| If you've found this article from a Google search, I | | | | 1-3 years, up to $15,000, and will require that you obtain |
| assume that you are already familiar with what a life | | | | between one and two hundred client hours to become |
| coach is. Even if you are, reading my article "What is a | | | | certified. Prices, times to certification, and program |
| Life Coach" will provide you with valuable information | | | | depth and intensity vary greatly dependent on the |
| on what exactly a life coach does, how coaching | | | | program you choose. |
| contracts work, what typical coaching formats look like | | | | Typically after an introductory class, you are |
| and how you might want to focus your business as | | | | encouraged to begin enrolling coaching clients. |
| you consider becoming a coach. | | | | Therefore, you can charge what you are comfortable |
| This article is geared towards the logistics on what | | | | charging while you are going through the certification |
| you can do to become a life coach and start your | | | | process (remember, you don't need a license to be a |
| own business. | | | | coach). I wish I knew the percentage of professional's |
| What Credentials do I Need? | | | | out there calling themselves 'coaches' that have gone |
| At the risk of turning people off to life coaching in this | | | | through a certification program. I am sure that |
| article, I am going to give you the facts about people | | | | someone's put an estimate out there but I've yet to |
| that are calling themselves coaches. Truth be told - | | | | find it. My suspicion is that it is less than 1/3 of all |
| there are NO job requirements to become a coach. | | | | coaches. So being a 'certified' coach differentiates you |
| Sounds scary huh? Put a sign up, print some business | | | | for sure, however at the moment a typical coaching |
| cards, call yourself a life coach and you are good to | | | | client probably would not know the difference. |
| go. Pretty easy business to build eh? | | | | If you elected not to become certified, my |
| Lets take a bit of a closer look here. What I am really | | | | recommendation would be that you take some |
| saying is that by law, no professional certification is | | | | introductory courses, become familiar and comfortable |
| required for someone to call him or herself a life coach | | | | with what coaching is, then try your hand on clients |
| - or coach (often the word 'life' is either omitted or | | | | willing to work with you. If these classes are too |
| replaced with a different word such as 'executive', | | | | expensive, read through this whole blog, read as many |
| 'wellness', 'lifestyle management' or 'business'). So unlike | | | | books as you can find on coaching and develop a |
| a psychologist, a physical therapist, registered dietician, | | | | toolset which you can stake claim to and comfortably |
| a contractor, or a lawyer, the state and country (USA) | | | | use to team with clients to promote their advancement |
| does not recognize a life coach as a credentialed | | | | and self discovery. Make yourself an expert coach |
| profession. Therefore, no license is required to call | | | | based on the knowledge of what a coach is and what |
| yourself a coach (at least as of the date this article is | | | | they do. |
| posted). | | | | I remember having a conversation with one woman |
| Lets look at some other examples of similar | | | | that a friend referred to me. She wanted to change |
| professions that might fall into the same category. | | | | careers, she was very interested in life coaching and |
| How about that big one of 'consultant'. There are lots | | | | she felt she had been coaching friends and |
| of consultants out there consulting on everything you | | | | co-workers for years. She did have a good |
| can think of - typically a consultant needs no license to | | | | understanding of what life coaching was. Furthermore |
| be a consultant, just experience doing so. Similar to a | | | | she said she new a number of people that would be |
| coach, a consultant with no experience at all can draft | | | | willing to pay her for coaching! As I coached her, all |
| up a business card and start doing business. Of course | | | | she needed to hear was herself confirming that it was |
| the big question is whether or not you'd be able to sell | | | | OK to get started - even if she had doubts and |
| anyone on your services given that background. A | | | | worries as to what a formal coaching session would |
| computer consultant would probably have trouble | | | | look like. She had a fantastic motivation to learn |
| selling themselves if they knew nothing about | | | | regardless of whether or not that would be in the |
| computers! | | | | framework of a credential program (and I don't know if |
| Before Calling Yourself a Coach... | | | | she elected to enroll in one). |
| If you are intending to call yourself a coach, please | | | | What is the ICF |
| understand what it means to give yourself that title. | | | | The ICF (International Coach Federation) is the leading |
| Without government regulations, I admit you can stake | | | | coach credentialing agency on the market. Many |
| your claim at coachhood with relative ease, however | | | | coaches have opted to become a member of the ICF |
| its a discredit to the professionals with years of | | | | (by paying an annual fee to be a member), but this is |
| experience and training if you simply use the word as | | | | certainly not a requirement to be a coach. The ICF is |
| an allure for clients and in any way you are | | | | strongly supportive of coaching becoming a licensed |
| misrepresenting what the coaching profession is all | | | | field - similar as to what you see with psychologists |
| about. I'd suggest reading a coaches code of ethics to | | | | etc. Clearly they have incentive as they would be the |
| see if what you are offering could truly be considered | | | | leading credentialing agency and this would greatly |
| coaching. | | | | increase their membership. Many coaches believe that |
| One problem that I see is that many people who are | | | | this will come to fruition in the next 5-10 years. At that |
| misrepresenting the profession do not even recognize | | | | point in time its likely we'd see a large decrease in the |
| what it means to be a coach. I've seen MLM | | | | number of people calling themselves coaches as well |
| (multi-level marketing) companies give their marketers | | | | as an increase in the credibility and the stature of the |
| buttons to put on their shirt stating 'Wellness Coach' - | | | | industry. |
| when all they know is a couple of herbal supplements | | | | I present this because if you did elect to go through a |
| that the company sells. I've seen Real Estate Agents | | | | coach training program, the ICF provides a list of |
| call themselves 'Real Estate Coaches' because they | | | | programs that are accredited. By training through one |
| wanted to differentiate themselves from the crowd of | | | | of these accredited programs, it is expected that your |
| agents. Clearly these people are marketing themselves | | | | certification would be grandfathered into the status of |
| as coaches with little understanding of what a coach | | | | a certified coach should a license become required. |
| really does. If you've read this far it shows you've got | | | | This might be one thing to consider as you |
| a true interest in becoming an ethical coach and I've no | | | | contemplate what level of training and education you |
| doubt that you are doing your homework! | | | | would like to participate in as well as who provides that |
| What Background do I need? | | | | training. |
| This is an interesting question. Coaches come from all | | | | In Summary |
| backgrounds. As previously mentioned there are | | | | To summarize, if you've been considering becoming a |
| coaches in the health and wellness world, in the | | | | professional coach (life coach), its important to educate |
| executive development world, relationship coaches, | | | | yourself on what a coach is and is not. There is a lot |
| coaches for families with children that have special | | | | of information on the internet available (much on this |
| needs, stress management coaches - the list goes on | | | | site) that can provide you with a foundation for |
| and on. Of course there are many coaches that cross | | | | understanding coaching models and how to 'be coach'. |
| pollinate and have several areas they focus on. | | | | Legally, at this point in time, there are no requirements |
| If you choose to focus your coaching on a specific | | | | to obtain a certification or license for someone to begin |
| area - lets say 'parenting troubled teens', then its a | | | | calling themselves a coach (in that regards, it's similar |
| good idea that you've got a background of working | | | | to consulting). If you would like to begin coaching on a |
| with troubled teens so that you can best understand | | | | specific topic, its great to have a background on that |
| your client. Now a pure life coach is committed to | | | | topic but make sure that you know why you are |
| recognizing that a client has their own answers and | | | | differentiating what you are doing as coaching rather |
| that the coaches job is to empower the client such | | | | than consulting. |
| that they see this clearly for themselves. Therefore, a | | | | Educationally there are many coach training programs |
| coach is a generalist - their training and skill is really in | | | | available. I suggest that you attend at least some |
| communicating with people such that they can identify | | | | coaching courses (or hire your own coach) such that |
| and build appropriate goals and actions that fulfill their | | | | you begin to understand how coaching works. If you |
| dreams. If you naturally have this skill, you've got the | | | | do elect to go with a coach training program, a good |
| greatest asset that a life coach needs. Some people | | | | thing to consider would be whether or not is is |
| have an innate tendency to 'be coach'. If you don't | | | | recognized by the International Coach Federation such |
| naturally have this skill, rest assured that wish practice | | | | that you will not to become re-certified in the future |
| you can develop it. | | | | should this become an industry requirement. |
| What Education if any Should I Get? | | | | I hope this answers your first set of questions on how |
| If you are considering becoming a coach, I definitely | | | | to become a life coach - I am sure it will lead to more |
| recommend that you get training. A coach training | | | | questions. I'll provide more coaching tips, tools and |
| program often has coaching and mentorship not only | | | | suggestions throughout the course of the year on this |
| on how to be a better coach, but also on how to build | | | | website- so visit often. Till then... |
| your business. Whether or not you choose to go | | | | "If you've found this site useful, please link to it so that |
| through a full coach training certification program is a | | | | others can benefit! |
| big decision as it will typically involve a commitment of | | | | |