Entering my fourth year in business, I increasingly receive inquiries from people who are interested in doing what I do. What I do is help people transition into supervisory roles and strengthen their leadership through coaching and professional development. I spend a large part of my time on the conference and training circuit, which increases my visibility and connects me with a larger audience. It also creates an image for people that is appealing. I get to travel and speak about what I love and make a living doing it. What could be better than that?
In addition, my visibility is growing on social media, which presents lovely photos of me in my new day-to-day life and work. One particularly popular post is of me standing in Times Square ready to speak at my first ever national conference. People also see me taking a walk on the water on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, because I don’t have a boss telling me that I can’t. They see my most viral blog post floating around leadership sites where thousands and thousands of people have read, shared and connected through it. They see the image of pursuing a dream and living a life of choice. And it’s all true. Sort of.
We know by now that social media is but a snapshot and that people only choose to share what they choose to share. I try to be honest with my audience, but I certainly skew on sharing highlights more than struggles. When pursuing coaching, or any other venture, it is important to know that it may very well be for you and it may be really hard too. Yes, I had the privilege of going to Times Square to speak at a national conference. I was also responsible for the $1000+ in expenses it took to get me there. And the first workshop I ever did, I did for free and had a whopping three people in attendance. My first blog post was read by my mother and someone in the Czech Republic who likely clicked on it by accident. Yes, I can take a walk on a Wednesday afternoon if I have time, but I also work on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons when there is work to be done.
I love what I do. Coaching is a natural fit for me and I am consistently amazed at its power and potential. It may very well be that coaching is for you too. But know that while many coaches support themselves, many others never make money at it or need other jobs to pay the bills. Particularly if you go into business for yourself, starting a coaching business is like starting any other business with lots of hard work, slow beginnings and often tight financial spaces. It generally takes time to build and, at least for me, the learning curve is the sharpest I’ve ever experienced.
But this has been my path, and I’m not sure how helpful this will be to you.
It is always my intention to be helpful, but my journey is mine and mine alone, and it is so very different from the other coaches out there. There are so many variables. My story may be nothing like yours. And it’s impossible for me to share what a “normal” process is. There isn’t one. So in the true spirit of a coach, I thought it would be most helpful to support you in your journey of discovering whether or not you want to become a coach by helping you arrive there on your own. Below are some questions for you to consider. May they provide some awareness and support in the way in which they are intended.
What is your goal in becoming a coach?
Coaching is extremely goal-oriented, as the decision in becoming one should be. To discern if this is what you really want to do, ask yourself, what is it that attracts you to coaching? What are your goals in becoming a coach? Is coaching the only way for you to get there? Is there anything about coaching that concerns you? Do you know any coaches? Have you ever been coached? What do you hope to accomplish by becoming a coach? How will coaching fit into the lifestyle you want to live?
What kind of coach do you want to be?
There are some coaches who market themselves as general life coaches rather than choosing a specific niche. Other coaches choose to focus on a particular issue with a particular group of clients. If you become a coach, which path would you like to take? Is there a particular group of people you are drawn to work with? Is there a particular group of people you know you really don’t want to work with? Is there a particular problem you would like to address? What experience do you have that will enhance your credibility?
Another thing to consider is that there are different styles and methods of coaching. Many people get certified in several different types of coaching. How familiar are you with the different types of coaching? How can you learn more?
Do you want to get trained?
Right now, coaching is highly unregulated, and, unlike other professions, you can call yourself a coach without any certification or training whatsoever. There are coaches who have never set foot in a training class and others who seem to never stop getting trained. Some coaches will recommend getting trained through certified programs while others will swear by self-learning. There are so many training programs and so many resources on how to become a coach. Cost and time will vary widely. You can choose to get trained once and then never again or you can continue getting trained for the rest of your life. As you decide, it is important to ask yourself what will help make you a great coach and what will help you reach your goals. These are not always one and the same.
How much time and money do you want to spend on becoming a coach?
If you do decide to be trained, you will have a plethora of options. There are ICF-certified training programs (more on this later) and non-certified programs. There are online programs and in-person programs. There are programs that will take the better part of the year and others that you can complete in a few weeks (if not days). Some of the shorter, non-certified programs will run you a few hundred dollars while the better-known certified programs can quickly run you $20,000+. How much time are you willing to invest in your training? How much money? Do you learn best in person or online? Will books and articles help to support your learning? What is your vision for continued learning? What is your budget?
Do you want to get certified?
Getting certified or not is a hotly debated topic in the coaching community. You will hear strong arguments for either side, and you will find successful coaches on either side. If you do decide you want to get certified, your next decision will involve which organization you would like to get certified through. The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the largest organization that certifies coaches. There are several other organizations that can certify you as well. What value would getting certified have for you? If you choose to be certified, what organization do you want to get certified through? Are you willing to invest the time and money it will require to get and maintain a certification? How would being certified help you reach your goals?
Do you want to work for yourself?
Many coaches work for themselves and others become employees or contractors of other organizations. Some partner with other coaches to create a business together. How much interest do you have in running a business? How much knowledge do you have in running a business? How much willingness do you have in running a business? In Steve Chandler’s famous book, The Prosperous Coach, he argues that, if you don’t love the business side of your business as much as you love the coaching side, this isn’t the path for you. Running a business requires a lot of work and a lot of risk (and of course a lot of potential reward). Does the idea of running your own business excite you? If you decide to go into business for yourself, there will be countless questions you will need to ask yourself, from what kind of business structure you want to how many other people (if any) you will pay to support you. Whether you choose to create your own business or join someone else’s, you will need to ask yourself how you plan on getting clients and then make it happen.
Do you want to coach part-time or full-time?
Many coaches train in order to enhance the skills they use in their current positions, often in HR or management. Others train to become coaches. Some choose to do it full-time and others part-time. How do you envision your future role as a coach? Do you want the skills of a coach in order to enhance your current position or do you want to become a coach? If so, do you want to do it full-time or part-time? How much money would you like to make? In what time frame do you need to be making that much? How will you go about getting clients?
Do you want to coach exclusively or combine it with other services/products?
Many coaches coach exclusively. Many others combine coaching with speaking or training or podcasts or writing books or teaching classes. There are a lot of different ways to build a coaching business, and you can find successful coaches in every iteration of it. An important question for you to consider is what do you want your coaching life to look like? Do you want to coach exclusively? Do you want to coach in combination with something else? If so, what is your something else- blogging, podcasting, public speaking, publishing, training? How much of each would you like to do? How do you want to reach and serve your clients? What else, if anything, do you want to do in combination with your coaching?
What kind of money do you want to make?
Will coaching provide a little extra cash on the side for you, or will it be your primary source of income? How much money do you hope to make? You will have to build your business accordingly. Some coaches never make a dime and others make seven figures. How big do you want to get? Do you hope to grow your business year after year or stay on the smaller side? Like almost all the other questions posed so far, there is no right answer, only the answer that is right for you.
How can you learn more on how to become a coach?
It is hard to truly understand coaching unless you have been coached yourself. A good first step if you haven’t taken it already is to experience coaching firsthand and see what you think. Coaching costs vary widely, but many coaches will offer a free introductory session. You can try out a couple of different coaches to experience the different styles. If this further reinforces your interest, keep going. Read books, join online groups of coaches to connect and learn more, talk to other coaches, go to a local ICF chapter meeting, learn all you can to make the best decision you can for yourself.
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Coaching, like all professions, is a wonderful fit for some, and a less than ideal fit for others. If you find yourself drawn to the field, you owe it to yourself to explore it and see if this is a good path for you. There are loads of resources out there which of course can be both helpful and overwhelming. A good place to start is to receive some coaching first and see if your interest remains. If so, you have everything in your power to become a coach if you are committed and ready to make that happen. I wish you great clarity and joy throughout your process in figuring it all out.
