Have you ever considered trying to start your own coaching business? (A career coach, a fitness coach, a relationship coach, a leadership coach, anything like that?)

You might be the kind of person who’s naturally gifted in helping others, but you don’t want to become a pastor or a psychotherapist, so going into coaching feels like a perfect next step for your career.

Coaching can be an AMAZING career fit for many people -- and there’s a huge need for actually good coaches out there -- but there are a lot of realities about pursuing it as a full-time career path that you’ll want to know before you quit your job and start the business. Being in love with the dream of calling yourself a coach can be very different from truly having a passion for the day-to-day life of being one.

For example, how much do you enjoy sales conversations? Working for yourself is an eat-what-you-kill kind of job, so you’re going to spend a TON of time bringing in clients so you can keep the lights on and pay the bills.

And, how much time out of your week would you estimate you’ll be on the phone with coaching clients? Whatever you’re guessing, guess again and listen to this podcast episode with Marc Mawhinney to hear about what it was like for him (and for Scott) in building their coaching businesses.

On this episode, you’ll learn how Marc got into coaching (and the books that have been his biggest inspiration), how building a coaching business is a bit like being a modern-day caveman, how to ensure you’re not getting paid in meatballs, and how to decide when (or if) you need a coaching certification.

If you think you might be interested in becoming a career coach, check out this guide we put together:

The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Career Coach