Guest post by Jeffrey T. Sooey of CoachesTrainingBlog
If you are a life coach, it’s very important to get serious with coaching practices. So in starting a life coaching practice takes these five steps: formal education, certification, business start-up, transition, and full-time practice. These are necessary and may be the keys to the success of your life coaching business.
Five Steps to Start a Life Coaching Practice
Step 1: Formal Education
The best way to start any business is through education. Be informed of the ins and outs of the coaching industry. Learn about coaching and yourself in the process. You can do it by attending classes and taking coach trainings. You can also go to this blog and read our tips and advices.
Step 2: Certification
Take up a certification training program so you can learn more while improving your qualifications for the coaching career. Your certificate can be a good way to assure your clients that you do have the right and the capacity to do coaching.
Step 3: Business Start-up
Starting a life coaching practice formally begins here. This step includes crafting the services you are going to offer to your clients. This part of your coaching career is usually done side by side your day job. You can also do this stage better if you have a coach who can help you start your coaching career. You can also attend a course on starting a business.
Step 4: Transition
A time comes that part time coaches realize they can be better off doing their coaching career full time than doing it partially together with a day job. That realization requires a coach to undergo a transition phase to make the career change easy and successful. Having a coach during this stage can be beneficial so you can have a person to mentor you in the process.
Step 5: Full-time Coaching
After the transition, it is expected that you are smoothly doing your coaching career full time. Your whole attention is now focused on managing your coaching business. You can be really busy at this stage because you have to balance out doing strategies to attract clients while also advancing your skills as a coach. Find someone who can help you make your business grow fast and secure.
Necessary Support Services in Starting a Life Coaching Business
It is necessary for you to acquire books, courses, and educational materials. These usually run around $1,000.
Coaching certifications are usually around $1,000-$3,000.
You also have to set aside money for mentor coach fees. These range from $250 to $1,000 a month. Look for coaches who offer the best rate in town.
Coaching business trainings are necessary for you to learn how to manage a high earning business. The price range is around $5,000 to $10,000. It normally runs for a year or so and offers varied in-depth sessions to teach you how to coach, market and sell your services, and administer your business.
Starting a life coaching practice may not be easy but it is definitely fulfilling. With the right mentors, coaches, and support group, you can surely succeed in this business. Without them, you might find it really difficult. So find the best people to surround you during this stage and ensure the success of your coaching business.
Great post for those interested in getting into the profession. I appreciate your thoughts and am sure they will help many.
If you are planning to reinvent yourself by shifting careers and you have a firm belief in human potential, then you may want to consider pursuing a career in life coaching. It has been a fairly profitable occupation since the early nineties and is continuing to expand world wide.