You love to coach.
Nothing beats the sense of joy and fulfilment you feel from coaching.
It’s your calling. The heart and centre of your work.
But to truly succeed and make a lasting impact, takes more than just your coaching expertise.
It requires a strong foundation of key business skills.
Think about it this way…
Your coaching is the service, but your business intelligence is what allows you to package, promote, and propose that service effectively.
Without solid business skills, even the most talented coaches struggle to create clients, generate income, and build a sustainable practice.
So, what are these critical business skills?
Here are the top five:
1. Visibility and Messaging.
To create your ideal clients, you want to be visible, valuable and magnetic to communicate the unique value you offer.
This means rolling your sleaves up and crafting a compelling brand story. Creating engaging content and leveraging various marketing channels (online and offline) to reach your target audience.
For example, when Jaimini Padleckis and I created the Evolving Academy, we kicked off our marketing strategy by:
- Developing a strong brand identity and voice that resonates with our ideal client
- Creating valuable resources, posts and onboarding videos to set the stage for engaging on our community platform
- Reaching out to potential clients through email and direct messages
- Offering an invite only webinar to showcase our vision and create interest
2. Discovery and Client Creation
Once you’ve attracted potential clients, the next step is to transition them into your services with ease and integrity.
This means:
- Honing your client creation skills
- Developing a smooth enrolment process
- Learning how to handle objections gracefully.
Here’s 3 simple steps to enrol clients with confidence:
- Create a clear, compelling offer that outlines the transformation your coaching provides
- Develop a transition framework that feels authentic and addresses common sticking points and objections
- Practice your enrolment conversations with a friend until it feels natural
3. Financial Management
As a coach, you’re not just a service provider – you’re a business owner.
And that means taking ownership of your finances.
From setting prices to managing expenses to creating sustainable revenue streams.
Here are a few key financial skills to support every coach:
- Understanding your numbers (revenue, expenses, profit)
- Setting prices that reflect the value of your work
- Creating and sticking to a budget
- Diversifying your income streams (1:1 coaching, group programs, courses, etc.)
- Tracking your key financial metrics and making data-driven decisions
Try and avoid burying your head in the sand when it comes to finances.
If you find numbers scary, find a book keeper / accountant who can do this for you.
4. Time Management and Productivity
When I started my practice, I found juggling client work, admin tasks and my personal life overwhelming at times.
I struggled to find enough hours in the day, and everything had to be done “now.”
Therefore, getting a handle on managing your time and energy is essential to avoiding burnout, staying focused, and making progress.
To boost your productivity, try these tips:
- Consider a simple project management tool to organize your tasks – (I use coda.io)
- Batch similar tasks (like content creation or email) to minimise context switching
- Set clear boundaries around your work hours and protect your personal time
- Outsource or automate administrative tasks that drain your energy
- Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout
5. Continuous Learning and Growth
The coaching industry is constantly evolving, and staying relevant requires a commitment to continuous learning and growth.
This means not only deepening your coaching skills, but also staying up-to-date with business trends and best practices.
Here are 5 ways to prioritise your professional development:
- Hire a business coach for support and accountability
- Apply for The Evolving Academy – a membership for certified coaches to come together, create and evolve.
- Join the World’s Largest Coaching Event (May 28th – June 13th) – https://coaching.com/summit/
- Invest in relevant training or certifications such as ICF Credentials
- Set aside dedicated time each week for learning (reading books, listening to podcasts, etc.)
Conclusion
By mastering these five key business skills – alongside your coaching skills, you’ll build a strong foundation for coaching success.
Remember, developing these skills is an evolving process that takes time.
Start where you are today and want to improve for tomorrow
Focus on one area at a time. And commit to consistent action.
As you grow your business intelligence alongside your coaching expertise, you’ll be unstoppable in creating a thriving, impactful coaching practice.
Action Step
Choose from one key area – and commit to taking one focused action this week.
- Schedule time to create a piece of valuable content for your ideal clients.
- Practice your enrollment conversation with a friend or colleague.
- Review your current finances and make any necessary adjustments.
- Identify one task you can outsource or automate to free up your time.
- Enquire about working with a coach or joining a coach membership.
