How to Start a Coaching Business: Stop Assuming People Know What Coaching Is

This is the final episode in a three-part series on how to start a coaching business, sharing one do and one don't at a time. Today's don't: don't assume people know what coaching is. Today's do: acceptance, self-acceptance, and gratitude are your business superpowers.

Don't: don't assume people know what coaching is

If you're fresh out of coach training, you've been surrounded by coach-speak for weeks. "How does that resonate with you?" "How do you feel that in your body?" "Are you living authentically and on purpose?" These are useful questions, but they're also insider language.

Most people who hear the word "coach" don't picture that. They picture a sports coach, someone who tells you exactly what to do and pushes you to hustle harder. Or they picture a stand-tall, talk-big, motivational style, someone who yells affirmations and gets a room's energy up. Both are valid coaching styles for some people, but neither is what coaching actually is at its core.

Coaching isn't advice-giving. It's questioning. It's helping people find their own answers instead of handing them yours. Most potential clients don't know that yet, which means it's on you to explain it simply.

Try one of these instead of jargon: a coach helps you get more of what you want and less of what you don't want. Or, a coach helps you learn how your brain works so you can get different results. Or, a coach helps you become aware of your patterns so you can create the life you want. And the fastest way for anyone to really understand coaching is to experience it, so offer it, and offer it often.

Do: acceptance, self-acceptance, and gratitude are your business superpowers

These three words don't sound like business strategy. But your emotions set the vibe of your business, and one of the strongest human motivators is feeling validated and accepted. People want to know that what they say, think, and do matters to someone.

Acceptance of others and self-acceptance feel like a welcome mat. People are drawn toward that warmth the same way nobody wants to talk to the grumpiest person at a party. Nobody wants to be coached by someone who feels bummed out, pessimistic, or fatalistic, however skilled they are.

Gratitude works the same way. When you consciously cultivate appreciation for the big and small things in your life, it becomes magnetic. It also creates a safe, secure space for clients to open up and talk about what's really going on for them, which is exactly where coaching does its work.

Key takeaways

• Most people don't understand what coaching actually is, so explain it in plain, jargon-free language.

• Coaching is questioning, not advice-giving, and that distinction is worth stating clearly to potential clients.

• The fastest way for someone to understand coaching is to experience a session themselves.

• Acceptance and self-acceptance create the warmth that draws potential clients toward you.

• Gratitude isn't just a mindset practice. It shapes the vibe clients feel and creates a safe space for them to open up.

FAQ

Why don't people understand what a life coach actually does? Most people have heard the word "coach" but picture a sports coach or a motivational-speaker style rather than a questioning-based approach. Without a simple explanation, they may not realize coaching is different from advice-giving.

How do I explain coaching to someone who's never experienced it? Keep it simple and jargon-free. Try something like: a coach helps you get more of what you want and less of what you don't want, or a coach helps you become aware of your patterns so you can create the life you want.

Is coaching the same as giving advice? No. Coaching is questioning, helping someone find their own answers rather than being told what to do. That's a key distinction most potential clients don't know until you explain it.

Why do acceptance and gratitude matter for a coaching business? Your emotional state shapes the vibe your potential clients feel from you. Acceptance, self-acceptance, and gratitude create warmth and safety, which draws people toward working with you.

Conclusion

This wraps up the three-part series on do's and don'ts for new coaches: skip the website at first, don't rush to quit your job, get coached yourself, and now, explain coaching simply while leading with acceptance and gratitude. Take what fits your situation and leave the rest.

Ready for a clear next step? Grab Candy's free 90-Minute Coaching Business Blueprint: candymotzek.lpages.co/vfo/