MHL Business Coaching doesn't just get called upon to help improve business results, although very often by solving other issues in the business, this is one of the business outcomes. In this particular case, MHL Business Coaching was asked to help with a very common issue, resolving differences between business partners.

MHL Business Coaching's first experience of working with the two owner/operators of a restaurant was during the business's launch phase. One of the owners was a retired professional sportsman, the other a chef who had previously cooked for a well-known celebrity. Having coached them through a successful launch, we provided ongoing business advice during the first year of rapid growth.

After 18 months, however, one partner felt the other was not pulling his weight and wished to buy him out, or get out of the business himself. To help guide them through this potentially turbulent event, they turned to MHL Business Coaching.

We began by holding separate meetings with each partner to discuss what they wanted from the split. We were then in a position to devise a strategy involving the business's bank and accountant and a price was agreed to buy-out the retired sportsman.

Once the sale was complete, the next step was to help the chef-owner transform himself into the front of house manager and personality leading the business. 'This wasn't a role I felt came naturally to me. I was actually very reluctant to leave the comfort zone of the kitchen,' he says. 'But working with Sue she set a series of achievable goals which included building my confidence.'

After several months of role play and encouragement, he is now fully engaged in his new role and completely confident that his kitchen team can be trusted to produce dishes to his own high standards. The business continues to go from strength to strength, delivering an annual increase in turnover and profitability of over 50%.


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