Want to become a successful product coach?
Then this is the article for you!
Product coaching is a unique, lucrative, and fulfilling niche. Today, I’ll share exactly how to build a product-coaching business that can free you from your day job.
Ready to learn more?
Then, let’s dive in.
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6-Figure Coaching Business so you can achieve more freedom!
Biggest takeaways:
- A product coach supports and guides company product leaders and teams to achieve their goals
- You can support your clients in multiple ways, such as discovery, leadership, or delivery coaching
- If you’re new to product coaching, offering a 3-month package for $1,500 is a great place to start
- The average salary for a product coach in the US varies but is at least $105,077 per year
What is a product coach?
A product coach helps product teams and leaders achieve their goals. And there’s a wide range of work you can do in the field.
For example, you could work with startups trying to find that golden product-market fit. You could also help product teams in established corporations improve or create products.
Either way, you’re essentially leveraging your product expertise to help a business succeed.
And there’s even more good news here because 70% of people who receive coaching from an expert increase their work performance. So, businesses are already seeking talented and aspiring product coaches to create empowered product teams.
That’s also why I’ve helped thousands of people become coaches and take their careers to the next level. I know how beneficial it is to them and the people they help.
Next, let’s look at the different types of product coaching.
What are the different types of product coaching?
The term “product coaching” is pretty broad because product development has a lot of moving parts.
So, you could help product teams discover, develop, organize, manage, or deliver their projects. Or you could work with executives and leaders to produce better results.
For example, Petra Wille is a freelance product leadership coach who has worked with big names like Just Eat, Adobe, and Lufthansa.
Some common sub-types of product coaching include:
- Startup coaching: Specialize in helping startups with product development
- Discovery coaching: Help product teams identify new opportunities for products
- Product leadership coaching: Coach leaders to manage their teams efficiently
- Delivery coaching: Assist teams in delivering projects
- Business coaching: Broadly analyze the business and help leadership strategize a path forward
- Product management coaching: Support product managers in delivering their projects on time
- Executive coaching: Help executives manage their tasks and teams effectively
- Agile coaching: Use agile techniques to help teams work better together
- Product organization coaching: Create strategies for product teams to organize and execute their projects
💡 Tip: Many product coaches combine multiple services. Others, like Petra, focus on one. You’ll have to decide which one works best for you.
Don’t worry if you’re struggling to figure out your niche. We’ll talk about it more in a later section.
What does a product coach do?
As a product coach, your main tasks are the following:
- Enhancing product strategy: Mapping out a clear strategy for your clients’ product development and launch
- Providing one-on-one coaching for product topics: Supporting product leaders and executives on improving their product management skills
- Facilitating production strategy sprints: Working closely with the product teams during vision sprints to organize and develop ideas
- Optimizing product team structures: Helping the product team to achieve better communication and workflow by creating a good team topology
- Improving product development processes: Creating a strategy to make product development more efficient
- Mentoring product leaders: Providing one-on-one support to help product professionals achieve their goals
- Offering career coaching: Some product coaches support other professionals reach their own career goals.
So, how do you deliver on these tasks?
Simple – you analyze the problems your clients are experiencing, create a path to solve them, and deliver that guidance through coaching sessions.
With that in mind, your typical workflow with a client will probably look like this:
- Discovery: The goal setting and analysis phase is where you meet the product team and figure out what support they need. At this stage, you review the data and ask questions to identify the client’s pain point.
- Coaching: Your coaching could be delivered to the product team, either one-on-one or in a group. Each session guides your client to achieve their objectives.
- Review: At the end of your project, you’ll review the results with data and performance feedback. You’ll discuss them with your client and decide what to do next.
Next up: How to excel as a product coach.
What makes a good product coach?
The best product coaches have:
- Experience as a product manager, product leader, or product development
- Strategic thinking
- Coaching skills
- Industry knowledge
- Research and analytical skills
Not sure you have all of these yet?
Don’t worry. The most important thing is that you have the experience and industry knowledge. You can train everything else over time.
For more on coaching, check out this video:
How do you become a great product coach in 5 steps?
Want to know how to start your product coaching business this year?
Here’s how:
- Find your niche
- Get certified
- Create and price your coaching package
- Get your first clients
- Deliver your coaching
Now, let’s dive into each point in more detail.
1. Find your niche
Start by choosing your product coaching niche.
Yes, we talked about the many different types of product coaching earlier, but I want you to think one level deeper.
Your ideal niche is going to combine your experience, audience, and solution. And because product work is so industry-specific, I recommend starting with your experience.
Ask yourself:
- What area of product development do you have the most expertise in?
- Who do you want to help: startups, big businesses, or individual product leaders?
- What are the specific services and skills you can provide to that audience?
Also, keep in mind that no matter what you choose, your niche will evolve over time.
For example, I started out as a digital advertising consultant before moving into business coaching.
So, spend time figuring out the best fit for you. But remember: you’ll perfect your niche as you go along.
2. Get certified
Do you need a certification?
Not really.
Take it from me. I didn’t have a certification to get my coaching business started. I still don’t have one, and my business makes eight figures.
And many product coaches are successful without one.
For example, entrepreneur Jess Sherlock doesn’t have a product coach certification. However, she has over 10 years of experience as a product professional in B2B enterprises.
That said, some corporate clients may trust you more as a new coach if you have a certification.
But in my experience, most people just care about the transformation you can create for their businesses.
Bottom line: Consider getting a product coaching certification if it’s going to help you get work in your industry. But don’t hold yourself back from starting today if you have the skills.
For a little boost, check out this video:
Now, let’s talk about your coaching package.
3. Create and price a coaching package
At this point, you’re probably wondering how much you should charge for your first product coaching package.
Great question! My advice is not to overthink it. Your pricing will change as you gain more experience.
So, to start, I recommend my students price their coaching at $1,500 for a 3-month package.
Why $1,500? It’s enough for your clients to see it as a high-value service but not too high for a new coach.
Now, what should you include in your product coaching package?
It’s up to you, but many of my students go for one coaching session every two weeks, with a vision sprint session at the beginning and a retrospective analysis at the end.
Need a little more? This video will help you map out a coaching package that works for you and your clients:
4. Get your first clients
Now that you have a product coaching package ready to go, how do you find your first clients?
Here are some go-to methods:
- Networking: Send a simple email letting your network know you’re offering coaching services.
- Podcasts: Pitch yourself as a guest host on prominent podcasts in your industry
- LinkedIn: Post frequent eye-catching content on LinkedIn
As an example to the last one, product discovery coach Teresa Torres posts engaging and varied content on her LinkedIn page every day to attract potential clients.
You don’t have to post every day, but posting frequently and consistently is helpful.
Once you’ve booked your first client, it’s time to deliver. Let’s talk about how.
Get the Ultimate Guide
for building a
6-Figure Coaching Business so you can achieve more freedom!
5. Deliver your coaching
The key to excellent coaching is this: Transformation.
In other words, how do you help your clients get from A to B?
In product coaching, your work is data-led with tangible results. For example:
- Helping a startup find a product-market-fit
- Leading and strategizing the development of a new product
- Supporting a business as its product team expands
Through your coaching sessions, you’ll guide your clients to achieve those results you set out from the beginning.
Now, some product coaches work with individual product managers or leaders. But most work with the entire product team to align their vision and help them achieve their goals.
So, how does group coaching work?
Here’s a simple structure for your coaching sessions:
- Review progress and set a goal: Encourage the group to share where they’re at with the project and what support they need in the session
- Discuss challenges and provide solutions: Talk through the challenges in detail and give personalized advice for each one
- Create a vision: Use empathetic coaching techniques to help the team feel supported and motivated
- Recap the plan: Go over what you covered in the session and create a plan for the next week/month
Impactful, streamlined coaching sessions like these are what create real results for your clients.
Top product coaching certifications
I’ll be honest: There aren’t many product coaching certifications out there.
But you could get a coaching certification plus a product management or development certification to boost your credentials.
Either way, you’ll need to know what to look for. So, let’s start there.
How to choose a certification
To find the right product coach certification for you, consider the following:
- Reputation of the school/program
- Experience of the course leader
- Length of the program
- Online or in-person delivery
💡Tip: Pay extra attention to the length if you’re combining your product course with a coaching certification. It could take over two years to get certified.
With that said, here are three great product certifications to look into.
Blackblot Certified Product Coach™ program
Blackblot
If you’ve already completed the Blackblot Product Management Professional certification program, you’ll be able to apply to join the coaching program. Over a few short days, you’ll learn how to apply your knowledge in a coaching context.
Quick Facts:
- Delivery: Online
- Requirements: Must pass all six Blackblot Product Management Professional (BPMP) certification tests, among others
- Duration: Varies
- Price: Available on request
Product Management Certification
Pragmatic Institute
The Pragmatic Institute certification program consists of three 7-hour courses to give you a complete education in product management.
You start with Foundations, covering marketing and management fundamentals. After that, the Focus course hones your strategic thinking skills. Finally, the Build course focuses on product delivery.
Quick Facts:
- Delivery: Live online or in person
- Requirements: None
- Duration: 21 hours
- Price: $1,295 per course ($3,685 if enrolling in all three for the $200 discount)
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
Scrum Alliance
If you want to focus your product coaching on product owners and agile techniques, this Scrum Product Owner Certification could be for you. The course covers the business side of product development as well as the inner workings of scrums.
Quick Facts:
- Delivery: Live online
- Requirements: None
- Duration: Varies depending on instructor
- Price: Varies depending on instructor
Now, let’s talk about the benefits of product coaching.
What are the benefits of product coaching?
Wondering about the impact you’ll have on your clients’ businesses?
Here are some of the benefits you’ll provide:
- Faster growth: An improved product team can create products faster and speed up business growth
- Improved sales: You can advise businesses on how to improve current products for better sales projections
- Decreased time-to-market: Your productivity techniques and personalized strategy help businesses go to market faster
- Streamlined product team: Working with product leaders and team members creates a more efficient dynamic
- Better-run organizations: You can help new startups optimize their product team or support established businesses to create a better product workflow
- Happier customers: Using your industry expertise, you can help businesses get valuable insights and create the perfect products for their ideal customers
- Greater productivity: By holding your clients accountable, you help boost their motivation and maximize their performance
Now, what can you expect to earn in return? Read on to find out.
How much does a product coach earn?
As a niche, product coaching is pretty lucrative!
According to Glassdoor, the average salary is around $105,077 per year. ZipRecruiter puts it a little higher at $159,405 per year.
Of course, there are some variations depending on your industry, experience, and expertise. But as I say to my clients, this is just the baseline.
Your coaching salary has no ceiling if you build your own business.
Why? Because you set your own rates and work with the clients you choose.
If you market yourself to high-end clients who need your services, you can earn much more. All you need to do is follow the steps in this article and stay consistent.
Get the Ultimate Guide
for building a
6-Figure Coaching Business so you can achieve more freedom!
Next steps
And there you have it! That’s how you become a product coach and take your career to new heights.
So, are you ready to start putting these steps into practice?
My blueprint for creating a six-figure business will help.
It gives you a foolproof step-by-step process to create a fun and fulfilling business that frees you from the 9-5 for good!
Read more:
How to Become a Leadership Coach