This paper aims to explore how trust acts as an essential element in business coaching and mentoring, utilizing a mixed-methods research design covering a sample of 200 coaches. Several basic research questions around trust in these professional relationships are addressed: What is the nature and role of trust? How is it established and maintained? What is the impact on coaching and mentoring processes and outcomes? Utilising both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the research finds that higher levels of trust lead to better coaching results. Quantitative data shows a strong, positive relationship between trust and coaching success. Trust in a mentor is a strong indicator of a coaching relationship’s effectiveness. Qualitative findings identify the pillars of trusted relationships – transparency, demonstration of competence and ethical behaviour. Overall, the findings demonstrate the critical role of trust in business coaching and mentoring, and provide practical recommendations for practitioners to improve the performance of coaching and the satisfaction of their clients. It contributes to the developing literature on the inplies potential avenues for future work, across different business sectors and in different kinds of organisations.