People become business coaches for perks like flex work hours.

It’s a story that’s becoming fairly common — people leaving careers they’ve had their whole lives to follow their true passion — but often times, even though people leave careers to start their own business in something that’s been a hobby for years, they still need help.

The Wall Street Journal recently published a story about high-powered executives who left their careers to, for example, start their own restaurant or work for a nonprofit. Even though they were executives at one point and know exactly what needs to be done in order to make their businesses successful, sometimes — as business owners might know — it’s easier said than done.

A lot of people the Wall Street Journal interviewed also wanted to work less and have more time for friends and family, and with their career changes, some have been able to do just that.

Said Rick Walleigh, 59, who left his management position at a tech company for a position in a nonprofit, “Work is a lot more fun if you’re not the one who is ultimately responsible for everything.” Walleigh now works 25 hours a week as opposed to 60-70 hours a week at the tech company.

Read the full article here. ActionCOACH and Brad Sugars is mentioned toward the end of the story because, let’s face it, lots of people become business coaches after long careers with other companies at other positions. Set your own hours and help other professionals in situations you once experienced — there’s lots to gain from a career change like that.

Imagine if in addition to all the “normal” challenges to being a business owner, you had another challenge thrown at you from left field? A challenge that could not only affect your business, but also your life?

That’s exactly what happened to Michele Alexander, a top business coach, when one morning, she woke up completely deaf. Alexander isn’t a business owner herself, but a certified business coach. Not being able to hear her clients, business owners, who needed to work through business issues, could have proved detrimental, but she managed to get through the day. She didn’t let any of her clients down, despite the fact that she couldn’t hear them!

Michele’s experience going through what seems like an impossible challenge — business coaching clients while deaf — just goes to show the lengths certified business coaches go to to make sure their clients succeed and reach their utmost potential. Find out more about what a business coach and business coaching session can do for any business here.

To read more about Michele’s amazing story here.

An important part of business from an expert, Jim Rohn.

All you need is a distinct market, an idea that’s feasible and detailed planning or a marketing strategy to pull it all off. That’s all it takes to build a small business – those three little things.

Well, they might not actually be little. They take a lot of work, but with hard work — lots of it — and possibly small business coaching, those things become three big things, which lead to a successful small business. Read the full article here.

To see how your small business fares against the competition, click here.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 19.7% of 2009 graduates landed a job.

Who knows how many tries that took, too…and the unemployment rate in some states is either climbing or stagnant.

However, if you’ve still got your job and business afloat, now is a great time to really prove what you can do.

Whether you’re a manager or work for a manager, secure your job and position yourself for success – even in the recession.

If you’re an employee:

• Do your research and find out which managers are moving up the chain or overwhelmed. Then volunteer to help out as necessary.
• Along with the first point, be prepared to take on work you might not normally do, work long hours, or difficult tasks.
• Maintain contacts – work with other departments and form good working relationships…you never know when you may need them again.
• It’s a recession, so any worthwhile suggestions in how to cut costs are appreciated – just make sure you play a part in the effort.

Some extra pointers for managers or business owners:

• Save now to make a smart investment for the future
• Motivate employees to do great work
• Find out if you’re meeting all customers’ needs
• Find ways to differentiate your business from competitors

It’s probably a good idea to take a cue from ActionCOACH’s 14 points of culture, too: be positive, grateful, a team player and commit to excellent and successful results.