With just over 500 sign-ups in the month since we launched the Free Coach Training Program, I thought it was time to check in with participants and see how it's going.
Last week, I sent out a survey to members and here's what I learned.
Biggest concerns about joining: Would the quality be any good? Would the coaching certificate mean anything? Would I have time to do the work?
What they found: The greatest number said, they're glad they joined. Followed by the quality is very good and they're inspired by coaching. They also found that the pre-recorded format makes it possible to go slow or totally immerse oneself in the training.
In their own words, the greatest benefits are:
- greater belief in the value of coaching
- I'm getting a better understanding of what coaching is and what it is not.
- More awareness on how to ask questions
- I've only had the time to listen to the first 3 classes and print out all the materials, so it's nice to know I can listen in when I do have the time.
- I've found a lot of positive reinforcement that I'm effectively coaching people already.
- Affirmation of how transferable my therapy skills are for coaching.
- Connection to my previous learning about spirit coaching
- New insights into coaching vs managing people
- A holistic approach to coaching and personal development
- I've decovered one of my stregths and one big improvement coaching will add to the way I serve my clients
- The fact that coaching is so close to facilitation. I love facilitation.
- I am gaining a greater sense of self.
- I've gained clarity about the coaching profession and its purpose.
- I am feeling more motivated and more confident to begin marketing myself.
- I feel this adds so much depth to my coach training! This is the real deal. I am excited to learn more.
- It's convinced me that what I thought may be true, really is. That coaching is my natural calling!
- Allowing myself to fully submerge myself in this training however I want to has helped me to use the training as a jumping off point, not only for coach training and learning, but learning about myself.
- I am brand new to coach training and it helped to hear the demonstrations
97% said they'd recommend this program to a friend.
What would they say?
- Try the first class and see what they think.
- If you want something different and easy to follow the mastery IAC certified coach, then try this one!
- Do it now! Don't delay.
- It is the very first step, a great foundation to start with.
- For anyone who is interested in becoming a coach, I'd say to take these free courses in order to get a better idea of what coaching is about and to learn some before investing in coaching school.
- I've already referred several people. I've told them they NEED to check this out. It is not a scam. There is no "catch." It's about quality training from a servant's heart (Julia).
- If you want to become a coach, take Julia's course.
- Do it!
- It's quality coach training for free. And it instantly adds value to the learner both professional and personal.
- I would describe the resources available on-line, including classes, blogs, and study group. I would share how these resources are helping me with knowledge, understanding, and competency.
- The content is good and helpful to anyone working with people in any capacity.
- That if they are really interested in coaching, intend to incorporate coaching into their business, want to be a coach or just want some insight into themselves, this program is a must!
- That even if they did not decide to pursue a coaching career, the training may give them ideas about how to evaluate their own concerns and maybe even seek out a coach for themselves.
- It's wonderfull, You'll learn a lot and feel gently guided by Julia in a very safe environment. I can't believe this is for free, and she give a lor of great, quality coaching training. It's worth every second you devote to your training
- This is a great, free, opportunity to learn about coaching and see if it is a career they would be interested in pursuing, or doing on the side along with their other work.
- Just do it!
- I would tell them that if they want to pursue coaching as a career choice, The SCM is the place to get your training.
- Good discussions on the audios with pdfs to support them. I like how Julia leads discussions - she's obviously a masterful coach.
- This program is the real deal! Not only is it helpful, but it's a great starting point for something greater. There's no way you can lose!
- The training is free Why don't you give it a try.
- Julia is a fantastic role model for what coaching should be. Her high standards and ethics are very apparent in the coursework she designed, and in her interaction with her students.
- Take the time in between classes to integrate the lessons, questions, and work into your own life. Take some of the things that you hear to heart and apply them to your own life. Have a willingness to "discover" what you are learning.
I'm happy to add that the single most most requested program improvement will be added this week. Yes, we're still adding courses and features. We're serious about making this a solid alternative to spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on coach training before you know what you're getting into.
There's still time for you to be one of the first to pass the online exam and receive the SCM Coaching Certificate. The exam will be available at the end of September. Jump in now. It's all free.
Go here to join the Free Coach Training Program.
Mattison Grey is professional business and leadership coach and the founder of Greystone Guides, a high performance coaching and consulting firm. Her clients and fans enjoy her contrarian views and her courage to be provocative in a way that challenges the status quo. Mattison is fascinated by the gap between high performers and low performers and what it takes to go from mediocre to masterful in a chosen endeavor.
Coaching is a popular choice of profession for people right now.
Seems like everyone is a coach or is becoming a coach, doesn’t it? That is no secret. The trouble is there are secrets about coaching and having a coaching business. Secrets no one is telling beginning or emerging coaches. The coaching schools won’t tell you – you might not sign up; coaching organizations won’t tell you – it’s not their role. So who has the guts to tell you? Julia Stewart, the gutsy-ist coach in America, has asked me to expose some of those secrets and share with you what I think are the biggest myths about coaching and starting a coaching practice. Here we go with the 8 biggest myths many emerging coaches believe.
MYTH #1, 2 and 3: Everyone needs a coach; coaching is for everyone; or everyone is a prospect. Sure everyone has room for improvement, but not everyone wants it. Learning to identify who is curious about coaching and who is not takes quite a bit of practice, and assuming everyone is a prospect can get in the way of accurate sorting.
MYTH #4: Coaching fixes problems. In fact, if you approach coaching with that mentality you will drive people away. Even though few people’s lives are perfect, they will resist coaching if you “come from” something’s wrong.
I often say, Amateur Coaching fixes problems. Masterful Coaching creates them.
What do I mean by that? If you take the client’s problem or challenge at face value, you will be missing a huge opportunity to really move them toward their greatness. Behind the presented challenge is always a bigger issue. Most of us know that. What masterful coaches know is that you don’t have to find that issue and solve it. You have to help the client find a project or game that is so interesting, fun and engaging that the previous issue magically disappears or is solved by the new game.
Here is a real life example: A few years ago, I was bored with my coaching business and not having much fun anymore. That was a pretty big problem. I asked Julia for a coaching session. Long story short, as a result of the coaching, I decided to DOUBLE my coaching fees. Never mind my fee was already pretty substantial. Doubling it would, with the exception of celebrity coaches, put it near the top tier of coaching fees in the world. WOW, now I had a HUGE “PROBLEM” but boy was I excited about it, and instantaneously my boredom went away and the fun returned.
MYTH # 5: You have been coaching your entire life. Even if you have been a great listener and confidant all your life, that doesn’t mean what you were doing is coaching or that you were meant to be a coach. When you get really good professional training it will become obvious that, while what you were doing may have been helpful for people, it wasn’t really professional coaching.
MYTH #6: You can make a great living in the beginning. You can’t charge high fees in the beginning. Beginner coaches get beginner clients, who pay beginner fees. That is true in most professions. The more experience you have under your belt, the higher fee you can charge.
MYTH #7: Internet marketing is coaching. This is a huge misconception and my biggest pet peeve. You can be a coach who uses internet marketing, or you can be an internet marketer who coaches. Trying to be both or not being clear about this distinction is a big mistake that beginners make. Either way is fine, but to really make it work you have to choose.
Finally the biggest myth in coaching today:
MYTH #8: You can have a successful coaching business without learning to sell. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but to fill your coaching practice you must learn to sell. This has never been more of a reality than in today’s extremely competitive market. With a coach on every corner, the only coaches that will make it will be the ones who can sell in a graceful authentic way.
Related posts:
There are so many great reasons to becom a coach and some that are not so great. One of the best reasons is you simply have the sense that there is so much more to life and you want to share that.
Watch 'More' by Nic Askew. If it resonates with you, you're on the right track.
'MORE' from Nic Askew on Vimeo.
Watch the recorded version of our free 'Become a Coach' webinar and learn the keys to building a successful coaching business as quickly as possible.
Download the free 'Become a Coach!' eBook
There's never been a better time to become a business or life coach.
There's also never been a more confusing time to become a coach! It used to be that you could rely on the better coaching schools and professional associations to provide solid information on how to become a coach and that is still true.
But these days, "black hat coaching schools" are buying website addresses that sound like well-known coach training schools and coach certifying organizations and passing themselves off as the the real thing. How do you know who to believe?
Add that to competitive marketing among the hundreds of legitimate coach training schools, plus the lack of universal standards in the coaching profession and the new coach is often confused, at best, and paralyzed with uncertainty, at worst. Confusion and paralysis are the enemies of success!
Get clarity, confidence and the information you need, without all the hype and distractions.
I designed the "How to Become a Coach" mini-course for people who are considering becoming professional business or life coaches and need clarity in order to make the best decision. If that's you, then I invite you to join us. (Don't worry, School of Coaching Mastery isn't a fit for every coach, so I won't twist your arm to become a member.)
This 4-hour "How to Become a Coach" course is free and meets in two 2-hour virtual classes. You'll attend our unique eClass system, which combines the best of teleconference classes with the best of webinar training. You can do everything in our virtual classes that you can do in a live class (except get stuck in traffic on the way).
Get answers to questions like these:
- How can I start attracting clients quickly?
- What do I really need to get started as a coach?
- What can I charge?
- How soon can I make a living?
- How do I know what niche or specialty to offer?
- Do I really need coach training?
- How long will it take me to become a masterful coach?
- How do I know which coaching websites are legitimate?
- Do I need coach certification? Which one?
- Should I have my own coach?
- What are my next steps?
You'll leave with clarity, a plan of action, a path and your next steps.
Find out when the next course is and register for How to Become a Coach.
There is so much advice and opinion out there on whether or not coaches need training or certification.
Unfortunately, most of the information is based on what has worked for someone else. If their situation is exactly like yours, their advice may be good for you. But odds are, it won't be.
That's the problem with opinons and advice. It's always about someone else. Not you.
To clear up confusion about coach certification, we did a recent teleclass to help coaches decide for themselves if they really need to become certified coaches. The participants asked terrific questions about becoming a coach, getting coach training and becoming a certified coach.
The truth is some coaches really do need certification and others don't. The various deciding factors include variables such as your personality, whether coaching is a hobby, a sideline or your main source or income, your coaching niche or specialties, your clients' preferences, whether you want to work for yourself or someone else, and much more. You may be curious about the answers to those questions, too.
So if you missed the live call, you're in luck! We turned the questions from the class into a free questionnaire that will help you decide for YOU, if coach certification is a good idea for your coaching career.
You don't need to give your name or email address to take the coach certification questionnaire, but if you want more information from us, you'll have a chance to request it at the end.
Plus, we've added the recording for the class, 'Become a Masterful Coach: Do you need to become a certified coach?', which is at the bottom of this post. I recommend that you fill out the questionnaire first and listen to the recording second. If you have more questions, you're welcome to call us at +1-877-224-2780.
Here is the recording for the 'Become a Masterful Coach: Do you need coach certification?' teleclass:
This question gets asked a lot on line, in one form or another: "How long does it take to become a life coach?"
And that makes sense, because it's an important question to ask if you're thinking about becoming a business or life coach, but it probably means different things to different people.
It might mean:
- How many years of life coach training do I need?
- How long will it take for me make a living as a coach?
- How long does it take to get a full coaching practice?
- How long does it take to become a certified coach?
- How long does it take to be good at coaching?
Each of these questions has a different answer and every coach has a different experience, but here are a few basics, if you're wondering about becoming a coach.
The standard length of time for coach training is about two years. There are programs of varying quality that claim to do it faster, but...
Here's what you need to know: How quickly you learn the skills you need to become a successful coach depends on your level of personal development and how much time you spend actually coaching. If you haven't done your personal development work (It takes a lot more than just reading some self-help books), your "stuff" will get in the way and you will learn more slowly. And in addition to personal development, you need to be coaching everyday in order to become a good coach.
How long it takes for you to make a living as a coach, depends on how much money you need to live on and how skilled you are at building a business.
Here's what you need to know: No business is profitable on Day One, so if you need money right away, get a part-time job to supplement your coaching income, at least for a while. That extra job will be part of your support system that carries you to success. Also, most people cut living expenses to a minimum, while they're building a new business. It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to support yourself with your coaching business and with an extra income and low expenses, you'll avoid the kind of desperation that sends potential clients running. The result? You'll be able to support yourself sooner with coaching.
The length of time it takes to get a full coaching practice is anywhere from three months to five years.
Here's what you need to know: Most coaches take at least several months to fill a coaching practice, even with an effective strategy like Coach 100. Without an effective strategy, it can take several years - or never. If you're new to running your own business, or you don't understand marketing and sales, or worse yet, you think marketing and sales are slimy, it will take you longer than if you have a good business background. Make sure your coach training gives you the business skills you need to be successful with your coaching business and if you're uncomfortable with marketing and sales, work with a mentor coach, who can help you develop an authentic approach to building coaching success.
How long it takes to become a certified coach, depends on the certification and how diligently you work toward it.
Here's what you need to know: Coach training programs that claim to train and certify you in a few hours or even a few months are probably not respectable. The most recognized certifying organizations are the IAC and the ICF. Make sure your training prepares you for one of those and know that most coaches take a several months to several years to attain them.
You won't be surprised when I tell you that how long it takes to become good at coaching depends a lot on the coach.
Here's what you need to know: There are many factors that go into the quality of an individual coach's skill. They include, your aptitude for coaching, your communication skills, your level of personal development, your faith in the coaching process, the quality and amount of coach training you've had, the amount of time you have actually spent coaching, whether or not you're getting feedback on your coaching, etc. But one thing is clear: The sooner you start, the sooner you'll master the skills you need to build a successful business and start transforming lives. What are you waiting for?
Thinking about becoming a life coach? Not sure if it's right for you? The best way to find out is to take the Free Coach Training Program.
If you're interested in becoming a coach
...or you just want to add coaching skills to your resume - and you like doing a good deed, then you'll love this:
School of Coaching Mastery is presenting its signature coach training program for new coaches, Coaching Groundwork, for FREE! All you have to do it make an online contribution to Habitat for Humanity by March 30th and email us your receipt. You'll get to attend a special Coaching Groundwork course, live with Julia Stewart, SCM President on four consecutive days, March 30th - April 2nd.
Coaching Groundwork is normally $325. The most common feedback we get from this course is that people can't believe how much they learned in so short a time!
This is a rare opportunity to do something good and get something extremely valuable in return. And something that makes it extra special is that a benefactor will double your contribution to Habitat for Humanity!
To find out more and make your contribution, vist Coaching for Habitat.
Where should you start when becoming a coach?
The days of
simply printing up business cards and calling yourself a coach are over. Large
scale surveys of professional coaches show that coaches without coach-specific
training and certification are less successful than trained and certified
coaches and are more likely to quit the profession within a few years. That can
cost you tens of thousands of dollars in lost income, as well as the fun and
fulfillment that comes from succeeding as a coach and helping your clients
achieve what they really want.
There are hundreds of coaching schools to choose from, some
that are excellent and some that are not so excellent, so choosing one can be
an overwhelming decision.
I suggest you begin
your quest for the perfect coach training school for you by first deciding
which coach certification you want.
Why?
Because there are fewer coach certifications to choose from and that choice
will narrow down your options for coach training, making it easier to decide.
I also suggest you
get certified by an independent not-for-profit certifying organization.
Why? A
certification in almost any profession that comes from an independent
certifying organization that is not-for-profit is usually seen as less-biased
and therefore more respected than a certification that comes from the school
where you trained. Standards vary between schools. In fact, there are a couple
of training programs that claim to train and certify professional coaches in
only a few days! Don’t be taken in by that promise.
The two most
recognized independent not-for-profit coaching organizations that certify
professional coaches are the IAC and the ICF.
We suggest
you visit both the IAC and ICF websites to see which one you
feel most drawn to. Both organizations have about the same number of
subscribers and are well respected, but their certification processes are
completely different. You can also view lists of licensed or approved coaching
schools on each site. Choose a school that prepares you for the certification
of your choice. Simple!
Have More Questions About Becoming a Coach?
Download our free Become a Coach eBook. It contains a free 8-hour coach training program, too!
Copyright, Julia Stewart, 2009
About ten years ago, when I was becoming a coach, Thomas J Leonard, the founder of the coaching profession said...
Someday, everyone will have a coach.Given the power that great coaching has to transform lives, that was an awe-inspiring vision.
Thomas also said at that time, that in order for everyone to have a coach, coaches would have to get creative about how they deliver coaching to clients, because originally, coaching was just for the rich and famous and that's how it was priced, with most clients paying between $250 - $1000 per month for private coaching.
Coaching is not just for the rich and famous anymore...
Coaching went "mainstream" years ago and today, most people know or at least think they know what a life coach or business coach is. (No one has asked me what sport I coach in years!) That makes it much easier to market to folks who are neither rich nor famous.
But one-to-one coaching is still pretty pricey.
So to bring quality coaching to the ever-growing coaching market, coaches are discovering more and better ways to leverage the economy of scale that exists for a service that is in very high demand. In other words, coaches are sharing coaching in innovative ways to higher numbers of people, who each pay less for the coaching they receive.
The first tier down from personal coaching is small group coaching, in which a small group of clients, say, 2 - 10 per group, meet with a coach a few times per month, and each client pays a smaller fee ($100-300 per month). The benefits of group coaching are similar to private coaching, because what the clients lose in personal attention from the coach, they make up with the extra value and synergy that's created by the group, itself.
Group coaching requires skills that are not needed in personal coaching, such making sure each client gets value and no one hogs the calls or hides out in a corner. For that reason, School of Coaching Mastery has its own Group Coaching training for our advanced students. Stay tuned for more on that.
A new form of group coaching that leverages economy of scale to an even greater level, is Compass Coaching. Compass was designed to bring low cost life coaching to people who want personal development, but who either can't or won't pay hundreds of dollars per month for it.
Unfortunately, economy of scale often means the client doesn't get the personal attention needed to really make change. That's why most people don't get lasting benefits from reading self-help books or attending workshops, which are also priced for the masses.
That's where Compass differs. Clients get a choice of "self-guided" online coaching via MP3's and workbooks, which brings passive income to the coach, or they can have large group coaching (10-30 clients), where they do get personal attention. The group coaching is priced incredibly low, $39-59 per month, because the passive income from the self-guided coaching makes up the income for the coach.
Long story short: Clients save a lot of money and coaches still earn plenty of money. Win-win.
It took me a while to see the value in Compass, because I'm not in favor of watering down the power of coaching, just to make it cheap. However, I'm highly in favor of bringing good, affordable coaching to virtually everyone on the planet. Compass has one of the best business models for doing that. I started to get that when I watched Compass CEO, Kim Fulcher, talk about her vision for Compass.
If you'd like to attend a live webinar with Kim Fulcher and hear how Compass can provide you with excellent large-group coaching, or how it can help you earn excellent passive income, Click below to register online and attend the live webinar with Kim Fulcher on Wednesday March 18th.
