So You Want to Be A Coach? Here Are 4 Things to Know First
A coaching business isn’t as simple as experience and Instagram quotes
I received a question from a follower on Instagram so I wanted to talk about it. Her question was, “How do I get into wellness and coaching if I studied or my degree is in something else?”
I want to get into four things I think you should know before you get started in the coaching and wellness space. You might wonder, who am I to talk about this? I’m not a coach. I’m Rachael Lynn and I’m the author of At Home Anywhere. I worked in personal development, meaning I worked for personal development authors and coaches for the last 5 or 6 years. I’ve had coaches myself for the last 10 years. I’ve attended many retreats and I’ve seen the ins and outs of how these businesses and coaches work!
I’m not a coach myself. I’m simply sharing my experience and what has worked for me. So, let’s dive in!
1. You should have had your own coach yourself and gone through the experience of being coached by someone.
I don’t think it’s enough to have gone to a retreat or done an online program. You need to learn the process, learn what it takes to become a willing consumer of a coach’s work and how it can impact your life. This will not only influence the way you want to go and where you want to focus, but you’ll understand what it’s like being a client!
2. You are living your best life first.
It’s way more important that you are fulfilled and working on the area that you want to coach others in. We lead by our energy and our example first. This is similar to saying that a baseball player wouldn’t hire a basketball coach. You would want to work with someone who is focused and successful in the areas that you are working in.
3. You have to be prepared to learn what it takes to run a business, not just coach people.
In order to get your work out there, you’re going to have to sell yourself to people.
You’re going to have to market yourself! You’re going to have to create content, understand finance and you’re going to have to run a business. You need to be prepared to do these things or put in the effort to learn how to do them.
These first three things might sound scary, but I’m not trying to deter you! I’ve seen too many people get really excited and get started before they’re actually ready. I just want you to be aware of this before I tell you that…
4. There are plenty of places you can get certified.
There are a number of coaches and experts that take people under their wing and mentor them and teach you their specific methods. Some even offer their own certification programs. Brené Brown has her own certification program I’ve looked at before. Look into coaches that are specific to the field you’re interested in. Send them an email and they might have some resources you can utilize or they can point you in the right direction.
I really hope you take my advice and study under someone or earn a certification to help you hone your skills and really build your confidence. You don’t have to have a degree, but make sure you’re studying or being mentored by someone that has been working on this for decades. Experience and knowledge is key to all of this.