How to Set Up Your Health Coaching Business in 8 Easy Steps: Tips from an Experienced Wellness Coach  By Victoria P. Davis, NBC-HWC, CPT and AFPA Advanced Health Coaching Intensive Faculty Member Setting up a health coaching business is like embarking on a grand adventure filled with excitement and trepidation. As a board-certified health coach (though this wasn’t always the case), I’ve traversed this path myself, transitioning from practitioner to mentor with the guidance of expert coaches who helped shape my journey and philosophy.  Starting as a health coach for a non-profit organization, then going out on my own as a health coach, and now running a department for a global digital fitness and well-being app, I’ve learned firsthand the intricacies of coaching, navigating the complexities of client care, and managing a business.  As you navigate starting a health coaching business, you will likely have questions, doubts, and a desire for guidance. You might be wondering…  How do I build a thriving practice from the ground up?   What strategies will set me apart in a crowded market?   How am I going to get clients?   What can I do beyond working 1:1 with clients?   How can I balance the demands of entrepreneurship with genuine care for my client’s well-being?  I too have worked through these questions and more during my career, so I’m excited to provide some helpful advice for working through them and establishing a thriving health coaching business.  Setting up a successful health coaching business requires careful planning and execution. So, I’ve outlined eight important steps to help you set up your health coaching business with success. Let’s get into it!  8 Steps to Setting Up Your Health Coaching Business  Step 1: Define Your Niche Market  Step 2: Obtain Certification  Step 3: Clarify Your Goals and Vision for Your Life  Step 4: Automate What You Can with Systems  Step 5: Establish Legal Protection and Become Legitimate  Step 6: Set Your Prices in the Interest of the Client and Coach  Step 7: Seek Out Collaboration Opportunities and Alternative Streams of Income  Step 8: Accept Change and Let It Drive You Forward  Step 1: Define Your Niche Market  After working as a corporate health coach and learning to develop programming, my sister and I branched out independently and specialized in health coaching for endurance and plant-based athletes.  We focused on this niche because they were like us—we could relate! A significant partnership soon followed with Jabz Boxing (called Jabz Boxing Fitness for Women at the time), where we developed group challenges for all members nationwide and offered our health coaching services to interested clients.  The more you niche down and focus on who you can help, the more people will want to work with you.  Here are some examples of defining your target audience:  If you want to coach clients directly:  “I help new mothers struggling to regain their pre-pregnancy health levels.”   “I help endurance athletes stay on track in every area of their life so they can face the mental challenge of each race and finish well.”  If you want to work with businesses or existing health coaches:  “I help aspiring or existing health coaches get clear on their niche and provide them with the tools to be successful in the long run.”   “I work with businesses to develop and implement well-being strategies that make sense for their culture and employee demographic while helping employees develop consistent, life-changing, healthy habits.”  Key Takeaway:  Don’t be afraid to niche down. Narrowing your potential client base feels counterintuitive, but it will fuel a thriving health coaching business where you get to work with people you care about.  Step 2: Obtain Certification  Getting clear on who I helped as a coach forced me to narrow my focus and attracted more clients. However, I still needed more tools to better serve people.  Before obtaining my credentials, I leaned heavily on my entrepreneurial upbringing. My father taught me to “fall forward” and learn on the fly.  When I started health coaching in 2015 for a large non-profit organization that supported dozens of corporate wellness programs, I did not realize the importance of certification for health coaches.  I was a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist but knew little about health coaching or health coaching certification. I was ignorant about the power of transformative tools like motivational interviewing and behavior change theory.  It wasn’t until I discovered there were National Board Certification Approved Courses for Health Coaches under the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) that I felt I had found what was missing.  If you’re interested in pursuing a career in health coaching, I advise enrolling in and getting certified through an NBHWC-approved health coach training program, like AFPA’s Certified Master Health Coach Program.  By doing so, you will discover whether or not you want to sit for the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching exam. Passing the exam earns you the esteemed title of National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and demonstrates the highest level of training and ability in the field of health coaching.  Whether you pursue a board certification or not, obtaining a legitimate health coaching certification in today’s world is a must. When I first started my career in health coaching, companies overlooked me because of my lack of credentials, even with all my experience. When I finally landed a gig, I wasn’t paid as much as others with quality certifications. Moving forward, I committed to creating a health coaching business that worked for me and would allow me to truly help others by working out of my passions and areas of strength.  Key Takeaways:  Get clear on who you want to help.  Get your health coach certification, and consider an NBHWC-Approved Training Program to get board certified.  Learn How to Set Yourself Apart as a Board-Certified Health Coach Step 3: Clarify Your Goals and Vision for Your Life   If you take away nothing else from this blog, today, take this with you—the most important thing you can and should do … Continue reading How to Set Up Your Health Coaching Business in 8 Easy Steps: Tips from an Experienced Wellness Coach