CASE-STUDY

When he first reached out in 2023, Gilles was at a crossroads— debating whether start a startup with a product idea, reshape his solopreneur career to include multiple career streams, or continue with his successful growth consulting business. 

Given that he felt stuck and overwhelmed with his options, he was looking for a clear direction and the confidence to make decisions that aligned with his long-term vision.

How it began

Over the years, he’d worked with various coaches, continuously seeking guidance to refine his business ideas and strategies. But hadn’t really landed one that felt fulfilling.

We’d been connected over on LinkedIn for years. In 2023, Gilles was on the lookout for a business coach to help him test out different ideas and seeing my posts on LinkedIn, he decided to reach out and we first spoke through a free discovery call.

“The first free session was really helpful. I clicked with him right away and knew he was the right person to take on as my coach.”

Why he decided to go with Ricardo

Given my background as a product and service designer, I’ve hosted workshops for companies like Doodle, y, z – which have translated really well into the work I do for my business strategy clients.

As a result, Giles trusted me to help him test out business ideas efficiently.

“He seemed like a good listener and a coach. His design background also helped me make the decision. I wanted someone who wouldn’t just give me advice but also, design experiments to test ideas quickly.” 

He wasn’t just looking for a sounding board. He wanted someone who would be able to help him design experiments to validate his ideas quickly.

My Approach

I believe in not just providing the right information to my client, but also giving them the frameworks to take action on it – after all, ideas without implementation aren’t going to be helpful to my clients.

Gilles and I began our work together with an intensive two-month deep dive, where we worked through his decision-making process. Then, we transitioned into an ongoing testing phase where Gilles experimented with different paths (such as a part-time VP role, content creation, and partnerships).

Throughout our work together, I focused on:

• Active Listening & Strategic Guidance: Asking the right questions to move him forward in order to identify the core challenges and ask the right questions to move Gilles forward.

• Strategic Experimentation: to test out different ideas to see a viable path forward or eliminate options early on.

• Practical Tools & Frameworks:Using tools like Miro boards to visually map out ideas and create structured action plans

• Clear Action Steps: Each session concluded with a defined set of tasks, allowing him to make tangible progress between meetings.

“He listens to you very carefully and finds the right question to help you move the needle.

Even when I was exploring dozens of ideas, he could listen, summarize everything with Miro boards – making it very practical, hands-on, and then guiding me to find the clear action steps I should take at the end of every session.

That made it so easy for me to make huge progress during and in between the sessions.”

Results & Impact

Gilles was able to break free from decision fatigue. Prior to working together, he had around 7-8 ideas on paper. 

With each session, and with work in-between, Gilles was able to successfully eliminate ideas that weren’t viable and gained clarity on his path forward – saving him hours of confusion and stress that would’ve occupied his mind otherwise.

What had once felt overwhelming became manageable through structured experiments and clear, strategic guidance.

“He is a fantastic listener and coach. Every time I felt anxious, pressured, even a bit depressed, I knew I could tell him how I felt without being judged.

He always found the right questions to ask to help me feel relieved and go in a positive mindset again.”

Why this hands-on mentorship works for a more established solopreneur like Giles.

My process goes beyond coaching – to absorb the information my clients are providing and dissect them in a structured and practical manner. Because it’s important to me that clients aren’t just left with an expert’s point of view; they also know how to act on it.

My approach with Gilles work in three ways:

1. Simply listening: I ask the right questions to unlock solutions that disperse confusion.

2. A hands-on approach: With each business idea, we’re testing with the help of practical frameworks.

3. Being compassionate, but straightforward: I’m here to support your talents and expertise, but also knowing when to provide direct, consultative advice.

“Ricardo has this ability to sometimes just be a coach, asking the right questions, and other times to remove his ‘coach hat’ and give his opinion more as a consultant.”

Final Thoughts

When asked what he would say to someone considering working with like me, Gilles was clear:

“He is exceptional at guiding you to find the next most efficient step for your business.

If you are looking for a business coach, don't look further: you won't regret it”

I combine emotional support, business coaching, and service design into a hands-on guided approach that makes a real difference to my clients.

Seeing Gilles gain clarity and momentum in his entrepreneurial journey has been incredibly rewarding, and I look forward to supporting him as his business continues to evolve.