How to Know If You Need a Strategy Coach (And Not Just Another Consultant)

April 23, 2026

Middle market CEOs call me looking for a consultant. Most of them don’t need one. They need a coach.

The difference

A consultant writes the plan. A coach makes sure you execute it. Consultants leave when the deck is done. Coaches stay until the numbers move. If you already know what to do and can’t get yourself to do it, you don’t need more analysis. You need accountability.

Three signs you need a coach

First, you have the strategy but it’s not getting executed. Second, you’re the smartest person in every meeting and it’s exhausting. Third, you’ve hired consultants before and the company went right back to where it started 90 days after they left.

What a real coach does

A real coach asks the questions you’ve been avoiding. They hold you to the commitments you’ve already made. They don’t write 80-page decks. They force clarity in 30 minutes. And they’ve actually run businesses themselves — not just advised on them.

If that sounds like what’s missing, we should talk.

Ready for a direct conversation about your business?

Bill Canady takes a limited number of strategy coaching calls each month with middle market CEOs, founders, and owners who want a direct read on where their company stands and what to do next. No pitch. No fluff. One honest conversation about growth, profitability, and exit readiness. Book your strategy coaching call at billcanady.com.

About the Author

Bill Canady

Bill Canady is a national best-selling author, Founder & CEO of The 80/20 Institute, and a global business leader known for transforming companies into high-performing, profitable enterprises. Over the course of his career, Bill has led multibillion-dollar organizations through their most critical challenges—navigating complex regulatory, investor, and media environments—while consistently delivering profitable growth.

Drawing on decades of executive experience, Bill created the Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS), a proven framework designed to help leaders cut complexity, focus on the critical few, and accelerate growth. Through The 80/20 Institute, he and his team partner with CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs worldwide to apply the 80/20 methodology in real-world settings, unlocking revenue growth, margin expansion, and shareholder value.

As both an operator and advisor, Bill’s mission is clear: to give leaders the tools, systems, and confidence they need to achieve sustainable, profitable growth — without sacrificing focus, culture, or execution.

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