Defining Champions and Coaches in Business Deals

In business deals, a champion is defined as someone with authority, influence, and personal motivation to sell your solution internally. They have the ability to get things done, sell your solution to solve personal and business problems, and have skin in the game for a personal win. Champions can exist at different levels in the business. On the other hand, a coach is someone with knowledge and influence in the organization but lacks the clout and political capital to drive decisions or move budgets. Coaches can introduce you to potential champions and provide insights on the organizational structure, but they themselves cannot influence major decisions or budget allocations.