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I’m going to share with you how I started a life coaching business as a side hustle. Have you been wanting to start your own life coaching business to be able to work from home?
When I first started considering setting up a life coaching business, I looked into certifications and programs. What I found was that most of the people who taught these programs were not certified. I checked out their programs thoroughly, and most of them suggested that you pick a niche that you knew something about. That’s exactly what I did to get started.
To get going, I put together a website showing that I was now providing a particular kind of life coaching business. I also put up an advertising listing on Yelp. Now I get a number of new clients from both my website and Yelp. I found that as I became more clear about what I offer and how I could help, my ideal client started to find me more easily.
Related: Are you trying to start a coaching business, but you get overwhelmed with all the things there is to do? I created a checklist that I keep nearby to help me focus on the most important things to do daily. You can get the checklist here!
Before we get started talking about how you can get your life coaching business started, we would love for you to join our growing Facebook group right here! Be sure to give us a quick follow on Instagram as well!
Watch this video to learn how you can make money with coaching
How to start a coaching business from scratch
1. Just Start Coaching-
Many people think they need experience or a certificate to coach. Really, all you need is the desire to help people and to be just a few steps ahead of where they are. You can do your own training along the way to improve your skills and get new tools. Don’t let not being certified stop you from getting started now with your life coaching business. You can even do life coaching as a side hustle while working. I did this with my first business and found it very rewarding to be helping people.
2. Know your core values and skills-
Be yourself and look to your own experiences for how you can help someone else. I use many of my own life experiences as helpful tips for my clients. Most of all, I listen and work with my clients to discover their own core values. This helps them determine what next steps to take.
3. Figure out what makes you stand out by doing a few free sessions with people you know-
I was very nervous to get started with life coaching, but what helped me in the beginning was practicing with people whom I trusted. Pick a few friends and ask them if you can practice going through a life coaching session with them and then ask for their written feedback, good and bad. Use the good feedback as a testimonial (with their permission), and use their suggestions for improvement. You will only need to do this a few times to get the hang of what a session will feel like. Then you are ready to start charging. For tips on how much to charge for your products or services, check out my Be Passionate And Prosper Course here.
4. Charge an hourly amount to start
Pick an amount you feel comfortable with and charge for your service as a life coach. When I first started, I charged $20 an hour. After a few sessions, I quickly felt like this was too little. Truthfully, I always struggle with increasing my fees. But when I do increase them, I find that my clients trust me even more. Your clients will tell you if they can’t afford your rates. You can always make exceptions, but make sure you are charging your worth across the board to all of your clients. Head over to this post if you’d like help with how much to charge in your coaching business.
5. Up the rate as you become more of an expert
Once a year goes by and you have been consistently helping clients, it will make more sense to charge more for your services. With time, you will be considered an expert at what you do. You may discover that a particular type of client comes to you. Maybe by that time, you also have a particular set of skills that sets you apart. One way to increase your rates is to develop training or packages centered around your particular set of expertise. Offer this package to your existing clients and get more feedback from them. They have grown to trust you at this point, and they want more of your help. Simply listen for where they are desiring transformation, and then find a way to help them through it. Head over to this blog post on how to manifest more coaching clients for your business.
How to start a life coaching business online
The best way to start your life coaching business online is by setting up your own website detailing the types of life coaching you provide. You will want to set up a self hosted site and pick a domain name that is easy for your clients to remember. I usually suggest using your own name because your clients will remember your name. You can set up a website easily through a company like Bluehost, and create a WordPress site.
If you are interested in creating ablog of your own, check out this freetutorial that will help youstart a blog ofyour own. It walks you through getting aself hosted site. I’m currently using Bluehost and they are offering self hosted sites for around 3.95 per month (this lowprice is only through my link). When you sign up through myBluehost linkyou will also get a free domain name (you get to pick a name for your site!). Getting your own self hosted site means you own the site (no one can ever take it down or take it away from you). If you have been wanting to make money online with a blog or website, this is the first step. In a year from now, you will be so glad you started this for yourself! The sooner you get going the better!
How life coaching changed my life
I can honestly say that my life coaching business changed my life for the better. There were times when I was struggling with my own “stuff,” and then someone came my way needing life coaching. When I ended up helping them, it made me feel more positive about my own life! Of course there are financial gains to life coaching, but the best part is the feeling you get after meeting with a client and seeing their improvement through tough life situations. I was also very glad to leave my other business (which wasn’t really a fit for me) to start life coaching instead.
If you are feeling stuck with your current job, and you are looking for a business you can do from home, then try setting up a life coaching business as a side hustle to start. It will take you a little time to develop a clientele anyway, so you might as well start small and get going as soon as possible!
Check out my Youtube video on Visioning! This is how I started all my businesses!
Owning your own life coaching business as a side hustle
Having your own life coaching business will provide you with extra time and money. I felt like it also gave me my sanity back. I wanted to work less hours and be able to work from anywhere, and being a life coach gave me all of this and more.
When you first get started, simply take one to two clients a week just to get your feet wet. If you are working, you may want to keep your job while you start a life coaching business to discover if you like doing it. This will also give you time to figure out your niche and who your ideal client is.
There is no rush, but I would say don’t be afraid to just start. As I said earlier, you don’t want to make excuses for why you can’t start now. You probably have some set of amazing life skills that transfer over immediately into life coaching. If you need help figuring out what your skills are, reach out to me for help!
How to get your Life Coaching Business Properly Set up
Once you have your life coaching business off and running, you will want to do a few things to make it more legitimate. Here are a few tips or steps to take to properly set up your life coaching business.
- Register your ‘Doing Business As’ with your county recorder, or use your own name for free
- Get a Website, pick your domain name and secure social media accounts in that name
- Consider liability insurance. You can start with talking to your favorite insurance companies and get lots of quotes for business liability insurance.
- Set up a Paypal or Square Account. This allows you to take credit cards and mobile payment.
- Create simple contracts. You may want to have your clients sign a basic agreement to show how long you will be working with them, how often and for what price.
- Know what makes you unique and shine. Develop your brand and keep it consistent across your website, social media, business cards and even your look. Your clients will be able to identify you more easily if you have a unique brand.
- Get example contract forms and tips on insurance, pricing and how to decide what type of coaching business is perfect for you at Be Passionate and Prosper How to Start and Online Business.
- Work on getting just one new connection or client a day, whether that be through Facebook, Instagram or out in public. Get this free checklist to help you stay focused on what’s most important.
What types of skills can you use for your life coaching business? How will you set up your life coaching business as a side hustle?
