The coaching industry is booming. Professional coaches are in demand, and the promise of a flexible, purpose-driven career attracts thousands of new practitioners each year. Social media is filled with success stories of coaches building six-figure businesses and transforming lives.
But here’s what those glossy posts don’t tell you: starting a coaching business is one of the most challenging entrepreneurial journeys you can embark on. It requires grit, patience, and a level of personal development that goes far beyond your coaching certification.
In this article, we will explore the honest reality of building a coaching practice — the struggles nobody talks about and the practical solutions that actually work.
The Client Acquisition Reality Check
You’ll Hear “No” More Than “Yes”
When you’re starting a coaching business, rejection becomes your daily companion. You’ll send dozens of LinkedIn messages that go unanswered. You’ll have discovery calls where prospects seem excited, only to disappear completely. You’ll offer free coaching sessions that people book but never show up for.
This isn’t a reflection of your coaching skills — it’s the reality of any service-based business. The key here is to treat client acquisition as a numbers game, not a personal validation exercise. For every ten prospects you speak with, one might become a client. That’s normal.
What we recommend: Track your conversion metrics from the beginning. Know how many discovery calls you need to book one client, and how many initial conversations lead to discovery calls. This data removes the emotional sting of rejection and helps you focus on activity levels rather than individual outcomes.
The “Know, Like, Trust” Timeline Is Longer Than Expected
People don’t hire coaches after one interaction. They need to see you consistently, understand your approach, and feel confident in your ability to support them. This relationship-building process takes months, not weeks.
Many new coaches give up too early because they expect immediate results from their marketing efforts. A prospect who sees your LinkedIn post today might not be ready to hire a coach for another six months — but when they are, you want to be the coach they remember.
The practical solution: Focus on being consistently visible rather than constantly selling. Share one piece of valuable content each week. Show up in coaching groups. Comment thoughtfully on other coaches’ posts. This long-term visibility strategy beats aggressive sales tactics every time.
The Financial Rollercoaster Nobody Warns You About
Income Inconsistency Is the Rule, Not the Exception
One month you’ll sign three new clients and feel invincible. The next month, two clients will cancel and nobody new will sign up. This feast-or-famine cycle can last for years, even in successful coaching practices.
The challenge isn’t just financial — it’s psychological. The uncertainty can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and desperate decision-making that actually repels potential clients.
Our advice: Build a financial buffer before you launch your coaching business. Aim for six months of living expenses saved, not three. This cushion gives you the emotional stability to make good decisions when client flow is unpredictable.
You’ll Undercharge at First (And That’s Okay)
New coaches often struggle with pricing. You’ll hear conflicting advice: charge premium rates to position yourself as valuable, or start low to gain experience. The truth is, most coaches undercharge initially because they’re still building confidence in their value.
This isn’t necessarily a problem if you approach it strategically. Lower rates can help you gain experience, collect testimonials, and build a client base. The key is having a clear plan for when and how you’ll increase your fees.
What works: Start with rates that feel challenging but not terrifying. Once you’ve worked with 20 clients and gathered strong testimonials, increase your rates by 20-30%. Repeat this process every 30-40 clients until you reach your target pricing.
The Personal Demands
Your Own Issues Will Surface
Here’s something they don’t mention in coach training: running a coaching business will trigger every personal development issue you thought you’d resolved. Fear of rejection, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, people-pleasing — they all show up with vengeance when your livelihood depends on marketing yourself.
Clients will mirror your own challenges back at you. If you struggle with boundaries, you’ll attract clients who test your boundaries. If you have money blocks, you’ll find yourself uncomfortable discussing fees.
The reality: Your coaching business becomes your most intensive personal development programme. This isn’t a bug — it’s a feature. The work you do on yourself directly improves your effectiveness as a coach.
Isolation Is Real
Coaching is largely a solo profession. You’ll spend hours alone — preparing sessions, creating content, managing administrative tasks. If you’re coming from a corporate environment, the isolation can be jarring.
Many coaches underestimate how much they’ll miss casual workplace interactions, brainstorming sessions with colleagues, and having someone else worry about business development.
Our solution: Build connection into your business model from day one. Join coaching supervision groups, attend local business networking events, or work from co-working spaces. Consider partnering with other coaches for mutual support and referrals
The Skills Gap Reality
Coaching Skills Are Just the Beginning
Your ICF-accredited training taught you how to coach. It didn’t teach you how to run a business, market your services, manage finances, or handle difficult client conversations about money.
You’ll need to become competent in sales, marketing, bookkeeping, content creation, and customer service. These aren’t optional skills for “business-minded” coaches — they’re essential for anyone who wants to make coaching their primary income.
The practical approach: Focus on one business skill at a time. Spend your first six months mastering client delivery and basic marketing. Once those are solid, add financial management, then more sophisticated marketing, then systems and automation.
Technology Will Challenge You
Modern coaching businesses run on technology — scheduling systems, payment processors, video conferencing platforms, email marketing tools, and client management systems. If you’re not naturally tech-savvy, this learning curve can feel overwhelming.
We’ve seen brilliant coaches struggle because they couldn’t figure out how to set up a simple booking system or process payments professionally.
What we advise: Start simple. Use basic tools that integrate well together. A simple website, Calendly for scheduling, PayPal or Stripe for payments, and a basic email service will handle 90% of what you need initially.
The Practical Solutions That Actually Work
1. Start Before You’re Ready
The biggest mistake new coaches make is waiting until everything is perfect. They spend months creating the perfect website, developing the perfect coaching package, and crafting the perfect elevator pitch. Meanwhile, they’re not talking to any potential clients.
Start offering coaching while you’re still figuring out your business model. Offer free sessions to gather experience and testimonials. Join volunteer coaching programmes. Practice your skills in low-stakes environments.
2. Focus on One Thing at a Time
New coaches often try to be everything to everyone. They’ll coach executives and teenagers, offer relationship coaching and career coaching, and promise to help with confidence and communication skills.
This scattered approach makes marketing difficult and dilutes your expertise. Pick one specific audience and one specific problem. You can always expand later.
3. Invest in Professional Development Beyond Coaching
Your coaching certification is just the beginning. Plan to invest 10-20% of your revenue back into professional development — not just coaching skills, but business skills, marketing knowledge, and personal development.
This might include business coaching, marketing courses, therapy for your own issues, or advanced coaching certifications. Treat ongoing learning as a business expense, not a luxury.
4. Build Systems from Day One
Even if you only have one client, start building repeatable systems. Use a calendar booking system instead of playing email tag. Have a standard coaching agreement instead of informal arrangements. Create intake forms rather than winging discovery sessions.
These systems save time, reduce stress, and create a professional experience for clients. They also make it easier to scale when you’re ready.
The Long Game
Starting a coaching business is a marathon, not a sprint. Most successful coaches take 2-3 years to build a stable, profitable practice. This isn’t because they’re slow or incompetent — it’s because building trust, developing expertise, and creating sustainable systems takes time.
The coaches who succeed aren’t necessarily the most naturally talented or the best marketers. They’re the ones who persist through the difficult early years, continue learning and growing, and maintain their commitment to serving clients well.
Your coaching business will challenge you in ways you didn’t expect. It will force you to grow personally and professionally. It will test your resilience, patience, and commitment.
But here’s what the success stories on social media do get right: coaching is one of the most rewarding careers you can choose. The opportunity to witness human transformation, to build a business aligned with your values, and to create genuine impact in the world is extraordinary.
The key is approaching it with realistic expectations, solid preparation, and a commitment to the long game. Starting a coaching business isn’t easy, but it is absolutely worth it.
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