Are You Meant to Be a Coach
Coaching is a growing industry and it is becoming more difficult to stand out, but a quality coach will always find a way to shine.
I never identified as a freelancer, entrepreneur, business owner, or coach, but these are things I have been. I am an active business coach right now, specifically I am an alignment coach.
My story can be found in another post if you’re interested in reading about my journey to being a coach.
In this post, I’m going to use my experience to help you make a decision about whether coaching is for you or not.
Is there really such a thing as a bad coach?
Yes, there are actually bad coaches out there. I’m not just talking about the fakes and scammers looking to steal your hard earned money.
I’m talking about people who lack experience, skill, or knowledge, but still falsely advertise themselves to be qualified coaches.
Trust the advice of people who are having success and have the life you want to have.
Do the research into whether an expert is really an expert.
Unlike some other coaches, I think there can be some flexibility here. There is no hard rule for a required amount of time needed to be eligible to begin working as a coach, but to be a coach, you need to have done and mastered what you’re educating others in doing.
How do I spot a star coach?
Always use your discernment. Trust your gut too because if you feel something is off, it is.
A star coach will know a lot of information and want to share all of it with you. If a coach is gatekeeping information, they are not to be trusted.
You can always fact check things coaches say against what other coaches say and what information you find in books, the internet, and other online materials.
A lot of what coaches say can be their opinions based on their own experiences, but those opinions should be informed by more than just their experience. They should be able to say how they came to their opinion and make a strong argument in favor of their position.
I never encourage antagonizing a coach for any reason, however, it is important to ask a lot of good questions to see how they respond and how they handle being put on the spot.
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A star coach will also give credit to other experts from whom they borrow information and/ or have the consent of the original creator to even mention at an event.
A star coach should also be able to build or add their own flavor to existing systems or strategies to get results. Their methods should mostly be original.
A star coach should have case studies, testimonials, reviews, and documented evidence of their work whether it be media coverage, their portfolio, their website, or their social media content to support their claims of expertise.
Newer coaches may not have many of these, but should be able to provide social proof of some kind or otherwise be able to demonstrate what they do and teach to show results can be achieved.
Star coaches understand the coaching process is about your wins and elevating you. They do not operate from a place of ego or pride.
How do I know if coaching is right for me?
I always tell my students that if something feels good to you, then it’s right for you. When you are being true to yourself and making yourself your first priority, you will be happier because you will be doing everything right.
If you’re interested in becoming a coach, remember that time is everything. You need to start as a freelancer and go on to be a business owner then a coach or an investor.
You need to take every opportunity to learn that you can before you start giving back.
You never want to be the person who doesn’t deliver what they promised.
As a little side note, you should also be exploring other income streams while you build up your business and work your way through the different stages.
Coaching is right for you if you like doing it, you care about other people, you want to make a lasting impact in the world, and if you have the qualities of a star coach mentioned above.
Final Thoughts
Coaching is meaningful work and makes all the difference in the lives of the people who need you to show up and be the best version of yourself.
Coaches lead by example and usually love what they do because not everyone can be a good coach for any reason, not just the reasons mentioned in this post.
There are so many journeys you can take as an entrepreneur.
I wish you all the luck in finding your life purpose during your entrepreneurial experience.
There is no greater teacher than experience. Everything you need to learn and you need to know for sure if something is right will come to you as you live… and with time.
Follow me on TikTok at https://tiktok.com/@brownbaddiecoaching.
