Coaching Entrepreneurs Towards Growth: An Experimental Design Study of Coaching Effectiveness for Business Leaders Psychological Capabilities.

Research Question: How effective is evidence-based coaching (EB coaching) in supporting entrepreneurs’ psychological capabilities, enhancing cognition, wellbeing, and performance? Methodology: The study applied a within-subject experimental design with a sample of 19 early-stage entrepreneurs. Participants underwent five one-hour coaching sessions over ten weeks. Data were collected through pre- and post-coaching surveys measuring cognition (solution-focused thinking, hope, self-efficacy), psychological wellbeing (autonomy, personal growth, purpose in life), and emotions (positive and negative). Paired sample t-tests assessed differences before and after coaching. The coaching was based on a solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral approach, aiming to strengthen goal orientation, emotional regulation, and self-awareness among the participants. Coaches were trained psychology master’s students, and each participant’s progress was monitored through goal-setting and reflective exercises. Conclusions: The results indicate that EB coaching effectively enhances solution-focused thinking, hope (agency thinking and goal orientation), and psychological wellbeing, particularly in autonomy, personal growth, and purpose in life. Negative emotions significantly decreased, while positive emotions remained stable. These improvements suggest that coaching can accelerate goal attainment, enhance motivation, and improve entrepreneurs’ psychological resilience in the face of uncertainty and stress. However, no significant changes were found in general self-efficacy and certain aspects of wellbeing, such as environmental mastery and relationships with others. The study acknowledges limitations, including the small sample size and lack of a control group, and calls for further research to explore long-term impacts, the role of digital coaching platforms, and the integration of systemic and relational coaching techniques for broader and sustainable growth. The authors suggest future studies could implement a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative assessments with in-depth qualitative interviews to better understand the personal experiences of entrepreneurs and the nuanced impact of coaching on their psychological growth and business performance. Link to the full article >>