About Daine Smith
20 years in business taught me everything the MBA programs leave out. Now I share it with startup and early-stage business owners who are ready to build something that actually lasts.
NICE TO MEET YOU
I'm Daine Smith
I spent 20 years building and running a successful trade business from the ground up. No business degree, no safety net — just hard work, trial and error, and the kind of lessons you only learn when real money is on the line.
I founded On Your Terms Coaching because I know what it's like to be in the early years of business with no one to show you the ropes. I'm here to be the mentor I wish I'd had — practical, no-BS guidance built on real-world experience, not theory.
Build Solid Foundations
Get the systems, mindset, and clarity you need from day one.
Stop Winging It
Move from reactive to proactive with clear strategies that actually work.
Grow With Confidence
Make decisions with clarity, not guesswork — and build a business you can be proud of.
My Story
I left school and started working in trades at 17. No business plan, no safety net — just a willingness to back myself. Over 20 years, I built a successful air conditioning and trade business from the ground up, learning every hard lesson the business world had to offer: cash flow crunches, difficult clients, managing staff, and the mental load of being the person everyone depends on.
None of it came from a textbook. It came from doing the work, making mistakes, and figuring it out. Those 20 years gave me something no MBA can teach — real-world experience running a real business. Now I help startup and early-stage business owners shortcut the hard road by sharing everything I wish someone had told me when I was starting out.
"Daine's coaching helped me go from overwhelmed to actually running my business like a real operation. Within 3 months I had proper systems, real clarity, and my first profitable quarter."
- Sarah K., trade business owner
"I'd been winging it for two years before I found Daine. He helped me see exactly where my business was leaking money and energy. Six months later I've doubled my revenue and actually enjoy the work again."
- James M., service business owner
"I was completely lost in my first year of business. Daine gave me the frameworks, the accountability, and the confidence to back myself. I now run a business that works for me — not the other way around."
- Mark T., startup founder
Why I Do It
I know what it costs to not have the right guidance early. The stress of not knowing if you're making the right calls. The loneliness of being the one responsible for everything. The fear that the business you've poured yourself into might not make it.
I built this coaching practice because no one should have to figure it all out alone. If I can give business owners the clarity, tools, and support that I had to earn the hard way — and help them build something sustainable faster — then every hour I put into this work is worth it.
ON YOUR TERMS NEWSLETTER
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