If you’re short of time, you can just jump to the numbers at the end,
But I wouldn’t miss this vital explanation, long as it is, because it explains the difference between people who succeeds in working as a professional coach and people who just hold a certificate or diploma as decoration for their shelf.
Let me explain something very important.
Our aim at The ICCI is to put the good people out there, working and helping in the community.
So we have built our programme in such a way, that already in Phase 1B (Foundation for Coaching: Practicum) and certainly during our Phase 2 (The Professional Coach Practitioner), we support you all the way from being a fresh/green coach (after finishing Phase 1A), to being an established working coach.
With our experience, we know how challenging it can be not just to find clients, but to work with them professionally, and to do it all by yourself is nearly impossible.
This is why our programme is built in a way that it has a practicum part in it, to support you all the way until you are becoming a confident coach, working in the community.
Already in Phase 1A (Foundation for Coaching: Introduction), we’re teaching and practising tools and skills together, and we cover enough theory, so you’re ready to coach and take someone who is a complete stranger from point A to a more desirable point B in their lives, in an effective and structured way.
At the end of Phase 1A, you’re ready to coach people with simple stories.
This is where people who’d like to just gain coaching tools for their work or personal development, can end their studies.
Those who wish to start helping people by actually coaching them on a regular basis, carry on to Phase 1B, where they’ll start seeing real clients, with real problems.
You’ll have to coach for 50 hours, at least 5 different clients, have a supervisor, come to supervision, get some coaching sessions for yourself, and write a case study.
Don’t worry: We’ll support you in getting those clients.
This is already a serious business, and you’re going to see very quickly how valuable what you offer to people is.
This is why we encourage you to start charging money for your services, even at this stage, and certainly, once you have the Phase 1 Diploma in Coaching.
Only you’re not yet a professional coach.
Being a professional, meaning working as a coach, and making money from coaching.
- It means being able to earn a living from coaching.
- It means that people know that you exist and that you have a growing clientele.
- It means that people know and understand what you do, they follow you and recommend you to others.
- It means that you’re working in your own practice, or giving your services to other organisations (depending on which way you want to work).
- It means that you have a very broad range of skills, tools, coaching modules, and methods that you use with your clients.
- It means that you know to recognise when it is that you need to refer someone to another professional (such as a psychologist, GP, or social worker) because their case needs intervention which you’re not able to offer as a coach.
- It means working with other coaches, and forming a support group for yourself so you do not work alone, and there’s always someone to give you advice and listen to you.
- It means working with a supervisor on a regular basis.
- It means knowing the basic business needs (including legal issues regarding coaching for example).
- And it can mean becoming a member of a professional body (such as an association for coaches) in your country.
This is all done in Phase 2: The Professional Coach Practitioner.
Hand in hand together with us.
You’re not alone at any point.
How is that done exactly?
You’ll see that on top of gaining more knowledge, working on the ethical code of conduct, choosing a focus, and sharpening all those coaching competencies, in Phase 2 you’re required again to coach real clients, this time for 100 full coaching sessions.
We’ll be helping you define who you are as a coach, understanding your target group, reaching out, and offering your services. Those services are going to help your clients improve their lives, in return for something, and in the coaching world, as now you’re working as a professional, this means money.
And now I get to the numbers:
We encourage you to ask for money for your services, even as a ‘green’ coach, or coach-in-training if you wish, because you’re already going to be helping people.
During Phase 1B:
We encourage students to give a few coaching hours for free, to begin with. It helps to gain the confidence one needs to know that their work is valuable.
But after 20-25 free sessions (or whichever number of session you feel confident to charge after), there’s really no reason not to charge for your help and support.
So let me show you a simple calculation, of how working towards the required 50 hours of Phase 1B and 100 hours of Phase 2, will allow you to already earn money, and with that, cover the course fees:
Case 1: A slow bloomer student in Phase 1B:
We are realistic, and we take into account, that it can take time to grow your confidence. So if you’ll be a slow bloomer (which is of course fine, some people need to take the time), we’ve thought that you’ll probably give the first 25 hours for free.
Then the next 25 practice hours you’ll give for a much-reduced fee of let’s say €50 (this is a relatively low price for coaching):
Quick calculation for a slow bloomer:
25 sessions x €0 = €0
25 sessions x€50 = €1, 250
Total income from 50 sessions = €1,250
You covered around half the fee of Phase 1A+B
Case 2: A more confident student in Phase 1B:
Quick calculation for a confident student:
15 sessions x €0 = €0
15 sessions x €50 = €750
20 sessions x €70 = €1400
Total income from 50 sessions = €2,150
You covered nearly the full fee of Phase 1A+B
Now let’s move to Phase 2.
Remember that when you’re in Phase 2, you already have a Diploma in Coaching!
It is at Foundation level, but it’s accepted by professional organisations such as the EMCC and you can already become one of their members.
You’re a coach (only a budding coach, not yet a professional one).
In Phase 2, we believe that you can and you should charge. You’re officially a coach!
Case 3: A slow bloomer student in Phase 2:
Let’s say that this student is still taking the lower-end fees in their work with real clients, and only later is raising their fees.
Remember that now we’re talking about 100 client hours.
Quick calculation:
20 sessions x €50 = €1,000
20 sessions x €75 = €1,500
20 sessions x €85 = €1,700
40 sessions x €100 = €4,000
Total income from 100 sessions = €8,200
Now let’s be realistic, and say that you’ll have to invest around €2,500 in business development expenses and taxes (you should not need to spend that much, but let’s say that you do), then you’re still be earning more than the price of Phase 2 on the course.
And don’t forget, this was the low end of what you’re potentially able to earn.
Now let’s look at
Case 4: A more confident student in Phase 2:
Let’s say that this student is still taking the lower-end fees in their work with real clients, and only later is raising their fees.
Remember that now we’re talking about 100 client hours.
Quick calculation:
20 sessions x €75 = €1,500
20 sessions x €100 = €2,000
60 sessions x €125 = €7,500
Total income from 100 sessions = €11,000
Now remember that we’re realistic, and we believe that at this point you’ll already be building a website, using an accountant, paying taxes, getting a supervisor, paying for some advertising, and paying for your membership fee with the organisation of your choice, etc. So let’s increase the expenses vastly up to €4,000 (you should not need to spend that much, but let’s say that you do), then you’re still be earning more than the price of Phase 2 of the course.
Not only have you covered the expenses of the whole 2 Phase course, but you have also already earnt a good couple of thousands of €€€
But pay attention:
Our experience, and the experience of many others show that you have to have the support in the beginning to achieve such a scenario so quickly. Otherwise, it takes between 3 to 5 years to get yourself a good name and succeed as a working coach (and please don’t believe anyone who promises you meteoric success: No one ever became successful overnight or could run 10KM the day after they were couch potatoes. It takes time to build success).
We’ll give you all the support we can to help you thrive, and succeed.
At the end of the day, it’s our interest too that our graduates, who we trust and want to see working in the community, will do well.
To your success!
And may you move your life forward.
Noa Brume
ICCI founder and main trainer
* The calculations here are rough calculations, to give an example of what can be achieved and each person and every situation is very individual. Each person will of course need to check the taxation and financial situation according to their own individual situation.