Many people are now making more than six figures in coaching, and the industry is now worth billions of dollars. If you set your mind to it and learn some marketing skills, you can also thrive as a life coach. You can provide one-on-one coaching services by mentoring your clients once a week or three times a month. Help them with their goals or problems, and help them create an action plan for each session.
Group coaching is also an option, which is similar to individual training but offers group support. You can also offer fixed-term memberships, where you provide new content weekly to your members for a fixed period of time. What you'll gain as a life coach depends on several factors, such as where you work and your experience. The salary of a life coach compares very well with similar careers, and there are no education requirements to be a life coach.
However, employers may expect training and sometimes credentials. It's important to note that while the life coach and therapist may seem similar, their roles are quite different. A life coach helps clients move forward by setting and meeting goals, while a therapist helps clients look back to recover from past trauma. The International Coach Federation (ICF) expects internal and organizational life coaching positions to be an important area of growth. A recent study by the ICF and the Human Capital Institute shows that an impressive 83% of organizations surveyed plan to use staff coaches and consultants to train managers in the use of training to elevate leadership, team and performance organizational.
In anticipation of this growth, the ICF has created a new division to lead the advancement of coaching in organizations and transform the way people and teams work and thrive. Jenny McGlothern, owner of Mama Needs A Refill, says individuals and organizations want to “proactively focus on improving in areas such as health and wellness, mindfulness, performance, relationships and transitions”. As a new coach, you'll want to think about the best way to launch your career. If you start your own business without much experience, you're likely to find yourself competing against life coaches who have years in the field, a strong customer base, and an established reputation. If you go this route, you could promote yourself in an area where there are few life coaches. As McGlothern points out, “If you have a phone and Internet, you can work with anyone, anywhere”.
Starting as a coach for an organization or company might be the best way to gain experience right from the start. In some environments, you can work alongside other coaches and have the opportunity to learn from veterans and gain valuable experience. The ICF is recognized by the coaching industry as a leader in setting standards for the profession, and earning an ICF credential could give you an edge among job candidates. Job offers for corporations, large nonprofits, and government coaching positions often require an ICF-certified coaching credential, according to Luke Davis, Vice President of ICF Coach Training Programs. If you have your own coaching business, you can work anywhere you want - from an office in an executive building in the city center to your favorite chair by the lake. Experience will be key to advancing your career.
As you help your clients achieve their goals, you will build your reputation and this can help you gain referrals. If you work for a company or organization, you'll find yourself in a variety of environments. As you help your customers achieve their goals, you'll increase your reputation. This can help you take on larger training roles and gain referrals from satisfied customers. Another way to move forward is through training.
There are several ways to do this, including obtaining a coach credential from the ICF or a specialized organization such as the National Health and Wellness Coaching Board. A credential shows that you are recognized for your experience, knowledge and professional standards. You probably know at least one person who has proclaimed themselves a life coach and then received crickets in response. When setting up your life coaching business, you'll first need to determine the type of entity your business is: a sole proprietorship, LLC or corporation are popular choices. As a life coach or health and wellness coach, you can hire companies and conduct corporate training programs and workshops.
Angelina Corbet, founder of The Mobius Company says training and accreditation are as important to the life coach as it is to the client. Depending on your area of focus, the amount of continuing education will vary but all life coaches should keep up to date with their reading and attend seminars, workshops and retreats that talk about their experience. You'll also learn the business of becoming a life coach and the ethical concerns you may need to resolve during your practice. You can use the ICF training program search service to find a legitimate course that aligns with your life training goals.
In the past few years, you may have seen a Facebook page of a life coach promoting their services or noticed that your yoga instructor has taken on the role of personal spiritual or professional advisor to some of your classmates. That's why it's crucial to have a comprehensive marketing plan when starting out as a life coach.
