Practical support to help NZ business owners lead with confidence and get real results.

Straightforward advice, proven leadership coaching, and business mentoring that works in the real world.
Take The growth Challenge

Expert Guidance When Business Feels Uncertain

In today’s fast-moving world, uncertainty isn’t just a challenge, it’s an opportunity. Think Differently offers experienced, practical coaching to help you reframe your situation and carve a path forward with clarity and confidence.

Call Phil

Why Think Differently?

Practical business coaching and leadership development to drive growth and achieve results.
Call Phil

A Different Perspective

When you’re knee-deep in the day-to-day, it’s easy to miss blind spots. Our outside view, helps you see opportunities or risks you’d otherwise overlook.

Accountability

We will keep you honest, make sure you follow through, and help you stay focused when distractions (or excuses) pop up.

Conscious Leadership

We help clients think about their thinking, becoming conscious leaders who make deliberate choices and execute with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Are We For You?

Top 3 signs we can help

Take The growth Challenge

You’re stuck in the same cycle

If you’ve been pushing hard but the results don’t really change, same revenue, same issues, same frustrations.

Find Out More

You’re working harder

Long hours, endless to-do lists, but no real progress on the bigger picture. The business feels like it’s running you.

Find Out More

You’ve got ideas but no clear path

Plenty of business owners have the vision but struggle to break it into steps that actually get done.

Find Out More

Testimonials

We have been working with Phil since 2012. During this time we have grown from a staff of 10 to well over 30 and quadrupled our turnover. Working with Phil has enabled us to develop strategies and implement plans that we didn’t even know we needed before meeting him. At the beginning of our journey together we were not working on our business at all and, to be honest, we were floundering.

- Clare McCall C McCal Plumbing Constractors Ltd

Phil Pickford has provided considerable support to our business since we began working together in 2008. Over the years he has counseled, advised, mentored and coached me (and my team) on a vast array of subjects! The focus of our meetings has always been on business strategy but he has provided enormous support in other areas as well (management, HR, new business, and organisational structure to name a few).

- Natasha Bourke Managing Director Skin Health Experts (S.H.E)

We have been using Think Differently for over 2 years and have seen remarkable gains in our business, over 50% growth each year. We have consistently broken sales records and have become a leading force in our field. Phil is an outstanding mentor with an invaluable wealth of knowledge and I couldn’t recommend him enough.

- Warwick Shearer Director, The Maintenance Guys Ltd

Phil Pickford reflects on the early days of Think Differently and why he chose the name. Think Differently delivers coaching that challenges assumptions, empowers leaders, and creates lasting growth.

Call Phil

It All Starts With A Coffee

Coffee

It starts with a relaxed meeting over a coffee. This isn’t a sales meeting, this is about getting to know each other.  

The Plan

Over a 2-hour workshop in our Albany offices we will document the key aspects of your business and support you in developing an initial strategic plan. 

Support

We know how tough it is to deliver while running a business. With our experience and practical advice, we’ll help you turn plans into progress and real results.

Email Phil

Frequently asked Questions

A business coach works with a business owner to clarify goals, build a practical strategy and put it into action, while developing the owner’s leadership along the way. Think Differently, based in Albany, Auckland, provides business coaching, mentoring and consulting for New Zealand business owners, led by founder Phil Pickford.

Think Differently is a business coaching firm based in Albany on Auckland’s North Shore, at Suite A, 1st Floor, Building 6, 331 Rosedale Road, Albany, Auckland 0632. Founder Phil Pickford and The Think Differently Group have worked with business owners across New Zealand for over 20 years.

You may need a business coach if you are stuck in the same cycle with the same revenue and frustrations, working harder without real progress, or have ideas but no clear path to act on them. Think Differently describes these as the top three signs it can help, and works with owners from small family-run businesses to growing companies with bigger teams.

Think Differently tailors its support to each business, so the cost depends on the approach you choose. Most commonly clients start with weekly meetings where a Strategic Plan is crafted and specific yearly and quarterly goals developed.  Weekly Execution consists of continual review and fine tuning along with the setting of weekly priorities that are confirmed and set at these weekly meetings.  Additionally Think Differently will “have the back” of all its clients i.e. answer questions during the week, provide support and backup.  Clients pay monthly for these weekly meetings, prices ranging from $1,500 + GST to $2,500 + GST per month, depending on company size and complexity.  These weekly meetings can, over time, change to fortnightly or monthly with decreases in monthly cost.  Coaching sessions are charged at an hourly rate of between $250 to $300 per hour.  Think Differently “has the back” of its purely coaching clients as well.

With Think Differently, you start with a relaxed coffee meeting with Phil Pickford, which is about getting to know each other rather than a sales meeting. A two-hour workshop at the Albany offices then documents your business and builds an initial strategic plan. You can also call Phil on 021 431990 or book a discovery call online.

Email Phil

Blog