Phil Nassau: From Franchise Experience to Business Coaching Success

Harnessing years of experience for a new career

Phil Nassau had spent much of his career working in franchising and supporting business owners when he came across ActionCOACH UK at The British & International Franchise Exhibition in January 2018.

He was attending the event with his son, Jonny, whom he was helping through the demanding selection process to become a McDonald’s franchisee. It was during that visit that Phil discovered an opportunity to put his own experience to use in a new way.

Having built a career around franchising, business development and coaching, the idea of becoming a business coach felt like a natural next step.

Phil's experience in the franchise industry stretched back to the early 1980s, when, aged just 21, he became Snap-on Tools' second youngest ever franchisee. After five years running his own franchise, he was fast-tracked into the company's management programme.

He continued developing his business knowledge and went on to complete an MBA at the University of Liverpool in 2010. Over the years, he had gained considerable experience supporting franchisees to improve performance and grow their businesses.

When he began considering his next career move, ActionCOACH UK offered a way to combine that experience with his interest in coaching.

Discovering the ActionCOACH UK opportunity

Phil was already confident in his ability to coach and support others, having worked closely with franchisees throughout his career and helped his son navigate the McDonald's franchise selection process.

Meeting the ActionCOACH UK team at the exhibition gave him the opportunity to explore how he could turn those skills into his own business.

“I was confident in my coaching abilities through working with my son and my previous roles supporting franchisees to grow their businesses,” said Phil.

“I just so happened to come across ActionCOACH when I was strolling round the exhibition. They intrigued me right away. Even from the first chat, I thought this could be a good opportunity for me. Combining ActionCOACH’s expertise with my own seemed like a great next step.”

Living in Leicestershire, close to the ActionCOACH UK head office, Phil attended ActionCOACH University for his initial training in May 2018.

Despite his years of business experience and an MBA behind him, the training gave him plenty to learn.

“I thought I’d be familiar with much of the content, like general business knowledge or coaching techniques. Instead, I was blown away with how much information I needed to take on. I knew straight away there was a lot to learn and improve on.

“What you could tell was ActionCOACH’s training was world class. I stuck closely to the resources ActionCOACH gave me and combining it with hours of my hard work has paid off. I can attribute my success to those vital first stages, especially with thanks to Rachel Woods who’s been my coach’s coach since week two of the process.”

Phil recognised early on that his previous experience would give him a strong foundation, but that building a successful coaching business would require commitment to learning the ActionCOACH UK model and making full use of the support available.

Building a successful coaching business

Phil has since developed a substantial coaching business, working with 19 one-to-one clients and a further 10 businesses through group coaching.

His coaching income has surpassed his previous salary, giving him the opportunity to be more selective about the businesses he works with and the people he wants to support.

“I’m now at a stage where I can be selective with the businesses I choose to work with. I want to partner with people who have a real passion for their business, a clear vision for the future and want to make an immediate impact, whether for their family, friends or local community.”

Phil focuses on established businesses with an annual turnover of £500,000 or more. He enjoys working with owners who are prepared to put in the effort required to improve performance and take their businesses further.

His approach is straightforward. He believes business growth requires commitment from both the coach and the client.

“My coaching philosophy requires hard work. I’m old school, I believe you need to put the hours in to achieve success. If my clients are prepared to do so, then we really can make a difference to their business.

“I started working with one of my clients seven months ago and they were turning over £4.3 million, already our goal for next year is to reach £6.7 million.”

For Phil, seeing business owners make progress and achieve goals they once considered out of reach is one of the most rewarding parts of the role.

Working with businesses across different industries

One of the biggest changes Phil has enjoyed since becoming a business coach is the variety of businesses he gets to work with.

His previous career gave him extensive experience of franchising and business operations. Coaching has allowed him to apply that knowledge across a much wider range of industries, learning how different organisations operate and what their owners need to move forward.

“To have worked with one business for such a long time, it’s refreshing to now go out and see how all kinds of different industries tick. From web design to mental health, it’s really rewarding for me. I feel I’m having a great impact on people, businesses and communities.”

That variety continues to keep the work interesting. Each business brings different challenges, people and opportunities, giving Phil the chance to draw on his experience while continuing to learn.

He particularly values the impact coaching can have beyond the business itself, including the people employed by the company, the owner's family and the wider community.

Creating a better work-life balance

When Phil first considered joining ActionCOACH UK, improving his work-life balance was an important factor. He understood that establishing a successful coaching business would take time and effort, but he also wanted to create more freedom over how he spent his time.

Now 61, he is enjoying the flexibility that comes with running his own coaching business.

“I currently take 5 weeks to travel each year and I can easily coach my clients from anywhere in the world should I wish to. My wife Mandy and I recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with two weeks in Las Vegas.

“Through my success as a coach, I’ve been lucky to have the financial freedom to do more of what I want to do. I’ve taken up golf and continue to look for sound investments to really make sure I have a good retirement. One thing I’m definitely looking forward to is buying a classic car!”

Having spent decades working in business, Phil now has greater control over his schedule and the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the business he has built.

He also continues to support his son as Jonny grows his McDonald's franchise portfolio. It is a role Phil expects to enjoy long after he eventually retires from coaching.

Why Phil recommends an ActionCOACH UK franchise

For Phil, becoming a business coach has given him a way to use the skills and experience he developed throughout his career while building a business of his own.

He believes the training, resources and ongoing support from ActionCOACH UK have been important to his success. He also recognises that making the most of those resources requires personal commitment and a willingness to keep developing.

“Coaching is in my blood, but ActionCOACH has continually developed those skills, so I’ve been able to make a real impact with the businesses I coach.

“My advice for anyone thinking of joining ActionCOACH is to make the most of the support available to you. I stuck close to the model and utilised all the resources, webinars and expert advice during my first 18 months and still tap into it regularly all these years later.

“If you’re prepared to work hard and buy into a culture of continual self-improvement, you’ll experience the same rewards with your ActionCOACH business.”

Phil's story demonstrates how experience gained in one industry can provide a strong foundation for a new career in business coaching. His background in franchising, management and business development gave him valuable knowledge to bring to the role, while ActionCOACH UK provided the training, model and support to help him build his own coaching business.

Could business coaching be your next career move?

You may already have years of experience in business, leadership, franchising or managing people. Becoming a business coach could give you the opportunity to put that experience to work in a different way.

With the training, resources and support of ActionCOACH UK, you can build your own business coaching practice, work with business owners across different industries and create a business that reflects your ambitions.

Interested in becoming an ActionCOACH UK franchise partner?

Find out more about the opportunity and take the first step towards building your own business coaching practice.

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