Personal Development Coach

Right now, there are thousands of people who work too hard and don’t have the balance they need in life to help them set and achieve their goals. As a personal development coach, you can help them attain new heights as healthy, well adjusted, and more fulfilled human beings. You likely have a background in counseling, education, human resources, or even theology. As a coach, you will off er your clients personalized goal-setting in addition to daily, weekly, or monthly motivation. If you are a licensed counselor, you can also offer psychological or emotional counseling. You will start with a detailed questionnaire to help your clients recognize what’s lacking in their lives, and then you will co-develop an actualization plan that seeks to significantly improve their lives. To do this most effectively, you should first go through such training yourself. Th e International Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org) offers training and professional development and can help you to find a good coach to teach you all you need to know about being a good coach!


Training and certifi cation will be your biggest start-up costs, ranging anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. Certification, although pricey and not yet mandatory, is highly recommended since it will give you instant credibility. Use a search engine with the keywords “coaching certification” or visit CoachU.com to learn more about the process involved in becoming a good personal development coach. Of course, if you’ve spent a lifetime working as a productivity, financial, or image consultant and feel you have the know-how and reputation, you can forego the certification and hang your shingle out for immediate business. Just keep in mind that the International Coach Federation is pushing for a credentials program with formal training and certification. You may still need to do it at some point in your career.


The best way to break into this field is to first find your own coach, a good one who can serve as a teacher and mentor. Keep in touch with your coach as you develop your new business. Even psychologists visit other psychologists after they establish their practices, and it can always help you to stay on top of your game.


As a personal development coach, you may find that you have a tendency to be a sponge that absorbs your clients’ issues and clouds your own. Having someone else to talk to will help you keep your head on straight, which will only allow you to offer better advice and guidance to your clients. Take care of yourself as you help others learn to take care of themselves.

Approx. cost of start-up: $1,500 to $5,000


Approx. potential earnings: $50,000 to $150,000


Typical fees: $150 to $350 per client per month typically, 1–3 phone calls per month are included, with unlimited client access to you via e-mail


Where to promote: Community and local business publications


Qualifications: Certification depends on interest area


Things needed: Depends on area of focus, but in general, a computer would be handy for research and to develop resource lists for your clients


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Ongoing professional development courses, liability insurance, Web site maintenance and updating, networking