One favorite moment that comes to mind is when I coached a small business owner in experience design for new guest experiences. They surprised me by independently implementing a handful of new ideas we had discussed for their business within just a few weeks. That’s why I prefer coaching over traditional consulting. Both aim to help someone grow, right? But as a coach, you want to see them do the job and grow – not get too involved, but share your good ideas without judging or deciding for them.
A coach (in design thinking and experience design for example) “empowers,” “guides,” and “discovers,” while the consultant “provides,” “delivers,” and “executes.” The core difference boils down to who ultimately generates the solutions and executes the work, with the coach facilitating client learning and the consultant delivering outcomes.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with both solopreneurs and small businesses in the hospitality and creative industries, and it’s been truly inspiring to see how they thrive with a coaching approach, applying design thinking to boost customer experiences.
Coaching someone towards that lightbulb moment—when an individual grasps a new concept, solves a tricky problem, or finds totally new inspiring ideas in a workshop—that is so inspiring. Long after a collaboration, they can confidently repeat the process, becoming truly independent in their development work. It’s about empowerment, not dependency.
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