What a Consultant Does

A consultant is hired to solve a specific, defined problem using their expertise. They come in, diagnose, recommend, and often implement. The deliverable is external — a strategy, a system, a set of recommendations. You pay for their knowledge and their answers.

Consulting is the right choice when you have a specific domain problem you don't have internal expertise for: a marketing strategy, a financial restructure, a technology implementation, a legal issue. The consultant brings knowledge you don't have and applies it to your situation.

What a Coach Does

A coach is hired to develop your capacity as a leader and decision-maker. The deliverable is internal — better judgment, stronger execution, clearer strategic thinking. A coach doesn't give you the answers. They help you find them, test them, and implement them with accountability.

Coaching is the right choice when the constraint is you — how you lead, how you make decisions, how you build your team, how you set and execute strategy. The knowledge exists in the room. What's missing is clarity, accountability, and an honest outside perspective.

The Practical Test

Ask yourself: do I need someone to tell me what to do, or do I need someone to help me do what I know I need to do? If it's the first, you probably need a consultant. If it's the second — and it usually is, for founders at the $1M–$10M stage — you need a coach.

The most common mistake: hiring a consultant when what you need is a coach. The consultant produces a brilliant strategy document. The founder lacks the clarity and accountability to implement it. Six months later, nothing has changed.

When You Need Both

Sometimes the answer is both, in sequence. Use a consultant to solve a specific domain problem — a new pricing model, a restructured team, a go-to-market strategy. Then use a coach to implement it — to build the habits, the accountability, and the leadership capability to actually execute what the consultant recommended.