Finding the right coaching niche can unlock the next step of your professional growth journey. There are so many different types of coaches in 2024 that cover almost every aspect of life from the creative to corporate, and even personal organisation.

Since early 2023, I’ve been working as a Writing and Creative Coach, partnering with an incredible range of clients to support them with their books, scripts, and blog posts. My work is ever-changing and challenging, but there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone achieve their goal.

Writing is my bread and butter, I love storytelling, and I love helping others to tell theirs. Finding the creative coaching niche allowed me to open new doors to my business and help others in a way I never previously expected.

Keep reading to learn:

1. What is Coaching?
2. How Does Coaching Work?
3. Eight Coaching Niches
4. How to Start a Coaching Business

What is Coaching?

A coach is a professional, expert, or trained individual who supports clients in reaching their personal or professional goals. This process typically involves regular sessions, which can be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on the client’s needs and progress.

A coach plays a pivotal role in guiding clients towards their ideal career, life, or relationships by developing and supporting them through a long-term action plan. They listen attentively, ask insightful questions, and provide valuable feedback to help their clients overcome obstacles and stay focused on their path.

Most coaches specialise in a particular niche related to their career, qualifications, or specific life experience. They’ll work with clients looking to follow in their footsteps and draw on their knowledge and experience to encourage meaningful progress in this specific area of focus.

What is Coaching Not?

Coaching, no matter the niche, typically involves establishing trust with clients who may choose to volunteer their vulnerabilities to you. If you’re considering coaching, it’s essential to understand that coaching is not, and should never be, considered a form of therapy.

While both coaching and therapy aim to support individuals in their personal growth, they serve different purposes and operate within utterly different frameworks. Therapy is a medical practice that requires board certification and qualifications. It delves into a person’s past to address psychological issues and heal emotional wounds.

Coaching, on the other hand, should be focused on setting and achieving specific goals through actionable steps. It is not concerned with a client’s physical or mental wellbeing and any client that expresses unease in these areas should be immediately referred to a medical professional.

Remote Coaching vs Traditional Coaching

In a traditional coaching setting, clients attend in-person sessions at a coach’s home or office. Although some communication may happen via phone or email, the majority of their conversations will be limited to the allotted in-person time.

In contrast, virtual coaching sessions are conducted via video call from anywhere in the world. With remote coaching, you can reach a diverse range of clients, offering your expertise and support without the constraints of location. This opens up a world of opportunities, enabling you to connect with individuals who might otherwise be unable to access your services. It’s about making coaching more inclusive and tailored to the unique needs of each client.

How Does Coaching Work?

Coaching works through a coach and client meeting regularly to follow a progress plan and move closer to the client’s goals. The coaching journey usually begins with a free consultation session used for both the coach and client to get to know one another and decide if they might be a good fit moving forward. From there, the coach will send the client a contract and schedule the first session.

This initial coaching session typically revolves around the client’s short, medium, and long-term goals, with the coach introducing ideas for a progress plan. Every coach is different, but many will set ‘homework’ between sessions to ensure the client is continuing their progress outside of their time together.

During each session, a coach will review previous goals and allow the client to reflect on their recent challenges or wins. Some coaches prefer to stick to a rigorous coaching plan for each session, with others opting for a client-led approach in which they allow the client to lead conversations based on their needs.

Benefits of Coaching

Coaching is an amazing option for those wanting to use their experience to help clients in a measurable and meaningful way.

For coaches, running a coaching business allows you to be your own boss and run your own business. It is a rewarding career that is perfect for those looking to exercise strong communication and problem-solving skills with a variety of challenges. Every day as a coach is different and you never know what unlocks you might be able to support a client through.

For clients, coaching can encourage you to expand your horizons. It encourages you to invest in yourself and start the journey towards living a better and more fulfilling life. Coaching creates a safe space to explore new and different paths, as well as builds a relationship with someone who truly believes in you and wants you to win.

Eight Coaching Niches

Performance Coaching

Performance coaching targets individuals aiming to excel in their current roles, focusing on identifying areas for improvement and developing skills aligned with specific goals to enhance professional growth and advancement. Performance coaching can be conducted within a company or team to help support a team member in reaching the next level of their career.

Creative Coaching

Creative coaches collaborate with clients to unleash their creative potential, fostering accountability, and helping them stay true to their creative endeavours. This coaching niche builds confidence in expressing their unique creative voice either through a specific medium or a client’s creative process.

Leadership Coaching

Leadership coaching is targeted at CEOs, managers, and founders to support their journey with people management. It works to identify weaknesses in both their team and leadership strategies to better approach problem-solving and bring out the best in each individual working under them. Leadership coaches will also support their clients through the obstacles of confidence, crisis management, and making difficult decisions.

Life Coaching

Life coaching embraces a holistic approach, guiding clients to align their present lives with their future aspirations. It covers a wide range of areas, touching on relationships, career goals, fitness, and overall well-being. By considering every aspect of life, life coaching helps create a balanced and fulfilling journey towards your dreams.

Career Coaching

Career coaching supports individuals navigating career transitions by aligning their future aspirations with actionable steps in the present. It provides guidance in creating a strategic plan, preparing for interviews, and navigating professional changes effectively. Career coaching is highly specialised and usually conducted by those with experience in recruiting, HR, and management.

Executive Coaching

Executive Coaches specialize in working with top-tier professionals, such as executives, CEOs, and company founders. They provide vital support to navigate the complexities of leadership, execute corporate strategies, and foster a more cohesive and productive workplace environment.

Executive Function Coaching

Executive function coaching is tailored for individuals who struggle with organizing, planning, and managing time effectively. This form of coaching aims to enhance executive functions such as goal setting, prioritization, and task management. An executive function coach collaborates closely with clients to identify challenges, develop personalized strategies, and establish routines that optimize productivity and efficiency.

Writing Coaching

Writing coaching is a specialised niche that is typically project-based. Writing coaches (like myself), work with clients to find their inner voice and complete dream projects such as books, memoirs, and personal blogs. A writing coach supports their clients through writer’s block and self-doubt and acts as an accountability partner to ensure they do not lose sight of their goals.

Read more in my post, ‘What is a Writing Coach‘.

How to Start a Coaching Business

1. Find Your Niche: Consider your personal and professional experience, qualifications, and knowledge. Explore which niche you feel the most passionate about working within and research coaches already working in that industry.
2. Education: Consider completing a course or certification that aligns with your niche and experience level before pursuing coaching. While there isn’t a singular coaching board, numerous companies provide comprehensive coaching courses designed to teach you how to create meaningful coaching experiences and establish a successful coaching career.
3. Skill Building: Coaching requires a variety of skills to support your specific experience, the most important being communication. Spend time strengthening skills such as multitasking, problem-solving, and even sales before undertaking the task of launching your own business.
4. Create Your Online Presence: To find clients, you need a strong online presence. Build a website to market your niche, consider launching a blog to share your coaching insights, and use Social Media to grow an audience or other coaches and potential clients.
5. Start Selling Your Services: To attract clients as a coach, you must actively promote your services and establish your presence. Begin by informing friends and family about your coaching business and offer complimentary sessions in exchange for testimonials to showcase online. Utilise LinkedIn to share your coaching practice and connect with individuals in your network who might benefit from your services.

My career as a writing coach has gifted me some of the most rewarding, important, and inspirational work of my life. I adore my clients and am so grateful to get to watch them grow and build in confidence.

If you are interested in becoming a coach but don’t know where to start, check out my Coaching Services or feel free to Get in Touch – I’m always happy to help guide new and aspiring coaches on their first steps in this new career!