Why Startup Founders Should Work With A Coach

When I was an early-stage entrepreneur, I considered—and then quickly dismissed—the idea of hiring an "executive coach." I assumed a coach would be too expensive and completely out of touch with what it takes to launch a new product from a shed in Menlo Park. Two years later, we reached profitability. But I often wondered how much better I could have performed if I had worked with a coach. So, I left ElliptiGO almost three years ago to found my startup-focused coaching practice.

Coaching isn't new to Silicon Valley, but it isn't as commonplace as it could be among startup founders. Mark Suster bluntly highlights the value of coaches to founders: "If you don't work with somebody like that now, it's your loss."