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Coaching & Advisory

Spot opportunities, overcome challenges, and focus on what truly matters with a business coach at your side.

With real-world experience in running businesses and leading teams, our coaches offer the expertise and understanding you need to grow smarter and faster.

Andy Hamilton
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What is business coaching?

More than just guidance, working with an Icehouse Business Coach is a partnership. With their expertise and your drive, you'll tackle obstacles, seize opportunities, and elevate your business to new heights.

Matched with someone whose experience, attitude and approach suits you, together  you'll dive deep into your unique challenges, and work towards a common goal.

Taranaki Story 266 Do Business Story Business meeting one on one

What can a business coach help with?

Business Planning
  • Identify desired outcomes and related business goals
  • Risk assessment and mitigation planning
  • Clarify the skills and capabilities that you will need to achieve the goals 
  • Identify priorities and create an action plan for the business  
Finance
  • Understand the financial drivers of your business
  • Implement key financial measures and reporting
  • Optimise cashflow and funding
Sales & Marketing
  • Identify your strengths and "secret sauce”
  • Deepen your understanding of your target customers’ needs
  • Create marketing and communications plans
  • Develop sales strategy, structure and process
Governance
  • Build sound decision-making processes
  • Put an advisory board in place
  • Chair advisory board
People & Structure
  • Organisation structure
  • Refine HR processes 
  • Team performance and leadership  development
  • Build the culture and resilience of your team
Technology
  • Digital capability review
  • Digital transformation ideation
  • Streamlined processes
  • Develop a digital strategy

And so much more...

The Process

01

Discovery & Needs Analysis

Talk with one of our team about your business and goals.

They will recommend one or more coaches that could help you based on location and topic expertise.

You can review their bio's and credentials, then a preliminary meeting is setup between you and the coach.
02

Intro & Agreement

You'll have a no-obligation meeting with your preferred coach to ensure their experience and approach suits you. If you'd like to look elsewhere, we'll repeat the process for you.

Once you've found someone you click with, a contract will be drawn up and signed before any costs are incurred by you.

03

Kick-off & Renewal

Your first engagement will be minimum 3 months of regular catch-ups with the coach focussed on the actions agreed in steps one and two.

Near the end of the engagement, we'll start discussions around whether a renewal is needed - this is often the case if there's still work to do, you enjoy the accountability and external perspective, or you've found additional things you'd like to focus on.

Our Coaches

Ralph Blackburn

Waikato
I specialise in
  • Business Development
  • Business Strategy
  • Operations Management
  • Organisation Structure
  • HR & Recruitment
  • Mergers and Aquisitions
  • Finance and Funding
  • Accounting

About

Ralph is focused on helping business owners to achieve their dreams, whether they are well established or just starting out. He has held senior executive roles (both financial and operational) with successful Waikato businesses across diverse industries such as the dairy industry, FMCG, tapware manufacturer, public transport, and automotive retail.These businesses have included both large organisations and family owned SME's.
Ralph is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years CA experience. During his career he has developed a wide range of skills covering finance, sales, operations, It and HR. He has project lead several due diligence projects including the successful post implementation of acquisitions. Ralph actively volunteers in the not for profit sector. Currently he is Chair of the Eastlink Community Hub.

I have previously worked with

  • Dairy Industry
  • Automotive Retailer
  • Pharmacy
  • Auto Electrical Wholesale

I have experience working in

  • New Zealand

Ralph Blackburn

Waikato
Specialises In
  • Business Development
  • Business Strategy
  • Operations Management
  • Organisation Structure
  • HR & Recruitment
  • Mergers and Aquisitions
  • Finance and Funding
  • Accounting
I can work in these locations
  • Auckland South
  • Waikato
  • Bay Of Plenty
I have industry experience with
  • Retail trade
  • Manufacturing
  • Transport and Logistics
  • Agriculture
  • I can work with you
    • In person & online
    I can make the most impact on businesses with annual revenue currently
    • $10,000,000 +

    Let's chat about working with
    Ralph Blackburn

    “Having Andy working alongside us is perfect for us right now. He’s helping with the big picture stuff and the core alliance model which is a hybrid between franchising and licensing -it’s more like a partnership with other builders around the country.”

     

    "We probably booked in for an hour session, and he ended up giving us three and a half hours of his time. We nearly missed our flight afterwards, but we were almost in the mindset of, ‘the flight doesn't matter, we need this’."

     

    "Even if I try to take a step back and look at things objectively, or look at things from a different perspective, it still wouldn't be some stuff that I'd pick up on… His knowledge and intellect on all things business – no matter what industry it is – he just seems to find gems that you can focus on."

    “Having Andy working alongside us is perfect for us right now. He’s helping with the big picture stuff and the core alliance model which is a hybrid between franchising and licensing -it’s more like a partnership with other builders around the country.”

     

    "We probably booked in for an hour session, and he ended up giving us three and a half hours of his time. We nearly missed our flight afterwards, but we were almost in the mindset of, ‘the flight doesn't matter, we need this’."

     

    "Even if I try to take a step back and look at things objectively, or look at things from a different perspective, it still wouldn't be some stuff that I'd pick up on… His knowledge and intellect on all things business – no matter what industry it is – he just seems to find gems that you can focus on."

    Looking for a collaborative programme?

    1-on-1 isn't everyone's cup of tea. In addition to business coaching and advisory, we run a number of programmes for owners and leaders within Kiwi businesses.

    Looking for a collaborative programme?