{"id":1304,"date":"2025-02-04T16:40:49","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T16:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/articles\/how-to-become-a-life-coach\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:19:17","slug":"how-to-become-a-life-coach","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-life-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a life coach: the 10-step plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you love helping others and thinking outside the box, you should consider a job as a life coach. While you might think life coaching is only popular on TV, it\u2019s actually a rewarding and varied career helping people reach their goals \u2013 and it\u2019s easier to get started than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you think you\u2019re up to the challenge, we\u2019ve identified the 10 areas you should consider before becoming a self-employed life coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. What is a life coach?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Why become a life coach?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Types of life coach<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Life coach certification: do I need it?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Life coach training<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Life coach salary<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    1. How much does it cost to set up a life coaching business?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Setting up as self-employed<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Life coach insurance<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Marketing your life coaching business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      How to start a life coaching business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      1. What is a life coach?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Another name for a life coach could be \u2018professional problem solver\u2019. As a life coach, you\u2019re dedicated to helping your clients face the problems in their lives and get to the place they want to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Someone could hire you as a life coach for a variety of reasons. They may need help breaking bad habits like smoking or procrastination or want to find ways to improve their social life. Your clients may even need your guidance in a professional setting, such as dealing with job dissatisfaction or struggles with creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Life coach responsibilities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      You can work as an online life coach or face-to-face but your duties will remain the same. Your clients have most likely identified areas of dissatisfaction in their lives but feel they need your help to get past them. This means you\u2019ll need good listening and problem solving abilities, as well as people skills and communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Life coaches help their clients stay motivated in order to overcome their struggles \u2013 a skill you\u2019ll need regardless of being a life coach if you plan to run your own business. You\u2019ll also be responsible for basic administrative tasks in order to keep records of your clients and their achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You may be hired by just one person or business<\/a> on a contract basis. But more commonly, you\u2019ll work with a range of clients and be paid an hourly rate. This means that you\u2019ll need to be good at time management and have strong organisational skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Life coach vs therapist<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Some people confuse life coaches with therapists but the roles are actually quite different. Therapists are qualified mental health professionals who have extensive training in the area. While a life coach could help a client struggling with anxiety, for example, they\u2019re not fully qualified to help clients deal with past trauma.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      2. Why become a life coach?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      As with many self-employed professions, being a freelance life coach means you\u2019ll have more control over your working life. Life coaches can work anywhere from 16 to 37 hours a week \u2013 and you\u2019ll also have control over what you charge, as well as the clients you take on. We\u2019ll touch more on setting your life coach salary and how to become self-employed further in the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      3. Types of life coach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      As life coaches often move into the profession from other areas, you may already have a specialism or interest. This could come from previous industry or life experience \u2013 or just be something you\u2019re interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Some of the areas you can focus on as a life coach include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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