Consider becoming a life coach if you enjoy helping people reach their full potential, have a positive outlook on life, and want to launch your own business. The profession is spreading into more and more societal circles. You may have spotted a life coach’s Facebook page advertising their services over the past few years or seen that some of your students have started to treat your yoga instructor as a social, spiritual, or career advisor.
Over 53,000 coach practitioners practice worldwide, with over 17,000 of those practicing exclusively in North America, according to research by the International Coach Federation. Clearly, there is a market for life coaching and it is resonating with clients. But what exactly does a life coach do, and how can you tell if you have the skills necessary to make a difference in people’s lives?
How to start a life coaching business
Although being a life coach may seem to require only extraordinary communication skills and a great deal of compassion, the decision to do so is a commercial one. Once you’ve decided that this is your interest, at the very least take the following actions to ensure the legality of your business and its offerings.
1. Find your niche
You might find it helpful to identify your niche before deciding to become a life coach so that you can grow your reputation from there. Once you identify your capacity and specialization, you’ll be empowered to sell yourself and services, which is commonly evident to you based on your passion and comfort.
2. Get a life coach certification
Technically, obtaining a life coach certification is not a requirement for employment as a life coach. Life coaching does not require years of rigorous study like being a psychologist or a doctor, which are required by law before you can perform. However, 89% of coach practitioners, as per the ICF survey cited above, undergo training that has been accredited or authorized by a professional coaching body.
Although becoming a certified life coach is not necessary to start your business, doing so can be beneficial and is likely something your competition has already done.
3. Set up your life coaching business
In addition to being a corporate, personal, or spiritual adviser, becoming a life coach also involves becoming a small company owner. As a result, you’ll need to exercise some of the proper research that all proprietors of small businesses must undertake in order to succeed, such as:
Register your business
You must first choose the type of business entity you want to use for your life coaching operation. Common choices include a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. You must next formally register your business with your state, unless you choose to operate as a sole proprietorship (which doesn’t require registration). You can traverse this phase with the aid of a department of state business search.
Plan your startup costs
Next, put together a solid business plan that details your initial expenditures. Business insurance, particularly liability insurance in instance you are sued for giving improper advise, is an additional cost you might think about. Fortunately, there aren’t usually significant upfront expenses involved in becoming a life coach.
· Make a marketing strategy.
Without clients to coach, you can’t start a life coaching business. Because of this, it’s essential to have a thorough marketing strategy in place from the beginning of your endeavours to become a life coach. If you’re uncomfortable with self-promotion, being a life coach may be the right career choice for you.
The most reliable referrals come from personal recommendations, as is frequently the case for service-based businesses. Start by giving away free, brief, or discounted consultations to people who are already in your system, such as your close acquaintances, relatives, and family friends. Ask them to tell their network about you if they are pleased with your services, and if possible, ask them to provide a testimonial for your website.
Other options for bringing in clients include networking with nearby life coaches, increasing your exposure by attending conferences and giving away webinars, and thinking about pay-per-click and other digital advertising techniques.
4. Invest in continuing education
Life coaches should look for ways to develop their skills in order to stay at the top of their game and provide their clients with the finest care possible, just like doctors are expected to continue their training in order to keep competent and learn about new methods.
The more tools you have in your coaching toolbox and the superior you are at providing your services, the more you can aid your clients. Consider continuous education a necessary expense and a means of expanding your company. However, if you work as a life coach, investing in your own development should come naturally to you.
The bottom line
Being a life coach may be both a very lucrative and challenging professional choice.
As you pursue your certification, get ready to start your life coaching business with the Weljii programs. You’ll discover how to refine your concept, start your enterprise, and position yourself for expansion. The course, which is overseen by Preeti Rao, an international authority on life coaching, includes all topics connected to the total well-being of the body and mind. Case studies are used to teach students valuable coaching techniques, and real-world situations are used to let them practice what they have learned.
