How to Become a Life Coach Online: 8 Success Steps

Looking to change careers and become a life coach? 

A life coaching business can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, while offering you freedom, flexibility, and a high income. 

But if you don’t know where to start or what qualifications you need – this post is for you.

I’m a coach with a decade of experience, an eight-figure coaching business, and I’ve helped over 3,500 new coaches start their businesses. 

And today, you’ll learn the exact steps to become a successful life coach–based on my experience.

Read on!

Quick overview:

• The first step to becoming a life coach is to pick a niche and help clients get specific results. 
• In most cases, you don’t need a certification, as long as you have the right experience. 
• Start selling a three-month package that you price at $1,500.

How to become a life coach – checklist: 

• 1. Find your coaching niche
• 2. Get certified (if you want to) 
• 3. Develop the right coaching skills
• 4. Set up your life coaching business
• 5. Get life coaching clients
• 6. Market your life coaching business
• 7. Price your life coaching services
• 8. Start coaching

Let’s start from the beginning…

What is life coaching?

Life coaching is an umbrella term for coaches who help people improve and transform their lives in some way. Life coaches help their clients set and achieve their personal or professional goals.

And the life coaching industry is growing fast, too–it’s a billion-dollar industry. On average, life coaches charge between $100 to $150 per hour, making it a profitable career choice.

I know firsthand how profitable and fulfilling this industry can be. I’ve coached people for almost a decade now and have helped thousands of coaches start their businesses. Coaching is one of the best industries for you if you want to leave your 9-5 as quickly as possible, while doing something purposeful by helping others. 

But what does a life coach do, exactly? 

What does a life coach do? 

A life coach helps clients achieve their personal and professional goals through structured guidance, accountability, and strategic planning. Unlike therapists, who focus on past trauma and mental health diagnoses, life coaches focus on helping clients find solutions to problems and achieve their lifelong goals. 

For example:

I specialize in helping new entrepreneurs start and grow profitable coaching businesses. But I didn’t start here—my first coaching business was in a different niche.

Today, I’ve coached new coaches in 50+ industries. And believe me, no matter your background, there’s a coaching niche that fits your unique gifts and skills.

As a life coach, you: 

• Assess clients’ current situation – You help identify clients’ challenges, strengths, and opportunities 
• Clarify goals – Clients define clear and actionable goals in your niche, whether that’s career, relationships, business, health, or mindset
• Create a strategy – You help your clients create a plan that works for them
• Provide support and accountability – You keep your clients accountable and motivate them to overcome fears and challenges

The best part is that you most likely have the experience needed to become a highly paid life coach. How do I know? Read on!

What qualifications do you need to become a life coach? 

Many new life coaches wonder if they need a certification or formal qualification to get started. The short answer? It depends.

There are no official educational requirements or licensing standards for becoming a life coach. Unlike therapists, life coaches don’t need a degree or certification to work with clients.

But you need to be able to help your clients get results. And for that, you need relevant experience.

For example, when I started coaching, I didn’t have a certification (and I still don’t). What I did have was years of experience in business and a proven track record of helping 3,500+ coaches launch their businesses.

However, there are a few exceptions where certification may be required, specifically in the health and mental health coaching niches. For example, registered nutritionists and nurse health coaches need degrees. 

We’ll cover how to choose the right certification if you choose to go this path. But for most life coaches, the biggest barrier to success isn’t a lack of certification—it’s self doubt.

Here’s how to get past them. 

Get past your fears

Look: I know what it’s like to feel stuck. I was once in a demanding day job, dreaming of starting my own online coaching business, but fear held me back. I worried about what others would think and whether I could actually make a full-time income as a coach.

Everything changed when my family faced a series of life-threatening health issues—my mother’s cancer diagnosis and my father’s emergency heart surgery all happened within a year. I didn’t have enough PTO days to be there for them, and that was my wake-up call. I realized I needed to take control of my life.

That motivation became stronger than my fears, and I finally took action.

So many new coaches struggle with things like: 

• Fear of failure – Worrying they won’t succeed as coaches 
• Imposter syndrome – You feel like you haven’t figured out your own life and wonder if you can coach others 
• Standing out in a crowded market – You worry you won’t stand out from other coaches 
• Fear of selling – Worrying you’ll sound salesy and don’t want to put yourself out there

These fears are normal—but they’re also what’s keeping you stuck. But on the other side of fear is your coaching business.

And your coaching business isn’t waiting for the “perfect moment.” It starts when you decide to move forward. Next, we’ll explore exactly how to take that first step.

8 steps to becoming a life coach

How do you become a life coach and get paid? 

Building a coaching business is relatively simple (even if it isn’t easy). This type of business can have a high profit margin and low risk, so you can do it on the side of your day job. 

To do so, you need the right steps. And that’s what we’ll look at here below. 

Step 1: Find your coaching niche

Becoming a life coach requires you to be clear on your niche. Instead of saying you “improve people’s lives,” you get them a specific result. Maybe you help them “find impactful careers” or “find a life partner without dating apps.”

There are plenty of niches to choose from, including: 

• Health coaching
• Career coaching 
• Executive coaching
• Financial coaching
• Relationship coaching
• Business coaching
• Mindset coaching
• Purpose coaching
• Parenting coaching
• Divorce coaching
• Marriage coaching
• Intimacy coaching
• Infertility coaching
• Grief coaching
• Conflict management coaching
• Lifestyle coaching
• Retirement coaching
• Salary negotiation coaching
• Travel coaching
• Sports/fitness coaching
• Nutrition coaching
• ADHD coaching
• Spiritual coaching
• Academic coaching
• Coaching people to learn better/faster
• Happiness coaching
• Pet training coaching
• Productivity/stress coaching
• Motivational coaching
• Organizational/decluttering coaching
• Personal development coaching
• Accountability coaching
• Communication coaching
• Positivity coaching
• Habits coaching
• Success coaching
• Motivation coaching
• Creative writing coaching
• Performance coaching
• Yoga coaching
• Social skills coaching
• Goal-setting coaching
• Transformation coaching
• Resilience coaching
• Creativity coaching
• Leadership coaching
• Coaching children
• Religious coaching
• Confidence coaching
• Personal style coaching
• Public speaking coaching
• Mindfulness and meditation coaching
• Reiki healing
• Skills coaching (helping people improve a specific skill)
• Language coaching
• Self-discovery coaching
• EFT coaching
• Empowerment coaching
• Minimalism coaching

I go through different types of coaches here. 

To find your niche, you’ll want to find the sweet spot between what you know (your experiences or skills) and what people are willing to pay for. 

Do a quick Google search to see if someone is offering your services – in that case, that’s something people most likely WANT to pay for 

For example, my former client Emily was a Fortune 500 recruiter. Today, she is a career coach.

And Ruby used to be a matchmaker at companies like eHarmony. Now, she runs her own relationship coaching business. 

In this quick video, I share one sentence you can use to find your niche: 

Next, let’s look at what type of life coaching certification you need. 

Step 2: Get certified (if you want to) 

In most cases, you don’t need a life coaching certification. But if you want one, here’s how to find the right one for you. 

How to find a life coaching certification program

The top considerations for life coaches are: 

• Accredited program: If you want to get certified, look for an established life coach certification program. The life coach training program or course you choose should be approved by an organization that sets industry standards for life coaches. One such organization is the International Coaching Federation (ICF). More specifically, XXX
• Coaching methodology: Programs vary in approach, from transformational coaching to neuroscience-based methods. Choose one that aligns with your coaching style and ideal clients.
• Length: Training programs range from a few weeks to a year. ICF-accredited programs require at least 60 to 200+ hours, depending on the level.
• Cost: Prices range from a few hundred to over $10,000, so choose a program that fits your budget. 
• Community: Some programs offer student and alumni networks for support and referrals. Take this into consideration if it’s a requirement for you. 
• Location: Many programs are online, while some offer in-person or hybrid options. Choose based on your learning preference.
• Customer support: Look for programs that promptly reply to you. And if you want more support, research programs with mentorship and coaching feedback. 

The best life coaching certification programs

Some of the best reviewed life coaching certification programs include: 

• iPEC Coach Training: iPEC is an ICF-accredited program that teaches you three stages of coaching mastery. The program costs $13,395.
• Coach U Coach Training: Coach U goes through two phases of coaching over 14-23 months. The program costs $10,090 and you can take it at your own pace. 
• Coach Training Alliance: This six-month program teaches you business, marketing, and coaching skills. The program costs $3,897 and is ICF-accredited. 

Next, let’s look at what life coaching skills you’ll need to develop. 

Step 3: Develop the right life coaching skills 

Some of the most important coaching skills you’ll need to become a great life coach are: 

• Communication skills: One of the most important coaching skills is communication – listening, being candid with your clients, and communicating what they need at that moment.
• Offering support: You also need to be able to support your client in the best way, whether that’s by just hearing them out or giving them tough love. Part of your job is to believe in your clients, even when they don’t see it themselves. 
• Setting boundaries: You need to learn how to set boundaries to be a great coach. Clearly communicate when you’re available to your clients and in what capacity. 

However, these skills are skills you’ll learn as you coach. Even if you don’t have them yet, you can start coaching.

Which leads us to the next step – setting up your business!

Step 4: Set up your online life coaching business

How do you set up your business? Your life coaching business plan should include: 

• Deciding on a business structure
• Developing a brand
• Deciding on a coaching business model 

Business structure

First, set up the right business structure: 

• LLC: An LLC requires more paperwork but protects you from personal liability.
• Sole proprietorship: A sole proprietorship doesn’t protect you from personal liability, but you don’t have to register your business and it’s simpler to start than an LLC. 

Read more about what type of business you should start in my guide on legal requirements for life coaches. Familiarize yourself with your state’s regulations – every state, from California to New York, has different laws and requirements.

If you’re wondering what insurance you need as a life coach, take a look here.

Coaching brand

Then, decide on your coaching brand: 

• Just like some of your favorite brands (whether that’s Lululemon or Chanel), you need a strong identity that makes your ideal clients come to you.
• To define your brand, ask yourself how you’re different, what your “special sauce” is, how your values/beliefs are different, how your audience is different, and how your product is different. 

Life coaching business model

And choose a life coaching business model: 

• Your first offer is one-on-one coaching. Because you focus on individual clients, you’re able to get them faster results and so you can price your services at a higher price point than with other business models.
• After you’ve worked with a few private students, you can offer group programs and online self-learning courses.

Note that you don’t need a website. That’s how I got started – I built one (and not a very pretty one!) when I had made $20,000 in sales. 

If someone asked to see my website, I sent them to my LinkedIn profile. It worked just as well – if you’re a brand new coach, few people will decide to work with you based on your website. 

So…you can get started today with the skills you have NOW.

But how do you get those clients? 

Let’s find out. 

Step 5: Get life coaching clients

I’ve coached hundreds of new coaches. And one thing I hear all the time is this:

“Luisa, can I really get coaching clients? I can’t sell… Plus, I feel salesy.” 

Listen:

No one is born a salesperson, so we all go through this phase.

But once you realize that your coaching practice makes a huge impact in your students’ lives, you will feel much more comfortable when marketing and selling your services. 

For example, a 2016 study by the University of Salzburg shows that individual coaching and group programs are more effective for goal achievement than when people try to go at it alone. You as a coach help your students get results. 

And to find your first clients, use these strategies: 

• Reach out to your network: Reach out to your friends, family, or network. That’s what I did with my first coaching business, a career coaching service. I offered to coach five people who had asked me for career advice. When two of them said yes, I had a business. 
• Use social media: By having a digital presence on social media communities where your ideal clients already hang out (LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit…), you can build relationships that naturally translate into paid clients. That’s how I got my first client. I helped someone in a Facebook group and gave a lot of value–for free. And as a result, she asked me how she could work with me.

For more on how to find clients, take a look at this quick video: 

Step 6: Market your life coaching business

Part of running a business means you need to continuously market your business. 

The first step is to double down on what you’re already doing.

For example, I got my first clients in Facebook groups. 

Soon after, I built my own group, started doing livestreams, and ultimately, added on Facebook ads. I used those strategies until I was well over seven figures in sales. 

That’s when I swapped to more scalable strategies, like YouTube and search engine optimization.

In other words, start with ONE platform/strategy and focus on it until you’re ready to master another one. 

Step 7: Price your life coach services

There are different life coaching pricing structures.

You could charge an hourly, package, or retainer rate. 

I recommend a package rate. This option is all about the results rather than any specific number of hours you put in. In other words, it’s much more attractive to prospective clients.

And a good starting point is $1,500 for a three-month package.

That time frame means you have enough time to work together and help them get results. But it’s short enough to make it easy to say “yes” to working together.

The structure of your packages is up to you. For example, offer weekly calls with support in between.

For more, here’s more on creating a coaching package that sells.

And here, I talk more about positioning yourself for the highest rates:

Step 8: Start coaching 

Once you have clients, it’s time to start coaching them. The first step is to onboard them. 

To do so, you’ll need: 

• A coaching intake form: Send this form to new clients before you start working with them. 
• A coaching contract: Send a coaching contract to your new clients. A contract helps you establish the right coaching boundaries. 

And then, it’s time to book your first life coaching session.

• Use tools like Calendly (call scheduling tool) and Zoom to hold your sessions.
• Map out sub-goals based on the overall goal of your life coaching package so that every month has its own subgoal and every session moves the client closer to that subgoal.
• Ask coaching questions that help clients find answers themselves and help clients figure out solutions based on your experience. (I call this coaching style coach-sulting.)

Continue learning and coaching – because it’s through practice that you ultimately learn how to become a great coach.

Here are a few resources you can use: 

• A list of the best coaching courses
• The best coaching books
• Top coaching podcasts

Frequently asked questions about life coaching

Do life coaches make money?

Yes, life coaches can make money. Coaches who position themselves in the right way can make six figures or more. Successful coaches often offer private coaching, group programs, courses, or corporate training to increase their income.

How much do life coaches earn? 

The International Coach Federation cites $67,800 as the average life coaching salary. The average hourly rate is $272. But what other coaches make is not the baseline you need to set for your business. Many of my students have gone on to make six, multiple six or seven figures from their businesses. 

How much does it cost to become a life coach? 

A coaching business doesn’t require a lot of funding. And you can start getting a client from day one because you’re using skills you already have. However, if you decide to get certified, your starting costs will typically be $1,000-$13,000. 

Other costs include marketing costs (but strategies that help you get clients the fastest and most sustainably don’t cost anything – think networking, social media, or podcasting).

How long does it take to become a life coach? 

The time it takes to build a coaching business depends on a lot of factors. How much time do you put into building your business? How consistent are you? 

Start by spending at least 45 minutes per day promoting your business. (That’s what I did – I’d use 15 minutes during my lunch break and 30 minutes in the evenings to go into Facebook groups and build relationships.) 

Some of my clients have successfully started their businesses within a few months, others need a bit longer. However long it takes for you, remember that you have your own journey. 

Are you ready to build your coaching business?

You made it this far! If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do I become a life coach online?” – now you know.

What an exciting time! Soon enough, you’ll be running your own business.

You can use your existing unique skills and experiences to help others achieve their goals – faster than you might think is possible. 

But while this guide covers A LOT, there’s so much more that I couldn’t fit in here. 

I myself used to be in a busy 9-5. I wasn’t sure I had what it took to coach – or if it was even possible for me as I was already so busy. 

Above anything else, I wanted a roadmap that would’ve helped me start my own coaching business as fast as possible. However, at the time, all programs out there talked about what it took to start a business once you had quit your day job.

I wasn’t willing to risk my career and income by throwing it all away!

So over the next few years, I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours to figure it out on my own.

I eventually did – and four months later, I had made six figures in my first coaching business. 

I packaged everything I learned – including the lessons I’ve learned since then after having helped thousands of new coaches get started – into the best course for new coaches, Employee to Entrepreneur (ETE). 

Want to learn how you can get access to this step-by-step roadmap?  

Get my FREE PDF that teaches you how to start a 6-figure coaching business from scratch.