Joana Dockute is a business development specialist and a business growth coach with a background in running her own direct sales and marketing company for 7 years. When it comes to helping her clients go to the next level Joana perfectly understands their problems, as she had to go through most business development stages herself before she became a business growth coach. She loves helping business owners 'find their voice', design, and implement customized business systems and processes. Each business is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all. Joana's mission is to help entrepreneurs succeed without having 'to sell their soul'. Meaning, if the strategy doesn't align with your values you shouldn't even consider it.
Business Development Specialist/Business Coach
Hi Joana, please introduce yourself! Tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
Sure! I was born in a seaside town called Klaipeda in Lithuania, which was part of the Soviet Union back then. So, when I visit Eastern European countries, things often feel familiar to me, especially the food.
When I was in college, I decided to go to Ireland for a summer job. At that time, Lithuania had been independent for more than a decade and just joined the European Union. That meant that the EU had opened its borders so we could travel freely. That summer job changed my life. What started as a short trip ended up lasting more than ten years! Now, I consider Ireland my home away from home. I love Irish culture, and I'm grateful for the opportunities it has given me to build my life here.
My first job in Ireland was in sales, and it quickly turned into a 7-year career. Eventually, I opened my own sales agency. The company I worked for had a business development program. I started as a salesperson, then became a team leader, and finally set up and managed my own location. I went through all these stages, so now as a business coach, I understand what my clients are going through. I've faced all the challenges of running a business. It's easy for me to relate to my clients. As I had to fix low sales and hire and train people, at times I lost money and hit and missed my business goals. But after working 60-70 hours for many years, I realized that wasn't the life I wanted. That's why I became a business coach, helping small businesses grow and succeed.
I love hiking and spending time outdoors. I'm also a certified yin-yang yoga teacher. And I'm very interested in learning about how to live a long and healthy life. Personal growth has been a big part of my daily life for the past decade, and it's an ongoing journey.
Can you provide an overview of the key services that you offer?
One-on-one business growth coaching. Imagine growing your businesses without stress, using strategies that match your values. We start with a business assessment, which shows what your business needs to work on next. And then we find the best way to grow or fix any issues within the business.
Sales training. I help business owners fix problems in their sales and marketing process. Often, what seems like a sales problem is a marketing problem. I help business owners see the whole process and set up sales systems, so their teams can reach their goals. When it comes to sales it's about understanding how to read the metrics. And understanding what metrics are important to track every week.
Designing a marketing strategy. Another thing I help business owners with is designing a marketing strategy for them. Client acquisition is the foundation of any business. Having a plan that aligns with who you are is easy to implement. But too many business owners rush through this process. They do focus a lot on technical stuff, but it is the message, your 'vow factor' that attracts your clients to you. I help my clients showcase their unique side. Marketing isn't about being the best. It's about knowing how different you are and showing it to the world.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
When I was younger, I would have talked about buying a 3-year-old BMW with cash, buying a house, and winning awards. Like the "Most Improved Sales and Marketing Company" award. I was a part of 80 companies that belonged to the organization I was a part of.
But now, my greatest achievement is seeing my clients have "A-H-A" moments. That’s why I do what I do. I love seeing the light in my client's eyes when they have a mind-shift moment. Of course, it's nice when my clients finally hit that 1 million turnover, or open a new location. But it's not just about making more money. It's about helping my clients change their mindset, work on their business (not just in it), and have more free time. And knowing that I played a part in helping them reach the next level brings me great satisfaction.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
If I could change one thing about my industry, it would be the obsession with following every new trend. There are so many new strategies and trends that it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out. But you don’t need to chase every new trend to succeed. You just need to find one strategy that fits your business and stick with it. Real experts know that what has worked for 20 years in marketing will probably keep working. The key to success is simple: focus on what’s already working instead of trying new things and giving up halfway. I also wish more people would feel comfortable showing their true selves online.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
Two big moments changed my life. The first one was moving to Ireland. Ireland gave me a chance to follow my dreams. If you’ve read the book Outliers, you know that success often comes from being in the right place at the right time. Staying in Ireland and building my life here was a huge decision that shaped my life.
The second pivotal moment was walking the Norte route of El Camino De Santiago. This was after I closed my sales agency and didn’t know what to do next. I felt lost after investing so much time and energy into the business. But after walking 550 km in 20 days, I knew I would be okay as long as I stayed true to myself.
