Increased Confidence and Clarity
Stu Perlmeter
Principal and Senior Analyst
First Resource
www.1st-resource.com
TAB Trusted Business Advisor client since 2005
On working with Blair Koch: "I don't know if another coach would have gotten me where I've gotten. Blair listens attentively and ‘gets it' quickly. Any competent business coach can enforce goals and accountability - that's middle of the pack stuff. Where Blair stands out - what makes her unique - is her personality and ability to grasp details and tie them together in a fluid way. She pulls eleven-teen data points together - things you said two seconds ago, two meeting ago, two years ago - and puts it all together in a way that has impact and helps you see the situation in a different way. That's the magic." Perlmeter adds that Koch is much more than a coach, a title he says has become a tired concept. "Blair is in a separate category. She's a trusted business advisor."
The client: Stu Perlmeter founded First Resource in 1996. The Denver-based firm offers market research and business development services. Perlmeter works with ten virtual associates, most of whom are in the greater Denver area.
The business challenge: With First Resource at the ten-year mark, Perlmeter wanted to gain clarity on how to most effectively grow his company. "I had some growth challenges that involved a lot of personal work on my end to determine what my role can and should be," says Perlmeter.
The process: Perlmeter meets with Blair Koch twice a month (once in person and once by phone) and says they focus their attention on two things. First, they address what Perlmeter calls "the burning issues of the day." Then, they work on the bigger picture: long-term goals and problem solving. "Specificity is not one of my strong points, but it's one of Blair's," says Perlmeter. In their very first meeting they worked together on how to make goals measurable.
The results: "Blair has gotten me on track and kept me on track for four years toward the goals I'd originally stated," says Perlmeter. "I'm totally confident that we'll continue to realize the vision that I have for the company in our second decade."
Perlmeter says he feels more confident as a result of working with Koch and that he now has a better ability to assess his own progress. "I tend to be self-critical, as a lot of entrepreneurs are. We drive ourselves." He appreciates that Koch can point out his achievements and, at the same time, holds his feet to the fire to achieve the next set of goals.
