Want to know how to become a mindset coach? 

You’re in the right place. Today, you’ll learn what it takes to start a successful mindset coaching business – one that lets you quit your job and build a business you love.

Want to learn more? Read on. 

What is a mindset coach?

A life and mindset coach is someone who helps people overcome their mindset blocks, boost their confidence, and gain clarity. 

And look:

Mindset is HUGE. I realized this when I started my own business. I’d see all these successful entrepreneurs, who’d done what I wanted to do (and way more), talking about the importance of mindset. 

That’s when I realized just how important mindset is, and not just for entrepreneurs. 

Let’s take an example: 

Your coaching client wants to overcome their old, limiting money beliefs. Someone might say things like, “I don’t believe I can earn more money than I already do” or “it’s hard to earn money.” These are hardwired beliefs many of us grow up with.

That’s where you step in as their mindset coach. You help your clients to reprogram their mindset and reframe their thoughts so that they can get past beliefs that are keeping them stuck. 

In the example above, you might help your coachee reframe their thoughts to, “it’s easy to make money” and “I can earn as much money as I want to.” And then they go on and earn more money.

Or, maybe they’re looking for help with their relationships, work, life goals… you name it. In other words, mindset coaching is a bit like life coaching. But as “life coaching” isn’t a great term in my opinion (which you can read more about in my post about life coaching), mindset coaching is much more descriptive. 

Ultimately, you as the coach help others transform their lives. Some common mindset coaching tools are neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), emotional freedom technique (EFT), and even hypnosis. 

Want to build your own 6-figure mindset coaching business? Get the free PDF:

Why should you become a mindset coach?

Mindset coaching is a powerful way to help people and feel fulfilled in your work. And coaching as a business model is a great way to create more freedom and flexibility in your life. You can sell your services at higher rates due to the personal and tailored service you offer. And it can all take place online so that your schedule stays flexible. 

You’re not alone in wanting to start a business. According to data by Intuit, almost half the workforce will be self-employed in the next few years. And mindset coaching is a great niche; IBISWorld reports that the life coaching industry is a $1 billion industry. 

The thing is: 

Reaching 6-figures and working less than 40 hours a week is completely doable. 

What it comes down to is, yes, your mindset and the business strategies you use. 

Who can become a mindset coach?

Anyone can become a mindset coach, as long as you have results that show you can help your clients. What do I mean? If you’ve helped someone, or yourself, transform their mindset and, that way, achieve their goals, you are qualified to be a mindset coach. 

That said, you DO need to improve your coaching skills.

How? I always recommend that my students offer a lower price to their first few clients. It’s a win-win situation; you learn how to coach and your clients get your help at a lower rate. 

That’s how you develop your coaching skills and master coaching.  

How much do mindset coaches make? 

There’s no cap on how much a mindset coach can earn. Many of my students make six-figures and more comfortably. While the average pay for coaches is $62,500/year in the US, your earnings really depend on how much you want to make. 

For instance, take my student Spencer. She worked for years in corporate until she started her own mindset coaching business. Today, Spencer makes three times what she used to make and loves her life as a mindset coach, helping entrepreneurs overcome mindset blocks that keep them from building their dream businesses. You can learn more about Spencer’s story here: 

How does a mindset coach help coaching clients? 

What are some of the tangible results clients get after working with you? 

A few include: 

….They make more money. 

.…They build better relationships.

….They find a job they love.

….They lose weight. 

….They take action instead of feeling overwhelmed.

….They build their motivation.

….They build their resilience.

….They become more confident. 

….They learn more about themselves and what they want or don’t want. 

Those are just a few examples, but you get the gist. 

For instance, an entrepreneur who wants to grow their business, something that requires a lot of personal development, could get results like these: 

…Releasing the guilt of making more money in a month than they used to in a year.

…Being able to handle all the things that come with making that much (like more visibility, customer support, leadership, energetics, emotions, and self-sabotage).

…Not self-sabotaging by getting in their head about how they’ll sustain the growth, do it again, or keep on doing it.

As a mindset coach, you help your clients achieve their goals. The best part? They can use what you teach them for the rest of their lives. 

That’s powerful! So, now you know what a mindset coach is. But how do you become one? Here’s what you need to know.

Want to build your own 6-figure mindset coaching business? Get the free PDF:

How do you become a mindset coach?

Becoming a mindset coach can seem like a big thing. You need to get certified, build a business, get clients… But the truth is: it doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, starting a business is pretty simple. (With “simple,” I don’t mean that you don’t need to work for it. You do. But it doesn’t have to be this overwhelming thing that seems impossible to achieve.)

Here’s how. 

Do you need to be certified to be a mindset coach? 

A question people always ask me when they’re thinking of becoming a mindset coach is, “Do I need to be a certified coach?”

First, what is a certified mindset coach? A certified coach is someone who has completed a paid coaching training program to receive a certification. Typically, those programs require you to coach for a certain number of hours and possibly take tests. 

But the thing is… You don’t need to go through a coach training program. Not as a mindset coach. (Note that there ARE coaching industries where a certification program is required, but these are typically health-related industries. Either way, make sure you are aware of any requirements in the niche you choose to coach in.)

As a mindset coach, you don’t offer therapy, claim to be an expert on psychology or promise to solve mental health issues. Instead, you help people to clarify and reframe their thoughts.

That’s why you don’t need to become a certified coach. That said, there are coaching certification programs out there, if you feel that you need to become certified first. 

In that case, go for a reputable company. The problem with many coaching training programs is that they aren’t created by authoritative organizations — and in the worst case, they don’t add any value at all. The best mindset coaching programs on the market are programs by authoritative companies such as the International Coach Federation.  

The cost for coach training programs typically ranges from $1,000-$5,000.

(Still not sure if a coach certification is for you? Take a look at this blog post that explains in more detail why a mindset certification program isn’t necessary.)

Now that you know why/why not you need a certification, let’s take a look at how you can create your business. 

How do you set up your mindset coaching business? 

How do you legally set up your business? 

My friend Lisa Fraley, a legal coach, is a great information source for setting up your business. I highly recommend that you get her program Sole Proprietor Biz Registration and Taxes and Legal Starter Kit for 1-on-1 Clients to get properly started. Both programs cover the basics of legally setting up a business and they can help you save hours of research.

In general, if you’re starting a business by yourself, you could start a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company (LLC).

You also need a coaching contract to send to your clients. 

That said, you DON’T need a website. Yes, it’s true. Most people assume they need a website to start their businesses… But you don’t. When you’re just starting out, no one will pay attention to your website. The right time to build one is when you have at least a few clients. 

I created my first website when I had made $20,000 as a coach. If someone asked to see my website before that, I’d just send them a link to my LinkedIn profile. 

What steps do you need to take to start your mindset coaching business?

Now you know how to become a certified coach (and why you don’t need to become one) and how to set up your business.

But how do you market your business? Get mindset coaching clients? That’s what we’ll look at next. 

Find a niche

First, you need a niche. Sure, mindset coaching as such is a niche. But to stand out, you need more.

How do you, specifically, help others? Who do you help? 

For instance, if you have a “secret sauce” you use in mindset coaching (like a methodology you’ve developed), you can use that to stand out.

Or if you serve a targeted audience, such as entrepreneurs, moms, women, or leaders, that’s your niche.

Get your first coaching clients

If you’re just starting your business, the first thing you need to focus on is to get your first few clients. 

Something to note here: I don’t recommend that you start coaching people for free. Treat your business like a real business! That said, unless you have a ton of coaching experience, you’ll likely want to reduce your rates upfront. 

A good baseline is to offer a 3-month coaching package for $1,500. When you’ve coached a few people and have some testimonials, you can raise your rates. 

But how do you find your clients? 

The easiest way when you’re new to coaching is to…

Tap into your network. Your network already trusts you, so start by exploring if there’s someone in your network you can help as a coach. The way I did this (at the time I was building a career coaching business) was to reach out to people I had previously given career advice to. I asked if they’d be interested in coaching and a few said yes — and I got my first clients. 

Build relationships on social media. The next step after you’ve let your network know about your coaching services is to turn to social media. And I mean specifically to communities online, such as Reddit subreddits or Facebook groups. 

Now, instead of joining a group and saying “I offer coaching, who wants to buy?”, build relationships first. Give as much value as you can and once you’re on people’s radars, you can take the discussion further. 

Guest post and podcast. Finally, get your name out there and build your brand as an expert by writing guest posts and getting featured on podcasts. There are plenty of sites in your industry that accept guest posts and podcasts that you can pitch to get featured.

The benefit of guest posts and podcasts is that you build your credibility fast. A reader or listener will trust you much faster because they already trust the platform where you share your thoughts. 

Choose ONE of these strategies and focus on mastering it. Once you have a few clients, you can take the next step: growing your business. 

I talk more about getting your first client in this short video:

Grow your coaching business

What do you do when you have a few coaching clients and are ready to grow your business? At this point, you should double down on what’s working for you (social media, podcasting… whatever strategy you’re using). 

And when you have a good income from your business, you’re ready to start scaling. This is the really exciting part! 

When you’re maxed out with coaching clients (which typically happens at around 10 private clients), the next step is to expand into a group coaching program and/or online mindset course to help more people at scale. 

That’s when you start thinking about setting up a sales funnel, Facebook ads, a webinar… All of that good stuff. But you first need to build your business to this point to scale it. 

Want to build your own 6-figure mindset coaching business? Get the free PDF:

How do you jump from a 9-5 into mindset coaching?

If you’re currently in a 9-5, you might be thinking, “All of this sounds good, but how will I have time to build my business while I’m working?”

I get it, your time is limited. But that’s where a mindset shift is needed — you have plenty of time to build your business. You see, you don’t need that much time to grow your coach business when you’re just starting out.

Schedule 15 to 30-minute time slots throughout the day. During this time you might reach out to people in your network, post social media posts, and respond to social media posts and comments. During weekends or when you have a bit more time on your hands, get bigger tasks done, such as writing social media posts and ultimately having sales calls.

That’s what I did as I was building my business and working a busy and demanding day job. Within four months, I had replaced my salary and was able to quit my job. Here are the mindset shifts I made to make it happen:

1. Take action – fast

My most successful students are fast action takers. They don’t get stuck thinking, “Is this really the right thing to do?” “Shouldn’t I try this or that strategy?” 

Instead, they focus on one strategy, do it well, and, most importantly, execute it at once. 

Those students who typically get the best results will ask me one thing on our calls and then, a few days or weeks later, share the progress they’ve made. 

Yes, sometimes you might focus on the “wrong” thing or “fail.” But in the end, failure and mistakes are part of your journey to build the life and business YOU want. 

2. Celebrate successes (instead of obsessing over future goals)

It’s so easy to get stuck in the trap of just focusing on your future goals. You think, “I’ve hit my goal and make $10,000 consistently every month… But now what? How do I get to $20,000?”

This thinking will only burn you out. Granted, your future goals are important. But remember to focus on what you’ve already achieved (even now, when you’re in your 9-5, you’ve probably achieved so much others could only dream of). Celebrate that!

3. Go from “will it work?” to “how do I make it work?”

Too often, people will say things like “will it work for me?” 

The answer is: of course it will. You just need to figure out how. Instead of getting stuck in that self-sabotaging mindset, always focus on what YOU can do to make things work for you. 

4. Be consistent 

Last but not least, if you work on your business sporadically, you’ll get sporadic results. Be consistent — every day. Early on, I promised myself that I’d build my business every day. And I did. I missed maybe one or two days here or there but in general, I was very consistent. 

That’s how I was able to grow trust and expertise fast. Thanks to my consistent posts on social media, people started noticing me, paying attention, and ultimately, buying from me.

Want more tips? Take a look at this quick video:

Next: 

Let’s take a look at how to coach your clients.

How do you coach your clients?

What’s coaching, really? How do you help your clients get results? 

The fact is that you learn coaching as you coach. You’ll notice what questions people typically have, where they get stuck, and so on. 

That said, there are a few principles you should know about coaching. 

Think of mindset coaching as mindset coach-sulting

First, while coaching traditionally has been more of a passive role that builds on coachees finding the answers themselves, nowadays coaching is turning more into what I call “coach-sulting.” In other words, a mix between coaching and consulting where you both let your client find answers and give answers to them.

The idea is not to make your client dependent on you (how will they manage after your work with them has ended?) so there’s a fine line here. But you can use your experience to help clients get closer to their goal, rather than to make them spend years on figuring it out. 

Here are a few more ideas on learning coaching:

Structure your coaching

Every call should be goal-oriented so that you have a sub-goal every month that moves your clients towards their overall goal. 

For instance: 

In discussions with you and in their welcome questionnaire, your client has said that their goal is to grow their business by 30% in the next few months.

Month 1 of your coaching with them could be all about fundamental mindset work, where your client gets used to doing the work and builds a habit. If you teach EFT, then you show them the foundations first and ensure that your clients understand and adopt EFT so that they can use this tool to coach themselves through challenges and obstacles. (All of that probably won’t happen in one month, though.)

During month 2, you might start working towards their goal more systematically. 

And month 3 is all about doubling down on their goal and bringing everything you’ve worked on together. 

See how that’s much more valuable than not having a structure at all? That’s how you help your clients get results. 

Mindset coaching call template

The next step? Hold a coaching call with this mindset coaching call template. 

Before the call

The best coaching calls start with a bit of prep before the call. Early on, when you’re not as confident as a coach, you might prepare more. Over time, you’ll need less and less prep time.

Before my first coaching call, I literally wrote out everything I wanted to say on that call. I’m not saying you have to do the same, but what I am saying is: do what you need to do to feel you’re giving your all as a coach. 

When you get more used to the questions your clients ask and the challenges they usually face, you’ll develop a coaching structure that doesn’t require as much preparation from you. 

During the call

One of your main jobs as a coach is to teach your clients how to communicate. After all, if they don’t share things with you, you can’t really help them. 

So show them how they can ask questions. For instance, ask them to share updates in a Slack or Facebook group or by emailing you and to talk through what they’re currently going through with you in between your calls.

A good question to ask on calls is “What can I give you some extra support with?” And “Some of the fears you mentioned in the beginning were (their fears). How are you feeling about this now?” 

After the call 

Coaching doesn’t just happen on the call. 

Record your calls so that your clients can refer back to them. And coach your clients in between calls, as well, by answering questions and checking in with your clients 

For example, when I did one-on-one coaching, I’d ask my clients to send me a summary of their work 24 hours before our calls. They’d answer questions like: 

• #1: What did you do this week?
• #2: What went well?
• #3. What do you want to focus on during this call? 

Want to learn more about what it takes to be a good coach? In this post, I look at what it takes to hold a really good coaching session. 

Over to you!

There you have it! Now you know how to become a mindset coach.

Mindset coaching is extremely impactful because you help people solve some of their biggest challenges. And building a business around it can afford you both freedom and flexibility to work when you want.

To learn more about what it takes to build that type of a business, I share my biggest learnings in this free guide: