I was talking with a woman recently, who after more than five years of building a successful practice, admitted she still stumbles when she tells people she is a coach. Her husband and brother are attorneys. She has a sister who works for a high-profile NGO and another who is a nurse practitioner. This woman is a really gifted coach, but she is aware that in contrast to other similar fields like therapy and consulting, coaching is still the butt of a lot of jokes. 

"No one takes me seriously when I tell them I am a life coach. I love coaching. I chose it because I feel like being a coach chose me. I just wish I could communicate the value of my work without sounding like a stale elevator pitch or feeling self-conscious about who we are as an industry."

Recently, I watched the TV series Apples Don't Fall - which, by the way, is amazing. Everyone should see it. I binged the whole thing in three evenings. That said, the storyline features the messy, struggling, once suicidal, drops out-of-everything daughter, who is pretty far out on the whoo whoo spirituality and crystals side of her growth journey and is training to be a life coach. The whole family of highly trained, successful professionals thinks this is a joke of a choice, and low-grade feels embarrassed about all of her choices, maybe especially her new career. The show takes multiple opportunities to take serious jabs at her for wanting to be a coach. 

As I watched her character arch play out, I cringed every time life coaching came up. I cringed because that character was well-developed and frankly reminded me of many coaches and would-be coaches I know. I also cringed because I have experienced that smug, dismissive attitude when I tell people I am a life coach. Some people are genuinely curious and immediately want to know more about coaching. Others immediately write me and coaching off without giving either a second thought - 

-and every time I experience this I think to myself, "If you only knew the people I have worked with and the amazing things we've done, you wouldn't be looking at me that way you small-minded sh*t." 

But I digress...

I have recently reworked my elevator/coffee shop speech to be a little less formal and a little more concise. 

"I have been a life coach for more than two decades. I have specialized training in brain science and behavioral psychology. I also run the best coach training program on the planet." 

Short and sweet.

I would love to hear how you talk to people about being a coach in the comments below. 

Here are five points to consider when crafting a plan:

1. Emphasize the Impact: Focus on the positive impact coaching has on individuals' lives. Highlight success stories, testimonials, and concrete examples of how coaching has helped people achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and improve their overall well-being.
2. Highlight the Professionalism: Showcase your credentials, training, and expertise as a coach. Discuss the rigorous training programs, certifications, and ongoing professional development that coaches undergo to provide high-quality coaching services.
3. Explain the Process: Educate others about what coaching actually entails. Explain that coaching is a collaborative and goal-oriented process focused on helping clients clarify their goals, identify obstacles, and develop actionable strategies to achieve success. Emphasize the importance of confidentiality, trust, and ethical standards in coaching relationships.
4. Share the Diversity of Coaching: Highlight the diversity within the coaching profession. Discuss the different niches, specialties, and approaches within coaching, such as life coaching, executive coaching, career coaching, and wellness coaching. Show how coaching can be tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of clients.
5. Connect Coaching to Established Fields: Draw parallels between coaching and other established professions like therapy, counseling, mentoring, and consulting. Explain how coaching complements these fields by focusing on the present and future, fostering personal growth and empowerment, and promoting accountability and action.



By incorporating these strategies into your conversations about coaching, you can effectively communicate the value and legitimacy of being a life coach and dispel misconceptions or stereotypes associated with the profession.

The Coaching Guild is a training coach training program specifically designed to nurture dreamers, artists, creatives, outsiders, rebels, and good troublemakers. You know, the kinds of people who tend to be introverts. It is a multi-instructor, multi-disciplinary approach to training that prioritizes learning innovative foundational coaching skills and marketing training.

If you are interested in coach training done very differently, hit me up for a no-pressure, no BS, no trip, and fall into a sales funnel conversation. Let's talk about what's possible for you as a coach.