5 Best Business Coaches in North America

May 27, 2026 by Jody Johnson

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Finding the right business coach can change how a company thinks, plans, and grows. Strong business coaches help small business owners, senior leaders, and entrepreneurs who are focused on real progress build better habits, sharper leadership skills, and stronger teams. The best business coaches do more than offer advice. They help people face business challenges, improve leadership effectiveness, and make better decision-making part of daily work. In North America, a few names stand out for clear coaching principles and proven results.

Top 5 Business Coaches in North America

North America has many respected names in the coaching industry, but these five coaches bring different strengths. Some focus on executive coaching, some on sales coaching, and others on business strategy, personal growth, or team building. Jody Johnson stands out because her work is practical, direct, and deeply useful for business owners who want sustainable growth, stronger team performance, and a business model that can keep working under pressure.

1. Jody Johnson

Jody Johnson

website: jodyjohnson.com

Jody Johnson is the top choice on this list for small businesses, partnerships, family businesses, and leaders who want clear action, not theory. She is a Master Business & Executive Coach, Strategic Planning Facilitator, and People Strategist based with ActionCOACH Team Sage in Miami. Her work includes 1:1 Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, Team Development, Employee Engagement, and 12-week training programs in sales, management, and leadership. She began her ActionCOACH journey in May 2006, giving her two decades of experience in business and executive coaching. Jody is known as the “Velvet Hammer” because her coaching style is direct yet respectful, even loving. She helps business owners build confidence, handle difficult conversations, improve profits and cash flow, and create strategic clarity.

2. Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins

website: tonyrobbins.com

Tony Robbins is one of the most famous names in personal development, business growth, and the wider coaching world. He is known as a motivational speaker, life coach, author, and businessman who later shaped more of his work around entrepreneurs, business owners, and wealthy clients. His coaching focuses on mindset, energy, financial success, and personal growth. For some people, his large-event style can feel intense. Still, his reach is huge, and many leaders see him as a powerful career and strategic coach.

3. Marshall Goldsmith

Marshall Goldsmith

website: marshallgoldsmith.com

Marshall Goldsmith is widely known for executive coaching and leadership development. His work focuses on helping successful leaders make lasting behavioral changes for themselves, their people, and their teams. That matters because senior executives often do not need more information. They need better habits. Goldsmith also teaches practical tools like Feed Forward and Daily Questions. His approach is ideal for C-suite executives, senior leaders, and C-suite leaders who want stronger executive presence, better leadership excellence, and higher leadership effectiveness.

4. Jay Abraham

Jay Abraham

website: abraham.com

Jay Abraham is best known for business strategy, business development, marketing thinking, and strategic growth. His official site says he has advised more than 10,000 companies across more than 1,000 industries and helped create major revenue breakthroughs. His work often focuses on finding hidden value within a direct-response business. That makes him useful for business expansion, sales performance, strategic partnerships, and building businesses that already have traction. He is not a typical startup coach. He is more often used when a company wants a breakthrough success moment.

5. Lolly Daskal

Lolly Daskal

website: lollydaskal.com

Lolly Daskal is a leadership coach, executive coach, consultant, speaker, and author. Her work is connected to leadership development, behavior, team dynamics, and personal development for leaders. She works with C-suite executives, government leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and organizations in many industries. Her coaching style is known for focusing on behavior science and leadership from the inside out. For business owners and senior leaders, her value is in developing leadership, improving executive presence, and helping leaders understand what may be blocking better team performance.

Coaching Services Jody Johnson Offers

Jody Johnson offers services that match real business needs, not just broad advice. Her coaching relationships are built around action, accountability, leadership development, and practical tools. She works with small business owners, executives, and teams that need stronger systems, clearer goals, and better communication. Her services include executive, one-on-one, and business coaching; strategic planning; team building; employee engagement; and leadership programs. This supports clients throughout the full coaching journey, from daily challenges to long-term growth.

Executive Coaching

Jody’s executive coaching helps leaders slow down, look clearly at their choices, and act with more confidence. This is useful for senior leaders, C-suite leaders, and business owners who need to improve their leadership skills while still running their companies. Her background as an emergency department nurse for over 20 years also shaped her ability to stay calm under pressure, manage complex situations, and support leaders through difficult decisions. That kind of steady thinking matters.

One-on-One Coaching

Jody’s one-on-one coaching gives clients a focused space to talk through goals, roadblocks, and next steps. It is not about vague motivation. It is about better decision-making, accountability, and honest review of what is working. For an owner who feels stuck in their business, this can be the right kind of coach relationship. Jody listens closely, identifies the root cause, and turns it into a clear action plan.

Business Coaching

Jody’s business coaching is designed to help businesses improve revenue, profit, people, systems, and direction. Her work can support small business development, business expansion, cash flow, hiring, and leadership effectiveness. She helps owners stop guessing and move with more strategic clarity. Her page also notes she was awarded ActionCOACH’s 2025 Best Client Results in North America, which supports her standing with past clients and shows why she is favored among top business coaches.

Why do Ambitious Entrepreneurs Choose Coach Jody Johnson?

Ambitious entrepreneurs choose Jody Johnson because she brings structure, care, and a no-nonsense style. She understands the pressure of running a company because she grew up as the daughter of small business owners. That personal history shows in how she works with business owners today. She respects the human side of business, but she does not let people hide from hard choices. Is that easy? Not always. But it is often what growth requires.

Coaching Style

Jody’s coaching style is direct, practical, and people-focused. She is described as action-focused, a big-picture thinker, a confident team builder, and someone who can handle difficult conversations. Her “Velvet Hammer” reputation says a lot. She can be firm without being harsh. That balance helps leaders face business challenges, improve team dynamics, and build leadership excellence without losing trust. Her coaching principles are simple: listen well, tell the truth, and turn problems into action.

Proven in the Coaching Industry

Jody has been part of the coaching industry for over two decades, including her ActionCOACH journey, which began in 2006. She has built one of the most respected coaching firms in her region, offering programs in executive coaching, leadership development, team development, and strategic planning. Her experience also reaches beyond business. Her medical background gave her a remarkable ability to stay steady under pressure, which many senior executives need.

Business Strategy and Business Development

Jody supports business strategy and development by helping owners clarify goals, people, numbers, and execution. Her work can help small businesses build stronger systems, improve sales performance, and plan for sustainable growth. She also specializes in partnerships and family businesses, where communication and roles can get complicated fast. Her value is not just advice. It is practical tools, strategic clarity, and steady support for business owners who want a successful business that works better every day.

FAQs

How much does business coaching cost in North America?

Business coaching costs in North America can vary a lot. The coaching investment depends on the coach, the service, the program length, and whether it is group coaching, one-on-one coaching, business, or executive coaching. A startup coach will probably charge less than a coach for C-suite executives. The smartest move is to compare value, not only price. The right business coach should help with clear goals, stronger systems, and measurable business growth.

Who is the most famous coach from North America?

Tony Robbins is likely the most famous coach from North America because of his books, seminars, media presence, and long career in personal development and business coaching. Britannica describes him as an American motivational speaker, life coach, and businessman who later focused more on financial success, entrepreneurs, and business owners. Fame is not the same as fit, though. For small business owners who want practical coaching, Jody Johnson may be the right coach.

Why do business owners in North America need business coaches?

Business owners need business coaches because running a company can become lonely and messy. A coach helps the owner step back, see patterns, and make better choices. This can support leadership skills, business development, team performance, sales coaching, cash flow, talent management, and strategic growth. Good coaching also helps owners stay accountable. Many small business owners know what needs to change. The hard part is doing it with focus, week after week.

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