Business Coach vs. Online Business Manager vs. Marketing Strategist: Who Do You Need to Hire to Grow Your STEM Business?

At some point, working harder is no longer the answer. You need different skillsets to grow your online business. The challenge is knowing whether to hire a business coach, an Online Business Manager (OBM), or a marketing strategist.

Hiring the right professional at the right time determines whether you gain real momentum, make an expensive mistake or stay stuck in cycles of trial and error. Learn the key differences between these roles and find the right support to scale your STEM business.

In this article:

The Role of a Business Coach: Strategic Expansion and Business Foundations

A business coach helps you bridge the gap between technical expertise and sustainable business growth. Unlike consultants who simply provide advice, a business coach guides you in restructuring how you think about business so that it aligns with your expertise.

Consider hiring a business coach when you:

• Are making $3K to $10K per month but struggle with inconsistency.

• Feel overwhelmed by marketing, sales, and pricing decisions.

• Want a structured approach to building a stable and scalable business model.

What a business coach helps with:

• Turning technical expertise into scalable systems without sacrificing precision.

• Creating predictable income by structuring offers, pricing, and sales processes.

• Developing leadership and delegation skills to remove bottlenecks.

• Building a business model that works for analytical thinkers instead of relying on generic strategies.

A business coach is the best choice before hiring an OBM or marketing strategist.

If your business model is unstable, no amount of delegation or marketing will fix it.

A business coach typically costs between $100 and $500 per hour, depending on the expertise. If you are not ready for that kind of investment yet, the Sure Strides Society is an affordable entry-space that provides valuable resources and mentorship to help you build strong business foundations while receiving weekly guidance.

The Role of an OBM (Online Business Manager): Scaling and Operational Efficiency

An OBM (Online Business Manager) is responsible for optimizing the backend of your business and time-consuming operations. If you are making over $15K per month but feel stuck in execution mode, an OBM can take over the day-to-day functions so you can focus on higher-level strategy.

How does an OBM differ from a VA?

A VA (Virtual Assistant) is like a Lab Assistant, following instructions and handling specific tasks like scheduling, inbox management, and data entry. An OBM (Online Business Manager) is like a Lab Manager, overseeing operations, managing workflows, and optimizing systems so your business runs efficiently without you being involved in every detail.

Consider hiring an OBM when you:

• Are consistently making $15K per month or more but feel overwhelmed.

• Struggle with delegation, team management, and backend systems.

• Ready to step out of day-to-day execution and scale strategically.

What an OBM helps with:

• Project management, including client deliverables, workflows, and admin tasks.

• Team delegation, including hiring, onboarding, and managing support staff.

• Systems and automation that remove bottlenecks and improve efficiency.

Hiring an OBM is the right choice when your business has grown beyond what you can manage alone. An OBM can cost between $50 and $150 per hour, but many offer cost-effective retainer packages.

The Role of a Marketing Strategist: Client Attraction and Demand Generation

A marketing strategist helps you create and implement a repeatable system for attracting clients. Many STEM consultants struggle with visibility, relying on referrals instead of having a predictable lead generation system.

Consider hiring a marketing strategist when you:

• Have a solid business foundation but struggle with client attraction.

• Want to move beyond word-of-mouth referrals and build a sustainable marketing system.

• Need help positioning their expertise to attract higher-value clients.

What a marketing strategist helps with:

• Clarifying your messaging so potential clients instantly see your value.

• Developing a lead generation strategy tailored to your niche.

• Optimizing client acquisition systems for consistency and long-term stability.

Despite their extensive expertise, many STEM entrepreneurs struggle with marketing themselves as an authority. Marketing strategists can cost between $65 to $300 per hour or charge over $25,000 for a marketing plan that includes a detailed competitive analysis.