. As GreenThumb's ambitions grew, so did Jeff's responsibilities.

By 1999, the company had made the decision to commit fully to franchising, with Jeff taking on the role of Managing Director and responsibility for franchise development.

The results were significant.

“We saw the franchise model could really work for the business, so by 1999 we took the decision to ramp up our franchise recruitment.

“In the first year, we added 20 franchisees and for the next 10 years we managed to maintain the same rate of growth. This meant a decade later we had grown into a network of over 200 franchisees. All in all, we took GreenThumb from a £500,000 business to one worth over £50 million.”

Building and supporting a network of that size gave Jeff an extensive understanding of business growth, recruitment, leadership and the challenges that come with managing a franchise operation.

But one of the most rewarding aspects of his career was seeing the people around him develop.

Jeff recalled hiring someone who went on to take responsibility for running his business. Even after Jeff sold the company, that individual continued to lead the business under its new owners and subsequently went on to develop his career within another franchise organisation.

For Jeff, seeing that progression was one of the most satisfying parts of his work.

It was an early indication of something that would become central to his future career: helping people recognise their abilities and giving them the opportunity to achieve more.

Finding a new direction in business coaching

Following his time at GreenThumb, Jeff continued working in franchising, taking on responsibility for franchise development at Jackson Fire and Security.

Although he had achieved considerable success, he began thinking about what he wanted from the next stage of his career.

He enjoyed developing people, sharing his knowledge and helping businesses grow. He also wanted greater control over his working life, the opportunity to work for himself and more time to contribute to his local community.

Business coaching offered a way to bring these ambitions together.

With nearly three decades of experience across business ownership, franchising and leadership, Jeff had a wealth of practical knowledge that could benefit other business owners. The challenge was finding the right way to share it.

Discovering the ActionCOACH UK franchise provided the opportunity he had been looking for.

In early 2018, Jeff launched his own ActionCOACH UK business, beginning a new chapter that allowed him to combine his commercial experience with his interest in developing people.

Learning from the best: The importance of training and support

Despite his extensive business experience, Jeff recognised that becoming an effective business coach required a different set of skills.

Knowing how to run a business and knowing how to coach someone else to improve theirs are two different things. He needed to learn how to guide business owners, ask the right questions and help them develop their own solutions.

His experience at ActionCOACH University made an immediate impression.

“I could tell right away that I was making the right decision. The wealth of knowledge I was given in those first few weeks and months was very impressive. At first, it might seem a lot to take in but sticking with it was so beneficial for my business. You know what you're learning is being delivered by the best in class. By fully engaging in the training and support on offer, you can really improve your abilities as a coach.”

The training gave Jeff a structured foundation for his new career, but he was also realistic about the challenges of putting his learning into practice.

He had spent years advising businesses and leading people. Now he needed to develop the ability to coach business owners through their own challenges.

“I had a lot of information to share but learning how to coach my clients to help their businesses was an important skill to master.

“Being patient was key, but I had faith in the advice and resources ActionCOACH UK provided me with, which I knew would help me improve. I think it's super important to keep using this bank of support. You are given access to the best of the best, so you should always look to learn from them. It'll mean you'll never come to a standstill as a coach, continually improving.”

For Jeff, the ongoing development available through ActionCOACH UK was just as valuable as the initial training.

He particularly highlighted the Coaches Club, which provided regular opportunities to discuss challenges, exchange ideas and learn from other coaches.

The sessions, delivered three times a week by James Vincent, ActionCOACH UK's Performance Director, gave franchise partners a place to share experiences and explore what was working in their businesses.

“You can see what's working, what's not working, capitalising on advice to improve your coaching and business. It's another example of ActionCOACH UK giving you access to excellent business minds. You never stop learning from the best!”

Jeff's experience highlights an important part of joining an established franchise. You bring your own experience and commercial knowledge, but you also have access to training, guidance and a network of people who can help you continue developing.

Finding his coaching specialism

Jeff's background in franchising has been particularly valuable in building his coaching business.

Having spent years working with franchisees, managing business growth and developing leadership teams, he understands many of the challenges faced by established business owners.

His clients tend to be ambitious, open-minded people who have already achieved a degree of success but recognise there is more they could accomplish.

A common challenge is that the business owner remains too involved in the day-to-day running of the company.

They may have built a successful business, but they are still responsible for too many decisions, working excessive hours and struggling to find the time to focus on future growth.

For Jeff, developing the right leadership team is often an important part of helping these businesses move forward.

“For these businesses to continue to grow, they really need to build up a strong leadership team. We might work together to recruit ideal candidates or develop people to promote internally. The business owner frees themselves up for new challenges or better work-life balance whilst the leadership team takes the business to the next level.”

This is where Jeff's previous experience becomes particularly useful. He understands what it takes to build teams, recruit the right people and create an organisation that can operate effectively without relying on the owner for every decision.

His coaching allows him to share that knowledge while helping clients identify the changes needed within their own businesses.

Seeing the difference business coaching can make

For Jeff, one of the most rewarding parts of becoming a business coach is seeing the progress his clients make.

Developing people has always been a significant part of his career, but coaching gives him the opportunity to work more closely with business owners and their teams over time.

He has built his ActionCOACH UK business to include 11 one-to-one clients, alongside a substantial group coaching client base.

One particularly rewarding example involved a former client who contacted him again after experiencing the benefits of their previous coaching relationship.

When they had originally worked together, they identified several changes that could improve the business. The results were substantial, with the company eventually quadrupling its turnover.

When the client got back in touch, she wanted Jeff's help again, this time to develop the business into a multi-million-pound organisation.

“Recently one of my old clients got back in touch with me asking for my help. When we worked together before, we talked about changing a few things within the business which ultimately resulted in her quadrupling the turnover. When she got back in touch, she highlighted how much my coaching had stood out to her previously and I was the person she trusted to now develop her company into a multi-million-pound business.”

For Jeff, this was a clear indication of the lasting value coaching can provide.

It demonstrated that the work he had done previously had made a genuine difference and that the client trusted him to help guide the next stage of their growth.

These are the relationships that make business coaching so rewarding. You have the opportunity to build long-term relationships with business owners, understand their ambitions and support them as they work towards achieving them.

Building a business that supports the life you want

Jeff's ambitions for his ActionCOACH UK business extend beyond growing his client base.

He wants to continue developing the business, generating the income needed to invest in other assets and creating greater financial opportunities for the future.

Just as importantly, he wants to have the freedom to spend more time doing the things he enjoys.

Cycling is one of his biggest passions. He spent the previous summer cycling across Mallorca and had already completed a coast-to-coast ride across the UK.

Having spent so much of his career helping other businesses grow, he now has the opportunity to build a business around his own ambitions and priorities.

His commitment to making a difference also extends beyond the business community. Jeff remains actively involved in his local church and values the opportunity to contribute to the people and community around him.

For him, financial success and personal fulfilment go hand in hand. Business coaching has provided a way to build a rewarding career while helping others achieve greater success in their own lives.

His advice for anyone considering an ActionCOACH UK franchise

Having experienced franchising from several different perspectives, Jeff understands the importance of making the most of the systems, resources and support available.

His advice to anyone considering joining ActionCOACH UK is straightforward: be prepared to learn, make use of the support and recognise the value of the experience you already bring.

“ActionCOACH UK has given me the tools to lead a comfortable lifestyle financially but also to experience the gratification of guiding and developing people in their careers.

“My advice to anyone looking to join ActionCOACH UK would be to make the most of the resources they provide. You need to approach the training willing to learn but also you need to remember to bring your experiences and personality to the table too. Combining this with their support is essential to your coaching journey and learning from them will mean you continually evolve into the best coach and business owner you can be.”

Jeff's journey demonstrates that a successful career in business coaching does not necessarily begin with a background in coaching.

His experience in franchising, business development and leadership provided a strong foundation. The training and ongoing support from ActionCOACH UK helped him turn that experience into a new business and a career focused on developing others.

For experienced business owners, senior managers and people who have spent years helping organisations grow, business coaching could be an opportunity to put that knowledge to work in a different way.

You may already have the experience. The next step is finding the right opportunity to share it.

Could an ActionCOACH UK franchise be your next career move?

If you have business experience and want to help other people succeed while building a business of your own, discover more about the ActionCOACH UK franchise opportunity.

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