Imagine if top athletes only trained for one week a year—would they ever reach their full potential? The same goes for your business. A single burst of training won’t cut it if you want your team to truly thrive.
When it comes to building a successful business, there’s one truth that’s easy to overlook: training isn’t a one-and-done event. You can’t gather your team for a week of intensive learning, hand them a binder, and expect them to remember everything for the rest of the year. The best organizations understand that continuous growth comes from ongoing development, not from cramming all the information into a single session.
I talk about this in my book: the world’s best athletes have coaches who guide, challenge, and support them every step of the way. These athletes don’t just show up for a one-time boot camp—they train, review, and refine their skills constantly. That’s what keeps them at the top of their game. Your business deserves the same approach.
This will also help with employee engagement and retention. Remember, hiring is more costly than retention. Training and professional development help with retention.
It can feel overwhelming. Here is what I would do for my organization:
Start with a Strong Onboarding Plan
The first 90 days are critical for any new team member. A clear, structured onboarding plan helps them understand their role, your company’s expectations, and how they can contribute from day one. This is about setting the foundation for success and making sure new hires feel supported, not overwhelmed.
Then, Keep the Momentum Going
After onboarding, the real work begins. Ongoing training should be part of your company’s DNA. This could mean monthly workshops, regular process reviews, or leadership coaching sessions. The goal is to make learning a habit, not a chore. When your team knows they’ll get regular opportunities to grow, they’re more engaged, confident, and ready to tackle new challenges.
What do I train on?
This is pretty simple…look at the capabilities needed for the job, look at your team members’ needs, and work on creating ongoing training around that.
There are many tools you can utilize, so you personally don’t have to come up with the training materials. But here are some ideas on things you could train on:
- Ongoing training on CRM
- Sales training
- Establishing Metrics
- How to do an annual review
- How to analyze data to make business decisions
- Project Management
- Leadership training (communication, delegating, running meetings, giving feedback)
- CliftonStrengths review so everyone can work together
- Process and Systems Review
- Customer service excellence
- Problem solving and critical thinking
- Compliance and Safety
And the list could go on, and become industry-specific.
Why Does This Matter?
- Your team will feel more confident and clear about their responsibilities.
- Processes and systems will actually get used (and improved!).
- Managers will become better leaders, not just taskmasters.
- You’ll spend less time putting out fires and more time moving your business forward.
If you want less pain and more clarity in your organization, make ongoing training a priority. Don’t leave your team’s growth up to chance—coach them like the pros.
Where do I go from here?
If you are interested in building out a training plan that works for your business, let’s chat. We can help you create a clear, effective onboarding and ongoing training system so your team can perform their best every day.
Ways to Work Together
If you are feeling trapped in your business and not experiencing the freedom you want, here are the two ways we can work together.
Accelerate is a 3-month mastermind starting in July, designed to help you break through business roadblocks and create lasting change. For $1500, you’ll get a 1-hour deep dive with Stephanie, weekly mastermind coaching, fast email support, and exclusive access to all German Business Consulting resources. Stop feeling stuck, isolated, or overwhelmed—Accelerate gives you the support and clarity you need to move forward. Set yourself up for success and build a business you love.
Clarity Call: Ready to build a business that gives you true freedom? I create custom solutions tailored to your industry, goals, and vision of success—so you can love your business again. Click above to schedule a call to clarify your goals, tackle roadblocks, and see how we can work together.
Business Roadmap: This is for business owners who want clear, actionable next steps—not another generic course. Get a plan tailored to your business, clarity on what matters, and the resources to move forward. Walk away knowing exactly what to do—and what to ignore—so you can save time, money, and avoid years of frustration.
A fourth way, and I know I only said two, but sometimes I can’t help myself. If you are feeling stuck and are in need of resources, reach out. I am happy to point you in the right direction and even provide an asset of my own to help you move forward.
Stephanie German is a business strategist, adjunct professor, and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and loves giving back to her community in a variety of ways. When she’s not coaching clients or writing about leadership, Stephanie is usually headed to the mountains or the beach with her family, drinking savory wine, or working on the latest project with her husband. Stephanie’s greatest desires are to raise up the next generation of leaders while raising her own children to be strong, independent, and brave. She lives in Fresno, California with her husband Blake and her three spunky daughters, Cara, Kinsey, and Peyton. She is the best-selling author of So Your Boss Can’t Lead?
I strategically help business owners develop their leadership competencies, implement ways to be more strategic to increase revenue, develop workflows that affect the bottom line, and create work-life integration so they live a life they love. Set up a free 15-minute consult. Click Here.
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Stephanie German is a business strategist, adjunct professor, and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and loves giving back to her community in a variety of ways. When she’s not coaching clients or writing about leadership, Stephanie is usually headed to the mountains or the beach with her family, drinking savory wine, or working on the latest project with her husband. Stephanie’s greatest desires are to raise up the next generation of leaders while raising her own children to be strong, independent, and brave. She lives in Fresno, California with her husband Blake and her three spunky daughters, Cara, Kinsey, and Peyton. She is the best-selling author of So Your Boss Can’t Lead?