coaching business plan pdf

How to Craft your coaching business plan in 7 simple Steps (+ FREE Template)

September 24, 2023

August 6, 2024

Are you eager to launch your coaching business but feeling overwhelmed about where to start?

You’re not alone! 

In this article, I’ll help you understand what a coaching business plan involves. I’ll provide you with a coaching business plan template and also teach you how to shape it so that it mirrors your vision and goals. I’ll walk you through every step to ensure you create a successful coaching business plan tailored to your niche.

Let’s dive into the world of business planning, where clarity meets strategy.

In Brief : How to Craft your coaching business plan in 7 simple Steps

• Step 1: 📝 Executive Summary – Craft a compelling summary that encapsulates your business vision, mission, and core elements like the business name, owner, and location, setting the stage for what follows.
• Step 2: 🗂️ Business Description – Detail your coaching services, niche, and operational mechanics. Explain how these elements work together to meet the needs of your clientele.
• Step 3: 🔍 Market Analysis – Conduct a thorough analysis of your target market and competition. Use this data to tailor your services and pinpoint market opportunities.
• Step 4: 📈 Create a Marketing Strategy – Develop a comprehensive marketing plan that includes digital and traditional methods to attract and retain clients, ensuring your brand stands out.
• Step 5: ⚙️ Operations Plan – Outline your business’s operational structure, including the logistics of daily operations and the roles of your team members.
• Step 6: 💰 Financial Planning – Forecast your business’s financial health with detailed budgeting, pricing strategies, and expected financial outcomes.
• Step 7: 🚀 Review and Implement – Regularly review and refine your business plan to ensure it remains relevant and effective

Do You Need a Coaching Business Plan?

A few years ago, I was just like you—excited yet baffled about the right steps to take in starting my coaching business. I dabbled in social media, attended conferences, tried podcasting, and explored various other avenues. 

Despite my efforts, the results were far from what I needed. It felt like I was constantly moving, but not in the right direction.

Then it clicked. I realized that diving headfirst into business without a well-thought-out plan was like sailing without a compass. 

So, I took a step back and started from scratch, this time with a clear strategy in mind. I laid out a business plan that not only guided my business to success but also continues to guide me today.

Starting a coaching business can be an exciting venture , but without a clear plan, it’s easy to lose direction and focus. A business plan helps you outline your business objectives and also provides a roadmap to achieve them. 

Here’s why a business plan is vital for a coaching business:

• Clarity and Direction : A business plan defines your coaching business’s purpose and sets clear goals. This clarity guides your decisions and keeps you focused on long-term goals.
• Understanding Your Market : Who are your potential clients? What are their needs and how can your coaching services meet those needs? Analyzing the market helps you tailor your offerings. It also helps you stand out from competitors. This ensures your services are in demand.
• Attracting Investors and Funding : Investors want to know that their money is going into a venture. The venture must have a clear plan to make a profit. This will give potential investors the confidence to back your business.
• Measuring Progress and Success : A business plan sets a baseline for measuring your progress. Setting clear goals and milestones helps you track progress and adjust strategies as needed. This ongoing review keeps you on track and informs smart decisions that drive your business forward.
• Risk Management : All businesses, including coaching ones, face risks. A business plan helps predict and manage these risks, making it easier to handle challenges. It prepares you for economic downturns, shifts in consumer behavior, and new competitors. This proactive approach protects against unexpected problems.

How To Create Your Coaching Business Plan

A well-structured business plan outlines every critical component of your operation, from your business identity and client demographics to your financial management and growth strategy.

Before we jump straight into the coaching business template , let’s understand the structure of your coaching business plan:

• Step 1: Craft your Executive Summary
• Step 2: Business Description
• Step 3: Market Analysis
• Step 4: Create a Marketing and Sales Strategy
• Step 5: Operations Plan
• Step 6: Financial Planning
• Step 7: Review and Implement

1. Crafting Your Executive Summary

To start your coaching business, begin with a powerful executive summary in your business plan. This section is like the front cover of a book—it needs to captivate and inform.

Here’s how to craft an executive summary that sets the stage for a compelling business plan:

• Business Name and Location : Clearly state the name of your coaching business and where you are based. This basic info introduces your business.
• Services Offered : Describe the types of coaching you provide. You might specialize in life coaching, career coaching, or another niche. Give a snapshot of what you offer.
• Mission Statement : Your mission statement should reflect the core values and purpose of your business. It tells your audience what your business stands for and what you aim to achieve.
• Vision Statement : This is about the future. Where do you see your coaching business going? What impact do you want to make? Your vision statement paints a picture of the future you are working towards.
• Goals and Objectives : Jot down your short-term and long-term objectives for your coaching business using the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound . Short-term goals might include reaching a certain number of clients. Or, they might include achieving a set income within the first year. Long-term goals could involve expanding your services nationally. Or, they could involve developing a franchise model.

2. Business Description

Here, you explain what your business does, how it operates, and what it aims to achieve.

This section gives context for the rest of the business plan. It helps stakeholders understand your business at a detailed level.

Choose Your Niche

Choosing a coaching niche and specifying your services are key. This sets your business apart.

Detail your target market. Whether you focus on life, executive, or health coaching, each meets unique client needs. Focus on demographics like age, profession, or specific challenges. Your coaching addresses those challenges.

Explain how your services are tailored to meet these needs, and discuss your business’s competitive edge. List your services in this field. Include personal coaching, group workshops, and online courses.

Also, showcase what makes you unique. For example, you might have a special coaching method. Or, you could be highly skilled in a popular coaching area.

Business Structure

The structure of your coaching business can greatly impact its operations and growth. You may operate as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation. Each type has its own implications.

A sole proprietorship is easy to start and gives you full control. But it also leaves you fully liable for debts. On the other hand, a corporation shields you from debt and can attract investors. It does this through its structure and ability to sell shares. However, corporations face more rules and taxes.

Choose the structure that fits your business goals. Consider how it affects liability, taxation, and investment.

Business Model

Your coaching business can adopt various models to deliver its services, depending on your target market and your expertise:

• One-on-One Coaching: Tailored specifically to individual clients to address personal or professional goals. This model allows for deep, personalized work and can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.
• Group Sessions: These sessions bring together multiple clients who share similar goals or challenges. Group coaching is effective for workshops, seminars, and regular meetings, offering the added benefit of peer learning and support.
• Online Courses: Providing digital courses allows clients to engage with your coaching material at their own pace. This model can include video lectures, downloadable resources, and interactive elements like quizzes or forums.

Value Proposition

What sets your coaching services apart is your unique value proposition.

For instance, your approach might integrate cutting-edge psychological research, or perhaps you offer a unique blend of strategies drawn from various disciplines such as mindfulness, behavioral science, and leadership training.

Maybe your services are particularly tailored to a niche market, such as startup entrepreneurs or corporate executives facing burnout.

Highlighting this uniqueness in your business plan helps potential clients and investors understand why your coaching services are not just necessary but highly desirable.

3. Market Analysis

A thorough market analysis is crucial. It helps you understand your environment. You can identify opportunities and challenges. Then, you can make strategies. These strategies use your strengths to meet market demands.

This part of your business plan will show the whole market. It will offer key insights. These insights will help you set real goals and grow in a lasting way.

Identify your Target Market

Identifying your target market involves defining the specific group of people who are most likely to benefit from your coaching services. Key aspects to consider include:

• Demographics: Age, gender, profession, income level, and educational background. For instance, your services might cater primarily to mid-level professionals aged 30–50.
• Psychographics: Values, interests, lifestyle, and personality traits. For example, this might include people who value personal development, are career-focused, and seek work-life balance.
• Location: Whether your target market is local, regional, national, or global. Online coaching services can broaden your geographical reach compared to traditional in-person sessions.

Market Need

This section details the specific needs your coaching services address.

Are your clients looking for career advancement, personal growth, better stress management, or improved leadership skills?

Understanding these needs allows you to tailor your offerings effectively.

For example, if there is a high demand for stress management techniques among corporate workers in your area, your coaching could focus on mindfulness and resilience training.

Analyze your Competition

Analyzing your competitors helps you understand the current market landscape and identify what sets your coaching apart. Consider the following:

• Who are your main competitors? Look at other coaching services in your niche.
• What services do they offer? Understanding their offerings helps you spot gaps in the market.
• What are their strengths and weaknesses? This can help you learn from their successes and capitalize on areas where they may fall short.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis is a strategic method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Use it to analyze your coaching business:

• Strengths: What advantages does your coaching business have? This could be a unique coaching methodology, a strong personal brand, or deep expertise in a niche area.
• Weaknesses: What areas need improvement? This might include limited market presence or lack of full-time coaching staff.
• Opportunities: Look for external factors that could be advantageous for your business. This could include increasing demand for mental health services or expanding into online coaching.
• Threats: Identify potential challenges that could hinder your business’s success. These might include new competitors entering the market or changes in regulatory laws affecting coaching services.

4. Marketing and Sales Strategies

An effective marketing and sales strategy is critical for the success of any coaching business. This part of your business plan outlines how you will attract and keep clients.

It details your approaches to reaching your target market and turning leads into paying customers. The right strategy boosts visibility. It also improves client engagement and loyalty.

A well-crafted marketing plan is essential. It sets clear goals and identifies the best tactics to reach them. It ensures your marketing is consistent, targeted, and effective. They help build brand recognition and trust.

Developing your coaching brand involves creating a distinctive identity that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from competitors.

Key elements include:

• Brand Message: What are the core messages you want to convey? This could be your commitment to helping clients achieve specific goals, like improving leadership skills or finding work-life balance.
• Visual Identity: Includes your logo, color scheme, and overall visual style. These should reflect the tone and ethos of your coaching practice.
• Brand Voice: How you communicate in written and spoken words, which should consistently reflect your values and appeal to your target audience.

Marketing Channels

To reach your potential clients effectively, utilize a mix of marketing channels tailored to where your audience spends their time:

• Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook can help build community and engagement. Tailor your content strategy to each platform to maximize reach and engagement.
• Speaking Engagements: Presenting at conferences or local events can establish you as an expert in your field and attract clients looking for proven guidance.
• Networking: Building relationships through industry groups or local business events can lead to referrals and new client opportunities.
• SEO: Optimize your website and content for search engines to attract organic traffic. Focus on keywords that potential clients might use to find coaching services.

Effective marketing can significantly boost your coaching business, attracting a steady stream of clients. It not only draws attention but also captures and retains interest

Sales Strategy

Converting potential clients into paying clients requires a clear sales process:

• Initial Consultation: Offer a free or discounted initial consultation to introduce potential clients to your coaching style and the benefits of your services.
• Follow-Up: After the consultation, follow up with a personalized message that summarizes how you can help them achieve their goals.
• Special Offers: Consider time-limited offers or package deals to encourage sign-ups.

Set up a sales funnel. A sales funnel is a process that guides potential clients from their first interaction with your brand through various stages of engagement until they make a purchase.

It starts with awareness, often through your marketing efforts, and progresses to interest (engaging with content), decision (attending a consultation), and finally action (purchasing a coaching package). 

5. Operations Plan

The Operational Plan section of your business plan provides a detailed look at how your coaching business works. This section outlines the day-to-day operations that support your coaching business.

This includes preparing for client sessions, both scheduled and ad-hoc and follow-up activities for each session, client communication, and administrative tasks like scheduling, billing, and client records management. 

It’s important to specify how these tasks are handled and by whom, as well as any business hours or response time commitments you make to your clients.

Business Location

Where you operate your business significantly shapes how it runs. Specify whether you offer your coaching services online, offline , or in a hybrid model:

Technology Used

Technology is crucial in running a modern coaching business efficiently. List the specific technologies and software you utilize for various business functions:

• Client Management Systems : Software for scheduling , session notes, and client progress tracking.
• Communication Tools : Tools used for client communication, such as email platforms, video conferencing tools, and instant messaging apps.
• Marketing and Sales Software : CRM systems for managing leads, marketing automation tools, and analytics platforms.

Staff and Resources

Finally, detail any staff or additional resources needed to operate your business effectively. This includes any administrative support, marketing personnel, or additional coaches. 

If you handle most operations solo, discuss any outsourced services you might need, such as virtual assistants, accountants, or IT support.

6. Financial Planning

The Financial Plan is a critical section of your business plan. It is crucial for both potential investors and for you as the owner.

It shows that your coaching business is financially viable. It gives a roadmap for financial success.

This section is crucial for securing funding. It shows you understand your business’s finances.

Startup Costs

Outline all initial costs required to start your coaching business. This includes any licensing fees, initial marketing expenses, technology setup costs, office equipment, and any other expenditures necessary to launch your business.

Pricing Strategy

Set your prices for your coaching services based on the value you provide, the demands of your target market, and your competitors’ pricing. You can also offer different pricing tiers based on the length and depth of the coaching provided or discounts for upfront payments for a series of sessions.

Revenue Projections

Project your revenues over the next three to five years. Base these estimates on your market analysis, including expected client numbers, session pricing, and any additional revenue streams like workshops or online courses.

Break-even Analysis:

Calculate when the business expects to break even. This analysis should consider all fixed costs (like rent and salaries) and variable costs (such as session materials or payment processing fees) against expected revenue streams. The break-even point is the moment when total revenues equal total costs, indicating when the business starts to generate profit beyond recovering its initial and operational costs.

Think of it like this: if you have a lemonade stand, you need to know how many cups of lemonade you have to sell to pay for all your supplies and costs. The moment you’ve sold enough cups to cover all your expenses, you hit your “break-even point.” That means you’re not losing money anymore, and any more lemonade you sell after that starts to make you profit.

7. Review and Implement

Once you’ve finalized your coaching business plan, the next steps are critical: reviewing the plan carefully and implementing it effectively.

This ensures that your business is built on a solid foundation and is ready to adapt to challenges and opportunities. Here’s how to approach these important phases:

Reviewing Your Business Plan

• Thorough Read-through: Start by reading your business plan thoroughly from start to finish. This helps you ensure that the plan is cohesive and all parts align well with each other.
• Seek External Feedback: It’s invaluable to get perspectives from trusted mentors, industry peers, or potential investors. They can provide insights that you might have missed and suggest improvements. Consider feedback from people who understand the coaching industry as well as those who might be part of your target audience.
• Revise for Clarity and Accuracy: Based on the feedback and your own assessments, make necessary revisions. This could involve clarifying certain sections, adding missing details, or correcting any inaccuracies. Ensure your financial forecasts and market analysis are realistic and based on the latest available data.
• Finalize the Document: Once revisions are made, finalize the formatting, proofread for grammatical errors, and ensure that the document is professionally presented.

Implementing Your Business Plan

Now that your business plan is meticulously crafted, it’s time to bring it to life. This step might seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s essential for growing your coaching business.

The great news is, you’re not in this alone. We’re here not just to support you but to actively participate in your journey.

Our role extends beyond mere guidance; we’re here to help build your business. While you concentrate on what you do best—coaching and transforming lives—we’ll handle the operational details. From identifying your niche to marketing execution, we’ve got you covered .

As we wrap up, I hope the insights shared here have empowered you to create a structured and effective business plan for your coaching venture.

Crafting a solid plan is crucial, not just for guiding your business but for adapting as your enterprise grows.

If you have any questions about the business planning process or wish to share your own experiences and insights, feel free to leave a comment below.

Resources for your Coaching Business Plan

As a coach, it’s crucial to have the right resources at your fingertips.

We’ve put together a curated list to support your journey to craft your custom coaching business plan.

Your Custom Template

To get your FREE custom Coaching Business Plan Template, click on the “Download Your Coaching Business Plan” Button

Other resources

Financial planning and management tools.

• QuickBooks : An accounting software ideal for small businesses to manage accounts with ease.
• Mint : Helps with personal and business financial planning and budgeting.
• Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets – Spreadsheet tools that are essential for financial analysis, including creating detailed financial projections and budgets.

Software and Online Platforms

• LivePlan : This is an intuitive, user-friendly business plan software that guides you through the process of creating a detailed, investor-ready business plan. It offers templates, financial forecasts, and performance tracking tools.
• Bizplan : Bizplan makes the process of writing a business plan more efficient through step-by-step guidance, templates, and a modern, user-friendly interface that simplifies financial forecasting and business modeling.
• Enloop : This tool automatically writes and formats your business plan as you input information. It offers features like auto-generated financial reports and a real-time performance score to improve your plan.
• SMART Goals – A framework for setting objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, ensuring well-defined and attainable goals.
• SWOT Analysis – A strategic planning tool used to identify and understand the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business competition or project planning.
• PEST Analysis – A framework for analyzing and monitoring the macro-environmental factors that may have a profound impact on an organization’s performance.
• Business Model Canvas – A strategic management template for developing new or documenting existing business models across nine key components.
• Value Proposition Canvas – A tool that helps businesses ensure that a product or service is positioned around what the customer values and needs.
• “ Co-Active Coaching: Changing Business, Transforming Lives ” by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl, and Laura Whitworth – This book provides a foundational philosophy for professional coaching.
• “ Business Model Generation ” by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur – A book that introduces practical tools for creating, analyzing, and reinventing business models, with visual methods for brainstorming.
• “ The Lean Startup ” by Eric Ries – A book that introduces methodologies for developing businesses and products in an efficient way by managing and directing startup activities toward the markets.

Legal Resources for Small Businesses

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) : Information on business registration, legal structures, and licenses.
• Gov.uk (for UK based businesses) : Guidance on starting and running a business in the UK, including legal obligations.

Each resource was chosen based on its practical utility, ease of access, and the most current information available.

From established industry platforms to cutting-edge tools and insightful publications, our editorial team has researched, fact-checked, and curated a diverse mix of resources to cater to various learning styles and needs.

This ensures you have access to the best tools and knowledge, helping you build a solid coaching business plan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the steps of a business plan.

A coaching business plan includes the following steps – making a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the company, moving on to a SWOT analysis, outlining a short-term and long-term strategy, creating project benchmarks, and defining the key success factors. Another additional step is how to price the business and launch a new product.

What Must An Entrepreneur Do After Creating their Coaching Business Plan?

A list of tasks that entrepreneurs should complete after setting up their coaching business plan includes: obtaining startup capital, researching trade laws, reviewing business licenses, and choosing a company name.

What Is the Purpose of Writing a Business Plan Before Entering the Market?

Creating a coaching business plan before entering the market can prove beneficial because it allows entrepreneurs to look at the big picture of the company, from the way it will be run to its goals and general purposes. It also gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to look at what they need to do in order to successfully and efficiently run their business.

What Should I Include In A Business Plan?

Every business plan needs to include the questions and answers of these three fundamental issues: what do you want your company to accomplish, why should people buy what you sell, and how will you make it happen? It is important to take this opportunity to be very thorough with your business plan.

How to Make a Business Plan?

To make a business plan, you must know what kind of business you want it to be. You will need to research your market, competition, and finances. If you don’t, then you run the risk of running out of money or building a business that is unable to make a profit.

How Do You Draft A Coaching Plan?

You can draft a coaching plan through plenty of documents and templates that can be used as a guide to help you brainstorm and organize your own thoughts. One great resource is the Coaching Business Plan Workbook and Guide by Mary Baldwin and Amy Levin-Epstein.

How To Write A Business Plan Step By Step?

The precise step-by-step guide on how to write a business starts with first outlining what your business will be and what your long-term goal is. Next, it’s important to start with developing your company’s mission statement, detailing who your customer is and what they want. This is followed by conducting market research and researching your competition.

ABOUT SAI BLACKBYRN

I’m Sai Blackbyrn, better known as “The Coach’s Mentor.” I help Coaches like you establish their business online. My system is simple: close more clients at higher fees. You can take advantage of technology, and use it as a catalyst to grow your coaching business in a matter of weeks; not months, not years. It’s easier than you think.

4 thoughts on “How to Craft your coaching business plan in 7 simple Steps (+ FREE Template)”

This article was very simple and easy to follow. Extremely helpful. Just starting out so needed this kinda help.

Hi J Dawn, I’m glad you got great value from this piece. And since you are just starting out, the webinar would be extremely helpful to you so do register

Thank you so much, very insightful especially as I’m starting my coaching business.

Keep up the great work!

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Sample Life Coach Business Plan: Complete Template & PDF

This sample life coach business plan contains a detailed operating and marketing plan for a life coaching business, including life coaching services, target market, marketing strategies, competition, and financial projections.

It is a downloadable coaching business plan example that is available as a Google Doc, which can be used in Microsoft Word, Apple Pages or as a PDF.

Table of Contents

How to Use This Life Coach Business Plan to Get Clients

Each section this sample life coach business plan contains two parts:

• Coaching Business Plan Template – This includes details on what to put into each section of your business plan.
• Sample Coaching Business Plan Text – This part provides actual text from a real coaching business plan example that you can modify (or leave as is) for your plan.

Since most coaching businesses are started by individuals working as sole practitioners, I’ll focus on one-person businesses in this sample life coaching business plan. You can easily modify this plan if you have partners or are part of a management team. Just replace “I” with “we” and other plural forms.

I’ve also included an overview of financial projections in this coaching business plan example to help you chart a path to starting a coaching business.

Watch the Free Coaching Business Plan Webinar

The hardest part of starting a coaching business is getting clients.

The free life coach marketing plan that I created as part of this sample coaching business plan shows you the fastest path to building your brand identity and awareness to get clients. It includes SEO for Life Coaches and a List of Life Coaching Keywords. I strongly recommend reading that or listening to the audio version (it’s all free):

Sample Life Coach Business Plan

Let’s start with the sections that make up your life coaching business plan. I include sample text below the description of what to focus on within the section.

The first in your business plan introduction to frame your coaching practice.

1. Coaching Business Plan Executive Summary

Additionally, the executive summary should highlight your key differentiators and explain why your coaching business will be successful.

Most Executive Summaries are at most one or two pages. As a sole practitioner for a life coaching business, your summary can be as brief as a few paragraphs.

Sample Life Coach Business Plan Executive Summary

As a life coach, I am excited to offer my coaching services to help people reach their personal and professional goals. My coaching business plan includes a variety of services that are tailored to each client’s individual needs.

I offer one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and corporate coaching services. I also provide coaching resources, such as books, audio programs, and online courses.

My coaching business is based on the belief that everyone has the potential to achieve their dreams. I am committed to helping my clients reach their full potential through my life coaching services.

Coaching is a very personalized business. Clients need to have a strong rapport with their life coach in order to realize their goals. They also need to trust their coach. To build and maintain that trust, I will build my brand identity and create awareness of my coaching services using content marketing.

This includes SEO keyword research to identify the ideal keyword terms that my target market searches for. I will optimize my local SEO presence on Google and use these keywords as the foundation to launch a social media campaign.

Since I am a sole practitioner, using outside resources will allow me to make the best use of my time. I will take advantage of pre-written content designed for coaches, which I can tweak to include my personal notes and experiences.

Doing so will enable me to go to market faster and maintain my online presence without sacrificing the time I need to provide actual life coaching services to my clients.

2. Coaching Business Plan Company Description

This section can also include information on the history of your coaching business and any significant milestones that you have reached.

It is okay to repeat a little bit of what you included in your executive summary in this section. Here you’ll have the opportunity to describe your company in greater detail.

Sample Life Coach Company Description

Life Coaching is a process that helps people identify and achieve their personal and professional goals. As a life coach, I help my clients get clear on what they want to achieve and create a plan to make it happen.

I specialize in working with entrepreneurs, business professionals, and business students who are seeking clarity and direction in their lives to achieve professional satisfaction. My coaching services are tailored to each client’s individual needs and include one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and corporate coaching.

My life coaching business is based on the belief that everyone has the potential to achieve their dreams. The key to my success is my ability to ask poignant questions that elicit deep thinking in my clients’ minds. I want them to see what life can be like out of their comfort zone while being in a safe space with our conversations.

By using before/after scenarios as one of my techniques, I can help clients remove self-inflicted limits they impose on themselves. Most of the time, it is these limitations that prevent individuals from growing and creating meaningful experiences that result in greater happiness.

3. Life Coach Business Plan Services Offered

The Services Offered section of your life coach business plan should provide an overview of the coaching services that you offer. This can include information on the types of coaching services you offer, such as one-on-one coaching, group coaching, or corporate coaching.

You should also include information on the format of your coaching services, such as in-person sessions, phone calls, video calls, or online courses. In this section, you’ll have the opportunity to describe your coaching services in greater detail and explain how they will benefit your clients.

Sample Life Coaching Services Offered

I offer a variety of life coaching services that are tailored to each client’s individual needs. My coaching services include one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and corporate coaching. I also provide coaching resources, such as books, audio programs, and online courses.

My one-on-one life coaching services are designed to help my clients achieve their personal and professional goals. We will work together to identify your goals and create a plan to make them happen. My goal is to help you gain clarity and confidence so that you can live the life you want.

My group life coaching services are designed for people who want to achieve their goals with the support of others. Group life coaching is a great way to get accountability and feedback from others who are striving to reach their goals. My group life coaching programs are available both in-person and online.

My corporate life coaching services are designed to help businesses achieve their goals. I offer a variety of corporate life coaching services, such as team building, goal setting, and conflict resolution. I also provide life coaching resources, such as books, audio programs, and online courses, to help businesses reach their full potential.

For those clients who prefer a self-paced approach, I provide coaching resources, such as books, audio programs, and online courses. These serve as stepping stones to acquire one-on-one or group coaching customers.

4. Coaching Business Plan Target Market

It is important to focus on a niche rather than offering generic services.

Life coaching as an industry is booming so prospects may not be able to determine who is the best life coach for them. When you focus, your marketing efforts can be customized to the niche you specialize in.

Think of it this way: if you were to build a patio for your house, would you hire a general contractor or a patio specialist? A general contractor remodels kitchens and bathrooms and will likely not be as familiar with the latest trends on patios. A patio specialist, however, will be versed in the best materials, designs and considerations for patios.

You would pick the patio specialist no doubt.

Similarly, your life coaching business plan should focus on a specific target group so that you become known as a specialist for your niche.

Sample Life Coaching Target Market

Given my strong background in corporate and executive leadership, I specialize in working with entrepreneurs, business professionals, and business students who are seeking clarity and direction in their lives.

The career paths of my clients typically hold a special place as part of their holistic identity. I focus on helping them see a vision of themselves that feels true and help them break limiting habits and beliefs. My goal is to assist clients in creating unbounded opportunities and new habits that foster growth.

My life coaching services are designed to help my clients achieve their professional goals and gain fulfillment in their personal lives.

5. Coaching Business Plan Pricing Strategy

The Pricing Strategy section of your life coach business plan should provide an overview of how you will price your life coaching services. This can include information on the rates you charge for your services, as well as any discounts or packages you offer. You should also include information on how you determine your pricing, such as by the hour, by the session, or by the project.

Sample Life Coaching Pricing Strategy

I charge $150 per hour for my life coaching services with a 2 hours per month commitment for a minimum of 3 months.

They also provide prospects with an opportunity to experience what it could be like working directly with me without making a larger financial commitment. My online courses are priced at $297 and $497, respectively, for a 3-month or 6-month self-paced course.

I offer group coaching at the rate of $200 per month per individual. This includes a two-hour session each month in a group of no more than 8 people. I also maintain the same 3-month commitment.

This way, group members can hold each other accountable for commitments they make in prior monthly meetings. This added bond increases the likelihood that new clients will become long term clients.

For corporate clients, I charge $2000 per month per group of up to 6 members. This allows an organization to experience group coaching tailored to improving employee productivity and satisfaction. This is the fastest growing segment of my coaching business because employers are struggling to retain top performing employees due to “The Great Resignation” which is affecting company output.

In a post-COVID world, I offer my life coaching services both in-person as well as virtually. Groups will meet either virtually or in-person for consistency, but not both. For example, an individual may not choose to attend an in-person meeting virtually because that breaks the rapport-building process that is integrated into my group coaching sessions.

6. Life Coach Marketing

Here are 10 marketing ideas to help you get started. Use these as fodder to create your detailed life coach marketing plan, which is the true heart of your business strategy.

Sample Life Coach Marketing Plan

This life coaching marketing plan will not focus on paid advertising, which is a flooded market. Instead, it will leverage the untapped and insatiable market for educational content to help people achieve their personal and professional goals.

The tactics presented below, when done in unison, will generate a steady flow of qualified leads into my lead generation pipeline.

• Develop a website . Aside from my Google Business Profile, my website will be one of the main ways clients learn more about my services. I will use the side not only to share information about my coaching packages, but also – and more importantly – to share my thought leadership content that I create. I will offer a few free guides and checklists to convert website visitors into prospects using a ConvertBox lead capture form.
• Create a social media presence . I will create a Facebook and LinkedIn page for promoting my content (see below) to my target market. As I ramp up in sales, I will explore paid advertising on these platforms, but as the initial effort I will use SEO and content marketing to grow my business.
• Acquire private label rights (PLR) content . I can use this material as a starting point to create social media posts, videos, online courses and articles. I will purchase credits from PLR . This is like having a content marketing writer on staff to produce the material that will propel my name as a coach into the marketplace. This inexpensive way to generate content will make my marketing efforts more efficient because I am a sole practitioner and need to optimize the use of my time.
• Search Engine Optimization . Using the free detailed SEO for Life Coaches guide provided by MoreBusiness.com, I will identify specific keywords related to my niche. This will allow me to quickly tweak the PLR content to create unique content to promote my coaching business. While most other coaches rely heavily on paid advertising on Google and Facebook, I plan to take advantage of the long-tail keyword strategy. This approach targets the numerous “low keyword difficulty” and “high search volume” phrases that my prospects use daily to find coaches like me. This will result in significant cost savings as I ramp up my marketing efforts. I will be able to tap into organic search traffic that continues long after the investment to create it.
• Publish regularly . As part of my branding efforts, I will publish my unique content on my blog and social media channels, including my Facebook page. By sharing my expertise and coaching tips, I will attract potential clients who are interested in my messages. I will use Canva to create attractive designs and schedule social media posts.
• Claim my Google Business Profile . For local SEO, claiming my Google Business Profile will enable me to have a presence that can show up on Google Maps when prospects search for life coaching services. Doing so will display my hours of operation, new blog posts, and send other marketing signals to reach my audience.
• Use online directories . Online directories can help me reach a wide range of prospects. In fact, adding my business to specific directories will dramatically enhance my potential presence on Google Maps when nearby prospects search for life coaching services.
• Speak at events . Getting involved in speaking engagements is a great way to build my reputation and attract new clients. I will reach out to 10 new associations each quarter in order to land a minimum of one speaking engagement that puts me in front of an ideal audience. I will also attend local events to network with business leaders who may be looking for coaching options for their staff.
• Teach workshops and webinars . An offshoot of speaking engagements, hosting my own workshops and webinars will provide an additional way to reach prospects. For my webinars, I will use EasyWebinar to create an automated webinar option that allows prospects to view the webinar on demand. New leads will receive my automated drip email sequence and become part of my email newsletter campaign to stay in touch.
• Create an e-newsletter . To stay in touch and nurture these new leads, I will send helpful tips, articles, and resources in my e-newsletter. This way, my brand will remain top-of-mind even for those prospects who are not yet ready to commit to a coaching program.
• Offer free consultations . An initial free consultation is traditionally a great way to introduce potential clients to my life coaching services. This allows prospects to experience my coaching services and build rapport so they become long-term clients.

The marketing strategy tactics listed in this life coaching business plan may seem like quite a bit for an individual practitioner to tackle. However, most involve an initial investment of time to set up and then run via automations.

Also read our guide How to Get Life Coaching Clients: A 9-Step Complete Guide

By leveraging PLR coaching content published through the lens of long-tail SEO keywords, I will be able to quickly gain exposure to the market I intend to reach. This will build my sales faster than other coaches competing for similar clients.

7. Life Coach Business Plan Financials

Sample Life Coach Financials

In the next 12 months as I ramp up my coaching business, I expect to generate $100,000 in revenue. My expenses will total $20,000, resulting in a profit of $80,000.

Revenue will come from the following sources:

• Online courses: $19,000 – estimated 40 sales at $297 and 15 sales at $497
• eBook sales: $2,000 – estimated 80 sales at $25
• Individual Coaching: $20,000
• Group Coaching: $35,000
• Corporate Coaching: 45,000

As I build my reputation as a life coach, I will add new courses and focus more on corporate and group coaching. These two revenue streams generate a higher profit margin than individual coaching clients.

8. Coaching Business Plan Conclusion

The conclusion of your life coach business plan should summarize the key points of your business plan and explain why you believe your life coaching business will be successful. This can include information on your target market, your unique selling proposition, and your plans for promoting and marketing your life coaching business.

Sample Life Coaching Business Plan Conclusion

I believe my life coaching business will be successful because I am passionate about helping people achieve their goals and have laid out an achievable marketing strategy.

My plan incorporates my strengths and capitalizes on using outside resources, such as private label content and SEO training for myself to increase my footprint quickly. I have a strong understanding of the life coaching market and I am confident in my ability to promote and sell my services. I have realistic financial goals and I am committed to making my life coaching business a success.

Starting Your Life Coaching Business

This comprehensive life coach business plan provides a solid foundation for you to create your own plan. As you know, getting clients for your coaching business will likely be your most challenging startup task.

Use the specific life coach marketing tactics presented here to create awareness and attract qualified prospects. Don’t follow the beaten path: Facebook advertising. Instead, make sure you tap the underutilized strategy of SEO keyword research.

The MoreBusiness.com SEO Coaching program can provide you with the exact steps and research to get your business up and running fast.

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How To Write A Life Coaching Business Plan: 5 Templates

If you’re passionate about helping others fulfill their potential and reach new heights, life coaching could be a truly rewarding career for you.

This guide will show you how to create a coaching business plan that will help you turn your ideas into reality, so that you can start creating value and deliver real results to your life coaching clients.

5 Tips For Starting Your Life Coaching Business

Starting out as a life coach can seem like a big move, and there’s plenty to consider. For many experienced life coaches, it’s balancing the support, guidance, and coaching theory side of things business admin that can be a little tricky.

Maybe you see yourself more as a development professional than an entrepreneur, or perhaps you’ve helped others professionally but never quite had your own practice.

Regardless of where you are in the coaching game, here are some tips that can help you get started building a life coaching business of your own: [1]

• Decide on a clear, unique value offer. Life coaching is incredibly popular, and that’s not changing anytime soon. To distinguish yourself as a coach, think about the unique value you’ll create for your clients – what’s original about the results you can help them achieve, or how you help them get from A to B?
• Consider accreditation. The right life coaching certification can arm you with useful skills and knowledge in your field while boosting your credibility as a coach. There are plenty of qualifications available online for coaches, and you may find one that goes a long way to enhance your marketability.
• Set your business up, practically. Various states, regions, and countries have different systems for registering and starting an online coaching business. Make sure you allow time to collect or create all the coaching forms you’ll need to enroll and manage your clients.
• Develop or curate your coaching resources. To practice, you’ll need tools such as life coaching worksheets , lessons, exercises, videos (if you’re using them), and more. Create a database of all the coaching tools you’ll need so you know just where to find them when you land your first client!
• Create an online presence. Think about how you’ll reach out to clients, and prepare the things that will help you be discovered online. Some examples include a coaching website , social media profile, or listings in online coaching directories. A strategic way to approach this is by developing a marketing strategy, which covers all the ins and outs of how you’ll grow your visibility.

How To Write A Coaching Business Plan: 2 Examples

A coaching business plan should help you clarify why and how you’ll start and run your coaching practice, as well as the tools you’ll need to help others.

Creating a life coaching business plan might sound terrifying, don’t be put off. You can go into more detail if you prefer a comprehensive organizational roadmap, but your business plan should quite simply help you:

• Clarify your “Why” – What is the ultimate purpose of your business? What is your desired future vision for your practice and clients?
• Solidify your “How” – What are your coaching objectives/your mission? What approaches will you use to achieve them?
• Determine your “What” – Understand the interventions, tools, lessons, or solutions that will help you on your mission.

Depending on the depth of detail you’d like to go into, you can break your plan up into more or fewer sections.

The following two coaching business plan examples illustrate this.

Example 1: Lean Life Coaching Business Plan

A lean business plan is ideal for explaining your coaching practice succinctly, or if you’re planning a small coaching business.

Using this USA Small Business Administration sample as a guide, your lean coaching plan might include the following headings: [2]

• Business identity
• Target client
• Client pain points
• Your solution
• Your competition
• Revenue streams
• Marketing activities
• Team and their key roles, and

Lean coaching business plans can be particularly helpful if you’re keen to refine and enhance your business plan as you learn and gain experience.

Example 2: Life Coaching Business Plan Template

This life coaching business plan template from Profitable Venture is a more comprehensive example, starting with an executive summary and ending with a startup expenditure budget. [3]

SWOT and market analyses are used for an in-depth assessment of potential opportunities, threats, and rivals in the coaching industry.

3 Helpful Templates and Samples For Your Plan

Here are a few good examples of coaching business plans, including some extra sections you might want to include:

• 9 Steps to a Lean Life Coaching Business Plan from Coaching Online – this covers a few more sections such as your competition, marketing, and finances [4]
• Traditional Business Plan from the USA Small Business Administration – a traditional business plan that may work well for larger coaching practices [5]
• Business Plan Template for a Startup from Score.org – a 9-step template for new business owners. [6]

Creating A Business Plan For Your Online Coaching Business

Once you’ve decided on the most relevant format for your business plan, you’ll want to formalize it by writing it all down.

You will most likely be referring to it regularly, as you structure, run, manage, and grow your coaching practice, so it’s critical to keep your plan along with the rest of your business documents.

A quick, straightforward solution for most coaches is to create a digital business plan, as we’ve started to do below using Quenza:

Using Quenza’s Activity Builder , you can create custom sections for each element in your plan, as well as text boxes for all the information that will go into your tool.

This helps you store your plan in your coaching portal alongside your Client profiles, activities, and other coaching tools, so your plan is always near at hand as you start to build your business.

To create your own coaching business plan using Quenza’s Activity Builder, simply:

• Open and title a new Activity
• Create sections for each header of your plan, and
• Save your Activity to your Library when it’s done!

You can also print your plan as a PDF, or access and edit at any time on Quenza’s client app, as shown below:

There’s no right or wrong way to create a coaching business plan template, so don’t be afraid to add in headers or sections as your plan grows. As long as your plan takes you through each milestone of building and running your business, you’re on the right path to creating a successful, growing practice.

Best App and Software For Your Coaching Business

Quenza is a state-of-the-art solution for coaching professionals, regardless of where you are in the process of running your business.

Not only can you plan out your business as a first-time coach, but Quenza’s tools can help you deliver solutions, stay in touch with clients, and even market your business as you gain traction.

With Quenza’s features, for example, you can:

• Design, build, and deliver personal and group life coaching solutions
• Craft coaching programs, curricula, or entire e-courses from your existing tools
• Drip feed your solutions to coaching clients automatically, on a schedule
• Create and customize all your coaching contracts , coaching agreements, and feedback forms
• Collect and securely store all your clients’ data with Quenza’s HIPAA-compliant app and coaching platform
• Offer clients a centralized online coaching portal
• Stay in touch with and engage your clients throughout the course of your programs, using notifications, reminders, and multimedia,
• Track, monitor, and evaluate your clients’ progress in real-time, and
• Document your sessions with Quenza’s Client notes.

5 Unique Features Included in Quenza

We’ve already seen how important it is to carve out your niche as a life coach – and of course, you’re most efficient when you decide on your own workflow, processes, and style.

With Quenza’s custom features, you have all the flexibility you need to get creative with solutions and market yourself in a way that suits you.

For instance, you can make use of Quenza’s:

• Multilingual client app – to translate your own or your clients’ Quenza app into 16 different languages, and custom brand colors
• Group or private chat – to share feedback, reminders, or encouragement
• White label feature – to promote your brand by adding your logo to tools, forms, and programs
• Wheel of Life feature – to design personalized life Wheel of Life assessments , and
• Expansion Library – for customizing popular and evidence-based coaching exercises without starting from scratch!

Leveraging Technology for Efficient Client Management

Integrating technology into your life coaching practice can significantly streamline client management and enhance your service delivery. Utilizing software and applications designed for coaching professionals saves time and ensures a more organized approach to managing client data and scheduling.

For example, client management software lets you keep detailed records of each client’s progress, preferences, and session notes. This can help you tailor your sessions more effectively and provide personalized coaching that meets the unique needs of each client. Having all this information in one place allows you to track progress and adjust your coaching strategies as needed easily.

Additionally, automated scheduling tools can eliminate the back-and-forth communication often required to set up appointments. These tools allow clients to book sessions at their convenience, reducing the administrative burden on you and ensuring that your calendar is always up to date. This improves efficiency and enhances the client experience by providing a seamless and professional service.

Finally, consider incorporating video conferencing software into your practice. This allows you to conduct coaching sessions remotely, expanding your reach to clients who cannot meet in person. Video sessions can be just as effective as face-to-face meetings, and the convenience of remote coaching can be a major selling point for potential clients.

Building a Strong Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for attracting new clients and establishing credibility as a life coach. A well-designed website serves as your virtual storefront, providing potential clients with information about your services, testimonials, and an easy way to contact you.

Your website should clearly communicate your unique value proposition and showcase the results you have achieved for your clients. Include case studies or success stories that highlight the impact of your coaching. This builds trust and demonstrates your expertise and effectiveness as a coach.

Social media platforms are also powerful tools for connecting with potential clients and building your brand. Regularly sharing valuable content related to life coaching, such as tips, articles, and motivational quotes, can position you as a thought leader in your field. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and consider running targeted ad campaigns to reach a wider audience.

Additionally, consider creating a blog to share your insights and experiences as a life coach. Blogging helps improve your website’s SEO and provides valuable content that can attract and engage potential clients. Write about topics that resonate with your target audience, and promote your blog posts through your social media channels.

By leveraging these digital tools and strategies, you can build a strong online presence that attracts new clients and reinforces your credibility as a life coach.

Final Thoughts

These tips, templates, formats, and examples will help you craft a strategic business plan that can get your coaching practice up and running – even if you’ve never started a business in your life.

If you have a template of your own to share with your fellow coaches, do let us know in the comments below.

We hope this article was helpful. Don’t forget to start your 30-day, 1 dollar Quenza trial for all the tools you need to bring your business plan to life!

Quenza’s practitioner tools will help you craft and deliver powerful online coaching solutions from any connected device. They contain everything you need to run your life coaching practice digitally for brilliant client outcomes.

• ^ Truex, L. (2021). How to start a home-based coaching business. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-start-a-coaching-business-1794520
• ^ SBA.gov. (2021). Sample Lean Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2017-12/Sample%20Lean%20Business%20Plan%20-%20Wooden%20Grain%20Toy%20Company.doc
• ^ Profitable Venture. (2021). Life Coaching Business Plan Template. Retrieved from https://www.profitableventure.com/life-coaching-business-plan/
• ^ Coaching-Online.org. (2021). 9 Steps to a Lean Life Coaching Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.coaching-online.org/life-coach-business-plan/
• ^ SBA.gov. (2021). Write Your Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan
• ^ Score.org. (2020). Business Plan Template for a Startup Business. Retrieved from https://www.score.org/resource/business-plan-template-startup-business

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How to Start Your Life Coaching Business Plan & Template

Perhaps like many of us, you’re unsure where to start. Maybe you’re disillusioned by the lack of clear, actionable information available and have shelved your plans – for the moment, at least.

But don’t give in. Help is at hand.

This article introduces many of the answers to the question, “How do I start a life coaching business?”

In doing so, we borrow heavily from a book written by one of our founders at PositivePsychology.com, Seph Fontane Pennock, The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice . It is a great read and highly recommended; however, this article offers a powerful starting point regardless, with actionable points, a business plan, and a free template.

This Article Contains

How to start your life coaching business, 3 requirements for setting up your practice, crafting your business model plan: a template, how to market and advertise your coaching business, 10 best names for coaching practices, building and promoting an online coaching business.

• 10+ Software & Forms to Use in Your Practice

A Take-Home Message

Life coaching can have far-reaching and diverse positive impacts on clients’ lives (Clutterbuck et al., 2016).

Many of us have toyed with the idea of starting a life coaching business, helping people change health-related behavior, improve wellness, boost their careers, and strive for personal goals (Karmali et al., 2020; Mann et al., 2022).

You most likely feel you have something to give: highly transferable skills learned from harsh life lessons and/or expertise in psychology, learning, leadership, self-development, and communication.

Or perhaps you are simply great at making people feel so empowered that they stop being “stuck” and take the bold steps to overcome obstacles holding them back.

Whatever your reason and motivation, we will help you get there, and the best place to begin is right here.

Begin at the beginning!

We start by recognizing our barriers.

What’s stopping us? Most likely, it’s our mindset rather than something physical. The following beliefs are potential obstacles, blocking us before we even start:

• Fear of failure : We are afraid we will not succeed.
• Not enough time: “I would give it a try, but I simply don’t have enough time.”
• Self-doubt: Our lack of confidence sabotages our entrepreneurial journey.

It’s not about ignoring the fear or letting it determine how we act; it’s about accepting it as an inherent part of our journey.

Accept fear as part of your journey.

Next, evaluate your existing time commitments. Prioritize your current tasks, dropping some of the nonessentials, and plan to set aside time to start your life coaching business. This is something you’ve dreamed of doing and aligns with your bigger life goals.

There will always be things to do, but by changing your mindset and prioritizing this dream, you will find the time to make it a reality.

Everyone has 24 hours in a day. What will you accomplish with yours?

Finally, recognize your feelings of self-doubt but don’t let them control you. Reflect on some of your past successes and reach out to those closest to you for their support, encouragement, and practical advice.

We’d like to share a great article with you that can help, as it includes tips for increasing your self-confidence. Have a look at What Is Self-Confidence? (+9 Proven Ways to Increase It) .

To build confidence, you have to practice confidence.

If we don’t start, we will never know

Now that we have faced our barriers and established a healthier relationship with them, it’s time to step outside our comfort zone and start the journey.

Who is our dream client?

We can’t be great at everything, so we need to narrow our focus and reach and find an authentic niche.

For example, perhaps you enjoy helping people in the workplace . So, maybe your dream client has worked for several years but now feels stuck in their career. They need help to reevaluate where they are, where they want to go, and how to change their mindset to move toward a more fulfilling career.

Once we’ve defined our ideal client, we can consider each of Seph’s seven pillars for starting and growing a coaching practice sustainably:

• Pillar #1 – Promise We need to be able to make a pledge to our dream client. The five Ps will help: People : Who are we helping? Place : Where are we helping them? Problem : What are we helping them solve? Product : What will we use to do this? Price : What will we charge to do it?
• Pillar #2 – Leads We need to attract more of the right sort of clients (ideally, they will contact us). We must think about how our dream client will find us, perhaps via YouTube, a blog post, a personal website, or social media (think LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc.).
• Pillar #3 – Clients How will we convert leads into clients? It may involve screening out those who are not a good fit for our services (depending on our coaching philosophy ) and following up quickly with compatible ones.
• Pillar #4 – Traffic Reducing the legwork associated with finding leads is crucial; ultimately, it gives us more time to help others.
• Pillar #5 – Retention Attracting and converting new leads is vital, yet so is holding on to existing clients. What potential offers can we share with existing clients to maintain (or boost) engagement?
• Pillar #6 – Products How can we generate more income without spending extra time? It might include offering group coaching sessions or additional training, downloadable PDFs, podcasts, or webinars.
• Pillar #7 – Team We can’t achieve everything alone. Over time, a successful coaching business may expand and include dedicated staff performing those administrative activities that take our time away from coaching.

What is the best platform for a life coaching business?

Traditionally, life coaching was practiced face to face and involved a great deal of manual administration behind the scenes.

Thankfully, new technology and online platforms mean we can perform coaching remotely through video calls and set up meetings, share activities, and exercises, and take notes online (Ribbers & Waringa, 2015; Kanatouri, 2020).

Our very own Quenza has been designed by and for coaches, counselors, and therapists, and that is why we believe it is the best coaching platform out there. It allows life coaches to focus on client needs, goals, and overcoming challenges and is a scalable solution for a growing business.

Do you need a business license?

You do not need specific qualifications to set up as a life coach, but accreditation can boost potential clients’ confidence in your abilities.

However, obtaining a business license is required in some locations to provide life coaching services legally. If you’re unsure whether you need a license, check with your local government agencies or consult a lawyer or accountant familiar with your jurisdiction (Lumia, 2022; Blackbyrn, 2023).

3 Best life coaching certification programs

There are many life coaching courses available. However, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s best-known and respected coaching program certifier.

We list three of our favorite life coaching certification programs, but many others exist.

Spend time researching the one that best matches your coaching plans, availability, and budget.

• Coaching Out of the Box This fast track to ICF certification can help turn your dream of starting a life coaching business into a reality. It includes group and one-to-one coaching and certification and supports individuals as they obtain documented coaching experience.
• Barefoot Coaching This ICF and university-accredited coach training offers online coaching expertise to develop the coaching skills required as a life coach, HR professional, or business leader.
• Life Purpose Institute The institute offers the coaching tools and marketing expertise to build a life coaching practice plus the training hours required to get ICF credentials. The number of students in online courses is limited, and students can learn the skills needed to coach individuals, groups, and workshops.

For further training opportunities, see our articles, 19 Best Coaching Training Institutes and Programs and 8 Best ICF Coaching Certification Programs and Courses .

A life coaching business plan doesn’t need to be complicated and must remain current, capturing the key actions and challenges.

Use the Life Coaching Business Model Plan or one of our templates from our How to Write a Life Coaching Business Plan: 5 Templates article to create an initial plan.

Let’s apply the business template to an example scenario. In this scenario, we want to start a life coaching business that will target people who feel stuck in their career or their life (or both). To help us, we’ll answer a set of questions/prompts using the business template.

1. Business identity

What is the business called? In this example scenario, we will call our business “Clarity Life Coaching.”

2. Target client

Our target clients are individuals who feel stuck, lost, or uncertain in their personal or professional lives. We focus on mid-career individuals or those experiencing significant life changes, such as divorce or career transitions.

3. Client pain points

Our clients struggle with a lack of direction, feel overwhelmed, and lack clarity about their goals and values. They may feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs or relationships and experience high stress or anxiety.

4. Your solution

Clarity Life Coaching provides personalized coaching services to help individuals clarify their values, goals, and priorities. Our coaching process helps clients identify their strengths and areas for improvement, develop a plan to achieve their goals, and overcome obstacles that may stand in their way. We use various coaching techniques, including goal setting, visualization, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

5. Your competition

Several life coaching businesses in the local area provide similar services, but our unique approach and personalized coaching services set us apart from the competition. We focus on a highly customized coaching experience tailored to each client’s needs.

6. Revenue streams

Our revenue streams include one-on-one coaching sessions, group coaching sessions, and workshops on topics such as goal setting and stress management.

7. Marketing activities

We use online advertising, social media marketing, and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations. We will also attend local events and conferences to promote our services and network with potential clients.

8. Expenses

Existing and future expenses include rent for our coaching space, coaching materials, advertising and marketing costs, and attending events and conferences.

9. Team and their key roles

The team will consist of one life coach responsible for providing coaching services, managing client relationships, and handling administrative tasks such as scheduling and billing.

10. Milestones

Initial thoughts on milestones include:

• Launching the business and securing our first clients within the first three months
• Expanding our client base by 25% within the first year
• Increasing revenue by 35% within the first year
• Hosting a successful workshop or seminar within the first six months of operation

Help mid-career individuals gain clarity and direction and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Your plan will evolve and should be revisited regularly to grow and manage your life coaching practice.

For many of us, marketing and advertising can fill us with fear – an unknown and confusing process.

So here are a few valuable pointers drawn from Seph’s The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice and Steve Chandler’s book How to Get Clients: New Pathways to Coaching Prosperity .

Your coaching website should be like a funnel

• When your visitor arrives on your website, they should:
• Know which problem you can help them solve or which goal you can help them achieve.
• Find clear evidence of your successful track record.
• Be confident in your abilities and experience.
• Be provided with some upfront value (perhaps a free e-book).
• Do not overcomplicate the website. Consider removing unnecessary content. The goal is for traffic to arrive as visitors and leave as leads (or sales).
• Make use of a call-to-action, either:
• Offer a giveaway in exchange for their name and email.
• Allow them to sign up for their first (complimentary) coaching session.

Productive conversations

Productive conversations and creating relationships lead to new clients.

• Make sure that you follow up on discussions promptly.
• After an initial chat, ask the potential client to complete a prequalification survey.
• Don’t leave them wondering. Tell them when they will receive a follow-up email.
• Don’t be needy (even if you would like their business).
• Be aware that the client will remember how you made them feel rather than precisely what you said.
• Talk less about yourself and your coaching and listen more to their problems.

Online writing

Writing for a personal blog or elsewhere can increase your reach, get you in front of clients, and help others take you seriously. But remember:

• Aim for quality over quantity – you are targeting the right kind of traffic.
• Change your mindset from “How do I find more clients?” to “How do my dream clients find me?”
• Know what people are looking for and create resources on that topic.
• Earned reach is the organic attention that you receive. Perhaps you got a mention in a podcast or on a news website. Paid reach on social media and search engines has a cost. Examples of these would be Facebook and Instagram ads or using the Google Ads Platform. Consider both.
• If you post on your website, consider your owned reach. You should appear in the search results, so get to know which keywords people are searching for when they look for help.

In The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice , Seph covers in more detail how to rank for keywords and create a content marketing plan that includes platforms with active audiences, such as:

• The Huffington Post
• Entrepreneur

Ultimately, your goal is for people with problems to find you so that you can help meet their needs.

World’s Largest Positive Psychology Resource

The Positive Psychology Toolkit© is a groundbreaking practitioner resource containing over 500 science-based exercises , activities, interventions, questionnaires, and assessments created by experts using the latest positive psychology research.

Updated monthly. 100% Science-based.

“The best positive psychology resource out there!” — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya , Flourishing Center CEO

Finding the right name for your coaching business is not easy. Too obvious, and it is either likely to be already taken or so bland that it will not be memorable.

One approach involves using AI to create life coaching business names . Use it or your own research to consider and evolve potential names, thinking about:

• The customers’ first impression
• The identity and brand of your business
• The type of customer you wish to attract
• How memorable the name is (and for the right reasons)
• Whether the name is already being used

The following articles offer more suggestions regarding how to build and promote an online coaching business.

• How to Get Clients for Life Coaching [5 Strategies] provides more information and guidance on nailing your business’s value proposition, marketing funnel, and online and offline strategies.
• How to Start an Online Coaching Business: Step-by-Step Plan is a practical guide for building a successful and profitable business.
• How to Start a Life Coaching Business From Scratch explores what you will need and your first moves to becoming an online coach.

10+ Software & Forms to Use in Your Practice

There are several online platforms for coaching.

PositivePsychology.com’s dedicated coaching software Quenza is compelling and unique because it:

• Is extraordinarily user friendly and intuitive
• Uses the latest SSL encryption to store client results to ensure HIPAA and GDPR compliance
• Is highly scalable, growing with your business
• Stores forms as customizable templates
• Securely delivers exercises and forms to clients
• Enables form completion on mobile, tablet, or desktop
• Nudges clients when they need a reminder to do something

O ur two articles, Coaching Forms Toolbox: 17 Templates for Your Sessions and How to Create Feedback Forms: 3 Templates + Best Online Tool , explain how forms can be created from scratch, copied, or modified within the tool.

We suggest using the following forms:

• Pre-coaching questionnaire
• A self-contract to encourage client accountability
• Life domain satisfaction questionnaire
• Strength interview form
• Session rating scale
• Coach evaluation form
• End of therapy evaluation

Many other templates exist, including ones for visualization, mindfulness, goal setting, and benefit finding.

Fear, time constraints, and self-doubt can hold us back from starting a life coaching business. Learning to accept our barriers and shift our focus from ourselves to our clients can dramatically improve our chances of success.

Learning from the experiences of successful business owners like Seph Fontane Pennock can provide valuable insights and help us create a profitable and impactful practice.

You most likely feel like you have something to give to your dream clients. You wish to create an opportunity for positive change in their lives while delivering on a personal vision for a life coaching practice.

Creating a clear and achievable business plan can be simple and will help you find your ideal clients and offer them a path to setting and striving toward their goals.

Having read this article and been inspired to start your life coaching business, why not look at The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice and use the many lessons Seph learned along his journey to inform your business plans and give your clients their best chance of success?

• Blackbyrn, S. (2023, February 17). Does a life coach need a business license? Coach Foundation. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://coachfoundation.com/blog/life-coach-business-license/.
• Clutterbuck, D., David, S. A., & Megginson, D. (Eds.). (2016). Beyond goals: Effective strategies for coaching and mentoring.  Routledge.
• Lumia. (2022, August 4). Does a life coach need a business license and insurance? Lumia. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.lumiacoaching.com/blog/does-a-life-coach-need-a-business-license.
• Kanatouri, S. (2020). The digital coach . Routledge.
• Karmali, S., Battram, D. S., Burke, S. M., Cramp, A., Mantler, T., Morrow, D., Ng, V., Pearson, E. S., Petrella, R., Tucker, P., & Irwin, J. D. (2020). Clients’ and coaches’ perspectives of a life coaching intervention for parents with overweight/obesity. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring , 18 (2), 115–132.
• Mann, A., Leigh Fainstad, T., Shah, P., Dieujuste, N., & Jones, C. D. (2022). “It’s nice to know I’m not alone”: The impact of an online life coaching program on wellness in graduate medical education: A qualitative analysis. A cademic Medicine , 97 (11S), S166–S166.
• Ribbers, A., & Waringa, A. (2015). E-coaching: Theory and practice for a new online approach to coaching . Routledge.

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Coaching Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Coaching Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their coaching companies. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a coaching business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Coaching Business Plan?

A traditional business plan provides a snapshot of your coaching business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Coaching Business

If you’re looking to start a coaching business or grow your existing coaching company, you need a business plan. A solid business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your coaching business to improve your chances of success. Your coaching business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Coaching Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a coaching business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for coaching companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a coaching business.

If you want to start a coaching business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your coaching business plan.

Executive Summary

Company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of coaching business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a coaching business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a multiple coaching businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the coaching industry.
• Discuss the type of coaching business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target audience.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

In your company overview, you will detail the type of coaching business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of coaching businesses:

• Business coaching: A business coach specializes in helping business owners clarify their business’s vision and goals.
• Career coaching: A career coach specializes in helping individuals reach their professional goals.
• Life coaching: A life coach specializes in helping people make positive progress in their daily lives, relationships, and careers.
• Performance coaching: A performance coach specializes in helping individuals improve their performance abilities using techniques similar to a sports coach.
• Wellness coaching: A wellness coach specializes in helping individuals develop and maintain healthy habits.

In addition to explaining the type of coaching business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What is your mission statement?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of cases with positive outcomes, reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the coaching industry. While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the coaching industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your coaching business plan:

• How big is the coaching industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your coaching business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

The customer analysis section of your coaching business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of coaching business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Coaching Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other coaching businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes other types of self-development services, therapists, counselors, and online support groups. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of clients do they serve?
• What type of coaching business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for clients to acquire your services?
• Will you offer services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a coaching business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of coaching company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide performance coaching, executive coaching, health and wellness coaching, or career coaching services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your coaching company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your coaching business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your coaching marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your coaching business, including answering calls, planning and providing coaching sessions, billing clients and collecting payments, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth session, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your coaching business to a new city.  

To demonstrate your coaching business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing coaching businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in coaching or running a small business.  

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you see 5 clients per day, and/or offer group coaching sessions? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your coaching business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a coaching business:

• Cost of utilities, internet service, and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and office furniture

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a list of payment forms you accept.  

Writing a business plan for your coaching business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the coaching industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful coaching business.

Sample Life Coaching Business Plan PDF

For a comprehensive resource to guide you through crafting a simple coaching business plan, check out this Sample Life Coaching Business Plan PDF . This document can be adapted for various coaching niches, including life coaching, executive coaching, and wellness coaching. It provides insights into market analysis, financial projections, and operational strategies, making it an invaluable tool for any coach looking to ensure the success of their business.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Coaching business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how a Growthink business planning consultant can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Life Coach Business Plan Template

Are you thinking of starting your own life coaching business? Use Carepatron’s life coach business plan template to start turning your dreams into a reality.

By Alex King on Jul 15, 2024.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

‍What is a Life Coach Business Plan Template?

Life coaches help clients succeed with their personal goals through coaching, support, and creating action plans. Life coaching can be an alternative to traditional therapy or counseling, focusing more on mental health issues than practical coaching.

Life coach plans aim to achieve personal and professional goals for those who do not need additional mental health support. As you don't need a specific degree or qualification to become a life coach, many people change their careers to take on life coach responsibilities to help others.

This free coaching business plan will help you kick your life coaching business off to a great start. Starting a business is a huge life decision, so if you have made it this far, congratulations! It's time to turn those dreams into reality by creating a practical and comprehensive business plan for your life coaching business.

This plan is designed to help you get your ideas onto paper and provide a solid starting point for a successful life coaching business. You may have been dreaming about your business structure, marketing strategy, or sales pitch for months now, but you may not have considered other important aspects yet in career coaching. This template is designed to help you organize your ideas into a firm overview of how your life coaching practice will fit into the existing market.

Life Coach Business Plan Template Example

How to use this Life Coach Business Plan Template

Business planning can be intimidating, so we have made our template simple and customizable. To use it, follow these steps.

Step 1: Download the PDF

The first step is downloading the free PDF life coaching business plan template via the Carepatron app or by clicking the button on this page. You can either fill this PDF in digitally using the interactive text boxes or print it out and fill it in by hand if you prefer.

Step 2: Write the executive summary

The executive summary is the first section of our life coaching business plan template. It provides an overview of some of the key parts of your business, including your mission statement, life coaching packages offered, team members and key roles in your business, and the type of company your life coaching business will be.

Step 3: Conduct competitor and customer analysis

This section is part of market research and is essential for differentiating your coaching practice from the competition. In this section, you will compile an overview of the market you will be entering, analyze your competitors and unique selling points for your business, and establish the target market for your life coaching business.

Step 4: Formulate a marketing and financial plan

This section is for the practical side of things. What's your marketing plan? How will you market your services in the coaching industry? What will be your sales strategy once you have a potential client who is interested? How much will you charge for your coaching sessions? What is your start-up budget, and what expenses will you have? 

Step 5: Decide on management and growth plan

Finally, your business is bound to change as you grow, and nobody can predict the future. However, it's a great idea to include a plan for how your business will remain sustainable and develop as it grows in your business plan.

You can include plans for expanding it to an online coaching business where you offer online courses. This section also includes the milestones you plan to reach to measure your progress. This could be measured in the number of clients you see, engagements with your marketing, or your client's satisfaction with their life coaching.

Benefits of using the Life Coaching Business Plan Template

Using this coaching business plan will help you get your ideas onto paper and take the first concrete step to start your life coaching business. This template helps you:

Know your target demographic

The first benefit of completing our Life Coaching Business Plan Template is understanding your target demographic. Knowing who you are marketing to is a huge part of your business that will inform all your future advertising decisions and marketing efforts. 

Solidify your intentions

Writing down a business plan helps you prioritize what is important to your business. Solidify your intentions for your life coaching business with practical sections such as competitor analysis, mission statement, and marketing strategy.

Stay organized

The template has different sections and headings, all formatted for you. Provide the content, and you will have a well-organized and readable business plan suitable for your individual or group coaching sessions.

Maintain your business focus

Writing something down means you can constantly refer to it and stay on track. By collating your plans, you can ensure you keep sight of your goals as you go forward and reach more target audience or potential clients. 

Reflect on your progress

You may be at the beginning of your journey now, but a few years later, you will want to pause and reflect on how far you've come. Setting out your plans and business goals will give your future self a solid reference point for your progress.

Commonly asked questions

Life coaching and therapy have often been confused as both methods can help people with similar problems. One of the most significant differences is that therapists are licensed mental health professionals. In contrast, life coaches focus on helping their clients achieve goals and take positive actions rather than treating mental health issues.

That's okay. We all have to start somewhere! If this is the case for you, you can leave the management team and key roles sections blank. Alternatively, you could establish several roles to fill in the future once you expand as part of your growth plan.

A mission statement will look different for every life coaching business, and there is no one formula for writing your mission statement. The mission statement should capture your business's identity and address how your business will solve problems for your clients in a way that differentiates you from your competition.

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How to write a business plan for life coaches (with free pdf template).

Table of Contents

“ You should not ever start a Monday without clarity about what must happen by Friday.” ~ Brendon Burchard, High-Performance Coach

Benjamin Franklin said it in more direct terms:

“If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.”

Life coaches are passionate about helping people improve various aspects of their lives, yet many of us  lack the skills required to run the coaching business . I have attended numerous coaching workshops where running the actual coaching business remains one of the recurring concerns of coaches. As a result, many coaches struggle to grow sustainable coaching businesses .

Since you’re here, you must be interested in how to write a business plan for life coaches, and I’ll show you how, so that you avoid the obstacles which threaten the success of many life coaching practices.

Sit back and enjoy the read because you’ll get good value from this post.

But first, what is a business plan for life coaches?

A business plan for life coaches is a comprehensive compilation of plans for your coaching practice. It is a presentation of your vision, mission, objectives, and short and long-term strategies for your business. 

A life coaching business plan also illustrates the steps to reach the goals the coach aspires to. If the primary plan fails to deliver anticipated results, you could act on the contingency plan.

Why Do I Need a Business Plan?

You’re probably thinking ”My coaching business is small. As long as I can keep the books in order, I’ll be ok. Why do I need a business plan? ” 

Some businesses have found success without business plans, but those with plans found success faster.

One thing is sure, though. If you don’t create a business plan and systems begin to fail within your business, you’re likely to lose it all by winging it.

Before writing a life coaching business plan, it is imperative to understand the scope of your business, the services to be rendered, and to communicate what the business entails to others. If you know your business and the solutions you want to provide, you’ll sign up your ideal clients easier, create better products and services, and scale your business quicker. 

Furthermore, if you intend to get a loan to fund your business start-up, I strongly advise you to write a comprehensive business plan. Lenders and investors may decide to provide funding based on your projections.

What Are The Types of Business Plans?

There are two primary business plan categories: traditional business plans and lean start-up business plans . Traditional business plans are lengthy, detailed, and more common. In this post, we will focus on the traditional business plan.

A lean start-up business plan is a quick summary of all your business ideas and often covers only one page. It is usually presented in the form of illustrations, such as charts, graphs, and tables, for easy perusal. In addition, lean business plans are easier to amend because of their brief nature.

Neither business plan is superior to the other. In deciding which to use, you’ll have to examine your business needs first. Whichever one you choose to go with, what matters is ensuring your business plan is concise, easy to understand, and fact-based. 

What Do You Do Before Writing a Business Plan for Life Coaches?

The answer? RESEARCH.

You would hear from business coaches about the importance of research to assess possible strengths and opportunities as well as weaknesses and threats (SWOT) before embarking on a business venture, and they would be right. 

Your coaching business may be similar to another. However, it would still require its SWOT analysis to identify what sets your coaching products and services apart from others, create strategies for business growth, and avoid hassles later down the line.

I recommend that the outcome of your research addresses and answers the following questions:

• What type of coaching practice do I want? Your coaching practice is a business, so you should run it as one. Therefore, setting up a legal structure for your company is essential. It is also crucial to pinpoint the right coaching style for your new business to make planning smoother.
• What is my niche? Knowing my target niche clarifies the path I’d follow toward business success. It also sets the stage for determining my business and marketing strategy. 
• What solutions am I offering? The products and services you offer should solve your ideal client’s problems. That’s the only surefire way to get new clients and build a solid portfolio.
• What steps must I follow to grow the business?  Your research must help determine the steps you’d take to expand your life coaching practice.
• Is my coaching business client-focused? It’s common to have a business plan focusing on the owner and what it plans to accomplish. However, it is better to create a business plan focusing more on the client and the benefits they would be getting. Your clients become return clients who cost less to keep, spend more and market your business better on your behalf.
• How will I finance my coaching business? If, like many others, you’re starting your business with limited funds, you’d have to clearly state how you intend to finance your business, especially during the early stages until it begins to profit. 

Ok, so we’ve done our research, and we’ve been able to detect what we can excel at, where we thought wrong, and areas we can improve upon based on our initial guesses. We can now decide if we can proceed with the business or return to the drawing board.

If we’re ready to roll, it’s time to write our business plan.

Life Coach Business Plan Template

If you’re just starting, you could make a simple business plan using the template below. Then, as time goes by, you could expand each section to make it more robust. This template outlines every vital aspect of your coaching business. 

• Mission statement
• Overview of business
• Business contact information
• Target market
• Coaching niche
• Unique selling point
• Short-term and Long-term goals
•  Strategic objectives
• Tactical plans
• Products and services you offer 
• Product differentiation
•  Benefits to your clients
• SWOT analysis
• Target market valuation
• Market trends
• Profile of competitors
• Competitive advantage      
• Pricing model
• Marketing Strategy
• Marketing platforms
• Advertising and promotion
• Sales strategy
• Distribution channels
• Organizational charts
• Training and development
• Procurement
• General operations
• Source of funding
• Key assumptions
• Profit and loss accounts
• Balance sheet
• Cashflow projections

With this template, you can remain focused on building your business rather than chasing every shiny object you see or hear about, as is the case with entrepreneurs without proper business plans.

Now, let’s take each section at a time.

How To Write a Life Coach Business Plan (Step-By-Step)

1.      Executive Summary

Think of the executive summary as a way of introducing your business to a potential client, lender, or the general public. Therefore, it should include what you do as a business, how you do it, who you do it for, and what value you provide. You should try to keep your executive summary concise at one to two pages maximum. 

It may be easier for you to write the executive summary after completing other sections because you would have highlighted notable points throughout the plan.

2.      Company description

As the section already states, I would describe my coaching business in detail and include the following:

• My registered business name
• Address and contact information
• Legal business structure
• Executives or directors (if any)
• My coaching niche 
• Who my target market is
• My unique selling point

I would also be sure to point out what sets my coaching business apart from the competition and how my company maximizes its opportunities.

3.      Goals and Objectives

What are your business goals? 

This section will state my short-term and long-term goals and the tactical steps my coaching business will take to reach those goals. For instance, if I plan to make X amount in annual revenue by a specified year, I would provide a realistic, research-based breakdown of how I’d reach that goal.

By providing a breakdown of how I’d accomplish my goals, I’d also be generating trust and confidence in the minds of potential investors or lenders about my business if I intend to seek funding.

4.      Products and Services

In this section, you’ll describe your business’s products or services to your target market. These would not be limited to coaching packages, coaching subscriptions, masterclasses, courses, books , etc.

Give a detailed description of each product or service you will offer. Explain how your goods and services are different from or better than your competitors’ offers on the market, and don’t forget to include your pricing model. You would also clearly state the benefits your target market gains by using your products and services.

5.      Market Analysis

Here, you would analyze the coaching industry in which you plan to do business during your research phase before writing the business plan. A comprehensive analysis of the industry would provide valuable information such as:

a.         Results from SWOT analysis

b.         Target market valuation

c.         Market trends

d.         Profile of your competitors

e.         Competitive advantage for your coaching business

f.          Benefits your clients stand to gain

Explain in-depth what prompted your decision to set up your coaching business within that sector and what your competitors are doing. You should also explain how you can improve upon what they aren’t doing well enough to enhance your bottom line but, more importantly, deliver value to your clients.

6.      Marketing and Sales Strategy

Having a fantastic product that creates admirable transformations in clients is one thing. It’s another thing to publicize enough to reach those clients. Your marketing and sales strategy is supposed to convince your clients that your products will provide the solutions they seek.

First, you´ll develop a marketing budget to meet your spending needs. You’d also write a detailed plan for marketing and advertising your products and services to your target market. Which channels would you use?

• E-mail marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Social media marketing
• Search Engine Marketing
• Print materials
• Networking,  e.t.c.

Earlier, I mentioned the importance of having repeat clients because they are some of the best and cheapest marketing tools for your business, so it is crucial to know how to sell your coaching services . In this section, you’ll explain your strategy for turning your clients into repeat clients and building customer loyalty. Be sure also to include your sales strategies. For example, which sales distribution channels will you use?

• Direct sales
• Sales representatives
• E-commerce channels

7.      Operations

In this section, I will discuss the day-to-day running of my coaching business. I will explain how I’d operate the business through employees, freelance workers, and business partnerships. I would include an organizational chart to illustrate the internal structure of my coaching business and how employees would contribute to the growth and success of the company.

I’d discuss in detail how I plan to staff my company and what salaries or wages I would pay my staff. I’d then enumerate the freelance workers I may hire, their roles, and their remuneration. I would then discuss my plans for staff and training development.

Finally, I’d give a clear plan for other general operations like procurement of materials and equipment required for the start-up of my coaching business. Such equipment may include video conferencing equipment, software, and personal computers. I would also note essential information about all suppliers and vendors with whom I work.

8.      Financial analysis and projections

As a new coaching business, I don’t expect you to be able to pluck out figures from past performance. However, I hope you would have done your research based on the coaching niche you plan to set up shop in. 

When you’ve done this, you should make financial plans and projections for a five-year periodhttps://costhack.com/business-plan-cost to begin with. Five-year plans give you enough room to meet and exceed SMART goals . You may refresh any goals you don’t meet in your five-year plan, if need be, and insert them into the following timeline until you achieve them.

It is important to note that this is the section every lender and investor is particularly interested in, so you must take extra care to be factual in your illustrations and realistic in your projections. If you’re seeking start-up funding, this is where you state it. Explain how you’ll use the investment and communicate the expected returns.

Don’t blow up figures to entice them because what you’d do is leave a wrong impression because they’d probably see through it. Instead, make your projections align with what your competitors are also achieving, and if you surpass those goals, great.

For an existing coaching business, you’ll want to include: 

• Financial statements
• Profit margins

I’ll advise you to speak to an accountant who will guide you better in putting all the required information together.

9.      Appendix

The appendix is where you put in any other necessary information that may not have fit anywhere else in the different sections of the business plan. These may be documents such as: 

1.    Certifications

2.    Your resume 

3.    Resumes of key team members

4.    Licenses

5.    Contracts

6.    Marketing materials e.t.c.

7.    Market research report

With the above guide, you’d have a well-written yet concise report to keep you on track and direct your business toward success.

You may wonder how long it’ll take to write a business plan. Ideally, it shouldn’t take more than a few months to complete the research and write the business plan. However, if you take longer than a few months may disrupt other vital activities in the start-up process.

Can I Hire Someone To Write My Life Coach Business Plan?

Ok, I get it. Life can get hectic. You’re being pulled from every angle and can’t find the time to write your business plan.

Fortunately, you can hire a professional business plan writer or consulting firm to provide the service. Professional business plan writers cost from $2,000 to upward of $20,000 to write a business plan for a small to medium size business. If hiring a writer instead of a firm, verify all credentials and portfolios to ensure they meet your needs.

If you decide to hire a consulting firm, it’ll cost you more. However, the upside is the breadth of expertise they offer. Other factors that may affect the plan’s cost are the length, turn-around time, editing, review, and any additional support service.

I would advise putting together as much information as you can on your own before approaching a professional because you would have a better idea about how the plan is woven together. A professional would then develop a foolproof plan, especially one that captures investments if you’re seeking start-up funding. 

Common Business Plan Mistakes Life Coaches Must Avoid

Although I’ve mentioned some mistakes to avoid, I figured it was best to state them clearly. If you make mistakes while developing a business plan, they could jeopardize your business. Some of these mistakes to avoid are:

Inadequate research: Avoiding research or doing insufficient research before writing your business plan is a dangerous mistake you don’t want to make. If you still go ahead to write the plan, you may not identify all the risks involved. As a result, your coaching business plan may be based on non-factual information and lead to inaccurate projections, which you may never meet.

Overestimating your financial projections: Avoid padding up figures in your business plan to impress lenders and investors. Lenders and investors are experts and analyze financial information for a living, so injecting false estimates into your plan may make you lose those opportunities altogether.

Ignoring the competition: Knowing what your competition is doing gives you insight into exploiting areas they may be neglecting, thereby giving you a competitive advantage.

Not setting a target niche: This is a common mistake. Many new life coaches attempt to get any and every client and end up losing focus. Without setting a target niche, your business will have no direction. 

When your business has no direction, you can’t establish workable goals. In other words, you’d be everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. As a result, your business will not be operating optimally and may remain stagnant after a little while.

Ignoring future trends: Times change and economies evolve. Imagine you started your coaching business pre-internet and remained stuck in paper-based marketing after the arrival of the internet, social media, and email marketing. 

What do you think would happen?

That’s right. Your business won’t be able to keep up and will fold up in no time.

Creating unrealistic goals: This is also a mistake many people make. If you create unrealistic goals, there won’t be measurable targets to track your progress, and soon enough, you’ll stop taking action.

Establishing a rigid plan : A business plan that isn’t flexible enough to accommodate changes can also negatively impact the business. No life coach can predict the future of their business. There’ll be ups and downs. A flexible plan gives room for unforeseen changes without disrupting the long-term goal.

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How To Start a Coaching Business | Step-by-Step

How to start a coaching business, quick links.

• Step 1. Identify Your Niche
• Step 2. Gain Expertise
• Step 3. Set up Business Framework
• Step 4. Set up Operational Framework
• Step 5. Set up Coaching Framework
• Is Starting a Coaching Business Right for You?

Becoming a professional coach is like stepping into a world of endless paths and possibilities. Whether you’re driven by a desire to inspire, guide, or empower others, a coaching business offers not only immense opportunity for personal growth, but the autonomy and flexibility that come with owning a business. To succeed requires a blend of coaching expertise and business acumen.

Whether you’re a seasoned coaching professional aspiring to establish your own practice or exploring coaching as a new career, this guide will take you through the process step by step, arming you with the essential knowledge, courage, and confidence you need to launch your career and build a successful coaching business.

Step 1: Identify Your Coaching Niche

By deciding to launch a coaching business, you’ve already done the hard part. Now it’s time for the fun stuff, like deciding what kind of coach you want to be.

Choosing to specialize in a specific coaching discipline will differentiate you as a coach and allow you to focus your time, energy, and effort on developing deep expertise in one area. This is where your passion meets your purpose.

When your niche aligns with what you care most about and where you focus your own professional development, your effectiveness as a coach skyrockets, ensuring authenticity and longevity in your coaching career. You can choose from many specializations, such as leadership coaching , team coaching, life coaching, executive coaching , career coaching, performance coaching, and myriad other disciplines.

Selecting a niche for your coaching business also helps you connect with clients who are seeking an expert in your field of choice. Just as you wouldn’t hire an electrician to fix a leaky faucet, someone looking for a career coach won’t hire a home organizer. By defining your coaching niche, you will stand out when someone is seeking what you offer.

When defining your niche, ask yourself two key questions:

• Whom are you going to help?

Consider the specific groups of people or types of individuals you feel most called to serve.

• How are you going to help your clients?

Identify the challenges or goals your coaching will address.

Keep in mind, your niche is not a box meant to confine you. It’s a starting point from which you will grow, adapt, and refine your business and expertise. As you delve deeper into your coaching practice, stay open to evolving your focus based on the shifting landscapes of both your interests and the challenges your clients face. This is the beauty of coaching—it’s a journey of continuous discovery and adaptation.

Step 2: Gain Coaching Expertise

Unlike many careers, claiming the title of “coach” doesn’t require meeting specific educational standards. Nevertheless, the most effective and successful coaches often pursue rigorous training and certification programs to enhance their skills and credibility, and to ensure that they’re providing the highest value to their clients. Good students make great coaches, and great coaches are lifelong learners. Several options are available when it comes to obtaining the necessary expertise to help your practice thrive.

Select a Reputable Coach Training Program

Choosing the right coach training program is crucial for acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to be an effective coach and lay the foundation for your overall success. Look for programs that offer a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, and make sure they are accredited by a recognized governing body, such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF) , which ensures high educational standards. Consider the program’s curriculum, the qualifications of the instructors, and feedback from former students.

Earn Advanced Certifications Through CCE

Continuing coach education (CCE) is a valuable addition to your initial coach training. While not mandatory, taking workshops and courses that offer CCE credit can provide advanced training and a deeper understanding of both new and established coaching methodologies or tools, significantly benefiting your practice. In addition, continuing education often comes with certifications which can bolster your credibility and help distinguish you from other coaches.

Depending on your niche, you may find the following certifications to be a valuable addition to your repertoire:

Leadership Coaching Certifications

At Leadership Circle, we offer ICF-accredited leadership assessment certifications which enable coaches to leverage our advanced leadership assessment tools in their practice. We empower coaches with a statistically valid framework for understanding and developing leadership effectiveness in their clients. Leadership development coaching is useful in a variety of coaching disciplines, including executive coaching, performance coaching, personal development coaching, team coaching, career coaching, and success coaching, to name a few.

Career Coaching Certifications

For those interested in career coaching, Career Shift’s certification program equips coaches with the tools, techniques, and insights required to facilitate meaningful career transitions and to help clients achieve professional growth.

Resilience Coaching Certification

If you’re looking to help people cope with difficult situations and bounce back from adversity, you may benefit from The Leadership Wellness Group’s Certified Resilience Coach Program . This program immerses coaches in a 12-week curriculum grounded in evidence-based principles and best practices for cultivating resilience and well-being within their clients.

“I see a lot of coaches try to start out without investing in coach training or their business and they struggle. Invest, invest, invest!!” Jenn Lofgren Executive & Leadership Coach

Step 3: Set Up Your Business Framework

Coaching expertise will only take you so far. Starting a successful coaching business requires business savvy, but don’t worry; you don’t need an MBA to launch your operation. We’ll cover the essentials to help you navigate the business side of your coaching practice with ease.

Draft Your Business Plan

Every journey needs a roadmap, and a business plan is just that for your coaching practice. Even if you don’t have all the answers right now or haven’t finalized every decision you need to make, creating a plan is an essential step forward in starting your coaching business.

Your business plan should outline foundational concepts, like how your coaching practice will operate, how you’ll generate revenue, and how you’ll deliver value to your clients. The plan will help guide your decision-making and provide you with strategic direction. Key to its success is making the plan flexible. You must be ready to evolve as you gain insight and experience being a business owner.

Your business plan can be as simple or complex as you wish, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. At this stage, a streamlined, simple “startup plan” will suffice.

To get you started, be sure to include the following key elements in your coaching business plan:

• Value Proposition: What unique value does your coaching business bring to the market that differentiates you from competitors?
• Target Audience: Think back to your niche. What specific groups or individuals are you going to serve?
• Revenue Streams: How will your coaching business earn money? For example, will you offer one-on-one coaching sessions, development programs, packages, workshops, consulting services, etc.?
• Channels: How do you intend to reach and connect with potential clients? Will you create an online presence, rely on word-of-mouth referrals, attend expos, or leverage a mix of strategies?
• Key Partnerships: Do you plan to work with partners to help your coaching business run effectively? For instance, will you be working with other coaches or specialists to whom you can refer your clients if they need to address specific needs outside your expertise?
• Customer Relationships: How will clients be able to communicate with you? Will you offer in-person or virtual coaching sessions? Can clients reach you via text? How will you keep track of your clients and their history? What about billing software and invoicing?
• Key Activities: What essential activities will your coaching business conduct to operate successfully?
• Key Resources: What critical assets are required to deliver your coaching services?
• Costs: What costs are involved in operating your coaching business?

Choose Your Business Structure

When starting a coaching business, you’ll need to decide on the type of legal structure under which your business will operate. Options include sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and Limited Liability Company (LLC). Each structure offers distinct advantages and disadvantages, so you’ll want to research which is best suited for your needs.

Select & Register Your Business Name

Selecting a name for your coaching business is an important step in establishing your brand identity. It is often your clients’ first impression of you, and a well-chosen name not only differentiates you in the marketplace but also resonates with your target audience. It should be memorable and give potential clients some indication of what you do or your specialty. Depending on your location, you may be required to register your business name. Usually this is done when you apply for a business license (see below) but can be done separately.

Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Depending on the legal structure you’ve chosen for your business, you may be required to obtain an employer identification number (or EIN). An EIN is a unique, nine-digit number assigned to businesses by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that helps facilitate tax filings, bank account openings, and more. If you’ve chosen a sole proprietorship or single-owner LLC without employees, you should have the option to use your Social Security Number in lieu of an EIN.

Apply for a Business License or Permit

While there may not be any legal requirements for calling yourself a coach, you may be required to obtain a business license or permit, depending on your location and the nature of your coaching services. Be sure to research the requirements in your area to ensure compliance. Visit your state’s official government website to find out which permits and licenses you may need.

Step 4: Set Up Your Operational Framework

Once you’ve addressed the “what” side of starting a coaching business by setting up your business framework, it’s time to focus on the “how.” Your operational framework encompasses many of the day-in and day-out administrative tasks of being a business owner.

Infrastructure

Decide on the logistics of where and how you’ll conduct coaching sessions. Whether you choose in-person, online, or hybrid sessions will influence your technology needs, office space, and how you interact with your clients.

Payment Processing

Opening a business bank account, pricing your services, and setting up a payment processing system are essential for your coaching business to operate effectively. Your pricing structure should reflect the value you provide while remaining competitive. There are myriad options out there for payment processing, but some of the best include Square and Stripe.

Client Relationship Management

Adopting a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system will be pivotal for efficiently organizing client information, including intake forms, session and progress notes, communication history, upcoming appointments, and more. A robust CMS may even be able to automate essential processes, such as scheduling appointments, sending appointment reminders, and distributing feedback surveys.

Online Scheduling

If your chosen CMS doesn’t satisfy your online scheduling requirements, you’ll want to implement a dedicated appointment scheduling system. Scheduling platforms, like Calendly or Acuity, can streamline the booking process for clients, allowing them to schedule sessions based on your availability. These tools often integrate with personal calendars to prevent double bookings and dispatch automated reminders to minimize cancelations.

Video Conferencing

If you plan to offer virtual coaching sessions, you’ll want to select a reliable video conferencing platform for hosting these engagements. Popular options include Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or Zoom, to name a few.

Step 5: Set Up Your Coaching Framework

The final step in starting a coaching business is defining, creating, and adopting the practices that will make the business your own.

Explore Coaching Methodologies and Tools

A coaching methodology refers to the governing principles, strategies, and techniques that coaches employ to guide their coaching sessions and overall practice. Coaching methodologies are grounded in various psychological theories, educational philosophies, and behavioral sciences, and they serve as the foundation for how coaches interact with clients, structure their sessions, and facilitate client growth.

If you completed a coach training program, you certainly will have been exposed to some coaching methodologies already. The value in exploring a variety of methodologies is that it broadens your understanding of the many and diverse approaches to coaching available to you. Being versed in multiple methodologies enhances your flexibility, allowing you to switch approaches or blend elements from different methodologies to address the specific challenges, preferences, and goals of each client. When you tailor your approach to your client and their needs, you can deliver more effective coaching solutions.

Furthermore, utilizing coaching tools that align with your methodology can help unlock deep insights and development opportunities that may not otherwise be apparent, paving the way for breakthroughs and transformative change.

Establish Systems & Processes

Creating efficient systems and processes is crucial for the smooth operation of your coaching business, ensuring you provide consistent, high-quality services to your clients. From the initial consultation to onboarding and service delivery, each step should be thoughtfully designed to create a seamless and impactful client experience. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes and try to create processes that make your services accessible to all who seek them.

Some of the procedures you may want to consider include:

Consultation process.

Your initial consultation is the cornerstone of the client-coach relationship and enables both parties to assess compatibility and set the tone for future sessions. It’s an opportunity to build rapport, understand what success looks like to your potential client, introduce your coaching style and methodology, and determine whether your approach aligns with the client’s aspirations. Remember, the goal is to make clients feel understood and confident in your ability to help and provide value.

Onboarding Process

The onboarding process in coaching marks the transition from potential client to active client. This time is best spent setting clear expectations, establishing a solid framework for communication, and taking the initial steps to formalize the client-coach relationship. Your onboarding process will be unique, depending on the nature of your coaching business, but may include:

• Coaching Contract: Outlines the scope of services, expectations, and any terms and conditions to ensure both client and coach are aligned from the start.
• Pre-Coaching Questionnaire: Used to gather detailed information about your client to establish a baseline for the coaching engagement and helps tailor your coaching approach to the client’s unique situation.
• Communication and Meeting Preferences: Defines how and when coaching sessions will take place and the preferred channels of communication.

Coaching Plan Development

Your coaching plan is the culmination of how you’ll apply your coaching expertise, methodologies, and tools to address your clients’ needs effectively. This process will be highly customized based on the individual needs of each client, yet it is anchored in several core practices, regardless of context:

• Needs Analysis – Where is your client now?

Relative to the client’s aspirations or expressed needs, how do they currently measure? What is their benchmark? Depending on the nature of the coaching engagement, assessment tools may prove valuable for honing in on the areas that need the most work. This might include leadership assessments , personality assessments, or values clarification exercises.

• Goal Setting – Where does your client want to be?

Goal setting is a pivotal phase in the coaching process, serving as the bridge between the current state of your client and the desired outcomes they wish to achieve.

• Action Plan – How will you help your client get there?

This involves breaking down large goals into smaller, actionable steps and setting timelines for achievement. This plan should be flexible and adapt to your client’s progress and any arising challenges.

• Progress Monitoring – How will you measure and monitor success?

Progress monitoring involves establishing clear indicators for success and utilizing regular check-ins to assess a client’s advancement toward their goals, adjusting the action plan as needed. This ensures continual alignment with your client’s evolving goals and maintains momentum toward achievement.

Feedback & Refinement

The best coaches benefit from regular feedback. Establish a feedback mechanism for your clients to share their thoughts on the coaching process and the progress toward their goals. Use this feedback to refine your approach, adjusting when needed to better meet your clients’ needs.

Client Retention

Establish a process to maintain client engagement between coaching sessions. This could be through regular check-ins, brief calls, or text messages. Personalizing your follow-ups ensures clients feel supported and valued throughout the coaching process. This approach not only keeps the momentum going but also strengthens the coach-client relationship, fostering a client’s deeper commitment to their goals.

Starting a coaching business is as much an entrepreneurial endeavor as it is a voyage of personal development—not only for you but for the clients whose lives you’ll touch. It represents the intersection of professional ambition and the profound commitment to empowering others to achieve their goals. This venture demands resilience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of human potential. With the insights provided here, you’re well-equipped to start building a coaching business that not only achieves professional autonomy but also creates lasting impact.

Featured Insights

In order to further your journey toward starting a successful coaching business, we’ve asked accomplished entrepreneurs and coaches with years of experience to lend their wisdom. Below are some of their key insights.

Top Advice When Starting a Coaching Business

“Treat your coaching business like a business. If you were starting any other business you would put significant investment into it including the systems, processes, marketing etc required. Invest in those things up front and continue to do so as you learn more about your business. And, invest in your personal development every year by taking a coaching course, a business acumen program, facilitation, and other modalities to round out yourself as a professional. We help accelerate the development of others and can only do so if we accelerate our own personal and leadership development.” Jenn Lofgren CPHR | MCC | ICD.D Executive & Leadership Coach | Forbes Coaches Council | Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women

Related Content

Is launching a coaching business the right thing for you.

If you’re contemplating whether or not to start a coaching business, but aren’t sure where to start, Kathy Caprino covers this topic at length in her article  ‘Is Launching a Coaching Business The Right Thing For You Now? Here’s what to Consider ‘. Drawing from her own experience transitioning from a corporate VP to an internationally recognized career and leadership coach, Kathy provides valuable guidance to help you assess your readiness for a career shift into coaching. Through thought-provoking prompts drawn from first-hand experience, Kathy guides readers to explore key considerations that could determine your success in this entrepreneurial endeavor, helping you make an informed decision.

How to Get Coaching Clients

Once you’ve established your business foundation, the next vital step to a successful coaching business is marketing your services and growing your client-base. In our blog ‘ How to Get Coaching Clients | 6 Winning Strategies ,’ we explore expert insights & practical marketing advice that cuts through the noise and connects you with your ideal clients authentically. These strategies build on the foundation you’ve laid, empowering you to finally turn your passion into profit.

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The Lifehand

Imagine your life, but better.

Life Coaching Business Plan Template Free Sample

Discover how to craft a compelling life coaching business plan template free with this comprehensive guide and template. Set your coaching journey on the path to success.

If you've ever pondered questions like, "How can I distinguish my coaching services from direct competitors?" or "Which marketing channels should I leverage to reach my target audience?", you're in the right place.

A life coach business plan goes beyond traditional business plans. It's a comprehensive roadmap, encapsulating everything from an executive summary of your value proposition to an in-depth market analysis derived from meticulous market research.

This plan defines clear goals for your coaching sessions, whether they cater to personal growth enthusiasts, corporate executives, or personal trainers. It's not just about numbers, although financial statements, balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements are crucial for financial planning or securing bank loans.

It's about understanding your potential clients and tailoring your marketing strategy to their needs, ensuring that every move, from social media marketing on popular platforms to group programs, resonates with your ideal clients.

Diving deep into a SWOT analysis, competitor analysis, and competitive analysis allows life coaches to carve a unique space even in a saturated coaching industry. Whether you're drafting a simple coaching business plan or aiming for a more comprehensive approach, the following sections of this article will provide a template, essential steps, and key elements to ensure you're on the right track for a successful coaching business.

So, gear up as we navigate the intricacies of crafting a plan that merges personal life goals with professional aspirations, ensuring the best results for both business owners and their clients. Let's embark on this crucial step towards building a successful life coach business.

Understanding The Life Coaching Industry

Diving into the life coaching industry requires more than just the ambition to be a great coach. It requires a solid business plan that gives a comprehensive overview of your business model, from your mission statement to your sales strategy.

In the United States, this industry has witnessed significant growth, driven by the realization of personal and professional goals by individuals seeking life coaching services.

The first step in crafting your life coach business plan template involves understanding your target market. Ask yourself the following questions: Who are your potential customers? What personal life challenges are they facing, and how can you offer solutions?

This detailed plan will guide your marketing strategies, helping you leverage the right social media platforms and create effective marketing materials.

Your business goals should reflect both your personal goals and your professional aspirations. Whether you're aiming for a simple business plan or crafting a more comprehensive business plan, it's essential to forecast your financial projections.

This includes creating a balance sheet and assessing financial goals and forecasts.  Google Docs  and  Canva  templates can be valuable tools in this endeavor, offering both free and Canva pro images to enhance your document's aesthetics.

Executive Coaching Proposal Template To Land More Clients

Establishing a competitive advantage is paramount, ensuring that your action plan aligns with the industry's needs and your target customers' desires.

Finally, remember that understanding the life coaching industry isn't just about financial goals. It's about creating a business that resonates with your potential customers, ensuring your services make a genuine difference in their personal and professional lives.

As you venture on this journey, keep in mind that a comprehensive and detailed business plan is your roadmap to success.

Benefits of a Life Coaching Business Plan

Embarking on a life coaching journey without a structured business plan is akin to sailing without a compass. The benefits of having a well-laid-out life coaching business plan are manifold.

Firstly, a robust marketing plan ensures you're not shooting in the dark.

It provides clarity on how to promote your services, allowing you to reach and resonate with your target audience effectively. This plan is a strategic roadmap, guiding you to understand where to allocate resources and how to maneuver in the ever-evolving coaching market.

Having a clear management team structure within your business plan outlines responsibilities and highlights the roles of key players. This ensures that every team member knows their role, driving efficiency and promoting smooth operations.

Financial forecasts, a core component of your business plan, arm you with predictive insights. This is crucial for both short-term and long-term sustainability. By anticipating revenues and understanding potential expenses, you can make informed decisions and avoid pitfalls.

A well-structured business plan, even if it's a single page life overview, provides a snapshot of your entire operation. It's an easily digestible document that stakeholders or potential investors can quickly understand, enhancing transparency and trust.

How Much Is A Life Coach? Cost, Fees, and Prices.

The notion of a "free life" resonates with many.

By laying out a clear plan, life coaches can attain this freedom. It allows them to work efficiently, ensuring they have time for both their professional endeavors and personal pursuits.

Lastly, crafting your own business plan, tailored to your unique vision and objectives, ensures authenticity. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach but a reflection of your personal brand, ethos, and the value you wish to bring to your clients.

In essence, a life coaching business plan isn't just a document; it's the backbone of your enterprise, underpinning every decision and propelling you toward success.

Key Components of a Life Coaching Business Plan

Crafting a successful life coaching business plan requires meticulous attention to specific foundational elements. These components not only give your plan structure but also ensure it’s comprehensive and effective.

Executive Summary

This is a snapshot of your business, presenting an overview. It should briefly outline your business's mission, vision, and primary objectives.

Business Description

Delve into what your coaching business is all about. Describe the services you offer, your specialization, and what sets you apart in the coaching industry.

Market Analysis

Understand your target market. Who are your ideal clients? What are their needs? This section should present thorough research on market trends, demands, and potential gaps you aim to fill.

Competitive Analysis

Identify your direct competitors. Analyze their strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning to determine where you fit and how you can differentiate yourself.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

How will you attract and retain clients? Detail your promotional strategies, sales tactics, and the channels you’ll employ, from social media to workshops.

Service Offerings

Clearly list out the coaching services you will provide. Will you focus on one-on-one sessions, group programs, online courses, or a mix?

Financial Projections

Forecast your income, expenses, and profitability. This should cover your expected revenues, potential costs, and the break-even point.

Operational Plan

Define the daily operations of your coaching business. This includes your office space, any tools or software you might use, and how you'll manage client appointments.

Management and Organization

Describe the structure of your business. If you have a team, outline roles and responsibilities. Even if you're a solo coach, define your role and potential future hires.

Pricing Strategy

Decide on how you’ll price your services. Consider your target market, value provided, and industry standards.

Action Plan

Break down the steps you'll take in the initial weeks and months. This actionable roadmap should cover your immediate objectives and the tasks to achieve them.

Appendices (Optional)

This section can include any supplementary information, such as client testimonials, certifications, or further research that doesn't fit neatly into other sections but still adds value to your plan.

When you compile these components cohesively, you're crafting not just a document but a clear vision and strategy for your life coaching business's success. This blueprint serves as a guide, ensuring you remain on track and aligned with your professional goals.

Life Coaching Business Plan Template

1. Executive Summary

• Business Name:  [Your Business Name]
• Mission Statement:  [Your Mission Statement]
• Business Goals:  [Short and Long-Term Goals]

2. Business Overview

• Description of Your Coaching Services:  [Types of Coaching Services Offered]
• Target Market:  [Who are your ideal clients?]
• Legal Structure:  [Sole proprietor, LLC, etc.]

3. Market Analysis

• Industry Overview:  [Trends in Life Coaching]
• Target Market Segment:  [Specific client demographics, psychographics]
• Competitor Analysis:  [Who are your direct/indirect competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses?]

4. Marketing and Sales Strategy

• Marketing Channels:  [Social Media, Workshops, Webinars, etc.]
• Promotion Strategies:  [Discounts, Packages, Referral Programs]
• Sales Process:  [From initial contact to closing a coaching session]

5. Services and Pricing

• Description of Services:  [Detailed list of offerings]
• Pricing Strategy:  [How much will you charge and why? Any packages or tiered pricing?]

6. Operational Plan

• Location:  [Office space, home-based, virtual?]
• Resources Needed:  [Software, Tools, Materials]
• Daily Operations:  [Day-to-day tasks and activities]

7. Management and Organization

• Your Role:  [Owner, primary coach, etc.]
• Team Members:  [If any - their roles and responsibilities]
• Hiring Plans:  [Any plans for future hires?]

8. Financial Plan

• Startup Costs:  [Initial expenses before you start]
• Ongoing Costs:  [Monthly/Yearly expenses]
• Income Projections:  [Expected monthly/yearly revenue]
• Break-even Analysis:  [When will you start making a profit?]

9. SWOT Analysis

• Strengths:  [What are you good at?]
• Weaknesses:  [Where can you improve?]
• Opportunities:  [What can you capitalize on?]
• Threats:  [What external challenges can affect your business?]

10. Appendices (Optional)

• Client Testimonials:  [Proof of your abilities and results]
• Certifications:  [Any relevant qualifications]
• Supporting Documents:  [Contracts, study results, research]

Remember, this template is a starting point. As you delve deeper into your business planning, be prepared to adjust and customize sections to fit your unique business model and services. The more detailed and thorough your business plan, the better equipped you'll be to launch your life coaching business with confidence and clarity.

Tips for crafting an effective Life Coaching Business Plan

Start with clarity.

Ensure you have a clear understanding of your business goals and vision. This clarity will act as your compass throughout the planning process.

Stay Flexible

While it's essential to stick to a plan, be prepared to adapt when needed. The coaching industry can evolve, and flexibility ensures you remain relevant.

Use Reliable Data

When conducting market and competitive analysis, always use credible sources. Accurate information is crucial to making informed decisions.

Engage with Your Target Audience

Before finalizing your plan, engage with potential clients to get feedback. Their insights can help tailor your services more effectively.

Seek Feedback

Share your draft plan with trusted peers, mentors, or other coaches. They can provide invaluable input, highlight overlooked areas, and suggest improvements.

Stay Updated

The coaching industry, especially niches like executive coaching, may have shifts in trends. Regularly revisit and update your business plan to stay current.

Focus on Differentiators

Highlight what sets you apart in the market. Whether it's your unique coaching method or specific qualifications, ensure they shine through in your plan.

Budget Wisely

Financial planning can make or break a business. Be conservative in your projections and always account for unforeseen expenses.

Leverage Technology

Utilize software or online tools that assist in business plan creation. They can offer templates, financial calculators, and more, simplifying the process.

Keep It Concise

While detail is essential, avoid unnecessary jargon or overly lengthy sections. A concise and clear plan is more likely to be referred to regularly.

Regularly Review

Don’t let your business plan collect dust. Regularly review and adjust as you achieve milestones, face challenges, or identify new opportunities.

Stay Client-Centric

Always keep your potential and current clients at the heart of your plan. After all, they are the reason for your coaching business's existence.

Crafting an effective life coaching business plan requires a mix of research, introspection, and forward thinking. By adhering to these tips and maintaining a client-first perspective, you'll pave the way for a successful and impactful coaching journey.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these common mistakes that are often made when it comes to creating a life coaching business plan.

Vague Vision

Clearly define your coaching objectives and services. A vague or general vision will not provide the specific direction you need.

Skipping Market Research

Not investing time in understanding your target market can lead to misaligned strategies. Always know who your potential clients are and what they seek.

Overestimating Financial Projections

It's natural to be optimistic, but unrealistic financial projections can lead to disappointment and financial strain. Always be conservative and 

realistic in your estimates.

Ignoring Competition

Every industry has competition. By not acknowledging or understanding competitors, you may miss out on differentiation strategies or potential collaborations.

Setting Too Many Goals

While ambition is commendable, trying to achieve too much too soon can spread your resources thin. Focus on a few key goals initially and expand gradually.

Neglecting Marketing

A great coaching method needs visibility. Not investing in marketing or neglecting its importance can severely limit your reach.

Avoiding Technology

In today's digital age, avoiding online platforms or technology can hinder growth. Embrace digital tools, from CRM systems to social media, for better client engagement.

Static Planning

The belief that once a plan is set, it should remain unchanged is a mistake. Regular reviews and adaptations are necessary as the market and client's needs evolve.

Undervaluing Services

While competitive pricing is essential, undervaluing your services can impact your revenue and market positioning.

Not Seeking Feedback

A business plan crafted in isolation, without any external feedback, may have overlooked areas. Seek insights from peers, mentors, or even potential clients.

Ignoring Professional Development

The coaching industry values continuous learning. Neglecting your own professional growth can render your methods outdated.

Overlooking Legal and Regulatory Aspects

Ensure you're aware of any licensing, certification, or legal requirements in your area. Overlooking these can lead to potential legal issues.

Avoiding these common mistakes will strengthen your business plan, ensuring it's not just a document but a strategic tool that guides your coaching journey, fostering growth and success.

Something to think about

The journey of establishing a successful life coaching business begins with a well-structured and thought-out business plan. This blueprint not only provides clarity on your vision and goals but also serves as a guiding tool to navigate the complexities of the coaching industry.

Remember, the essence of a powerful business plan lies in its details, adaptability, and the commitment to continual learning. Whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned coach looking to scale, revisiting and refining your business plan can make all the difference.

Embrace the process, learn from both successes and challenges, and let your plan be the foundation that propels your coaching career to new heights.

This post was all about how to create a Life Coaching Business Plan Template Free.

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Here is a free business plan sample for a professional coaching practice.

If you're passionate about empowering others and want to launch your career as a professional coach, you've landed on the perfect page.

In the content that follows, we will present you with a comprehensive sample business plan tailored for the professional coaching industry.

As an aspiring coach, you're likely aware that a strategic business plan is crucial for outlining your mission, setting your objectives, and mapping out the path to success.

To kickstart your journey with clarity and precision, feel free to utilize our professional coach business plan template. Our team is also on standby to provide a complimentary review and refinement of your plan.

How to draft a great business plan for your professional coaching practice?

A good business plan for a professional coach must be tailored to the unique aspects of the coaching industry.

Initially, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive overview of the coaching market. This includes current statistics and the identification of emerging trends within the coaching field, as illustrated in our professional coaching business plan template .

Your business plan should articulate your vision clearly. Define your niche (such as career coaching, life coaching, executive coaching, etc.), identify your target clientele (individuals, corporations, educational institutions), and establish your unique value proposition (specialized expertise, personalized programs, proven results).

Market analysis is a key component. This requires an in-depth look at the demand for coaching services, the competitive landscape, and the specific needs and goals of your potential clients.

For a professional coach, it is important to outline the services you will offer. Describe your coaching programs, workshops, and any additional resources or tools you will provide, and explain how these will benefit your clients and help them achieve their objectives.

The operational plan should detail your coaching model. Will you offer one-on-one sessions, group coaching, or online courses? Include information about your coaching location (physical office, virtual platform), the technology you will use for sessions, and your approach to scheduling and client management.

Professional credentials, methodologies, and coaching philosophy should be emphasized to establish trust and credibility.

Address your marketing and sales strategy next. How do you plan to attract and retain clients? Discuss your branding, networking strategies, client testimonials, and referral programs.

Incorporating digital strategies, such as a professional website, blog, or social media engagement, is also vital for reaching a broader audience.

The financial section is critical. It should cover startup costs, pricing strategies, revenue projections, and a clear path to profitability.

For a professional coach, it is essential to understand the value of your time and to set your pricing accordingly. To assist with this, consider using our financial forecast for professional coaching .

Compared to other business plans, a professional coach's plan must focus on personal branding, client acquisition and retention strategies, and the delivery of intangible services, which can be more subjective in terms of measuring success.

A well-crafted business plan will not only help you clarify your approach and strategy but also serve as a tool to attract clients or secure partnerships.

Lenders and investors, if applicable, will look for a solid understanding of the coaching market, realistic financial projections, and a clear plan for client engagement and growth.

By presenting a comprehensive and substantiated plan, you showcase your professionalism and dedication to the success of your coaching practice.

To streamline the process and focus on your coaching, you can complete our professional coaching business plan template .

A free example of business plan for a professional coaching practice

Here, we will provide a concise and illustrative example of a business plan for a specific project.

This example aims to provide an overview of the essential components of a business plan. It is important to note that this version is only a summary. As it stands, this business plan is not sufficiently developed to support a profitability strategy or convince a bank to provide financing.

To be effective, the business plan should be significantly more detailed, including up-to-date market data, more persuasive arguments, a thorough market study, a three-year action plan, as well as detailed financial tables such as a projected income statement, projected balance sheet, cash flow budget, and break-even analysis.

All these elements have been thoroughly included by our experts in the business plan template they have designed for a professional coach .

Here, we will follow the same structure as in our business plan template.

Market Opportunity

Market data and figures.

The coaching industry has seen a significant surge in recent years, becoming an integral part of the professional development sector.

As of recent estimates, the global coaching market is valued at over 2 billion dollars, with expectations for continued growth as more individuals and organizations recognize the value of professional coaching services.

In the United States alone, there are tens of thousands of professional coaches, contributing to an industry that generates a substantial revenue, reflecting the increasing investment in personal and professional growth.

These figures underscore the rising demand for coaching services and the industry's robust economic contribution.

The coaching industry is experiencing several key trends that are shaping its future.

There is a growing emphasis on specialized coaching niches, such as executive coaching, life coaching, and health and wellness coaching, catering to diverse client needs.

Technological advancements have led to the rise of digital coaching platforms, making coaching services more accessible through virtual sessions and online resources.

Corporate coaching programs are becoming more prevalent as companies invest in leadership development and employee engagement to improve performance and retention.

Additionally, there is an increasing focus on measurable outcomes and evidence-based coaching practices, ensuring that clients receive effective and results-oriented services.

Finally, the integration of coaching with other disciplines, such as psychology and neuroscience, is enhancing the depth and effectiveness of coaching methodologies.

These trends highlight the dynamic nature of the coaching industry and its adaptation to the evolving needs of clients in the 21st century.

Success Factors

Several factors contribute to the success of a professional coach.

Expertise and credibility are paramount; coaches with strong credentials and a proven track record are more likely to build a solid client base.

Personalization of coaching services is also critical, as clients seek tailored solutions that address their unique challenges and goals.

Building a strong professional network can facilitate referrals and partnerships, expanding a coach's reach and influence.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills are essential for fostering trust and facilitating client growth.

Lastly, staying current with industry trends, continuing education, and adapting to new coaching technologies and methodologies are vital for maintaining relevance and delivering high-quality coaching services.

These success factors are key to establishing and sustaining a thriving coaching practice in a competitive market.

The Project

Project presentation.

Our professional coaching service is designed to cater to individuals and organizations seeking to enhance their personal and professional capabilities. Situated in a vibrant business district or available through online platforms, this coaching practice will offer personalized development programs, including one-on-one coaching sessions, workshops, and seminars, all tailored to the unique needs of our clients.

The focus will be on delivering actionable insights, fostering leadership skills, and promoting personal growth to help clients achieve their full potential.

This coaching service aims to become a trusted partner for personal and professional development, thereby contributing to the success and fulfillment of individuals and the effectiveness of organizations.

Value Proposition

The value proposition of our professional coaching service is centered on empowering individuals and organizations to overcome challenges and reach their goals. Our commitment to personalized attention, evidence-based coaching methods, and continuous support offers a transformative experience that leads to sustainable change.

We are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where clients can explore their potential, develop new competencies, and enhance their performance. Our service aims to be a catalyst for growth, offering the tools and guidance necessary for clients to excel in their personal and professional lives.

As a beacon in the coaching community, we strive to set the standard for excellence and innovation in the field, improving the lives of our clients and contributing to the advancement of the coaching profession.

Project Owner

The project owner is a seasoned professional coach with a wealth of experience in helping individuals and organizations achieve their aspirations.

With a background in organizational psychology and a track record of successful coaching engagements, they are committed to establishing a coaching practice that stands out for its personalized approach, transformative outcomes, and commitment to client success.

With a philosophy rooted in empowerment and growth, they are determined to offer coaching services that not only address immediate objectives but also foster long-term development and success.

Their dedication to the art and science of coaching and their passion for helping others realize their potential make them the driving force behind this project, aiming to elevate the performance and satisfaction of clients in their personal and professional journeys.

The Market Study

Market segments.

The market segments for this professional coaching service are diverse and multifaceted.

Firstly, there are individuals seeking personal development, who are looking to improve their life skills, gain confidence, or navigate life transitions.

Next, we have professionals aiming to enhance their career prospects, leadership abilities, or work-life balance.

Another segment includes corporations and organizations that require coaching services for their employees to boost productivity, team cohesion, or manage organizational change.

Lastly, educational institutions and students can benefit from coaching for academic success, career planning, and personal growth.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis of the professional coaching service reveals several key points.

Strengths include a personalized approach to coaching, a wide range of expertise in various coaching methodologies, and a strong network of professional contacts.

Weaknesses might involve the high saturation of the coaching market and the challenge of distinguishing the service from other competitors.

Opportunities can be found in the growing awareness of the benefits of professional coaching, the potential for online coaching services, and the expansion into niche markets.

Threats may include economic downturns affecting clients' ability to pay for services and the rapid changes in corporate structures that may require constant adaptation of coaching strategies.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis in the professional coaching industry indicates a competitive landscape.

Direct competitors include other individual coaches, coaching firms, and online coaching platforms.

These competitors vie for clients by offering unique coaching experiences, specialized expertise, and competitive pricing.

Potential competitive advantages for our service include a strong personal brand, a proven track record of client success, and a tailored approach to individual and corporate needs.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these competitors is crucial for carving out a unique market position and developing client loyalty.

Competitive Advantages

Our professional coaching service stands out due to our deep commitment to client success and our holistic approach to coaching.

We offer a comprehensive suite of services, including one-on-one sessions, group workshops, and corporate programs, all designed to meet the specific needs of our clients.

Moreover, our dedication to continuous learning and adaptation in the coaching field allows us to provide innovative solutions and up-to-date advice.

We pride ourselves on our ability to establish strong rapport with clients, ensuring a trusting and effective coaching relationship.

You can also read our articles about: - how to establish oneself as a professional coach: a complete guide - the customer segments of a professional coaching practice - the competition study for a professional coaching practice

The Strategy

Development plan.

Our three-year development plan for the professional coaching business is designed to establish a strong foundation and achieve sustainable growth.

In the first year, we will concentrate on building a robust client base by delivering exceptional coaching services and establishing a reputation for transformative results.

The second year will focus on expanding our services to include online coaching and workshops, thereby reaching a wider audience and providing flexible options for our clients.

In the third year, we aim to form strategic partnerships with corporate entities and educational institutions to offer tailored coaching programs and leadership development initiatives.

Throughout this period, we will remain committed to personal and professional development, ensuring that our coaching methods stay innovative and effective to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas for our professional coaching business targets individuals seeking personal growth, career advancement, and organizations looking to enhance their team's performance.

Our value proposition lies in personalized coaching strategies, actionable insights, and a commitment to helping clients achieve their goals.

We offer our services through one-on-one sessions, group workshops, and digital platforms, utilizing our expertise in coaching methodologies and psychological principles.

Key activities include client assessment, goal-setting, progress tracking, and continuous learning.

Our revenue streams are generated from coaching fees, workshops, and subscription-based online resources, while our costs are associated with marketing, professional development, and operational expenses.

Access a detailed and customizable Business Model Canvas in our business plan template .

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy is centered on building credibility and demonstrating the tangible benefits of professional coaching.

We plan to engage our target audience through thought leadership articles, success stories, and testimonials that showcase the impact of our coaching.

Networking events, speaking engagements, and partnerships with industry leaders will also play a crucial role in expanding our reach.

Additionally, we will leverage social media and content marketing to share valuable insights and connect with potential clients on a more personal level.

Risk Policy

The risk policy for our professional coaching business focuses on mitigating risks associated with client confidentiality, service quality, and market competition.

We adhere to strict confidentiality agreements to protect client information and maintain trust. Quality assurance processes are in place to ensure consistent and effective coaching experiences.

We keep abreast of market trends and invest in ongoing professional development to stay competitive and relevant in the industry.

Furthermore, we have professional indemnity insurance to safeguard against any legal claims related to our services. Our priority is to provide exceptional coaching while managing potential risks effectively.

Why Our Project is Viable

We are committed to launching a professional coaching business that addresses the growing demand for personal and professional development.

With a focus on results-driven coaching and a strategic approach to growth, we are confident in our ability to make a positive impact on individuals and organizations.

We are excited about the opportunity to empower our clients to reach their full potential and to build a successful and reputable coaching practice.

We remain adaptable to the needs of the market and are enthusiastic about the promising future of our professional coaching business.

You can also read our articles about: - the Business Model Canvas of a professional coaching practice - the marketing strategy for a professional coaching practice

The Financial Plan

Of course, the text presented below is far from sufficient to serve as a solid and credible financial analysis for a bank or potential investor. They expect specific numbers, financial statements, and charts demonstrating the profitability of your project.

All these elements are available in our business plan template for a professional coach and our financial plan for a professional coach .

Initial expenses for our professional coaching business include costs for certification and training to ensure high-quality coaching services, setting up a professional office space or virtual platform for client meetings, developing a robust website and online presence, and investing in marketing strategies to reach our target clientele.

Our revenue assumptions are based on a thorough market analysis of the demand for professional coaching services, taking into account the increasing focus on personal and professional development.

We anticipate a gradual increase in client acquisition, starting conservatively and expanding as our reputation as expert coaches grows.

The projected income statement reflects expected revenues from our coaching services, costs of operation (such as certification renewals, office supplies, and utilities), and operating expenses (rent for office space, marketing, salaries for any support staff, etc.).

This results in a forecasted net profit that is essential for assessing the long-term viability of our coaching practice.

The projected balance sheet presents assets unique to our business, like intellectual property, coaching materials, and liabilities including any loans and foreseeable expenses.

It provides a snapshot of the financial standing of our professional coaching business at the end of each fiscal period.

Our projected cash flow statement details the inflows and outflows of cash, enabling us to predict our financial needs. This is crucial for maintaining a healthy cash reserve to support business operations and growth.

The projected financing plan outlines the specific sources of funding we intend to utilize to cover our initial costs.

The working capital requirement for our coaching business will be diligently tracked to ensure we have sufficient funds to manage day-to-day activities, such as marketing efforts, client acquisition, and any other operational costs.

The break-even analysis for our venture will show the volume of coaching sessions required to offset all our costs, including the initial investments, and to begin generating profits.

It will signal the point at which our business becomes financially sustainable.

Key performance indicators we will monitor include the client retention rate, the average revenue per client, the profitability margin on our coaching services, and the return on investment to gauge the efficiency of the capital we have deployed into our business.

These metrics will assist us in measuring the financial health and overall success of our professional coaching enterprise.

If you want to know more about the financial analysis of this type of activity, please read our article about the financial plan for a professional coaching practice .

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How To Write a Business Plan for a Life Coaching Business + Free Example

John Procopio

5 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Coaching Business Plan Template

• Turn your passion for helping others into a thriving life coaching business.

As a life coach, you have the opportunity to empower others and help them achieve their goals. And with an estimated industry value of over $2 billion, the demand for life coaches has never been higher. 

Yes, the dynamic world of coaching presents an array of opportunities to guide clients through personal and professional growth. But just as you are developing plans for your clients you need to do the same for your business.

Crafting a solid business plan for your coaching practice will help you clarify your vision and objectives, account for certifications and training, and explore how you need to perform financially in order to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a business plan for a life, performance, or executive coaching business. You can even download a free one-page coaching plan template to fill out as you go.

• What is a life coaching business?

A life coaching business provides professional coaching services to help clients achieve their personal and professional goals. Life coaches work with individuals or groups to provide guidance, support, and accountability. There are many types of life coaching, including:

• Performance coaching: Enhancing specific skills or talents, such as athletes or musicians.
• Executive coaching: Developing effective leadership skills for executives and business leaders.
• Relationship coaching: Improving communication, conflict resolution, and relationship dynamics with partners, family, friends, and colleagues.
• Career coaching: Advancing careers through skills assessment, resume building, networking, and career planning.
• Life coaching: Taking a holistic approach to improving various areas of life like health, work-life balance, productivity, and personal fulfillment.
• Why you should write a business plan for a life or executive coaching business

A solid business plan is crucial for success in your life or executive coaching business. It helps organize your strategies, identify potential obstacles, and invest in certifications and marketing for growth and credibility. By writing a detailed business plan, you can more effectively allocate resources, set achievable goals, and create a roadmap for success.

• How to write a life coach business plan

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key components of a life coaching business plan to help you lay the foundation for a thriving coaching practice. For a walkthrough of how to write the specific sections of a business plan , check out our full guide and supporting articles.

1. Clearly define your offering

To build a successful life coaching business, you must have a precise understanding of your services and how they stand out from the competition. Determine your areas of expertise—whether career, executive, relationship, life, or wellness coaching—and the specific challenges you can help clients navigate. Becoming properly certified and accredited demonstrates your professional competence to clients.

The two top certifying organizations are the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). The ICF offers ACC, PCC, and MCC credential levels based on your experience. CTI offers a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach credential. Achieving the right credential for your coaching specialty—such as becoming a Certified Career Coach, Certified Professional Career Coach, or earning a Life Coaching Certification—can maximize your credibility.

With a clear service offering tailored to your target market’s needs and the proper certifications, you will gain the credibility and expertise to help many clients achieve meaningful life changes and reach their full potential. Promote your services boldly by focusing on your areas of specialization, ideal clients, and the specific outcomes you provide.

2. Have specific clients in mind

Speaking of your target market , successful businesses have a clear understanding of their ideal customer and cater to their unique needs.

For example, a life coaching business may target mid-career professionals seeking personal growth or corporate executives looking to enhance their leadership skills. Their needs include developing management skills, thinking strategically, and improving communication. However, you can break this down even further and have market segments such as: 

• Mid-career professionals looking to change jobs or careers. Their needs include identifying strengths and interests, building a strong resume, developing networking skills, and gaining confidence in interviews.
• Young adults transitioning from college into the working world. Their needs include determining a career path, gaining skills and experience, finding mentors, and learning professionalism.  
• Entrepreneurs looking to start a new business. Their needs include business planning, productivity, accountability, motivation, and work-life balance.

3. Create a marketing plan

Developing a strategic marketing plan is vital to building brand awareness and attracting clients to your life coaching business. You’ll need a detailed marketing strategy to maintain a consistent brand identity reflecting your unique coaching style and expertise. 

Strategically choose a few marketing channels, like your website, a targeted social media strategy, and possibly speaking engagements to reach your ideal clients. Run a blog, Substack, or podcast providing actionable advice in your areas of coaching. Submit articles to media outlets your target audience follows and build credibility through these expert placements. 

It’s also important to consider paid media as part of your marketing strategy, such as social media advertising and Google Ads. Monitor your return on ad spend (ROAS) and calculate the lifetime value of a lead to accurately measure the effectiveness of your campaigns. 

With a customized brand and strategic marketing focused on your niche audience’s needs, you will hope to gain visibility, credibility, and quality leads to develop a thriving coaching practice. These are just some of the marketing avenues you may consider exploring.

4. Know your numbers

To build a profitable coaching business you need to understand your financials by monitoring both revenue and expenses closely. Charge what you’re worth based on your experience, certifications, and client outcomes. While gaining momentum, generate extra income through related services. Consider charging for initial consultations to add another revenue stream to your business. 

Here are a few other key things to consider when exploring your numbers:

Track key metrics

Review key metrics monthly, like client retention and profitability. Make adjustments to optimize satisfaction and revenue. Budget for short-term loss but aim for profitability within 6-12 months. Think long-term, progress will take time.

Test your pricing strategy

Explore different pricing models to attract clients with varying budgets. Consider offering packages, retainers, group programs, and online courses, as they provide stability for both you and your clients. 

Keep a close eye on expenses

Assess expenses regularly to minimize waste. Expect costs like marketing, office space (if needed), insurance, and certifications. Budget adequately , reducing expenses will boost profit, and review and refine over time.

• Download your free life coaching business plan template

Now, you’re reading to start creating your business plan. To get started, download our free one-page business plan example for a life-coaching business . For more inspiration, check out our free library of sample plans and templates for service businesses. You can download any of these documents in Word form and get some structure and industry-specific insight for your own plan.

John is a seasoned digital marketing leader with over 25 years of experience across SaaS, e-commerce, and content industries. He has a proven track record of driving growth through data-informed strategies that span the entire marketing pipeline.

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Coaching Business Plan

Low startup costs, high earning potential, diverse clientele, and professional growth make coaching a rewarding career for new entrepreneurs. However, entering the marketplace without proper planning can put you and your business at risk.

Are you looking to start writing a business plan for your coaching business? Creating a business plan is essential to starting, growing, and securing funding for your business. So we have prepared a coaching business plan template to help you start writing yours.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our Free Business Plan Template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How to Write a Coaching business plan?

Writing a coaching business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section of the business plan intended to provide an overview of the whole business plan. Generally, it is written after the entire business plan is ready. Here are some components to add to your summary:

• Start with a brief introduction: Start your executive summary by introducing your idea behind starting a coaching business and explaining what it does. Give a brief overview of how your business will be different.
• Market opportunity: Describe the target market in brief, and explain the demographics, geographic location, and psychographic attributes of your customer. Explain how your coaching business meets its needs. Clearly describe the market that your business will serve.
• Mention your services: Describe in brief what services a customer can expect from your coaching center. Also, incorporate brief information mentioning the safety and security systems you implement, keeping consumer safety in mind.
• Marketing strategy: Explain how you plan on marketing your services, including advertising, social media marketing, public relations, promotions, etc. Define your target market and how you will execute the marketing.
• Financial highlights: Provide a summary of your financial projections for the center’s initial years of operation. Include any capital or investment requirements, startup costs, projected revenues, and profits.
• Call to action: After briefly explaining your business plan, end your summary with a call to action, inviting potential investors or readers to the next meeting if they are interested in your business.

Ensure you keep your executive summary concise and clear, use simple language, and avoid jargon.

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2. Business Overview

Depending on your business’s details, you’ll need different elements in your business overview. Still, there are some foundational elements like business name, legal structure, location, history, and mission statement that every business overview should include:

• The name and type of your coaching center: mention whether you are a coaching center focusing on personal, corporate, executive, or life coaching. Maybe, you offer online coaching services —so mention that.
• Company structure of your coaching business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, partnership firm, or something else.
• Location of your coaching center and why you selected that place.
• Ownership: Describe the owners of your coaching center and mention their roles in running it. Who owns what shares in the corporation, and how each owner helps in the business?
• Mission statement: Add a mission statement that sums up your coaching center’s objectives and core principles. This statement needs to be memorable, clear, and brief.
• Business history: Include an outline of your coaching center’s history and how it came to be in its current position. If you can, add some personality and intriguing details, especially if you got any achievements or recognitions till now for your incredible services.
• Future goals: It’s crucial to convey your aspirations and your vision. Include the vision of where you see your business in the near future and if you plan to open a new business franchise in the same city or state.

This section should provide an in-depth understanding of your coaching business. Also, the business overview section should be engaging and precise.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis provides a clear understanding of the market your coaching center will run, the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. Your market analysis should contain the following essential components:

• Target market: Identify your target market and define your ideal customer. Know more about your customers and which services they prefer: personal coaching, educational coaching, corporate training, business consulting, group coaching sessions, or anything else.
• Market size and growth potential: Provide an overview of the coaching industry. It will include market size, trends, growth potential, and regulatory considerations. Highlight the competitive edge and how your business is different from the rest.
• Market trends: Analyze current and emerging trends in your industry, such as technological changes or customer preferences. Explain how your business will cope with all the trends. For instance, coaching for remote workers is on the rise after the Covid-19 pandemic; explain how your business will cope with it.
• Regulatory environment: Describe any regulations or licensing requirements that affect coaching business, such as business registration, professional credentials, data privacy, business license, etc.

Some additional tips for writing the market analysis section of your business plan:

• Use various sources to gather data, including industry reports, market research studies, and surveys.
• Be specific and provide detailed information wherever possible.
• Include charts and graphs to help illustrate your key points.
• Keep your target audience in mind while writing the business plan.

4. Products And Services

A coaching business plan’s product and services section should describe the specific services offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

• Create a list of the services your coaching business will offer, including educational coaching, corporate training, business consulting, executive coaching, etc.
• Describe each service: Provide a detailed description of what it entails, the time required, and the qualifications of the professionals who will provide it. For example, coaches are responsible for providing coaching services to students or clients.
• Coaching Methodology: In all service descriptions, explain the methodology used. You should include information about the coaching process, how clients will be assessed, what techniques will be used, and how progress will be measured.

Overall, a business plan’s product and services section should be detailed, informative, and customer-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

• Develop your unique selling proposition (USP): Clearly define your coaching business’s unique selling propositions, which can be your services, expertise in the market, coaching methodology, online services, and so on. Determine what sets your business apart from the competition and what benefits your target market.
• Determine your pricing strategy: Develop a pricing strategy that is competitive and affordable yet profitable. Consider offering promotions, discounts, or packages for your coaching services to attract new customers.
• Marketing strategies: Develop a marketing strategy that includes a mix of online and offline marketing tactics. Consider social media, email marketing, content marketing, brochures, print marketing, and events.
• Sales strategies: Mention your sales strategy as in – creating referral programs for your existing customers, offering free trial or consultation, hosting events and workshops, incentive programs for brokers, etc.
• Customer retention: Describe how your business will retain customers and build loyalty, such as through loyalty programs, special events, or personalized service.

Overall, the sales and marketing strategies section of your business plan should outline your plans to attract and retain customers and generate revenue. Be specific, realistic, and data-driven in your approach, and be prepared to adjust your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

When writing the operations plan section, it’s important to consider the various aspects of your business processes and procedures involved in operating a business. Here are the components to include in an operations plan:

• Hiring Plan: Tell the staffing requirements of your coaching business, including the number of teachers, trainers, and coaches needed, their qualifications, and the duties they will perform. Also, mention the perks you will provide to your staff.
• Operational Process: Outline the processes and procedures you will use to run your coaching center. It includes sales and marketing, staffing and management, curriculum and teaching methods, quality assurance and improvement, etc.
• Facilities and Technology: Describe all the facilities and Technology used in your business operations, including internet connectivity, learning management system, library and resource center, accounting systems, etc.

By including these key elements in your operations plan section, you can create a comprehensive plan that outlines how you will run your coaching center.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of the individuals responsible for running the coaching business. This section should provide a detailed description of the experience and qualifications of each manager, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

• Key managers: Describe your management team’s key members, roles, and responsibilities. It should include the owners, senior management, department manager, coaches, support staff, and other people involved in the business operations, including their education, professional background, and any relevant experience in the coaching industry.
• Organizational structure: Describe the organizational structure of the management team, including reporting lines and how decisions will be made.
• Compensation plan: Describe your compensation plan for the management team and staff, including salaries, bonuses, and other benefits.
• Board of advisors: If you have a board of advisors for your business, then mention them along with their roles and experience.

Describe your business’s key personnel and highlight why your business has the fittest team.

8. Financial Plan

When writing the financial plan section of a business plan, it’s important to provide a comprehensive overview of your financial projections for the first few years of your business.

• Profit & loss statement: Create a projected profit & loss statement that describes the expected revenue, cost of products sold, and operational costs. Your business’s anticipated net profit or loss should be computed and included.
• Cash flow statement: Estimate your cash inflows and outflows for the first few years of operation. It should include client cash receipts, vendor payments, loan payments, and other cash inflows and outflows.
• Balance sheet: Prepare a projected balance sheet, which shows the business’s assets, liabilities, and equity.
• Break-even point: Determine the point at which your coaching business will break even or generate enough revenue to cover its operating costs. This will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to make a profit.
• Financing needs: Estimate how much financing you will need to start and operate your coaching business. It should include short-term and long-term financing needs, such as loans or investment capital.

Remember to be realistic with your financial projections and provide supporting evidence for your estimates.

9. Appendix

When writing the appendix section, you should include any additional information supporting your plan’s main content. This may include financial statements, market research data, legal documents, and other relevant information.

• Include a table of contents for the appendix section to make it easy for readers to find specific information.
• Include financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These should be up-to-date and show your financial projections for at least the first three years of your business.
• Provide market research data, such as statistics on the size of the coaching industry, consumer demographics, and trends in the industry.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Provide any additional documentation related to your business plans, such as marketing materials, product brochures, and operational procedures.
• Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the information they need.

Remember, the appendix section of your coaching business should only include relevant and essential information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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This coaching business plan sample will provide an idea for writing a successful coaching plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready coaching business plan to impress your audience, download our coaching business plan pdf .

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Components of Business Planning

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need a coaching business plan.

A business plan is essential for anyone looking to start or run a successful coaching center. It helps to clarify your business, secure funding, and identify potential challenges while starting and growing your coaching business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your coaching business.

How to get funding for your coaching business?

There are several ways to get funding for your coaching business, but one of the most efficient and speedy funding options is self-funding. Other options for funding are:

Small Business Administration (SBA) loan

Crowdfunding, angel investors, venture capital.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your coaching business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and idea better than you, so we recommend you write your coaching business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your coaching business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any coaching business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Life Coaching Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Service Industry » Life Coaching Business

Are you about starting a life coaching business ? If YES, here’s a complete sample life coaching business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

The life coach profession has continued to soar high in recent times. This is because of the need to help people put their lives in the right perspective. If you think this looks like what you have the penchant for, then it is required that you have a word or two with experts.

This is especially important so that you can know all that needs to be known as it concerns the business that you are looking to start. One of the reasons why this is vital is because of the information the experienced people can give you.

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A Sample Life Coaching Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

In the early days of human civilization, especially the period when they were very few formal schools, personal training has been in existence.

Although it was only the rich and influential people in the society that could afford personal trainers or life coach at that time, but that does not in any way stop this very old profession from prospering from one generation to another generation.

As a matter of fact, the profession is transforming from one form to another which is why you can now hire personal trainer or life coach to help you achieve what you plan to achieve in life. Life coaches generally help their clients set and achieve their goals; they motivate cum coach their clients to become peak performers in life.

In essence, the Life Coaches industry is made up of professionals whose job is to primarily help their clients set and achieve personal goals. Such goals can be relevant to a client’s job, personal life or interpersonal relationships; they provide counseling services to people in the areas of personal growth, relationship issues, career path and related topics.

The demand for the services of life coaches grows when personal or professional stress arises or intensifies, as well as under strong economic conditions. While industry demand is somewhat negatively correlated with economic health, severe economic contractions ultimately constrain industry growth because consumers are unable to spend freely on discretionary services.

In the coming years, the revenue for the services offered by the Life Coaches industry is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.3 percent to $868.5 million

The Life Coaches industry is a thriving sector of the economy of the united states of America and they generates a whooping sum of well over 9 million annually from more than 12,043 registered and licensed life coach companies scattered all around the United States of America.

The industry is responsible for the employment of well over 17,944 people. Experts project the Life Coaches industry to grow at a 3.3 percent annual rate. It is important to state that there is no single organization that has a lion share of the available market in the Life Coaches industry

It can’t be over emphasized that the demand for the services offered by the Life Coaches industry grows when public confidence declines and people’s ability to handle the issues on their own wanes. When the housing bubble burst and the US economy fell into a recession, consumer confidence plummeted.

This decline, coupled with high unemployment, falling incomes and bleak outlooks, caused Americans to seek out the assistance of professional coaches, benefiting the industry. However, as the economy slowly continues to recover and consumer confidence returns, demand for life coaches is expected to diminish.

Going forward, clients and potential clients alike will likely require less guidance, high-income households will serve as the primary vehicle of growth for the industry

Lastly, as a life coach, the key attributes needed to be able to make good success from the trade is patience, enthusiasm, passion about the specific area or goals to be handled, and constant positivity. You are also expected to be highly proactive; you would need to be good at planning, preparation, and certain other organizational skills.

It is one thing to have a skill and it is another thing to know how to coach people into becoming successful; which is why you must constantly get feedbacks from your clients to be able to measure their progress and your performance.

2. Executive Summary

Barry & Becky®, LLP is a professional and licensed Life Coaching Firm that is specialized in helping her clients achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity. The scope of our business offerings cover areas such as business coaching, personal improvement coaching, family and relationship coaching, weight loss and fitness coaching, executive coaching, career and financial et al.

Our business will be located in – between a well – populated residential estate and a business district in Smethport – Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Barry & Becky®, LLP is a client-focused and result driven life coaching organization that provides broad-based motivational, learning approaches and experience at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pocket of our clients. 

We will ensure that we work hard to meet and surpass all our clients’ expectations as it relates to their career and personal goals whenever they hire our services.

At Barry & Becky®, LLP, our clients’ overall best interest would always come first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire professional and certified life coaches with various skill set areas that are well experienced and passionate in helping our clients achieve their personal goals within record time.

Barry & Becky®, LLP will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a personal training organization, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our clients’ needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Our overall business goal is to position our life coaching organization to become the leading personal training / coaching brand in the coaches industry in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania, United States of America, and also to be amongst the top 10 personal training and coaching business in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operations.

This might look too tall a dream but we are optimistic that this will surely come to pass because we have done our research and feasibility studies and we are enthusiastic and confident that Smethport is the right place to launch our personal training cum life coaching business.

Barry & Becky®, LLP is founded by Dr. Barry Jimmy and he will run the business with his business partner for many years Dr. Becky Allison.

Dr. Barry Jimmy is a renowned personal effectiveness cum life coach and he has well over 20 years of experience as a life coach working with top government officials, corporate executives and sports people both in the United States of America and Canada.

He has several life coaching and personal training certifications, he is certified NPL practitioner and he is a member of many relevant organizations both in the United States and on a global level (International Coach Federation – ICF amongst others).

3. Our Products and Services

Barry & Becky®, LLP is going to offer varieties of personal training and life coaching services within the scope of the personal training and life coaching industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our life coaching organization is to help our clients achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity.

And of course to also make profits from the personal training cum life coaching industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and business goal. Our service offerings are listed below;

• Business coaching
• Personal improvement coaching
• Family and relationship coaching
• Weight loss and fitness coaching
• Career and financial
• Online Coaching Services
• Retailing of Self – help Books and Materials

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to build a highly competitive and effective life coaching business that will become the number one choice for both individuals and corporate organizations in Smethport – Pennsylvania and the whole of the United States of America
• Our mission is to provide affordable professional and highly effective personal training / life coaching services to a wide range of clients that cuts across different divides.
• Our overall business goal is to position Barry & Becky®, LLP to become one of the leading life coaching brand in the industry in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania, and also to be amongst the top 10 personal training and coaching brand in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operations.

Our Business Structure

Barry & Becky®, LLP, is a life coaching firm that intend starting small in Smethport – Pennsylvania, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading personal training and life coaching firms in the industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operations.

At Barry & Becky®, LLP, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, passionate, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff / partners and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Principal Partner / Chief Executive Officer
• Personal Trainers for Various Skill Sets
• Accountant / Bursar

Client Service Executive

• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Head of the Tutorial College / School Coordinator:

• Responsible for providing direction for Barry & Becky®, LLP
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for handling high profile clients and deals (clients such as Top Government Officials, Politicians, Superstars, and Celebrities et al)
• Responsible for fixing fees and signing business deals (partnership)
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the tutorial college
• Coordinate all arms of the business and develop curriculum for the school
• Evaluates the success of the business
• Reports to the board of Barry & Becky®, LLP.

Office Administrator

• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for Barry & Becky®, LLP
• Design job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for life coaches
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of the organizations’ Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities of Barry & Becky®, LLP.

Life Coaches / Personal Trainers

• Handles business coaching services
• Responsible for personal improvement coaching services
• Responsible for family and relationship coaching services
• Handle weight loss and fitness coaching services
• Responsible for career and financial coaching services
• Handles online coaching services
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the Principal Partner / CEO.

Marketing Executive

• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new students, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents Barry & Becky®, LLP in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for Barry & Becky®, LL.
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Barry & Becky®, LLP
• Serves as internal auditor for Barry & Becky®, LLP.
• Welcomes clients and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the principal partners in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
• Receives parcels / documents for Barry & Becky®, LLP

6. SWOT Analysis

We are aware that one of the best things to happen to any business is to be aware of their areas of strengths and weaknesses. This is exactly what we plan to do when we conducted a similar research.

Barry & Becky®, LLP engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured personal training and life coaching business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive personal training and life coaching industry in the United States and the world at large.

Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Barry & Becky®, LLP. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Barry & Becky®, LLP;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team that are considered experts in the industry, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in personal development and life coaching.

Aside from the synergy that exist in our carefully selected team members and our strong online presence, Barry & Becky®, LLP is well positioned in a community with the right demography and we know we will attract loads of students from the first day we open our doors for business.

As a new personal training and life coaching organization in Smethport – Pennsylvania, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated personal training and life coaching industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

• Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities in the personal training and coaching industry is massive considering the number of individuals and corporate organizations who would want to achieve their goals and to perform excellently well in their jobs and personal life.

As a standard personal training and life coaching organization, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Every business faces a threat or challenge at any part of the life cycle of the business. These threats can be external or internal. This shows the importance of a business plan, because most threats or challenges are to be anticipated and plans put in place to cushion what effect they might bring to the business.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a personal training and life coaching organization operating in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies that might affect business such as ours, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operations and global economic downturn which usually affects spending / purchasing power.

There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

We have left no stone unturned in know the advantages, as well as all the odds that are stacked against us. One thing is certain, the trend in the personal training and coaching industry is such that if you want to be ahead of your competitors, you should be able to acquire as much certifications as possible and you should be able to have loads of testimonies from your clients.

The truth is that, if your clients experienced huge difference in their life as a result of hiring the services of your organization, then they will be compelled to help promote your organization. Another notable trend in this industry is the influence of technology; the advent of technology is responsible for the increase in income generated by life coaches and personal development coaches all over the world.

With technology, it is no easier for life coaches and personal trainers to coach and train clients that are thousands of kilometers away from them. Tools like video calling / Skype, YouTube, DVDs and Webcast et al are being used by life coaches and personal trainers to train cum coach clients in different parts of the world.

8. Our Target Market

The target market for a personal training and life coaching companies is all encompassing. Barry & Becky®, LLP is a professional and licensed Life Coaching Firm that is specialized in helping her clients achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity.

As a standard personal training and life coaching organization, Barry & Becky®, LLP offers a wide range of personal development trainings and life coaching services hence we are well trained and equipped to services a wide range of clients (public figures, celebrities and non – celebrities alike).

Our target market as a life coaching company cuts across people of different class and people from all walks of life. We are coming into the personal development and coaching industry with a business concept and company’s profile that will enable us work with the clients at different learning stages and different status.

Below is a list of the clients that we have specifically design our life coaching services for;

• Working Class Adults / Corporate Executives
• Politicians
• Business People / Entrepreneurs
• Government Officials
• Celebrities
• Public Figures
• Applicants / School Leavers
• Sports Men and Women
• College Students

Our Competitive Advantage

Competition must not only be looked at in the bad light, but should be seen as a blessing indeed. No doubt, the personal training and coaching industry is indeed a very prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only hire your services if they know that you can successfully help them achieve their personal goals or acquire a new soft skill set that will help them to be effective at work and in their personal life.

It is the practice for personal trainers and life coaches to acquire as much certifications as it relates to their area of specialization; it is part of what will make them stay competitive in the industry

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the personal training and coaching industry means that you should be able to deliver consistent quality service, your clients should be able to experience remarkable difference and improvement and you should be able to meet the expectations of your clients at all times.

Barry & Becky®, LLP might be new Smethport – Pennsylvania, but the management team and the owner of the business are considered gurus in the industry. They are people who are core professionals, licensed and highly qualified life coaches that can successfully build soft skills in people with zero proficiency to 8 or 10 on a scale of 10 within a short period of time.

These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us. Aside from our robust experience and expertise of our life coaches, we have a very strong online presence that will enable us coach and mentor clients in different parts of the world from our online portals.

Lastly, our employees (personal trainers and life coaches) will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups personal training and life coaching businesses in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Barry & Becky®, LLP is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the personal training and coaching industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis. Barry & Becky®, LLP will generate income by offering the following training / coaching services;

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organization and individual who would need that extra coaching or push in other for them to achieve their personal goals and also to enable them become peak performer in the career and in their family life. This is the major reason why the services of personal trainers or life coaches will always be needed.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in Smethport – Pennsylvania and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow our personal training and coaching business and our clientele base.

We have been able to critically examine the personal training and life coaching market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Smethport – Pennsylvania.

Below is the sales projection for Barry & Becky®, LLP, it is based on the location of our personal training and coaching company and of course the wide range of trainings that we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year-: $150,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $350,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same additional services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition amongst personal training and coaching firms in the United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of Barry & Becky®, LLP.

We will also ensure that our clients’ becomes experts with the skills they acquire; we want to build a standard and first – class personal training and life coaching business that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients (both individuals and corporate organizations).

Our goal is to grow Barry & Becky®, LLP to become one of the top 10 personal training and life coaching organization in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Smethport – Pennsylvania but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Barry & Becky®, LLP is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

•  We will do well to introduce our personal training and coaching company by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, households and key stake holders in Smethport – Pennsylvania.
•  We will also print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
• Use friends and family to spread word about our personal training and coaching company
• Post information about our personal training and coaching school on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops.
• Placing a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our personal training and coaching company
• Advertise our life coaching company in relevant educational magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• Attend relevant educational expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.

We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and private clients in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our business. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Barry & Becky®, LLP;

• Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Smethport – Pennsylvania.
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations by calling them up and informing them of Barry & Becky®, LLP and the services we offer
• List our life coaching company on local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our life coaching company in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our personal trainers, life coaches and staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our schools’ logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Generally for personal training and life coaching business bills both per hour billing and flat fees on a weekly or monthly basis applies. As a result of this, Barry & Becky®, LLP will charge our clients flat fees except for few occasions where there will be need for us to charge special clients on hourly basis.

At Barry & Becky®, LLP we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our clients by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our clients at regular intervals.

We are aware that there are some clients that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such clients’ needs.

• Payment Options

At Barry & Becky®, LLP, our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up a personal training and life coaching business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a higher amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The start – up capital for a home based personal training and life coaching business might fall between $500 and $2,000, while that of a medium and large scale would definitely be higher.

The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked. As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a personal training and life coaching business; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money.

However, this is what it would cost us to start our own standard and world class life coaching company in the United of America;

• Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Acquiring an office space that will accommodate the number of employees we intend employing for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $35,000.
• Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, pens and pencils, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
• Launching an official Website will cost – $500
• Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
• Miscellaneous – $5,000

While a home tutor might not have to incur all these expenses but going by the above report, we will need an average of $150,000 to start a medium scale life coaching business in the United States of America.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Barry & Becky®, LLP

Barry & Becky®, LLP is a business that will be owned by Dr. Barry Jimmy and his business partner for many years Dr. Becky Anderson. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 ( Personal savings $35,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Barry & Becky®, LLP is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our life coaching services and advisory and consulting services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Barry & Becky®, LLP will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check : Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID : In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business : Completed
• Leasing a standard office facility in a good location plus reconstruction: In Progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founders: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the school: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In Progress
• Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the tutorial school in Smethport – Pennsylvania: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

Coaching Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Coaching Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Coaching business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Coaching businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Coaching business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Premier Health Coaching Services Is a startup health coaching company located in Seattle, Washington. The company is founded by Tracy Hoffman, a health coach who holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington, and has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status. Her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers as she speaks about nutrition and health matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

Premier Health Coaching Services will provide a comprehensive array of health-related products and services, including holistic care, skeletal and muscular alignments, sports nutrition, nutrition and diet support, balanced lifestyle counseling and other health services. This will be a broad-based service, meeting the needs of individuals from all walks of life and in all health-conditional lifestyles. Premier Health Coaching Services will be the top-performing health coaching company within the Seattle, Washington regional area.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Premier Health Coaching Services will provide:

• Individual and group health coaching services
• Nutritional and physiological body assessments
• Skeletal and muscular alignments
• Holistic healing: aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage
• Physical therapist services
• Weight assessment and counseling
• Work-life balance alignments
• Balanced lifestyle counseling
• Product sales: nutritional supplements; health-related products

Customer Focus

Premier Health Coaching Services will target everyone in the Seattle, Washington regional area, including Bellingham and other outlying areas. In particular, they will target those individuals who seek assistance with physically therapeutic and lifestyle balance services. They will also target those individuals who are sports professionals and those who are dedicated to a sports lifestyle. Adults of all ages, including seniors, will be targeted as customers and Premier Health Coaching Services will address the needs and serve each individual with the best possible service and support team.

Management Team

Premier Health Coaching Services will be owned and operated by Tracy Hoffman. She has recruited her former associates, John Blackwell and Melissa Rodriquez, to become associates in leading her team.

Tracy Hoffman holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington and has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status, and her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers as she speaks about nutrition and health matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

John Blackwell is a well-known and much-admired health coach, overseeing 100 clients on a regular basis. He specializes in sports nutrition and already has the commitment from each client to follow him as he makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.

Melissa Rodriquez is much-beloved by her weight management and nutritional balance clients and is known for her emphasis on holistic solutions to health problems. Her client base of over 100 clients has committed to follow her as she makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.

Success Factors

Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of professional health coaches, counselors, nutritional experts, and holistic care providers.
• A comprehensive menu of services available during daytime and evening hours, including health coaching, lifestyle and nutritional coaching, holistic care, physical therapy and natural health and healing products.
• Premier Health Coaching Services offers modest pricing, setting a price structure that best meets the health insurance plans of all individuals. Comparatively, the service is a lower-cost option than competitors.
• Products offered, including nutritional supplements and natural health products, are priced lower than retail health food stores.

Financial Highlights

Premier Health Coaching Services is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its Premier Health Coaching Services. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the location space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the marketing campaigns. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office space build-out: $20,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for Premier Health Coaching Services.

Company Overview

Who is premier health coaching services.

Premier Health Coaching Services is a newly established full-service coaching and health management company in Seattle, Washington. Premier Health Coaching Services will be the most reliable, total health-directed, and effective choice for clients throughout Seattle and the surrounding communities. Premier Health Coaching Services will provide a comprehensive slate of coaching services, natural health treatments, and natural products for all clients to utilize. Their full-service approach includes an extensive list of health and holistic-related services and products.

  Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to manage and service up to 50 clients at any time, with the ability to increase hours of operation to add more clients. The team of professionals are highly qualified, certified, and experienced in coaching, life-balance counseling and nutritional health. Premier Health Coaching Services removes all the headaches and issues of searching for and finding the right fit for the services of various coaches in multiple locations, as all services are now offered under one roof. In addition, Premier Health Coaching Services will be known for delivering the best customer service.

Premier Health Coaching Services History

Since incorporation, Premier Health Coaching Services has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Premier Health Coaching Services, Inc. to transact business in the state of Washington.
• Has over 50 client contracts already in place with Premier Health Coaching Services. Has natural health providers in acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, and physical therapy under long-term contracts.
• Began recruiting a staff of assistants and office personnel at Premier Health Coaching Services.

Premier Health Coaching Services

The following will be the services Premier Health Coaching Services will provide:

Industry Analysis

The health coaching and related services industry is currently at $15,653M, and is expected to grow over the next five years to over $23,587M in 2028, with a CAGR of over 7% during the forecast years. This substantial increase will be due to clients who are increasingly aware and in need of better performance in physical activity, nutrition and eating habits, weight management, diabetes prevention, and medication adherence.

These specific areas are all covered under health coaching, group coaching and lifestyle coaching, which are increasingly in step with the continued growth and concern regarding these health-condition specific issues.

The growth will be driven by key players in the industry, such as major health insurance companies, governmental oversight and other agencies, who will adopt effective strategies to combat continuing health conditions. As they do; the industry sector is expected to expand further, presenting numerous opportunities for advancement.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Premier Health Coaching Services will target those individuals requiring health coaching, nutritional counseling, holistic care and other natural services in Seattle, Washington. They will target former clients who may choose to contract for services with this new all-inclusive slate of services, those who are personal contacts through years of professional experience, corporations with employee health services under expiring contracts, and individuals who are referred by professionals throughout the region.

The precise demographics for Premier Health Coaching Services are:

Customer Segmentation

Premier Health Coaching Services will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Individuals seeking contracted health coaching and life counseling services
• Insurance companies seeking expanded services for insured clients
• Corporations seeking health service contracts on behalf of employees
• Individuals seeking natural health and healing products

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Premier Health Coaching Services will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group

Pacific Health and Physical Therapy Group provides muscular, skeletal and physical therapy for individuals who are referred to the service by employers under contract with the group. Contracts are yearly, endorsed by the corporate human resources managers. The group provides a variety of services for clients, including a therapy spa, physical therapy services, muscular and skeletal exercise routines, and other kinesiology-related services.

The promise by Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group is to provide accurate, detailed plans to better the lives of their clients through muscular and physically therapeutic services. The emphasis is on corrective treatments, including exercise. The Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group provides a 4-Step Treatment Plan that covers diagnosis; analysis of treatment; care routine; extended therapy. This is a plan that is personally designed for each client and care providers follow the plan during each client visit.

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates is composed of ten physical therapists, each with a roster of clients who routinely book a minimum of twenty therapy visits each. This solidifies the basis for revenue for Seattle Physical Therapy Associates and creates an on-going program of increased health properties for clients as visits continue.

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates is focused on providing physical therapy; as such, the pricing for services is higher than other full-service centers. The motto is: Creating the Best Environment for Our Clients’ Best Results. Clients are treated at least twice a week, as physical therapy continues. As the favorite physical therapy group in Seattle, the company can demand higher pricing levels, and those levels are paid by primarily corporate clients, as a result.

Ballard Holistic Health Company

Ballard Holistic Health Company is headquartered in Ballard, located in northwest Seattle. The region is a mixed-population of older university students, young couples with children, and senior residents with longevity in the region. Housing is a mixture of condos converted to apartments, older single home dwellings and multi-use leased homes. The clientele for the Ballard Holistic Health Company is generally seeking holistic treatments as curative or preventative alternatives to western medicine. The company is housed in a former home, large enough to showcase natural health and healing products. Weekly classes directed to nutrition, healthy living styles, and vegan/vegetarian living topics are discussed in group sessions. Merchandise for sale includes books, tapes, vegan foods and protein alternatives, such as plant-based foods. Also offered are a wide array of natural health products and nutritional supplements.

Competitive Advantage

Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• A comprehensive, all-inclusive menu of services available during daytime and evening hours, including health coaching, lifestyle and nutritional coaching, holistic care, physical therapy and natural health and healing products.
• Products offered, including nutritional supplements and natural health products, are priced lower than direct competitors.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Premier Health Coaching Services will offer the following unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of certified professionals who are able to provide a comprehensive slate of services and products to meet consumer demand for solutions for medical conditions, lifestyle choices, and other physical or mind-body needs.
• Substantial number of long-term contracted clients, as well as corporate clients who utilize services for employees.
• Reliable natural health and healing products sold below retail costs at competitive natural product stores.
• Pricing structure for corporate and individual clients is modest and reasonable.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Premier Health Coaching Services is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Premier Health Coaching Services has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and skilled expertise for clients. They have communicated to Premier Health Coaching Services that they will continue renewing their contracts because they are highly-satisfied with the services provided at the former place of business. Once advised by the professionals that they were leaving the former company, the clients were eager to sign new contracts to continue coaching services with Premier Health Coaching Services. Former and current clients were also willing to offer referrals and spread the word of the new company starting comprehensive services just ahead.

Professional Associations and Networking

Tracy Hoffman, John Blackwell and Melissa Rodriquez are each well-established within their chosen fields and will spread the word of the new startup within their professional associations. Networking among corporations within the region will also begin, as corporate clients can offer large, long-term contracts for employees who require multiple visits or treatments.

Social Media Marketing

With the high number of followers who track Tracy Hoffman, the use of social media marketing will be pivotal to the startup. Multiple social media marketing campaigns will be launched, identifying the professionals who are starting the company and inviting new followers to engage with each via posts and comments. Former and current clients will also be included in short video reels, offering testimonials regarding the service received by these professionals. A social media marketing manager will be hired for three months to cover the costs of startup campaigns.

Website/SEO Marketing

Premier Health Coaching Services will utilize the services of the social media marketing manager to create website content and images to announce the opening of the company. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all services that Premier Health Coaching Services is able to provide. The website will also list their contact information and link to an easy reservation site for clients to book appointments online. The social media marketing manager will also oversee SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Seattle health coaching” or “natural health or holistic services”, Premier Health Coaching Services will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Premier Health Coaching Services will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Premier Health Coaching Services. Operation Functions:

• Tracy Hoffman will be the Owner and President of the company. She will oversee all staff and manage client relations. She has spent several months recruiting the executive staff: members:
• John Blackwell, a well-known, certified, and much-admired health coach, will be the Vice President, overseeing 100 clients on a regular basis. He specializes in sports nutrition.
• Melissa Rodriquez, a professional counselor in weight management and nutritional balance, will be the Strategic Manager. Her client base of over 100 clients has committed to follow her as she makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.
• Gary Ragan, an accountant with ten years of experience, will become the Staff Accountant, providing all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.

Milestones:

Premier Health Coaching Services will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

• 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease company staff, client and workroom space
• 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Premier Health Coaching Services
• 6/1/202X – Finalize contracts for Premier Health Coaching Services corporate clients
• 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
• 6/22/202X – Begin moving into the Premier Health Coaching Services building location
• 7/1/202X – Premier Health Coaching Services opens its office for business

Tracy Hoffman holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington, who has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status, as her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers. She is dedicated to nutrition and health-balance matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Premier Health Coaching Services are the fees they will charge to the clients for their services. Secondary revenue drivers will include the natural health and nutritional supplement products sold at the company location.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to properly staff Premier Health Coaching Services. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Premier Health Coaching Services is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its health coaching and natural health service company. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the location space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the social media marketing and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Contracted Clients Per Month: 1,200
• Average Fees per Month: $50,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Coaching Business Plan FAQs

What is a coaching business plan.

A coaching business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your coaching   business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Coaching  business plan using our Coaching Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Coaching Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of coaching businesses , some examples include: Business coaching, Career coaching, Life coaching, Performance coaching, and Wellness coaching.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Coaching Business Plan?

Coaching businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Coaching Business?

Starting a coaching business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Coaching Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed coaching business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your coaching business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your coaching business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Coaching   Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your coaching business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your coaching business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Coaching   Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your coaching business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your coaching business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

Learn more about how to start a successful coaching business:

• How to Start a Coaching Business

Websites for Coaches by Lovely Impact

How to Create a Simple Business Plan for Your Coaching Business

So… you’ve decided to start a coaching business? Or maybe to get more clarity within your current coaching business? Either way… congrats! The brainstorming phase is now over and it’s time to develop a plan of action. That’s right, it’s time to create your business plan!

Now before you freak out, take a deep breath. We are going to make this process as simple as possible for you. Unless you are applying for a loan, you do not need a traditional business plan. Do you know those crazy 300 page documents with all those charts? Yeah… those. We’re not going to make you do that! Together, we are going to create a short, sweet, but powerful mini-coaching business plan.

Inside this blog post you’ll learn:

✔️ Why you need a coaching business plan.

✔️ What to do before you start writing your plan.

✔️ What to include in your coaching business plan.

Why you need a coaching business plan.

A coaching business plan is really about clarity and focus for you, your partners, your investors, and your executive team. This plan will help you build a business that will support you financially, have an impact on those around you, and leave a lasting legacy you can be proud of.

The research you have to conduct to finalize a coaching business plan will help you peer into the future and predict different outcomes. Though it’s certainly not perfect, it helps you map out where you currently are and where you’re headed.

Get Your Free Coaching Business Checklist!

Fill out this form to access our free comprehensive business checklist with 149+ actionable tasks to setup your coaching business for success.

Plus, join our email list to stay up to date.

Specifically, a business plan helps you…

• Estimate total startup costs
• Understand your target audience
• Compete from the start
• Anticipate challenges

Bottom line? A business plan helps keep you on track. It ensures that you focus your attention on the right things and helps you avoid mistakes that could sink you.

Ready? We’re going to walk you step-by-step through the process of creating a solid business plan.

What you need to know before you start writing a business plan.

At Lovely Impact, we are all about dreaming big. Have you seen our tagline? “Launch your coaching website. IMPACT THE WORLD.”

We truly believe truly in that mission. However, every coaching business has to start somewhere. Unfortunately, many business plans are wildly unrealistic. The initial excitement of starting the business often causes coaches to massively overestimate how successful they’ll be and underestimate the challenges they’ll encounter.

In order to be effective, a coaching business plan needs to be realistic. Before you launch, you want to be relatively confident that you have a good chance of succeeding.

In many ways, a business plan should help you decide whether your coaching niche and business idea will pan out. It’s possible that you may put together your business plan and then realize that the potential outcome isn’t as bright as you initially thought. That’s okay. It forces you to go back to the drawing board.

This is why taking the necessary time to do the market research, analyze your financial needs, and map out your strategy for the future is super important. Don’t look at being realistic as the thing that’s preventing you from dreaming big. View it as building a foundation for a successful, long-lasting business.

What to include in your coaching business plan

We want you to put a lot of thought into each section of your coaching business plan. To help, we’ve not only included a free download in our Free Resource Library , but we’ve also broken each part down for you:

Section 1: Mission Statement: Keep your mission statement concise and specific but make sure anyone reading it will have a full understanding of your business. Your mission statement should include what you do, how you do it, who you do it for, and what value or need you are serving.

Section 2: Executive Summary: In this section, you should describe your business in more detail. What type of business is it? Why did you start this business? What does it mean to you and your customers? What industries do you service?

Section 3: Products and Services: Here you’ll want to list out and describe all of the products and services your business will offer. But we want you to dig a little deeper by including pricing and materials needed to provide them to your customers.

Section 4: Targeted Audience: Now it’s time to describe your ideal customer. Include demographics, influencers, trends, where they are online, and more. Don’t get too obsessed with this. In chapter 3 we’ll be doing a deeper dive on marketing research.

Section 5: Customer Needs: What need is your business fulfilling? Here you’ll need to discuss the pain points and frustrations of your potential customers, and how your business will solve those problems.

Section 6: Customer Acquisition: In this part of the plan, you’ll discuss where your customers are and how you will reach them. Include social media platforms, forums, magazines they read, activities they frequent, etc. Explain how you will use these mediums to promote your business and reach your customers.

Section 7: Competitive Advantage: What makes your business so unique? This is where you explain why you are better than your competition, how your products and services stand out, and what make you different.

Section 8: Owner Passion: Here’s a section that many don’t add to their business plans, but that’s the point of this course right? Describing why you are personally passionate about this business is important to keep you motivated. Be sure also to include your three top qualities that you will put into your business.

Section 9: Finances: Here we go! Don’t panic. For this part, we will keep it very simple. What are your financial goals? How will you fund this business? Finally, what is the cost to start this business?

Section 10: Business Goals: For this part, list what goals you plan to accomplish in 6 months, one year, and five years from now.

Download our free the coaching business plan worksheet

Ready to get started writing your coaching business plan? Head on over to our free resource library and look for the “MINI COACHING BUSINESS PLAN”. This guided workbook goes along with this blog post and was developed to help you create a short, sweet, but powerful mini-coaching business plan.

Sign up here: https://lovelyimpact.com/free-resource-library-for-coaches >>

About The Author

Hey! I’m Tee, a Certified Business Coach and a Co-Founder at Lovely Impact. I help coaches grow and scale their coaching businesses. Here on our blog, my content focuses on web design, marketing, business, and social media strategy.

Tee, thank you so much for this article! I’m planning to download the mini coaching business plan because I love how you laid it out here!

Hi Laura! I’m so glad this helped 🙂 The mini coaching business plan is laid out exactly like this, so if the article helped the download will follow the same process.

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How to Create a Coaching Plan for a New Client +Templates & Samples

October 24, 2023

The Coach Factory Team

Great coaching requires time, dedication, and structure . Clients don’t experience a transformation by chance , instead, these periods of radical growth are the product of a coach’s deliberate design. 

To get things started on the right foot and to continue through lasting change, a coach needs a cohesive coaching plan that maps out the client journey. Like a skilled instructor crafts a course of study to include lectures, valuable videos, insightful reading passages, and meaningful homework assignments, a coach also maps out the coaching plan with a variety of resources, all customized for the particular client.

What are the key elements of a coaching plan?

A coaching plan includes four key components:

• Laying the groundwork by understanding your client.
• Setting goals.
• Devising a specific plan to achieve those goals.
• Assessing and reconfiguring as needed.

In this article, you’ll learn more about the steps for creating a successful coaching plan. You’ll see how to effectively use this coaching action plan to nudge your clients toward their ultimate success. Even better, this eight-step plan is available in a free PDF coaching plan template — with two samples to show you how to use the template in your own practice.

What is a good coaching plan?

A good coaching plan goes far beyond this eight-step template. A solid coaching action plan is always created with the specific client in mind and is responsive to the client’s needs and unfolding environment. This means that the ideal coaching plan is not only unique and tailored to the client, but it also flexes as the coach-coachee relationship evolves and as new obstacles present themselves. 

• Step 1: Getting to Know Your Client

The onboarding and intake session is more than just a meet and greet. It’s a coach’s first opportunity to gain insights to build an action plan. In this session, you get to truly see your clients, acknowledge where they’re coming from, and grasp which areas of life they want to transform.

You have two key tools at this stage:

• Open ended coaching questions .
• Assessments .

Both of these tools help your client, and you , to get clarity about their needs and biggest challenges. 

Motivation Code for Understanding Your Clients 

The MCode assessment is ideal for the first stages of coaching. It attaches useful labels and categories to the inner drives that motivate your client. Being able to name and prioritize these inner values can provide a guiding north star for the path of your coaching. 

Other types of assessments measure strengths, interests, emotional intelligence, etc. Those all have value, but a motivations assessment truly supersedes them all since motivation is the propelling force underlying all of the other components of our personhood . 

Knowing your client’s motivations can inform so many aspects of the coaching plan:

• The way you talk to your client.
• The types of homework assignments you give (or don’t).
• The way you apply incentives and track progress.
• Step 2: Set Objectives

Some clients come to coaching knowing exactly what their goals are. But many will need your outside perspective to help them voice their goals in a way that’s tangible, for example with the SMART framework: 

• M easurable
• A chievable
• T ime-bound

What are coaching goals?

Coaching goals are the objectives that your client longs to achieve. These are the impetus that drove your client to seek coaching and to hire your expertise. If you can help your client achieve these goals, you will win your client’s appreciation and raving testimonials . Ultimately, these goals are your reason for coaching.

During your coaching intake or onboarding session, the information you’ve gathered from your client and their assessments will be your reference point for setting objectives. 

All coaching goals should align with your client’s values and core motivations . As you make the coaching development plan, be sure to limit your coachee to just 1-3 goals at a time. You can always generate new goals once the first set is achieved. 

Wins inspire more wins! So to ensure your client is consistently experiencing progress throughout their journey, opt for a mix of short-term and long-term goals. Success in short-term goals offers an immediate sense of gratification that fuels the harder won long-term goals. 

• Step 3: Prepare for Obstacles

A rewarding coaching plan identifies the end goal and articulates the rationale behind the objective. But remember, life will throw curveballs, and the only way to combat these inconveniences is by recognizing and addressing potential obstacles, like behavioral patterns, belief systems, or external challenges. 

In your coaching action plan, be proactive about the challenges your client faces by providing strategies, resilience frameworks, and adaptive models to address them ahead of time:

• SWOT Analysis
• Root Cause Analysis
• Bias Discovery Tools
• Fear Assessment
• Decision Matrix

• Step 4: Set Milestones on a Timeline

Measurable, unambiguous outcomes are the tangible indications that your client is advancing. They provide both motivation and a clear snapshot of their progress. Best coaching practice is to intertwine both quantitative and qualitative metrics, valuing emotional shifts just as much as number of steps walked or business targets reached. 

Attaching these milestones to a tentative timeline is helpful for accountability. In the name of flexibility, some coaches are hesitant to define specific timeframes. But your timeline can always be adjusted during Step 6 below. 

• Step 5: Develop a Strategy with Resources

This is the longest part of the coaching plan template for a reason! Strategy is how you will help your client move from where they are to where they want to be. Within the strategy development process, your role as a coach extends into facilitating a space where clients feel seen, heard, and confidently engaged in their transformative journey. You provide the tools, frameworks, vocabulary, cheerleading, and troubleshooting that your client needs. 

All of your sessions are based on what are you doing in between to achieve these goals, to meet these outcomes — “How can I support you? What are the tools that I can give you to continue to improve along those lines?” And coaching can be therapeutic, but it’s not therapy. It’s very structured and very goal oriented. Rebecca Ward on the Coach Factory Podcast

This part of the coaching plan should be fully customized for your niche and your client. While every coach has their go-to diagrams (like the Wheel of Life ) or handy acronyms (like the SOAR method), an experienced coach will realize that different people will respond better to different homework assignments or reading passages. 

The coaching strategy should be easy to communicate, and your client should feel challenged yet confident about what’s required. 

• Step 6: Assess Progress

Part of the coaching action plan template is to evaluate progress, listen to feedback, and make adjustments where needed. 

• Decide when you’ll do these periodic check-ins and what signals will indicate success. Add those to your coaching plan. 
• When should you push a client to work harder and when should you adjust the timeline? These kinds of decisions are hard to make, and you’ll have to rely on your intuition and past experience. 
• Implement a system for tracking progress as your client moves through your coaching program. This will help you recognize any patterns or inconsistencies along the way. For your client, seeing their progress serves as motivation to keep them moving forward. 

Be Open to Feedback

In coaching, feedback is a two-way street. You should be as open to your client’s needs and concerns as you expect them to be about yours. The feedback you give each other is how you keep your client motivated. If something in their plans needs tweaking, you must address it to avoid any unnecessary friction in achieving their goals.

Set up a main line of communication to keep the feedback flowing freely. Choose a messaging app or devote time during your sessions to garner critique. 

• Step 7: Make Revisions

Flexibility ensures the coaching plan remains relevant, adaptive, and genuinely supportive as the client navigates through their journey. Recognize that as the coaching process unfolds, new insights, challenges, and opportunities will emerge, requiring adjustments to the plan. A flexible plan accommodates growth and keeps the coaching methodology dynamic.

If a particular strategy or milestone consistently falls short, don’t hesitate to revisit and redefine it to align with learned experiences. It’s helpful to schedule client sessions dedicated to discussing any necessary changes and redirect the strategy. 

You should also discourage overcommitment from your client. New clients sometimes are eager to take on as much as possible to accelerate their growth. Gently remind them that smaller steps lead to bigger achievements and there’s no need to rush their transformation. 

• Step 8: Celebrate

The power of acknowledgment and celebration is extremely important. Every milestone, whether it be the realization of a goal or the manifestation of growth and learning, deserves to be celebrated. Recognizing and honoring these moments fuels motivation, affirms the client’s efforts and achievements, and fosters a positive and appreciative coaching dynamic . Knowing what motivates your client will help you celebrate in ways that deeply resonate with them. 

Collaborate with your client to create celebratory moments for each milestone. Allow them to dictate how they would like to reward themselves. As they approach the end of their program, acknowledge their hard work and accomplishments.

If your client fails to meet a milestone, it is still important to promote positive thinking and offer support. Turn the failure into a teachable moment by allowing your client to reflect on what went wrong and how they can bounce back from it. This encourages them to practice resilience and aids in helping your client complete the plan. 

• Coaching Plan Template with Samples

Each step of the coaching plan, from the initial onboarding to the triumphant celebration of milestones, forms a chapter in the client’s journey. The magic of effective coaching resides in your deliberate, thoughtful approach to facilitating your client’s growth and achievement. This should manifest in each coaching plan you’ve created for a client. 

Download this free coaching plan template (with two samples) today and put the eight-steps of a coaching action plan into use for your clients right now. 

Even though transformation is the end goal, affirming the process is just as valuable as the outcome. A well-developed coaching plan shows your clients how each step works in harmony to get them where they need to be in their lives. The more effort and time you put into constructing solid plans, the better the results you’ll yield for your clients. 

Written by The Coach Factory Team

We're a team of coaching enthusiasts who hire and work with coaches. Members of our team run businesses in the coaching industry or provide services that support coaches, and several of us are coaches ourselves.

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How to Get Coaching Client Reviews & Testimonials +Template

Marketing Funnels 101 for Life, Health, and Business Coaches

When Fitness Coaching Is “a Real Job”

• by Chris Cooper
• September 17, 2024

What if fitness coaches were viewed the same as firefighters, warehouse workers, transport drivers, accountants and teachers?

And what if the trainers themselves considered coaching to be their profession for life?

That’s my dream.

I’d be thrilled if our industry could retain its best people for 30 years instead of hold them for two years before they decide they need to sell real estate or fight fires to support their families.

As more Two-Brain clients build strong, stable, profitable businesses, it’s become clear that employment at a gym can become a key part of staff members’ retirement strategies.

In 2024, a well-run gym can shelter trainers from risk as they build great careers that generate more income for everyone.

But the owner must create careers for staff members. They won’t just appear. You must hire the right staff members and give them opportunities to get started. You must show them how to help other people and be rewarded for it.

You must do more than encourage them: You must lay out the exact process and break down the math. This is best done in Career Roadmap meetings.

Career planning is not the same as performing a staff evaluation. Evaluations are important, too. They are a key part of staff development and ascension, but reviewing a trainer’s performance coaching a group workout is very different than sitting down and showing a trainer exactly how to build a long-term career.

Here are the essential elements of a Career Roadmap meeting:

1. Ask 

Ask your coaches where they want to be in six months. How do they want to live? What will fulfill them long term? Learn what “successful career” means to each staff person.

Determine how much each staff person needs to earn to reach those goals. Calculate a goal number. A number makes it real.

Work backward from that number. Use a spreadsheet (we have one for clients). Keep a running potential income total as you lay out opportunities to coach classes, complete programming or admin work, do personal training, run specialty programs, run semi-private or small-group sessions, create high-value platinum-level service packages, and so on.

Determine the starting position. What will the coach need to learn to capitalize on this plan? Will they need a certification before starting a kids program, for example? Or would sales training be a better investment? Make a list and start crossing things off.

Measure progress. Perform regular reviews as part of Career Roadmap meetings and help coaches learn how to keep building value. Example: “Eight of our clients mentioned they’re doing a fun weightlifting competition in November. Why don’t you create and sell a high-touch, high-value, three-month prep program, including technique work, strength training, nutrition coaching and meet prep?”

Give the coach an opportunity to open his or her own business under your brand. After you’ve taught the coach how to be an “intrapreneur,” you can help them step out from under your protective umbrella if they want to.

Mentor Staff to Succeed

The best way to help your coaches build careers is to mentor them to success.

It’s much more common to abandon coaches and watch them flounder, then get frustrated when they leave to “get a real job.”

The process I laid out above is simple but effective. Staff members see numbers and understand the exact steps they must take to hit those numbers.

That alone is much better than saying “see if you can drum up some PT business.”

If you combine the spreadsheet work with a development plan, a starting point and regular check-ins, you’ll be able to guide a staff person to create a fulfilling career that benefits the gym and its clients, too.

We call this concept “intrapreneurialism,” and I’ll lay it out for you in even greater detail in the next post in this series so you can see how it creates wins all around.

To start, set up Career Roadmap meetings with your staff today. Ask them what they want, and then help them achieve it.

One more thing!

• Coaching Tools , Guides
• September 18, 2024

16 Coaching Program Templates to Leverage for Your Coaching Business

Coaching program templates are invaluable tools for coaches. After all, they provide a structured framework for delivering effective and efficient programs. By leveraging these templates, coaches can save time, ensure consistency, and enhance the overall experience of their coaching clients .

Let’s explore the various coaching program templates available and discuss their significance in the coaching journey and building successful coaching businesses.

What are coaching program templates?

Coaching program templates act as pre-designed frameworks that outline a coaching program’s structure, content, and delivery . They provide a valuable resource for coaches and offer a solid foundation for building customized programs.

Here’s an example:

A life coach wants to launch a new program focused on helping clients achieve work-life balance. Instead of starting from scratch, the coach could use a pre-designed coaching program template as a foundation. The template might include a goal-setting framework that involves a structured approach to defining clients’ specific goals related to work-life balance.

Or a sample weekly agenda outlining potential topics for coaching sessions , such as time management, stress reduction, and work-life balance strategies. The template may also include accountability tools like check-in forms or journaling prompts to help clients track their progress and stay accountable.

By leveraging coaching program templates, coaches can streamline their program development process and deliver more effective and efficient coaching experiences.

5 benefits of using coaching program templates

On the fence whether you should use a coaching program template or not? Some coaches feel that if they resort to using a template, then their program or platform may not be unique anymore. Well, here’s some good news for you. Using a coaching template doesn’t remove the uniqueness of your signature coaching program. It’s simply a tool that can help you set up your program faster and more efficiently. Some benefits include:

• Templates save time and effort: Templates eliminate the need to start from scratch, saving coaches valuable time and energy.
• Templates ensure consistency: Templates help maintain consistency across different coaching programs, ensuring a high-quality client experience. So for example, if you have multiple coaching programs that have some similarities but targeted for different audiences, the templates help ensure these programs adhere to the same standards.
• Templates provide structure: They make organizing programs and delivering coaching sessions easier.
• Program templates facilitate adaptation: Templates can be customized to fit specific coaching niches or client needs, ensuring flexibility across different programs and coaching styles.
• Benchmarking: Comparing your templates to industry standards can help identify areas for improvement.

Key elements of an effective coaching program template

Here’s a quick list of what coaches may want to look for when evaluating templates to follow:

Goal setting and progress tracking

Goal setting and progress tracking are fundamental elements of effective coaching programs. After all, They provide a clear direction for both coach and the client’s progress, ensuring that the coaching process is focused, measurable, and aligned with the client’s objectives. The coaching clients get to set their eyes on a goal, and the coach gets to see where the clients are currently.

Key benefits of incorporating goal setting and progress tracking into coaching program templates:

• Clarity and focus: Well-defined goals provide a clear direction for the coaching process, ensuring that the coach and the client work towards a common objective.
• Motivation: Setting achievable goals can motivate clients to stay committed to the coaching process and make progress toward their desired outcomes
• Accountability: Tracking progress helps clients stay accountable to their goals and identify areas where they may need additional support.
• Measurement of success: By tracking progress, coaches and clients can measure the effectiveness of the coaching program and celebrate achievements.
• Personalized approach: Goal setting and progress tracking allow coaches to tailor their approach to each client’s needs and circumstances.

Session outlines and weekly agendas

Session outlines and weekly agendas serve as essential roadmaps for coaching programs, providing structure, focus, and a clear path for both coach and the client’s success.

Key benefits of incorporating session outlines and weekly agendas into coaching program templates:

• Clear expectations: Outlines and agendas help establish clear expectations for each coaching session , ensuring both parties are prepared and focused.
• Time management: Well-structured agendas help optimize time use during sessions, ensuring that the coach and the client cover critical topics.
• Goal alignment: Outlining specific topics and activities for each session helps ensure that the sessions align with the client’s goals and objectives.
• Flexibility: While outlines and agendas provide structure, they should also allow flexibility to address emerging needs or unexpected topics.
• Progress tracking: Weekly agendas can be a tool for tracking progress and ensuring the coaching program stays on track.

Accountability tools

Accountability tools play a crucial role in coaching program templates, ensuring that both coach and client stay committed to their goals and make progress. Here’s why:

• Motivation: Accountability tools can help clients stay motivated by providing a clear sense of direction and progress.
• Focus: By tracking progress and identifying areas for improvement, accountability tools help clients stay focused on their goals.
• Transparency: Accountability tools can create a transparent environment where both coach and client can see progress.
• Responsibility: Accountability tools can help clients take ownership of their goals and feel responsible for achieving them.
• Measurement: Accountability tools provide a way to measure progress and assess the effectiveness of the coaching program.

Some standard accountability tools used in coaching programs include:

• Goal-setting worksheets: These tools help clients define clear and measurable goals.
• Progress tracking calendars: These calendars allow clients to track their progress toward their goals over time.
• Check-in forms: Coaches can use these forms to document progress, discuss challenges, and set new goals.
• Accountability groups or partners: Pair clients with accountability partners who can provide support and encouragement.

16 popular coaching program template types you can use

You don’t have to search far and wide to find ready-to-use templates—upcoach already offers 16 coaching program templates to get your online coaching platform up and ready to go.

Template 1: Productivity

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients improve their efficiency, reduce procrastination, and achieve their goals.

Our comprehensive productivity coaching program includes goal setting, time management strategies, task management tools, stress management techniques, mindfulness and meditation practices, and accountability tools. These elements work together to provide clients a structured approach to improving their productivity, reducing stress, and achieving their goals.

Template 2: Business

Purpose: To guide business coaches in helping clients achieve their business goals and overcome challenges.

The business coaching program template outlines critical areas such as goal setting, market analysis, strategy development, sales and marketing, financial management, team building, and problem-solving. Coaches can use this template to offer a comprehensive approach to supporting their clients succeed in achieving their desired business outcomes.

Template 3: Executive leadership

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping executives develop leadership skills, enhance effectiveness, and achieve career goals.

The executive leadership coaching program template revolves around self-assessment, leadership styles, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, change management, communication, team building, and performance management. With this template, coaches can offer a comprehensive approach to helping executives develop the necessary skills for success in today’s complex business environment.

Template 4: Sales

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping sales professionals improve their skills, increase performance, and achieve their sales goals.

A sales coaching program template includes target revenue setting, sales process management, sales techniques, product knowledge, communication skills, CRM usage, and performance tracking. This helps coaches effectively support sales professionals in improving their skills, increasing performance, and driving sales for their company.

Template 5: Relationship

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients improve their personal or professional relationships.

A relationship coaching program template has provisions for setting goals or milestones, communication skills, emotional intelligence, boundary setting, conflict resolution, understanding relationship dynamics, and personal growth. This template can help coaches support clients in building stronger connections, enhancing their well-being, and achieving their relationship goals—whether personal or professional.

Template 6: Career transition

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients navigate career changes, identify new opportunities, and develop the skills necessary for future success.

A career transition coaching program template includes career assessment, job search strategies, skill development, networking, personal branding, overcoming obstacles, and work-life balance. Coaches can then guide their clients in identifying new opportunities, developing necessary skills, and achieving their career goals one milestone at a time.

Template 7: Stress management

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients manage stress, reduce anxiety, and improve overall well-being effectively.

A stress management coaching program template includes features for stress assessment, mindfulness practices, time management, healthy lifestyle habits, coping mechanisms, and building a support network. Coaches can then help their clients reduce stress, enhance their overall quality of life, and achieve their personal goals.

Template 8: Mindfulness and well-being

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress, and improve their overall well-being.

This coaching program template includes mindfulness techniques, stress management, emotional intelligence, self-care, positive mindset, gratitude, and goal setting. This template gives coaches the tools to empower their clients to live a well-balanced life.

Template 9: Financial

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients achieve financial goals, improve financial literacy, and develop sound financial habits.

Our financial coaching program template covers budgeting, debt management, investment strategies, retirement planning, tax planning, and financial literacy. This template makes it easier for coaches to guide their clients in improving their economic well-being, financial literacy, and making informed financial decisions.

Template 10: Health & fitness

Purpose: To guide coaches in helping clients achieve their health and fitness goals.

Health and fitness coaches can maximize this template at it already has built-in provisions for fitness assessment, goal setting, exercise programs, nutrition guidance, mind-body connection, progress tracking, and motivation.

Template 11: Lifestyle

Purpose: To help clients achieve a harmonious work-life balance, improve time management skills, and reduce digital distractions.

There are many coaches who aim to support their clients in creating a more fulfilling and productive lifestyle. This template includes work-life balance guidance to help clients achieve a harmonious balance between personal and professional life, time management strategies, and digital detox guidance on reducing screen time and minimizing digital distractions.

Template 12: Parenting

Purpose: To explore different parenting styles, implement positive parenting strategies, and address common parenting challenges.

This template includes parenting styles and their impact on children’s development, strategies for positive discipline, effective communication, and fostering healthy relationships with children, as well as addressing common parenting challenges and providing solutions.

Template 13: Life purpose

Purpose: To focus on helping clients discover their passions, set meaningful goals aligned with their values, and overcome obstacles on their journey toward personal fulfillment. 

Coaches will love this template’s features for self-discovery guidance which can help new clients identify their passions and values, and strategies for overcoming challenges and pursuing personal dreams.

Template 14: Retirement

Purpose: Preparing clients for retirement includes financial planning, lifestyle changes, and personal fulfillment. :

Targeted specifically for coaches who cater to potential retirees, this retirement coaching program template includes financial planning, lifestyle planning, health and wellness, community engagement, personal development, and financial literacy.

Template 15: Pre-marital

Purpose: To prepare couples for marriage by addressing relationship dynamics, communication, and expectations.

A pre-marital coaching program template includes relationship dynamics, financial planning, family values, decision-making, pre-nuptial agreements, expectations and roles, and stress management. Coaches can give valuable insights to guide couples in building a solid foundation for their relationship and navigating challenges they may face.

Template 16: Travel

Purpose: To help clients plan and execute fulfilling travel experiences. :

A travel coaching program template includes goal setting, destination research, itinerary planning, logistics, cultural awareness, safety, budgeting, and packing. By utilizing this template, coaches can effectively support clients in creating memorable and enriching travel adventures.

Best tools for building and managing coaching program templates

While coaching program templates are ready to go, coaches can further enhance their coaching services and platforms by leveraging additional tools. Here’s a quick list of other coaching tools you can explore. The great news? These can easily be integrated into the upcoach interface and templates .

Document management and collaboration tools

• Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides): A versatile suite for creating, editing, and sharing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint): A popular alternative to Google Workspace, offering similar features

Template libraries and resources

• Coaching resource websites: Explore websites dedicated to coaching resources, which may offer pre-designed templates or inspiration for creating your own.
• Online marketplaces: Platforms like Etsy or Creative Market may have templates available for purchase.
• Coaching program templates from upcoach : When you decide to use upcoach as your primary coaching platform, it comes with the 16 templates discussed above. You can learn more about these templates here.

An online course creation platform like upcoach

Upcoach offers several features that make it a good choice for coaches seeking to create and manage coaching program templates. Here are a few of our platform’s features:

• Program builder: Our intuitive program builder allows you to quickly create and customize coaching programs tailored to your needs. You can design the program structure, add modules, lessons, and interactive elements, and set the pace for your clients.  
• Pre-built templates: Our platform provides templates for various coaching niches, offering a solid foundation for your program. You can customize these templates to fit your unique approach and client requirements.  
• Customizable modules and lessons: You can create modules and lessons with different formats, such as text, video, audio, or interactive elements. This flexibility allows you to deliver content that best suits your clients’ learning styles and preferences.  
• Client management tools: Our platform offers robust features, including a CRM system, scheduling, and communication tools. This helps you stay organized and maintain strong relationships with your clients.  
• Accountability and engagement tools: You’ll also have access to tools to track client progress, assign tasks, and foster engagement. You can use habit trackers, to-do lists, and interactive worksheets to keep clients accountable and motivated.  
• Integrations: Our platform integrates well with popular tools like Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Decks, Airtable, Miro, Zoom, Stripe, and more. This allows you to streamline your workflow and connect with other essential tools for your coaching business.
• Community features: Upcoach offers features to create a sense of community among your clients. You can enable accountability groups , forums, chats, and other interactive elements to foster connection and support.  
• Smart docs : Upcoach’s Smart Docs feature allows you to create interactive worksheets and templates, providing a structured way for clients to engage with your program and track their progress.  
• Customization: Upcoach offers a high degree of customization, allowing you to tailor your coaching programs to your specific needs and brand. You can customize the look and feel of your program, add your branding elements, and create a unique experience for your clients.  

Of course, there are many other course creation platforms that may fit your coaching business depending on your offer. We’ve created a guide to upcoach alternatives here.

Coaching program templates save time and ensure consistency

Coaching program templates also offer a structured framework, facilitating organization and adaptation. Thus, these templates help coaches deliver practical sessions, while their adaptability ensures you can tailor them to specific niches or client needs. Comparing templates to industry standards can also identify areas for improvement, providing the best possible coaching experience.

Additionally, these popular coaching program templates can help you find the coaching structure that best suits your client’s needs, ensuring a flexible yet tailored experience.

If you feel our platform’s features align with your needs, contact us now and start streamlining your coaching program with our pre-built templates.

Unleash your creative spirit with upcoach

Experience the upcoach difference. Sign up today and see how we seamlessly blend technology with your vision for transformative education.

Table of Contents

Recent posts, top 13 upcoach alternatives to scale your coaching business.

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7 Coaching Icebreakers for Your Sessions To Boost Participation and Energize Your Audience

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Networking for Coaches: Boost Your Coaching Career with the Right Connections

As a coach, effective networking can help you find clients and build valuable professional relationships. This guide covers everything you …

The Ultimate Podcast Launch Checklist for Coaches

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The Power of Developmental Coaching: What You Need to Know

Get to know what makes developmental coaching a game-changer when it comes to personal and professional growth.

How to Create Irresistible Coaching Packages: Pricing Strategies that Win Clients

In the dynamic world of coaching, where expertise meets empathy and guidance, creating irresistible coaching packages is essential for success. These packages reflect your unique approach and skills, playing a crucial role in attracting and keeping clients.

10 evergreen lead magnets for coaches to drive program signups

Explore 10 lead magnets for coaches to move potential clients between different stages in their journey, showcase the value of your coaching business and unveil your personality as a coach.

10 course ideas for productivity coaches that drive high completion rates

Discover course ideas for productivity coaches that guarantee high completion rates. Create transformative learning experiences that inspire and motivate your clients to see their coaching program through to the end.

8 marketing ideas for productivity coaches to get more clients and sell more courses

If you’re a productivity coach, you’re already aware of the immense value you bring to your clients’ lives. But to truly thrive in this competitive industry, you need a robust marketing strategy that effectively showcases your coaching skills, attracts new clients, and drives course sales.

7 key factors to finding target audiences for productivity coaches

Discover the key factors that will lead productivity coaches to the most receptive audiences for their expertise and help them unlock their full potential.

What is productivity coaching & how to become one in 2023

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5 essential time-saving apps for coaches

Discover 5 essential apps to save time and enhance coaching effectiveness. Streamline your practice with these powerful tools.

20 tasks coaches can hand off to virtual assistants to save on time

Discover how coaches can save time by delegating tasks to virtual assistants. From admin support to content creation, offload and focus on coaching.

What is white-label coaching software: Definition, benefits and strategies

Whether you are a seasoned coach or someone looking to venture into the coaching industry, understanding the potential of this type of software and how it shapes the coaching trends is crucial for staying ahead in the competitive landscape.   

What is executive coaching and how to help CEOs achieve growth

Ever wondered how CEOs stimulate their growth and development? Find out more about what executive coaching is and how it can help you grow your business.

5 ways AI will impact the future of coaching

AI is revolutionizing the coaching industry. Learn all the ways in which coaches leverage AI and what the future holds for AI in coaching.

6 Creative Ways Coaches Can Use AI for Online Courses

Learn about the creative ways coaches can use AI for online courses and how it can help enhance the coaching experience and improve student outcomes.

How coaches can integrate AI into their content creation process

Looking to streamline your content creation process? Discover how coaches can integrate AI into their workflows to create optimized, engaging content.

Top 5 AI-powered coaching tools to start using in 2023

Want to improve your coaching but don’t know where to start? Check out these top five AI-powered coaching tools you should start using in 2023.

Kajabi vs. Mighty Networks vs. upcoach: Detailed comparison

An in-depth comparison of the pros and cons of Kajabi and Mighty Networks. Both are well-known online course platforms, but which one is better…

Best Mighty Networks alternatives to try in 2023

If you’re looking for a list of the best Mighty Networks Alternatives, check out our reviews. We combed through various alternative solutions to help you find the best for your coaching business.

Coaching trends and the future of coaching (New data for 2023)

Whether you’re an industry veteran or just entering the coaching profession, these coaching industry trends should give you an idea of how you can improve your coaching approach to increase client satisfaction and drive more revenue.

Podia vs Teachable: Detailed comparison + alternatives

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How to start a mastermind group: Step by step guide

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7 career coaching software platforms coaches love

Plenty of career coaching software solutions exist that make it possible to automate basic administrative processes. However, we’ve found that career coaches really need an all-in-one solution.

High performance coaching: The framework the top 1% use

What separates high performance coaches from the rest, and more importantly, how can you become a high performance coach?

6 executive coaching software solutions that you’ll love

As a coach who has dedicated your life to delivering transformational results, it’s frustrating to be held back by an insufficient platform. To solve this problem, we’re going to introduce you to a few platforms below that are highly rated by executive coaches.

How to create a highly engaged accountability group

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Simple coaching session plan creation

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9 best life coaching software platforms (Detailed analysis)

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Branding for coaches: The secret to better clients and more profit

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Coaching assessment tools (For life, business, and exec coaches)

These coaching assessment tools aim to help your new clients learn more about themselves and help you be a better coach.

A Proven Coaching Process (Used With CEOs and Olympians)

If you’ve ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at the coaching process the top 1% of coaches use, this post will show you exact blueprint and provide actionable steps to level up your coaching process.

The Best Circle.so Alternatives For 2022

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Coaching Statistics: A Curated List of The Most Insightful Stats

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Kajabi Vs Podia vs upcoach: How They Compare [2022]

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The Top 5 Coaching Techniques World Class Coaches Use

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Cohort Based Courses: Definition, Examples, and Benefits, and Platforms

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The 6 best Facebook group alternatives to try in 2022

As you grow, you might find Facebook groups aren’t a sufficient solution. So if you’re looking for a community platform that enables you to create a more engaging experience with better control, here’s a list of our favorite Facebook group alternatives.

Teachable vs Kajabi vs upcoach – Best all in one course platform

Kajabi and Teachable are popular course platforms that enable coaches to store their video courses and offer basic functions to …

The best coaching apps for 2022 

We’ve tried different coaching apps, and picked the best that can help your coaching business grow.

Top Podia Alternatives to Improve Your Coaching Business

We’ve tried multiple different online course platforms and here are a few of the best Kajabi alternatives for various needs.

The best online coaching platforms for 2022 

If you’re looking for a coaching platform that provides the features you need, check out this detailed review of all the best coaching platforms for 2022.

Group Coaching Pricing: How to Maximize Profit 

Here is the exact approach award-winning coach and upcoach co-founder Todd Herman uses to price his group coaching programs (which generate well over six figures!).

The 6 Best CRM for Coaches in 2022 

If you want to reduce administrative tasks, track client progress more efficiently and focus on higher level activities, consider using one of these CRMs.

What Are the Group Coaching Benefits?

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Coaching Goals: A Process (w/ Examples) to Improve Success 

Good coaches set SMART goals. The top 1% of coaches focus on helping clients achieve SMART goals. This is how Todd Herman helps clients achieve goals.

The Best Kajabi Alternatives For 2022

The best teachable alternatives for 2022 .

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How to Structure a Group Coaching Program (Inside a 6 Figure Program with an NPS of +33)

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Improving Online Course Completion Rates (From 7% to 94%)

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New Feature Update: Todos&Projects Block

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How To Productize Your Online Coaching Business

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Toutes les ressources pour devenir coach professionnel 👨‍🏫

Mettez toutes les chances de votre côté pour monter un projet rentable.

Voici le Business Model Canvas pour votre activité de coaching professionnel

Cet article a été écrit par un expert qui a étudié l’industrie et a confectionné le pack complet pour un coach professionnel

Vous retrouverez une analyse PESTEL complète, modifiable et sans copyright dans notre modèle de business plan

Nous avons rédigé de nombreux business plans pour des coachs professionnels .

Bien trop souvent, les coachs ne prennent pas le temps de structurer leur projet de manière claire et efficace.

Pourquoi? Parce qu'ils n'ont pas les bons outils et les bonnes structures. Parmi ceux-là, il y a le Business Model Canvas.

Qu'est-ce qu'un Business Model Canvas ? Est-ce que j'en ai besoin pour mon activité de coaching professionnel ?

Soyons honnêtes avec vous.

Ce n’est pas un remède miracle, mais le Business Model Canvas est un outil précieux pour structurer votre projet de manière stratégique.

Il permet de visualiser l'ensemble des éléments clés de votre entreprise.

Si vous êtes sur le point de lancer votre activité de coaching professionnel , utiliser un Business Model Canvas n’est pas juste utile, c’est indispensable.

Il vous aidera à :

• définir clairement votre proposition de valeur, comme un programme de coaching personnalisé ou des ateliers de développement personnel
• identifier vos segments de clientèle, qu'il s'agisse de cadres en reconversion, de jeunes diplômés ou de dirigeants d'entreprise
• structurer vos canaux de distribution, qu'il s'agisse de votre présence en ligne, de partenariats avec des entreprises ou de séminaires en présentiel
• cerner vos principales sources de revenus, que ce soit les sessions de coaching individuelles, les formations en groupe ou les abonnements à des ressources en ligne
• mettre en lumière vos ressources clés, telles que votre expertise, un réseau de contacts influents ou des outils technologiques avancés

Bien sûr, le Business Model Canvas ne garantit pas le succès à lui seul, mais il vous offre une vue d'ensemble claire et une feuille de route pour votre activité de coaching professionnel.

Et si vous rédigez un business plan pour votre activité de coaching , le Business Model Canvas est un excellent outil pour vous guider tout au long du processus.

Notre pack complet pour un coach professionnel vous aidera à réussir votre projet.

Des exemples pour chaque partie du Business Model Canvas d'un coach professionnel

- Professionnels en quête de développement personnel et professionnel - Entreprises cherchant à améliorer la performance de leurs équipes - Entrepreneurs et dirigeants souhaitant optimiser leur leadership

- Coaching personnalisé pour atteindre des objectifs spécifiques - Programmes de développement de compétences en leadership et gestion - Ateliers et séminaires sur des thématiques clés (gestion du stress, communication efficace)

- Sessions de coaching en présentiel et en ligne - Réseaux sociaux (LinkedIn, Facebook) pour attirer et engager la clientèle - Partenariats avec des entreprises et des organisations professionnelles

- Suivi personnalisé et régulier pour mesurer les progrès - Programmes de fidélité pour clients réguliers - Organisation d’événements exclusifs (webinaires, ateliers thématiques)

- Honoraires pour les sessions de coaching individuelles et de groupe - Frais pour des ateliers et séminaires - Abonnements à des programmes de coaching à long terme

- Expertise et certifications en coaching professionnel - Outils et ressources de développement personnel (livres, logiciels) - Bureau ou espace de travail adapté pour les sessions en présentiel

- Sessions de coaching individuelles et de groupe - Création et animation d’ateliers et de séminaires - Développement de contenu et de ressources pour les clients

- Associations professionnelles et réseaux d'affaires - Experts et formateurs dans des domaines complémentaires (psychologie, gestion) - Plateformes de coaching en ligne et outils de gestion de la performance

- Coût des certifications et formations continues - Coût du personnel (assistants, formateurs) - Frais d’exploitation (location de bureaux, marketing, outils technologiques)

Nous avons également un article dédié à l'analyse SWOT pour ce projet

Ne confondez pas Business Model Canvas, Business Model et Business Plan

Vous êtes nombreux à vous tromper entre ces trois concepts : le business model, le business model canvas, et le business plan.

Le business model canvas, comme on vient de le voir, est un outil pratique pour résumer votre concept sur une seule page.

Vous y mettez vos segments de clientèle (professionnels en reconversion, managers en quête de développement personnel), votre proposition de valeur (coaching personnalisé, ateliers de développement de compétences), et vos flux de revenus (séances de coaching, formations en ligne, abonnements à des programmes de développement).

C'est visuel, rapide à remplir, et ça vous permet de voir en un coup d'œil si tout se tient.

Le business model, c'est simplement la manière dont votre activité de coaching va gagner de l'argent.

Par exemple, allez-vous proposer des séances individuelles, des ateliers de groupe, des programmes en ligne, ou peut-être des séminaires d'entreprise ? C'est l'idée centrale de votre activité.

Enfin, le business plan, c'est un document beaucoup plus détaillé. Il inclut tout : votre stratégie marketing (comment attirer des clients à vos séances de coaching), vos prévisions financières (ce que vous allez dépenser et gagner), et votre plan opérationnel (comment vous allez gérer votre emploi du temps, les outils de coaching, etc.). C'est celui que vous présenterez à un investisseur ou une banque.

En résumé : le business model, c'est le concept ; le canvas, c'est un outil de synthèse ; et le business plan, c'est votre feuille de route complète.

Des exemples de Business Model Canvas complétés pour des coachs professionnels

Un business model canvas pour un coach en développement personnel.

Psychologues, thérapeutes, formateurs en développement personnel, plateformes de formation en ligne.

Séances de coaching individuelles et de groupe, création de programmes de développement personnel, organisation de webinaires et ateliers.

Aider les individus à atteindre leur plein potentiel en développant leur confiance en soi, leurs compétences en communication et leur bien-être général.

Suivi personnalisé, accès à une communauté en ligne, newsletters avec des conseils et des ressources, sessions de feedback régulières.

Site web, réseaux sociaux, plateformes de webinaires, partenariats avec centres de bien-être.

Professionnels en quête de développement personnel, personnes en transition de carrière, individus cherchant à améliorer leur bien-être mental et émotionnel.

Frais de formation continue, coûts de marketing digital, abonnements à des plateformes de webinaires, location de salles pour ateliers.

Honoraires de coaching, vente de programmes en ligne, frais d'inscription aux ateliers et webinaires, abonnements à des services de coaching continu.

Un Business Model Canvas pour un coach en entreprise

Consultants en management, formateurs en leadership, entreprises de ressources humaines, plateformes de formation professionnelle.

Coaching de dirigeants et managers, développement de programmes de leadership, organisation de séminaires et ateliers en entreprise.

Améliorer les compétences de leadership et de gestion des équipes pour augmenter la performance et la satisfaction au travail.

Suivi régulier avec les dirigeants, rapports de progrès, accès à des ressources exclusives, sessions de feedback avec les équipes.

Réseaux professionnels, LinkedIn, partenariats avec des associations professionnelles, conférences et salons professionnels.

Dirigeants d'entreprise, managers, équipes de ressources humaines, entreprises en phase de croissance ou de restructuration.

Frais de déplacement, coûts de marketing B2B, abonnements à des outils de gestion de projet, frais de formation continue.

Honoraires de coaching, contrats de formation en entreprise, frais d'inscription aux séminaires, abonnements à des programmes de développement continu.

Un Business Model Canvas pour un coach en reconversion professionnelle

Centres de formation professionnelle, recruteurs, plateformes de recherche d'emploi, associations de soutien à la reconversion.

Évaluation des compétences et des intérêts, création de plans de carrière personnalisés, préparation aux entretiens, organisation d'ateliers de reconversion.

Aider les individus à trouver une nouvelle voie professionnelle qui correspond à leurs compétences et aspirations, tout en facilitant la transition.

Suivi personnalisé, accès à des ressources de formation, sessions de coaching de groupe, newsletters avec des offres d'emploi et des conseils de carrière.

Site web, réseaux sociaux, partenariats avec agences de recrutement, forums et salons de l'emploi.

Professionnels en reconversion, personnes en recherche d'emploi, individus souhaitant changer de carrière, jeunes diplômés.

Frais de formation continue, coûts de marketing digital, abonnements à des plateformes de recherche d'emploi, frais d'organisation d'ateliers.

Honoraires de coaching, frais d'inscription aux ateliers, vente de programmes de reconversion en ligne, abonnements à des services de coaching continu.

Un Business Model Canvas vierge à télécharger gratuitement

Si vous ne souhaitez pas modifier le Business Model Canvas de notre business plan, vous pouvez télécharger celui-ci et la remplir avec vos propres éléments.

Bonne utilisation du Business Model Canvas et bon business plan !

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