How to Become a Culture Coach (+Top Certifications)

Want to become a culture coach but don’t know where to start?

Then you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what I’ll teach you today.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to become a culture coach and start a coaching business that gets results like these, FAST:

Ready to get started?

Let’s go!

Key takeaways:

• A culture coach helps businesses create an environment where everyone thrives
• They create a healthier work environment with open communication, more collaboration, and a growth mindset
• As a culture coach, you can build a “Freedom Business” – one that offers you freedom to work when and where you want and fulfillment by doing purposeful work  

What is a culture coach?

Before we dive in, let’s talk about what a culture coach is.

As a culture coach, you equip businesses with tools to facilitate positive change and create a work environment where everyone can thrive, regardless of position or gender.

Culture coaches can work with individual clients (such as managers or C-suite executives), entire teams, or several leaders from different industries at once.

And companies need the help of a culture coach. 

Research has found that even though nearly one in four Americans have experienced a toxic workplace, most leaders believe their workplace culture is healthier than it is.

That disconnect is costing businesses their best employees.

In fact, studies show that a toxic workplace is over ten times more likely to make an employee quit. 

Ultimately, a culture coaching business can help you do work that aligns with your values, while you control your time so that you can spend it on what matters most to you. (Whether that’s traveling, spending time with your family, or something else.)

For example, Nikki Lerner is a culture coach for individuals and teams. She combines a multicultural background with 20+ years of leading and building a multicultural creative department with over 150 people. 

But how exactly can a culture coach help? Let’s talk about it.

What does a culture coach do? 

A culture coach focuses on instilling open communication, more collaboration, and a growth mindset in both leaders and employees. 

You help clients by:

• Assessing the current company culture and identifying areas that can be improved
• Offering actionable advice to address those improvements
• Facilitating engagement, providing support, and promoting open communication so leaders and employees stay involved during the change process
• Encouraging a growth mindset in both leaders and employees
• Tracking progress and making adjustments as needed

This involves conducting workshops, mentoring leaders and executives, and establishing clearer organizational values to create a more dynamic and healthier workplace. 

With your coaching, businesses can turn their workplace culture into one of collaboration, innovation, and employee well-being.

Here’s just some of the research that backs this up:

• Coaching is considered an overall effective intervention for businesses and improves theoretical and practical outcomes
• Employees who “feel their voice is heard” are nearly 5x more likely to feel empowered and perform their best work
• 95% of employees see an improvement in workplace psychological well-being after working with a coach

Even better? Working with a culture coach also improves a company’s bottom line – the median ROI of workplace coaching is 700%. 

Now that you know the kind of difference you can make as a culture coach, let’s talk about becoming one.

How do you become a successful culture coach in the workplace? 

You might be wondering if people are looking for a culture coach.

The numbers speak for themselves – business coaches (the coaching niche culture coaches are part of) account for 65% of all coaches, and the market is worth $12 billion.

To become one, you need the right experience and proof that you can help your clients.

But there are a few more steps to take.

1. Find a niche 

The key to having a lucrative and sustainable business as a culture coach is having a niche.

And sure, “culture coach” is a niche in itself – but you’ll only stand out if you get more specific.

A niche could include:

• Culture building for remote workplaces
• Startup culture building
• DEI
• Psychological safety
• Generational relationships

Ultimately, it should solve a problem that you’re passionate about and people will pay for.

To find it, consider:

• Who do you help?
• What do you help them do?
• How do you help them?

Then, combine your answers into one sentence – I help _____ to _____ by ______.

For more on finding your niche, check out this video:

📚Read more: 100 High-Ticket Coaching Niches (+ How to Find Yours)

2. Deepen your culture coaching skills  

Next, you’ll want to develop your skills.

Your success as a culture coach hinges on your ability to get your clients results.

That’s why you need the kind of coaching skills that can only come from experience.

For instance, I started a career coaching business after I built a six-figure career and knew how to help others do the same.

In the same way, I started my current business (as a business coach/mentor) with 10+ years of experience building and growing businesses. 

As a culture coach, you should have:

• Relevant experience
• An understanding of organizational culture and its impact
• The ability to analyze data to get an idea of a company’s culture and improvement areas
• Confidence to lead workshops and discussions
• Experience with relevant tools and methods, including surveys, performance management systems, training sessions, and focus groups
• Training in workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion
• The capability to tailor your approach based on a company’s individual needs and dynamics
• Empathy to connect on a deeper level and offer better advice
• Strong communication skills so you can clearly explain your ideas, engage with employees, and create an open line of dialogue

I tell you more about the skills you need to be a culture coach in this video:

3. Obtain a culture coaching certification

One of the biggest misconceptions about becoming a culture coach is that you need to be certified to get clients.

All you need is relevant experience and a proven methodology.

But that doesn’t mean a certification can’t benefit you. (Which I’ll tell you more about later.)

For now, let’s look at creating your coaching package.

4. Create and price a culture coaching package

I always recommend pricing your services per package instead of per month or hour.

For a new culture coach, a three-month package priced at $1,500 is a great offer – and should give you enough time to get your clients results.

In it, you’ll want to include two monthly calls and an extra line of communication.

If you’re still not sure about pricing, I created this guide to help you out (and even included a few examples).  

Remember, $1,500 is just a starting point.

As testimonials start to roll in and you deepen your skills even more, you can increase your prices. 

I tell you more about pricing your package in this video:

5. Get culture coaching clients 

The next step in becoming a culture coach is finding paying clients.

Here are three great places to find your first clients.

👪Your network 

Chances are, someone you know could use your help creating a better culture in their workplace. 

You can reach out to your friends, family, and coworkers, or consider asking them for referrals.

🤳Social media 

Professional networks like LinkedIn are perfect for finding clients as a culture coach.

Spend time building relationships by offering valuable tips and actionable advice.

I know this might feel awkward, but it’s worth it – in fact, I got some of my first clients this way.

🎙️Podcasts and media publications 

Getting featured on relevant podcasts and in well-known media publications is a great way to establish yourself as an expert and get noticed.

For example, when I was just starting out, being a guest on the So Money podcast helped me make several sales. 

That’s not to say you need to get interviewed on big podcasts. Some of the most engaged ones are smaller – and that’s the ideal place to start. 

I’ll give you more strategies for landing your first clients in this video:

📚Read more: Fastest Ways to Get Coaching Clients

6. Work with your clients 

Ultimately, being an effective culture coach is all about getting your clients the results they want.

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Define the overall goal to provide a direction and purpose for the coaching relationship.

Step 2: Break the final goal down into monthly sub-goals. 

These will be the focus of each of your coaching sessions.

Step 3: Define milestones to keep track of progress.

Studies show milestones are motivating and enhance productivity.

As well as these steps, you’ll also want to offer continuous support to clients between each session.

Not sure how to structure your culture coaching sessions? I walk you through it in this guide.

Now you know how to become a culture coach, let’s check out the best certification programs!

Best culture coaching certification programs 

I know I mentioned you don’t have to get certified to be a culture coach.

But it can be useful. For example, some organizations might require that coaches they work with are certified. 

So, let’s take a closer look at certifications. How to choose a certification

First, think about the following:

• Accreditation: Look for accreditation from a respected organization like the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
• Cost: Price typically varies by niche, but I recommend  avoiding free courses.
• Course content: Does it cover the topic you want to learn?
• Duration: Length doesn’t really matter as long as it helps you reach your goals.
• The instructor: Make sure the teacher has a credible background and relevant experience. 

Let’s now dive into the best culture coach certifications.

(Note: I haven’t taken these myself. I’m recommending them based on reputation and reviews.)

Certified Culture Coach (CCC)

Maslow Research Center 

This course is taught by the creator of Organizational Culture Coaching (OCC) and the Culture-Actualization Index.

In it, you’ll learn research-backed methods of creating more people-focused and engaging workplace cultures.

Highlights:

• Frameworks, tools, and guides 
• Lessons on Organizational Culture Coaching, Operational Culture Index, Culture-Actualization Index, and Culture Action Planning

Accredited: ICF

Prerequisite: 10+ years of corporate work experience

Duration: Five weeks (online) or 30 days (in-person)

Delivery: Online or in-person

Price: $2,500

Well-being Culture Coach Training and Certification

Healthy Culture Now 

In this course, you’ll learn how to help clients build supportive work, home, and community environments using case studies from real-life organizations.

Most of the training is done via video presentations and podcasts, but you’ll also take part in live conversations.

Highlights:

• Five modules, including Developing Well-Being Leadership and Developing a Culture Change Plan
• Taught by subject matter experts with advanced degrees

Accredited: National Commission for Health Education

Duration: Self-paced

Delivery: Online

Price: $99

Certificate in intercultural Coaching 

KnowledgeWorkx and the North Point Academy

This is a great option for anyone looking to become a culture coach specializing in intercultural relationships.

There are two options: The Flagship certification and the Modular certification. 

Both include hands-on experience, but the Modular certification is a good option if you want to start as a culture coach right away.

Prerequisite: Coaching experience (Flagship only)

Accredited: ICF Continuing Coaching Education

Duration: 7 to 8 sessions (Flagship) or 9 hours (Modular)

Delivery: Online, live (Flagship) or self-paced (Modular)

Price: $3,450 (Flagship) or $1,600 (Modular)

Coaching Culture Certification 

Open Door Coaching

In this self-study course, you’ll learn a framework for driving positive change in your workplace and strategies for implementing it in practical ways.

Highlights:

• Real-world case studies
• Lessons that include creating and measuring ROI, embedding culture into company documents, and designing coaching programs for businesses of all sizes

Accredited: ICF

Duration: 6 months

Delivery: Self-paced

Price: $2,145

Now that we’ve covered how to become a certified culture coach, what kind of salary can you expect?

Read on to find out! 💰

How much does a culture coach make? 

A culture coach earns about $70,000 per year. 

But that’s just the average. There’s no limit to how much you can make as a culture coach!

Put simply: How much you make depends on you – your experience, location, niche, and number of clients.

Many culture coaches can make over $100,000 a year.

In fact, I see many of my clients in similar business niches make six- or even multiple-six figures each year.

Next steps 

There you have it! A complete guide to becoming a culture coach.

Being a culture coach means you get the chance to instill positive change in workplaces everywhere – it’s a business that’s rewarding, fulfilling, and flexible. 

Ready to take the next step and build a six-figure culture coaching business? 

Then check out my business blueprint.

In it, I show you the exact roadmap to building and scaling your culture coaching business. Get it here.

Read more: 

How to Become a Certified Leadership Coach

How to Become a Business Coach

Biggest Benefits of Business Coaching

What Makes a Business Successful? Top Elements