Client background
Clare Norman is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), a Mentor Coach and a Certified Coach Supervisor. With over 25 years of experience in maximising individual, team, and organisational effectiveness, Clare’s purpose is to enable people to express their needs in service of a more caring world.
Clare is the published author of three books: The Transformational Coach (2022), Mentor Coaching: A Practical Guide (2020), and Cultivating Coachability (2024). Her clients include companies seeking support for their people during significant changes, as well as passionate individuals making high-impact transitions in their careers and lives.
The challenge
As Clare’s coaching practice, Clare Norman Coaching Associates grew, she found herself increasingly caught up in the operational details of running a business rather than focusing on what she does best – coaching and developing others. Like many successful practitioners, she needed strategic support to manage business operations whilst maintaining the quality and growth of her client work.
The partnership approach
Since 2017, Debbie has worked as Clare’s outsourced Business Manager, providing comprehensive operational and strategic support that allows her to concentrate on delivering exceptional coaching services to her clients.
Key Areas of Support
Business operations management
- Programme coordination for all coaching clients
- Client relationship management
- Project oversight and delivery
- Systems management across multiple platforms, including Xero, WordPress, Mailchimp, Dubsado, Airtable, and Trello
Strategic development
- Forward-thinking business planning
- Implementation of new initiatives and ideas
- Quarterly strategic reviews and planning sessions
- Three successful book launches, managing all operational aspects
Marketing and communications
- External communications strategy
- Social media management and content distribution
- Newsletter and blog coordination
- Website content updates and development
- Collaboration with web developers on design and functionality improvements
Working methodology
The partnership operates through a structured yet flexible approach:
- Fortnightly online planning meetings to maintain momentum and address immediate priorities
- Quarterly face-to-face sessions for deeper strategic planning and business development
- Ongoing project management and implementation between meetings
Results and impact
Clare’s business has experienced consistent growth since the partnership began in 2017. By removing operational burdens and providing strategic input, the collaboration has enabled Clare to focus entirely on her core coaching work whilst building a robust, well-organised business foundation.
The partnership has also extended beyond direct business support. Clare has become a strong advocate for Boost and Beyond, referring several clients and actively supporting the business’s growth and development.
Clare’s testimonial
“Debbie and I have worked together since 2017, she has become my ‘right hand woman’, partnering with me at every step of my business development. She thinks ahead and enables me to rise up out of the detail to look at the big picture, challenging me and holding me to account to keep momentum. Debbie often calls on her extensive network of collaborators for their business support solutions that enable me to focus on delivering to my customers while they provide the underpinning structures and processes to make everything run smoothly. My business has gone from strength to strength as a result.”
What Debbie has to say about the partnership
“Building a genuine partnership rather than a transactional relationship is absolutely crucial to how I work – it’s where the real magic happens. My own business journey since 2017 has been supported and enriched every step of the way by Clare, her business, and the wonderful community she’s created. I owe her an enormous debt of gratitude and feel incredibly fortunate to have such a successful and meaningful business relationship. Working with Clare has shown me firsthand the value of true collaboration and mutual support.”
Key success factors
This long-term partnership demonstrates several crucial elements:
- Strategic thinking beyond task completion– anticipating needs and challenges before they arise
- Accountability and challenge– providing the external perspective needed to maintain momentum and growth
- Network leverage– accessing specialist expertise when required
- Deep business understanding– seven years of collaboration have created an intuitive working relationship
- Focus on outcomes– enabling the client to concentrate on their core expertise whilst ensuring business growth continues
The Boost and Beyond difference
This case study illustrates the value of a true business partnership rather than simple outsourcing. By combining operational excellence with strategic thinking and constructive challenge, long-term relationships create sustainable business growth whilst allowing business owners to focus on what they do best.
If you would like to find out more about our outsourced business management and development services, visit our webpage. If you’d like to book a discovery call with Debbie, please fill out our contact form.