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If you’re wondering how to pick a life-coaching niche you will love, it’s essential to reflect on your transferrable skills.
Transferrable skills are the unique tools, experience, and education (formal and informal) you’ve gained over the years.
Of course, you could always try a new niche. Maybe it’s something you’ve always been interested in.
For example, if you’re a retired nurse, you might be interested in becoming a wellness coach. If you have years of experience working in finance, your goal might be to become a financial coach.
In that case, you should be ready to update your resume with certification courses and practical experience.
In this blog post, I’ll discuss the importance of choosing the right coaching niche. There’s a questionnaire embedded in this blog post to help you reflect on your past experience and goals.
Frankly, the faster you decide on a niche that will work for you, the faster you will build a successful business in a competitive coaching industry.
Keep reading to learn more about how to choose the best life coach niche for you.
Why Choosing the Right Life Coaching Niche Matters
There’s a good chance that if you’re wondering how to pick a life coaching niche, you probably have some questions that need to be answered.
That’s why I created a questionnaire (scroll further down) to help you get started.
The questionnaire will ask you to reflect on your skills, experience, talent, and education. Why reinvent the wheel if you’re already a wealth of information on a specific topic.
Read the linked post below to get more information on how to launch your new coaching business!
I’ve listed the most popular niches in a different article, which you can read here:
9 Success Tips on How to Become a Life Coach Over 50
Choosing your niche will help you focus on your target audience, tailoring your marketing message to attract the right clients.
Having a specific niche helps coaches address particular problems faced by a specific group of people.
Finding the perfect niche will lead to more fulfilling work with clients who are, ultimately, a good fit for what you have to offer.
Questionnaire: How to Pick a Life Coaching Niche You Will Love
This questionnaire will help you do a little soul-searching and should reveal an understanding of your true strengths and passions.
People often need to remember about the informal learning they’ve gathered through work and life experience, but these are all tools available to you.
All answers to the following questionnaire are correct. Instead, it’s designed to provide self-reflection and clarity.
Take some time to reflect on your answers, journal, and evaluate how your skills, interests, and passions can translate into a reward life coaching practice.
The best way to complete this questionnaire is by opening Goodnotes or another writing tool where you can expand on your thoughts for more clarity.
Personal and Professional Experience
- What is your professional background? Describe any roles or industries you’ve worked in that you enjoyed.
- What are three skills you have developed through your work or life experiences that you feel most confident in?
- Have you overcome any significant challenges or made personal transformations in your life (e.g., health, career change, relationships, finances)? If so, what were they?
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW AND FIND OUT WHAT KRISTA WHICH SHE’D KNOWN BEFORE STARTING A LIFE COACHING NICHE.
What type of work do you find naturally fulfilling and why?
- Helping others solve problems
- Organizing and planning
- Motivating others to reach their goals
- Providing emotional support and guidance
- Teaching and mentoring
Interests and Passions
Which of these topics are you most passionate about? (Choose up to three)
- Personal development and self-improvement
- Health and wellness
- Relationships and family
- Career development and transitions
- Financial stability and growth
- Spiritual growth and fulfillment
- Productivity and time management
Who do you find yourself drawn to helping most? (Select one or more)
- Young adults or recent graduates
- Individuals seeking career transitions
- People facing relationship challenges
- Entrepreneurs and business owners
- People looking to improve physical or mental health
- Retirees or people navigating life transitions
- Other (please specify)
How important is it to you that your work has a direct, positive impact on people’s lives?
- Very important
- Moderately important
- Somewhat important
- Not very important
Ideal Client and Target Audience
Who would you feel most fulfilled coaching? (Choose all that apply)
- Individuals needing career advice
- Entrepreneurs and business owners
- Couples or individuals needing relationship support
- People focusing on health and wellness
- Those seeking a better work-life balance
- Individuals exploring personal finances
- People on a spiritual journey
What type of people do you relate to best? (Check any that apply)
- Driven and goal-oriented individuals
- People seeking personal growth
- People undergoing major life transitions
- Those looking for emotional support and understanding
- Individuals looking to create a more organized, balanced life
- Other (please specify)
What age group do you feel you connect with most? (Select one)
- Teens and young adults (15-25)
- Young professionals (25-40)
- Mid-life adults (40-60)
- Seniors (60+)
Coaching Style
Which of the following best describes your coaching style? (Select up to two)
- Practical and goal-oriented
- Empathetic and supportive
- Analytical and problem-solving
- Motivational and inspiring
- Intuitive and spiritual
- Strategic and business-focused
Which activities would you be most interested in as part of your coaching work? (Select up to three)
- One-on-one coaching sessions
- Group workshops and seminars
- Online coaching programs
- Creating educational content (e.g., e-books, courses)
- Hosting webinars or virtual meetups
- Networking and connecting with other coaches and clients
How comfortable are you with marketing and promoting yourself as a coach?
- Very comfortable
- Somewhat comfortable
- Neutral
- Somewhat uncomfortable
- Very uncomfortable
Goals for Your Coaching Business
What is your primary goal in becoming a coach? (Choose one)
- To help people and make a positive impact
- To achieve financial independence
- To create a flexible career aligned with my passions
- To become an expert in a specific area
- Other (please specify)
Are you interested in building a niche with high demand and profitability, even if it requires additional learning or training?
Yes, I’m willing to learn and adapt.
Somewhat, as long as it aligns with my interests.
No, I prefer to stick to areas I already know well.
How do you envision your coaching business in the future? (Select all that apply)
- Working full-time as a coach
- Maintaining a part-time practice alongside another job
- Building a scalable business with multiple revenue streams (e.g., courses, books, workshops)
- Establishing a small, highly focused coaching practice
Reflection on Potential Niches
Reflecting on your responses, which of these coaching niches do you feel most excited about? (Choose up to three)
- Relationship Coaching
- Career Coaching
- Health and wellness coaching
- Financial coaching
- Spiritual or purpose coaching
- Productivity and time management coaching
- Business coaching
- Other (please specify)
Based on your responses, how aligned do you feel with each of the niches you selected?
- Very aligned
- Somewhat aligned
- Neutral
- Somewhat misaligned
- Very misaligned
Next Steps for Finding Your Coaching Niche
Are you ready to explore further training or certification to strengthen your expertise in your chosen niche?
- Yes, I’m eager to learn more.
- Possibly, depending on the niche I choose.
- Not at this time, but I may consider it in the future.
Are there any additional resources, support, or guidance you need when deciding on your niche?
List any resources or support needed (e.g., mentorship, specific training, networking opportunities).
End of Questionnaire
Now that you’ve completed this exercise review your answers and reflect on the patterns and interests that have emerged.
Your next big step could be reaching out to a mentor or someone experienced in that niche. You could also follow up with some initial market research.
Here are a few great places to start:
Coach Pony
Learn how to create a steady stream of paying coaching clients.
Thrive Coach Academy
Become a Certified Professional Coach
There are also some great books you can start with. These include:
- The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin
- The Feel Good Business Model: The Blueprint for Coaches, Consultants, and Service Providers
- Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
Understanding Different Coaching Niches
I’ve written a blog post called 9 Success Tips on How to Become a Life Coach Over 50, in which I list some of the most common niches.
Click on the link to learn more about relationship coaching, career coaching, business coaching, health coaching, and more.
What are the most profitable niches?
How much your niche will earn depends on several factors, including recent trends, your authority in the field, and your ability to market your business successfully.
That said, some profitable niches are in high demand.
These include:
- executive coaching
- financial coaching (money mindset coaching)
- health and wellness coaching
- personal development coaching
- diversity, equity, and inclusion coaching
Read 10 Top Niches for Coaches in 2024.
Other Less Common, Unique Niches
Beyond the niches mentioned above and in my last blog post, there are several other areas that might interest you.
These include spiritual coaching, sales coaching, and work-life balance coaching.
Will you double down on a niche or keep it broad-based?
To accommodate a wider variety of clients, you could stick with a more general life coaching brand.
The downside is that your skills and experience might only partially cover the whole spectrum of clients who’ll need your help.
Specialized niches, however, give you an opportunity to really shine where your skills are at their peak.
WATCH THIS VIDEO BELOW ON HOW TO CHOOSE A PROFITABLE COACHING NICHE
9 Signs You’ve Made The Right Choice
Learning how to pick a life coaching niche you’ll love can be challenging.
I’ve listed the following nine things that should give you the sense you’re either on the right track, or need to reconsider your niche choice.
1. You have high client engagement and positive feedback
As a new coach, receiving a steady flow of positive feedback is a good sign. It shows that what you’re providing is resonating with your clients.
For example, a relationship coach may get referrals or social media shoutouts for helping clients.
This is a sure sign that you’re meeting specific needs for your client base.
2. You’ve aligned your career goals with your personal experience and passion
It can’t be stated enough: Picking a niche aligned with your own experiences will make it much easier to grow your business.
For example, if you have a background in athletics or health, working as a fitness coach should feel like a natural extension of who you are.
Seth Godin, influential American author, entrepreneur, speaker, and marketing expert, would call this “authenticity,” which isn’t always easy to find.
There is a growing demand and market interest.
Many small business owners start their companies with the goal of filling a specific need in the market.
Coaching businesses are no different. You know some people can use your services, and you can make it happen.
You can consistently deliver problem-solving for clients
A solid niche, especially one where you have informal or formal education and experience, is your most significant advantage.
Instead of struggling to meet the needs of clients, you will thrive. The main reason for this is your deep well of knowledge and skills to draw from.
If you’ve spent years working in your niche’s specific industry, you’ll likely also have a network of different people from whom you get inspiration and ideas.
It’s okay for successful coaches to have their coaches!
You have a strong marketing strategy and can easily create content
Since you have prior knowledge of your specific niche, it should be relatively easy to create your marketing strategy. You know who your market is. All you have to do is find them.
You’re confident in your career path and potential for growth
This is an easy one. You can clearly say you’ve found your calling when you’re enjoying the journey.
Every small business has its ups and downs. However, your knowledge and background keep you pushing forward. You have the confidence and trust in your abilities for success.
Summary: How to Pick a Life-Coaching Niche You Will Love
It’s fair to say that new coaches find success because of their past experiences and learning. You may have several interests, or you’re still not sure where to focus your sights.
The idea of this blog post was to get you thinking about your past accomplishments, skills, education, and background.
Sometimes, people stall in fulfilling their dreams of becoming a life coach out of insecurity and fear.
Starting any new business is scary. However, when you consider the sheer amount of knowledge, experience, and education you’ve gained over the years, you should be able to make your dreams of becoming a life coach a reality.
REFERENCES
Transforming Crowdfunding Prospects into Solid Backers: A Guide for Startups – StartupNation. https://startupnation.com/grow-your-business/crowdfunding/transforming-crowdfunding-prospects-into-solid-backers-a-guide-for-startups/
