One of the main things that stopped me from becoming a life coach for over seven years, yes, you read that right, seven years, was not knowing how.
I’d never owned or run a business and needed to figure out where to start.
As a coach specializing in helping other life coaches start and grow their businesses, this is one of the first things that come up when working with new life coaches.
In this article, I’m outlining what I’ve learned as I’ve grown my life coaching practice and how I got it off the ground and booked my first paying clients.
With that, let’s dive in.
1. Your Belief
Would you believe that the number one determinant of your success as a coach is your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed?
The fastest and most effective way to start and grow your business is to start believing that it’s possible right now.
I’m not joking. Sounds simple, but it takes work.
You can succeed and make money as a life coach.
But how do you do this when your brain tells you the opposite.
You start by being aware of all the doubts and limiting beliefs that come up throughout your day when you think about being a paid life coach.
Things like, “I’ll never make money as a coach.”
“This isn’t working.”
“I don’t know how to run a business.” etc.
These are the little pesky beliefs that seem harmless but actually keep you stuck right where you are.
And your job is to start becoming aware of them.
Are you a new life coach who wants to grow a thriving online business & replace your 9-5 income?
Get the top three things that helped me make my first $5,000 as a new coach.
Once you become aware of them, ask yourself, “Would a paid coach with a successful coaching biz be thinking or believing this?”
If not, then start getting curious about why you’d think that. Is it a fact, or is it just your brain’s opinion?
Can it be proven in a court of law?
If not, then it’s just your brain’s opinion, which means that there’s an equally good chance that you could succeed as a coach.
And, now that you’re aware of it, you can start entertaining different possibilities.
Things like, “What if I could succeed as a life coach?”
“What if I could make money coaching people?”
“What if 100 people across the world are waiting for someone like me to show up and help them get what they want outta life?”
The more time you spend focusing on the possibility of you making money right now, the more likely you are to actually make money and do this thing for real.
Your belief in yourself has to supersede your external results. So much so that your brain is already celebrating the money you’ve earned as a coach.
This energy will attract clients and allow you to access your best ideas when making coaching offers and marketing your business.
2. Getting certified or not?
One of the most common questions that new coaches ask is whether they should get certified. The truth is, there’s no right or wrong answer to this question. Getting certified can provide you with a solid foundation of coaching skills and credibility, but it’s not a guarantee of success.
If you’re considering getting certified, research the different certification programs available. Look for programs that align with your coaching style and goals.
I became certified because I wanted to learn the basics of coaching. I had limited experience working with a coach, and the program I selected taught me how to lead a session and bolstered my belief in myself and my ability to succeed as a coach.
The same may be true for you or not.
Getting certified is not the solution to building a solid coaching business. It’s simply another tool that you can use to better help your clients.
And should be treated as such.
If you’re considering getting certified, set a deadline, do your research, and decide and move forward.
The sooner you decide, the quicker you move forward and start actively building your business and making money.
Ready to make your first $1,000 as a life coach?
Get the top three things that took me from 0-$5k as a new coach.
3. Your offer
The next step in building your coaching business is to define your coaching offer. What kind of coach do you want to be, and how will you help your clients?
Will you be a general coach who can help with multiple areas of someone’s life?
Or are you going to specialize in a specific area?
Just like certification, there is no right answer here.
You can make money as a general life coach and as a coach with a very specific area of expertise, or both.
Consider your passions and interests if you still need to create your offer. What areas of coaching do you feel most drawn to? What are your strengths and areas of expertise? Consider your personal experiences and challenges you’ve overcome, as these can often inform your coaching offer.
Your offer should focus on solving a specific problem or challenge your clients face. This problem should be something that you’re passionate about and have experience solving.
It should include details about your services, such as the length of your coaching sessions, the number of sessions included in your package, and any additional resources or support you’ll provide.
Here are a few things to consider when thinking about how you’re going to help your clients:
- When you think about how you want to make a difference in the world on a soul level, what comes to mind?
- What do you care about deeply?
- Is this an area you can speak to?
- Have you worked through similar challenges and come out stronger on the other side?
There’s no right or wrong way to create your offer. The most important thing here is that you’re actually solving a problem.
Generally speaking, we aren’t going to give someone money for something that isn’t valuable to us.
And, the most valuable thing you can give someone is solving a problem that’s important to them, that they’ve struggled to solve on their own.
4. Telling the world you're open for business
Once your coaching offer is defined, it’s time to start marketing your business. There are many ways to market a coaching business; the key is to find the best methods for you and your target audience.
Are you going to meet people online or in person?
It doesn’t matter how you do this; the most important thing is that you’re getting your offer out there.
Ask yourself where your ideal client hangs out.
If you’re going to make offers in person, what networking or social groups can you join?
For example, one of my clients specializes in health and fitness. The gym immediately came to mind when we brainstormed where she could meet potential clients. Now she’s getting to the gym regularly because it’s a great way to meet new people and share her business if the opportunity presents itself.
If you prefer to share your offer online, what platform are you most familiar with and enjoy using?
Do you love making videos and being in front of people?
Youtube, Instagram, or TikTok are excellent places to start.
Are you an introverted writer?
Then starting a blog, finding Facebook groups, posting on Medium, and guest writing for other bloggers and coaches, might be a good option.
There is no wrong or right way to meet people.
Go with what you’re most comfortable doing right now so that it’s easier to get started. You can always change things up as you progress.
But keep this in mind.
The more people that know about you and how you can help them, the more likely you are to make money in your business.
You get to decide how to share your work with the world; the most important thing is that you’re getting the word out there.
5. Evaluating your strategy
Okay, you’ve made your offer, started meeting people, and shared your content with the world; what’s next?
As a fellow coach, I can tell you that entrepreneurship is one big experiment. What works for one coach may not necessarily work for another, so it’s crucial to evaluate what you’re doing and constantly improve your business.
As a coach, I use a simple evaluation method to assess the effectiveness of everything in my business, and you can do the same.
Ask yourself, “Does this drive revenue in my business?” For example, is spending time attending networking events directly tied to potential revenue in your business? I’d argue it is because the more people you meet and share that you’re a life coach, the greater your chances of getting paying clients. If the answer is no, and whatever you’re doing isn’t directly tied to revenue, move to the bottom of the list.
When I started my business, I should have spent less time on things that weren’t directly tied to revenue. For instance, I spent over six weeks working on a website that none of my clients visited. Looking back, it was a waste of my time and put more distance between me and paying clients.
This is why it’s crucial to assess and evaluate how you’re spending your time regularly. Focus only on the things that directly correlate with revenue in your business. This approach keeps you from getting overwhelmed and distracted and shortens the time it takes to get your first paying client.
Remember, once you get your first paying client, your brain has 3-D proof that you can do this and succeed. All you need is determination, persistence, and an open mind.
I promise you can do this!
I’m rootin’ for you!
