Reader Career Question: How to Start a Life Coaching Business ...

by Nicole Crimaldi on April 2, 2012

Dear Nicole,?

I recently graduated with my Masters?of Education degree in Psychology. What I?m being advised to do by many is to go on and pursue a Phd, but I don?t want to become an academic- I want to become a life coach.?

The PhD would not let me be creative and I?ve been needing that in my life, hence why I started my blog.?I share my experiences and the lessons I have learned to help empower others to live their best lives.?I?m kind of stuck as I don?t know how to turn my vision into reality.

Therefore, my question for you is, what advice would you have for a new graduate looking to turn their vision into reality.? How did you start?

Thanks, Arianna?

Hi Arianna,

Thanks so much for your question and for reading Ms. Career Girl! ?It?s funny, I frequently receive career questions like yours right after people graduate from college ?or complete their graduate studies. ?It?s like people have an ?expectations hangover? once they get out there and realize the career path they chose is not exactly what they thought it would be like. ?Then the guilt follows about spending so much money and time on a program that may not have led them to a role they love?

I?m assuming that with a Masters in Psychology you can go on to become a licensed therapist or counselor of some kind? ?If so, I would pursue that route and obtain all the hours/testing you need to become a?licensed therapist. ?As you may know, currently there are ?no legal barriers to becoming a life coach. ?This means that anyone could technically hang a shingle and call themselves a life coach?that doesn?t mean they will be good at it though! ?Your advantage is that ?you?ve already completed the most credible type of education your field offers and people trust it. ?Use that to your advantage in giving your life coaching clients peace of mind while adding a new angle to your practice.

Define your brand:

• What makes you and your practice different?
• Since you have a background in education, determine if you would be interested in TEACHING others how to become a life coach. ?This could be a whole separate area of your business or a business in itself.
• What can you offer to your patients that other therapists cannot? ?(ex: perhaps you will offer group coaching, local workshops, e-products and/or 6-month step-by-step program options)
• Who is your perfect client? Write it down in a ?living? document that you check back with frequently (perhaps on your desk top or on a google doc).
• ?Where do your ideal clients hang out and how can you reach them (online and off)?

Once you define these very?important?branding questions, you can create your online presence around your brand and start creating great online content that will attract your ideal customers to your unique life coaching practice.

10 Steps to Build your Life Coaching Business

1. Start with a clear goal and then make a plan and process around it. ?For example, if your goal is to bring in $3,000 in revenue per month, how are you going to do it? ?You will need to bill X hours at $Y per hour. ?Or, you will need to sell X e-products at $Y each. ?Perhaps it?s a combination. ?Find out what your numbers are first. ?Then create a coaching program and/or a product that will get you there.
2. Check out what other successful coaches are doing to get ideas for YOUR business model. ?I highly recommend checking out Michelle Ward, Michael Port?and Christine Hassler.
3. Teach local classes for free to meet new prospects and test out your products/services.??I highly recommend looking into teaching via?Dabble.co?if it is in your area. This is a great way to see if your group workshops & coaching programs have legs and if people will pay for them. ?It?s also a great way to iron out kinks in your curriculum without much too much risk.
4. Once you crystallize what your products/services are, create free e-books, white papers or webinars that prospects can download by filling out a short form/submitting their email address. ?Not only are you?giving?these people premium content at no cost, you are answering their questions and therefore indirectly building a relationship with them. ?You are also gathering prospects??contact information so that you can contact them and see if your services are a good fit.
5. After you create your free content online, make sure your website has clear ?Call to Action? buttons so people can easily see the added value you are giving.? For example you will need several places people can fill out a contact form, get a free coaching session, download a free e-book on living your best life, etc. ?The more places you have to?capture?information and share more about your products/services and brand, the more likely you will be to set yourself up for success.
6. Update your blog frequently.??When you write blog posts, think about what people might be Googling in order to find you. ?Remember that most people go online to get their questions answered. ?How can your blog posts answer your prospects questions?
7. List your services in several free local business directories. ?People are always searching for great therapists and/or life coaches. ?They will often start with local directories, especially those in which you have a high rating in (like Yelp).
8. Make sure you are active and strategic on Twitter. ?Use tools like Tweet Deck to set up searches for people who may ?be looking for your services. ?For example you could set up a search for ?need a life coach? and then respond with an introduction at their time of need. ?I also recommend participating in TweetChats around self-improvement, personal development and wellness ? there are tons!
9. Guest post on other blogs and make sure your bio and a link back to your site is there. ?The more targeted audiences you can reach the better. ?Offer great advice and be sure to be clear of what your services are in your bio.
10. Add videos to your website. ?In the field of life coaching, it?s all about trusting the person you?re telling your secrets (and giving your money) to. ?By posting videos that give people added value you are giving them a sampling of what it would be like to work with you. ?Your personality and style will be great for your business and the best way to capture it is to do short videos and post them for?everyone?to see.

I hope my tips get you one stop closer to making your dream of becoming a life coach a reality! ?Think like a business woman, have a great offering and make sure your inbound marketing strategy online is set. ?You?ll be great and won?t even have to go get that phd!

Good luck!

Nicole Crimaldi

Article by Nicole Crimaldi

Nicole Crimaldi is the founder of Ms. Career Girl: a passion project which led her out of "Corporate America" and into life as an entrepreneur. Today Nicole owns MCG Media, Inc. a digital content creation service offering strategic SEO-friendly content for websites, blogs, social media and PR campaigns. Nicole lives in Chicago with her fiance Thano and her yellow lab Giada. Tweet with Nicole @MsCareerGirl.

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the necromantic (aka roman) catholic church and black majick: the living dead series

The relic (a part of the dead body) of Pope John Paul II has been brought to Nigeria to offer the Catholic faithful and other interested individuals in Lagos the opportunity of venerating and touching it for possible miracles. At the Our Mother of Perpetual Parish, Amuwo Odofin, the relic was exposed on Monday, and after series of prayers and songs, people filed out in twos to venerate and touch the relic.

Speaking on the occasion, the priest in charge of the parish, Reverend Father John Okoro, said the relic was brought to Nigeria as part of processes to undergo before a saint is finally canonized.

According to him, the relic is part of the body, or personal effect of a person that was preserved for the purpose of using it to determine if the person would be finally canonized. He said the relic would be taken round the whole world. And that as it continues the journey, miracles that happen would be recorded for onward transition to the Vatican in Rome for proper screening and documentation.

In an interview with Director of Social Communication, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Reverend Monsignor Osu said that in religion, relic means part of a saint, venerated person or else another type of ancient religious object carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial. He also said that venerating relics come from the cognition of many martyrs, who shed their blood for the sake of the faith, which serves as reminder that the death of Christ brings hope of eternal life.

According to Osu, part of the late Pope?s relic that is in the country is his blood that was tapped, and preserved when he was shot in Vatican City, Rome.

Reverend Osu also expressed optimism that the coming of the Pope?s relic would bring signs, wonders and miracles to Nigeria, especially now that the country is facing various difficulties.

During the veneration at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Amuwo Odofin, Sunday Sun witnessed a young lady, Joy Ibezim, who screamed, fell and rolled on the floor after touching the relic. But when asked what she experienced, she said she could not explain as she did not know because she lost consciousness.

The relic is expected to tour the whole world after which the miracles recorded during veneration would be collated to determine possible canonization.

It would be recalled that Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria twice in 1982 and 1998, respectively.

By CHUKS EZE

Daily Sun March 25 2012

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Chevron Phillips Chemical to build 1-hexene plant

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womensweardaily: British golfer Melissa Reid has been tapped as the ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger?s women?s golf line: http://t.co/3eVRPUc6

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British golfer Melissa Reid has been tapped as the ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger?s women?s golf line: bit.ly/HqCeFH il y a environ 15 heures via HootSuite Retweeted by 6 people

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Warmest March on record for dozens of cities

David Goldman / AP

Pollen, one of the downsides of the early spring, litters the sidewalk outside the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga., on March 20. A record high pollen count of 9,369 particles of pollen per cubic meter was measured in metro Atlanta that day.

By msnbc.com staff

Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET: In states from Colorado to Florida,?more than 50?cities saw their warmest March on record, weather.com reported Sunday, citing National Weather Service data and its own research.

The list, compiled by weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce, shows that?a few cities in states as far west as Colorado and Wyoming saw records. But the vast majority were in the central U.S. and the South. Large cities on the list include Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Washington D.C.

---

?"Chicago and Milwaukee defeated their previous March records by 4.9 and 4.8 degrees, respectively," noted Dolce on weather.com. "That's a pretty amazing margin considering this is a monthly average and records in both cities date back to 1871!"

Allergy season is in full swing, and much earlier than usual after a spate of warm weather. Pollen levels are now reaching dangerously high levels in Atlanta, Ga. NBC's Chris Jansing reports.

"It was nearly a record warm March in New York City, Philadelphia and Denver," he added, "however they came up just short and will finish in second place" in the record books.

Below's the state-by-state look:

Colorado
Burlington

Florida
Tampa
Sarasota

Georgia
Atlanta

Ohio
Akron
Youngstown
Toledo
Mansfield

Illinois
Chicago
Quincy

Indiana
Indianapolis
Evansville

Kansas
Goodland

Kentucky
Paducah
London
Jackson

Louisiana
Monroe
Shreveport

Maine
Portland

Minnesota
Rochester
Minneapolis
Duluth
International Falls
St. Cloud

Michigan
Detroit
Flint
Saginaw
Muskegon
Lansing
Grand Rapids

Missouri
St. Louis
Kansas City
Columbia
Springfield
Vichy-Rolla
West Plains

Nebraska
McCook

New Hampshire
Concord

New Jersey
Trenton
Atlantic City

New York
Albany
Buffalo
Rochester

Ohio
Cleveland

Oklahoma
Oklahoma City

Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Mount Pocono
Allentown
Erie

South Carolina
Florence

South Dakota
Rapid City

Tennessee
Nashville

Texas
Tyler
Longview

Vermont
Burlington

Wisconsin
La Crosse
Milwaukee
Madison
Eau Claire

West Virginia
Beckley
Parkersburg
Huntington

Wyoming
Riverton

Washington, D.C.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

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US women seek football revenge against Japan

By ERIC TALMADGE

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 12:50 p.m. ET March 31, 2012

SENDAI, Japan (AP) -It was one of those games - one of those really big games - that just doesn't sit right for U.S. women's football coach Pia Sundhage.

As far as she is concerned, her team played better than Japan in last year's World Cup final. She still thinks they should have won.

Now, she is looking ahead to the Olympics. And again, Japan is on her mind.

"We have something to prove every time we play Japan," Sundhage said Saturday ahead of a matchup between the two rivals at the Kirin Challenge Cup on Japan's home turf.

The exhibition tournament features three of the top four-ranked teams in the world. The U.S. national team is ranked No. 1 just ahead of Germany, while Japan is No. 3. The other team competing for the title, Brazil, is No. 4.

The U.S. women's squad, which plays Japan on Sunday, goes into the match the favorite. They have a solid record against the Japanese - 22-1-4 - but have lost some big ones lately.

In the victory that made them national heroes, the Japanese team came from behind twice and held on to better the U.S. women in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw to win the World Cup final in Germany last summer. It was the team's first win over the United States, and came as the country was still coming to grips with the devastating earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the northern coastline of Japan in March last year.

"In the World Cup, I think we played better than Japan," Sundhage said. "I think we were a little bit unlucky."

But in their most recent game, the Japanese also won 1-0 on March 5 to advance to the final of the Algarve Cup in Portugal. The U.S. had to settle for third place, but went out strongly with a 4-0 win over Sweden. Japan lost the final to Germany.

Both teams are now looking ahead to the Olympics, which start in July in London.

"We are ready and well," Sundhage said. "I don't think we are as well connected as we will be for the Olympics. We are building up for that."

Japan's coach, Norio Sasaki, said his team is at it peak, although it will be playing without star midfielder Homare Sawa, the FIFA women's world player of the year.

"This is a really important chance for us to beat the United States and Brazil ahead of the Olympics," he said. "They are both great teams."

Sundhage said her team will be focused on playing an aggressive game and will try to keep possession of the ball so that they do not have to defend as much against the Japanese, who are a highly skilled, technical squad.

"One thing is absolutely clear - they have always been a technical team, and they are a more physical team today," she said.

After Sunday's opener, the U.S. plays Brazil on Tuesday. The final game, Brazil vs. Japan, is on Thursday.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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??LONDON (AP) -Manchester City missed the chance to put pressure on Premier League leader Manchester United on Saturday when it stumbled to a 3-3 draw against Sunderland that ended its record winning streak.

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3 winners, over 100 million Mega Millions losers

RED BUD, Ill. (AP) ? The Mega Millions winners ? at least three of them ? stayed out of sight. The losers, who could number 100 million, had plenty to say Saturday about losing out on the world's largest-ever lottery jackpot and their dashed dreams of colossal wealth.

Journalists descended on convenience stores in Illinois and Maryland, and lottery officials there and in Kansas proudly proclaimed they sold winning tickets in the $640 million world record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot. The winners will earn $213 million before taxes. Three other ticket holders became millionaires.

But on the street, online and outside the stores where the winners had purchased their tickets, Americans grumbled about hopes that were raised, and then vanished. And they mused about what they would have done with the money.

"What do I do with this useless lottery ticket now?" Laurel Ashton Brooks of Greensboro, N.C., asked on Twitter.

As the jackpot got bigger by the hour on Thursday and Friday, Americans had snapped up tickets while dreaming of quitting jobs, paying off debts, building hospitals, buying an island. On Saturday, they took to Twitter and Facebook to bemoan their lost, razor-thin chance at millions.

"I knew that when I bought the ticket, that I wouldn't win. But I did it anyhow," said Sean Flaherty, a video game tester in New York City. "The whole notion of 'what if' still has some currency with me."

Even President Barack Obama's re-election campaign tapped into the widespread lottery letdown. It sent a fundraising email with the subject "Jackpot" that began: "Yeah, we didn't either. So we're still at."

All told, Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sum and around $347 million after federal tax withholding. With the jackpot odds at 1 in 176 million, it would cost $176 million to buy up every combination. Under that scenario, the strategy would win $171 million less if your state also withholds taxes.

Illinois' winner used a quick pick ? an automatically generated set of digits ? to select the winning numbers at a convenience store in the small town of Red Bud, south of St. Louis, Illinois Lottery spokesman Mike Lang said. The winning numbers also were purchased at a 7-Eleven in Milford Mill, Md., north of Baltimore, and somewhere in northeast Kansas.

"It's just unbelievable. Everyone is wanting to know who it is," said Denise Metzger, manager of the MotoMart where Illinois' winning ticket was sold.

"All day yesterday I was selling tickets and I was hoping someone from Red Bud would win. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this. I'm just tickled pink," added Metzger, whose store will receive $500,000 for selling the winning ticket, lottery officials said.

Paramedic Dan Parrott walked away from the store with $5 in winnings after checking numbers on his $40 worth of tickets. That won't pay for the new house, new car and the new ambulances he'd decided the jackpot would help him buy in this farming community of 3,700 about 40 miles south of St. Louis.

"I'd love to have all that money, but with all of that money comes responsibility," he said outside the store. "But it'd still be awesome."

James Sitzes emerged from the MotoMart where his check of his six plays flopped. "I bought them at the right place," he shrugged. "I just didn't have the right numbers."

"I've been thinking for years what I'd do with all that money," said Sitzes, 70. He'd pay off the house, invest the rest and give away his small plating shop.

In Maryland, TV cameras descended upon the 7-Eleven where the state's winning ticket was purchased. The harried manager repeatedly said "No interviews" to reporters pressing for details as customers pushed through the media crush for their morning coffee.

Nyeri Murphy, holding two scratch-off tickets, said she normally plays Powerball but drove to a nearby county to buy $70 worth of Mega Millions tickets this week. "I should have bought them here," she said.

Maryland does not require lottery winners to be identified; the Mega Millions winner can claim the prize anonymously. The store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which was purchased Friday night.

The third winning ticket was purchased in northeast Kansas, but no other information would be released by the Kansas Lottery until the winner comes forward, spokeswoman Cara S. Sloan-Ramos said. The Kansas location that sold the ticket will receive $10,000.

No winner had contacted the agency by Saturday morning, Kansas Lottery Director Dennis Wilson said. "We sure want to meet the winner, but we want to tell them, sign the back of the ticket and secure it."

Kansas law also allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, though lottery winners in Illinois are identified.

The winning numbers in Friday night's drawing were 02-04-23-38-46, and the Mega Ball 23.

Maryland Lottery spokeswoman Carole Everett said the last time a ticket from the state won a major national jackpot was in 2008, when a ticket won for $24 million.

"We're thrilled," she said. "We're due and excited."

The holder of the winning ticket in Maryland has 182 days to come forward and claim the prize. Winners in Kansas and Illinois have up to one year; but if the Illinois winner wants to be paid in a lump sum, they have to come forward in 60 days, Lang said.

Even though just three tickets matched all the winning numbers, the jackpot made a millionaire of at least three other winners and gave a windfall to more than 100 others. Three ticket-holders won $1 million each, and 158 won $250,000 for matching the first five numbers drawn, said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association in Urbandale, Iowa.

The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.

For some, the dreams were enough. Katie Kapczynski bought her first-ever lottery ticket with a roommate at a Washington, D.C., gas station. The attendant had to show her how to buy one.

"We kind of went more for the experience than the 'what if'," she said.

On Saturday morning, Kapczynski, a visitor services manager at the Newseum who was in New York on vacation, had left her $6 in tickets behind at home.

She still doesn't know if she won.

___

Associated Press reporters Jeffrey McMurray and Jason Keyser in Chicago, Kasey Jones in Milford Mill, Md., John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., Samantha Gross in New York, Margery Beck in Omaha, Neb., and Ed Donahue in Washington contributed to this report.

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