Featured Business – July 2010

Business Coach Builds on Successful Growth Strategies in the Corporate World

Name and Position:  Bernhard Heine, Business Coach/Owner

Business Name and location:  Professional Business Coaches, Inc., Marshfield, MA

Product/Service: Business Coaching

How did you come to be in this line of work?
I started my career as a marine engineer because I like the variety of the work, and the travel.  A marine engineer needs to have a broad understanding of all of the systems on a ship from the main engines to the wall outlets.  I then got my MBA and started working as a management consultant, again attracted to the broad nature of the work across many industries.  I then spent 20 years working for large companies like Coca-Cola and Textron, leading strategy initiatives and helping business leaders grow their businesses.  Last year I started my own business doing work that I love, helping business leaders be successful and applying my skills across many industries.

What are the top three things that separate you from your competition?

1. Twenty years of experience in the corporate world creating successful growth strategies and efficient new processes, including having a Six Sigma designation in process improvement.
2. Licensed by, and a member of,  the Professional Business Coaches Alliance, which gives me access to over 100 business coaches around the world and a extensive set of materials to help my clients.
3. Harvard Business School MBA graduate.

Describe your dream/perfect/best customer.
The best client for me is the owner or leader of a business that is growing but needs help creating a more professional company.  I find that many people who go into business or who get promoted up may have great technical skills, but they lack the broad business skills they need to profitably lead an organization.  Many business owners are working very long hours and are stuck in their businesses.  They often do not know how to manage growth since they are already working every waking hour.  They need to create a business that works for them, giving them the lifestyle they deserve.

What changes are happening, or can you predict happening soon, within your industry?
Coaching firms are growing and many coaches in the future will be working in coaching firms or affiliated with larger organizations as opposed to being totally independent as has often been the case in the past.

What do you regard as your greatest achievement in business to date?
In my eight years at Textron I led key transformation initiatives where we moved the $10B+ company from being a loosely held holding company to something we called a “Networked Enterprise,” where the independent businesses worked together.  I led a team to create a new strategy for the Aircraft and Defense businesses that represented about 60 percent of the total company.  We created new ways for these businesses to work together, and acquired some new businesses that made this segment much more competitive and sustainable.

Where do you want you and your business to be in five years?
In five years I will have several other business coaches working with me in my company and I will be a well known resource for businesses on the South Shore and beyond.

What benefit(s) have you received through your networking efforts?
I meet many of my clients at networking events or through others that I meet at networking events.  I enjoy meeting new people and finding those businesses who can really benefit from my experience and capabilities. Additionally I have met many people that I now include in my referral network which is very helpful to me and my clients.

What is/are your one or two toughest challenges?
One of my toughest challenges is meeting local business owners who are committed to improving their business and their lives.  My previous business contacts have been spread out globally and even though we have lived on the South Shore in Marshfield for 11 years, I did not have many local business contacts.

What motivates you on a day-to-day basis?
I really love to see the progress that my clients are making with their businesses and how that impacts them as business owners and people in general.  The thanks I get from them after each coaching session makes my day.

What is something that members may be surprised to learn about you?
I enjoy singing and playing the trumpet, mostly in church these days.  In college I twice had the honor of playing for President Regan and performed at many official events like playing taps at Arlington National Cemetery.

What do you do in your spare time for fun?
I enjoy spending time with my family, both relaxing at home and traveling.  I also enjoy pursuing my many hobbies around the house, building, fixing and repairing things.

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