If you’ve been active in the online business space for the last 5-10 years, you’ll have witnessed a huge rise in the number and variety of coaches. Beyond fitness, nutrition and life coaches, we now have coaches for money mindset, wealth building, property management, relationships, sex, astrology, public speaking and so much more. If you want to learn how to do something better, there’s a coach out there for you.
But what if you’re the one who wants to become a coach?
Do you believe you have the skills, experience and passion to make it in the online space (or in the real world)?
As an intuitive copywriter and content creator for the past 5 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible women who make a living through coaching. I’ve also invested in my own personal growth by joining programmes, masterminds and working 1-1 with coaches. I’ve learnt so much from each of the coaches I’ve worked with and also from each of my clients.
Before switching into copywriting, I ran my own food coaching, personal training and massage therapy business for 20 years, so I’m well equipped to share my thoughts and loving guidance on coaching.
So, what is coaching?
Here’s one of the best definitions I found online:
Being a coach is different from being a teacher or a mentor.
While there is much overlap, a coach will guide a person to find their own answers, whereas a teacher will share information and teach and a mentor will act as a guide or a role model.
Being a coach is also different from being a registered/licensed psychotherapist, counsellor or other mental health professions. The coaching industry itself is not regulated, which is both a positive and a negative.
On the positive side it means anyone can use the skills and experience they have, take a coaching certification, set up their own business and start working with clients immediately. On the negative side, an unregulated coaching business means coaches can essentially make their own rules, are accountable to no-one and in some cases can even be dangerous to their clients’ safety and wellbeing. And of course in any industry there will be those who use it as a ‘front’ to scam people out of a lot of money.
Everyone you meet in the coaching world will know someone who knows someone who’s been hurt financially or emotionally by a bad coach. Behind the scenes there are court cases and lawsuits and disgruntled students joining together in WhatsApp groups.
But I’m not here to talk about this negative side to the coaching world. I’m here to share all the ways that coaching can be a great career that brings you increased wealth, happiness and fulfilment.
10 Reasons Why Coaching could be your best career move!
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Freedom
Working for yourself gives you unparalleled freedom in terms of your daily commitments and life goals. If you want to spend all morning walking, practicing yoga, home schooling your children or cooking for your local food bank, you can! You’re free to create your own schedule, working at times that best suit you, your family, your commitments and your energy levels. No-one is stopping you from staying in bed til 11am, creating Reels and TikToks at 1am or living in a camper van by the beach! #youdoyouboo
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Financial Freedom
In a corporate 9-5 job, you’re limited to a certain pay ceiling. If you’re in a profession with clear pathways for progression, you may get the promotions and pay increases you deserve, but you’ll always be trading time for money. As a freelance coach you’re free to create an equal or higher income than you would ever make as an employee. (Please note: Higher salaries are not guaranteed and may take a while to build up. So always create a safety net before letting go of a regular salary. This section is about sharing the possibilities available to you as a freelance coach primarily in the online space.)
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Improved mental health
If you’re stuck in a job you hate where you feel your talents aren’t recognised, there’s no scope for promotion or the company culture is draining your life force every day, then stepping out on your own could be a great move. Of course, there’s a lot involved in working for yourself and it can be just as stressful never knowing when you’ll next receive a payment, but if your mental health is suffering, investigating a career as a coach (maybe alongside a less stressful part time job) might be worth your time and attention.
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Following your passion and purpose
As a coach running your own business you get to live the dream and follow your passion and purpose every single day! Of course, there are behind the scenes elements to being a freelancer or company owner that might not excite you, but every time you meet with a client or your own community, you’ll feel a sense of satisfaction, gratitude and love.
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Improved connections
Working for yourself brings you the beautiful opportunity of creating your own inner circle of trusted, inspirational peers. There’s no need to put yourself through the gut-wrenching anxiety of in-person networking events to meet people. Instead, you get to show up online from the comfort of your own sofa (PJs optional!), to make new connections, build relationships and create an empowering circle of incredible business owners all around you.
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Using your innate gifts
While there is much to learn about being a professional coach, a huge part of your work will be driven by your intuition, your sixth sense, your innate gifts. This is what makes you different. There may be a seemingly saturated coaching market but no-one else can offer the coaching you offer in the exact way you offer it. Remember, your differences and natural talents are a blessing.
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Using your life experience
Many people who get into coaching do so because they experienced specific challenges and learnt how to overcome them or change their lives in some way and really want to help others to do the same. Perhaps you got healthy, overcame an eating disorder, learnt to run marathons, or discovered the key to creating deep intimacy and fulfilling relationships after a decade of bad dates and failed romances. If people are always asking you how you did it, it’s probably time to share your experiences with the world. (And if you’re not ready to work as a coach yet, why not start a blog or a free community? Who knows where it might lead?)
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Making a difference
As a coach you get to make a difference to people’s lives. You offer a way forward, a kick start to transformation, a supportive pillar as your clients break, heal and grow. Never underestimate the power of changing even one person’s life. For every person who steps forward into their healing journey, there is a ripple effect of transformation all around them. The mum who raises her children differently once she’s let go of the pain. The woman who opens up to let her man truly see her, hold her and support her after healing the trauma of sexual abuse. The man who gives up alcohol, heals his relationship with his father and shows up differently in his marriage.
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Giving back
Making a difference to individual lives is a wonderful feeling. But when you work for yourself and start making a really good income, you’re able to give back to your family, your community, your country, the planet. Whether it’s helping your parents pay off their mortgage, donating to charity or setting up your own charitable organisation, helping a third world country build schools, wells or hospitals, you’re able to use your additional time, money and connections to create impact.
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Raising the standard of the coaching industry
If you’ve got this far through my blog, I’m pretty sure you’re one of the good ones, with integrity, passion and love running through your DNA! The world needs more great coaches, and if you’ve been looking for a sign to take that next step, perhaps this is it!
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OK! I’m in!! Where do I go from here?
From what I’ve seen over the last 20+ years in the online space, there are A LOT of coaching certification programmes available. These range from low cost weekend courses to 3-6 month courses and 2+ year professional, accredited courses.
If you’re in the corporate world, you may have had access to coaching programmes funded by your employer. While these courses give you a recognised, valued qualification, you may not actually feel prepared to coach others. Coaches need to have been coached too; to have let down their walls, been cracked open and been given the opportunity to sit in their discomfort. Learning the theory is entirely different to dropping into your heart space and feeling your emotions.
Personally, I would avoid the cleverly marketed ‘be a coach in a day’ type of courses if you’re looking to build a career in coaching. These courses might be useful to get an idea of what’s involved in coaching – you may even learn a valuable technique or two – but they will not prepare you to hold space for a client and be able to handle a wide range of traumatic issues. Use these courses with caution and as more of a ‘taster’ session before investing in a more tailored coaching course based on your area of expertise or passion.
Learn from a Master Coach
If you’re looking to become a coach in the online space, it’s a good idea to learn from a Master Coach, someone who has been coaching individuals for many years with great success and who can demonstrate a proven track record and positive testimonials.
Note: Having a large social media following, a snazzy sales page and an expensive coaching certification programme does not necessarily equate to being a successful, professional coach with integrity who can help you get from A to B and start the business of your dreams.
Planet Earth is seeing a surge in ‘awakening’ as well as an ever-increasing need for mental health support. It is for these main two reasons that I believe we need more experienced, compassionate coaches who can truly help people to transform their lives.
Let me introduce you to Shannon
I first met Shannon Conway, a US-based Master Coach a few months back through a mutual friend Tara Jackson, founder of Empathpreneurs. Shannon and I immediately felt that soul sister connection, sharing many of the same life values and personality traits. This is the kind of connection I love so deeply and one that is present with almost all the clients I work with as an intuitive copywriter, content creator and strategist.
Shannon has been training women to become coaches for 6 years and has been coaching individuals for 10 years. She’s run her coaching certification programme in various forms nine times with the tenth group beginning on 6 January 2022.
What makes Shannon’s coach training so special and unique is a combination of her integrity, wisdom and humour. She never takes more than 12 women on a course and the programme runs for 6 months with an optional in-person event near the end. Her coach training covers not just the fundamentals of safe and effective coaching, but the business essentials required for anyone stepping out into the business world for the first time.
New coaches will leave armed with the confidence and capabilities to launch their new business, while existing coaches will have the chance to deepen their skills, enhance their practice and grow their business and services to the next level.
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I’m very proud to be able to support Shannon in the launch of her next round of Coach Training and hope that you’ve been inspired by this blog and are excited to learn more about Shannon’s programme. At the time of writing there are still spaces available. Is there a seat with your name on it?
Yes! Tell me more about Coach Training with Shannon
If you’d like to get in touch with me about intuitive copywriting or if you have questions about working with Shannon, please drop me an email or hop over to IG and slide into my DMs 😉
Lorraine xx