Build Your Coaching Business Plan

Create a clear, practical plan for building and growing your coaching practice.

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Build a Real Coaching Business With a Real Plan

A coaching practice is a business. A successful business starts with a strong business plan.

You have invested in quality coach training. You know how to coach. Now you need a business that reflects your skill, your ethics, and your ambition.

Most coaches skip this one critical step between “I want a full practice” and “I am booked with clients I love.”

A proper business plan.

A coaching practice deserves a business plan built for the way coaches actually work.

This course helps you create a clear, practical plan for your coaching business, with guidance from someone who understands the coaching profession and the realities of building a practice.

Treat your coaching practice like a real business from day one.

This course is for ICF coaches and coach practitioners who are ready to get clear on what they are building, who they want to serve, how they will generate revenue, and what needs to happen next.

Your Planning Toolkit Includes:

Activity sheets

Build the foundation of your coaching business plan before you start forecasting the numbers.

These seven business planning worksheets help you define what you are building, what you will sell, where your coaching business fits in the market, and how you will move from ideas to action.

1. Strategic Objectives
Define the big-picture goals for your coaching business and what success will look like.

2. Product Description
Clearly describe your coaching services, programs or products, who they are for, and what you are selling.

3. SOAR Analysis
Explore your Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results to identify what you can build on as you grow your coaching practice.

4. PESTEL Analysis
Examine the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors that could affect your coaching business.

5. Competition Table
Identify other coaches and service providers in your market, understand what they offer, and clarify where your coaching business fits.

6. Risks & Responses
Identify the potential risks involved in building your coaching business and decide how you will prepare for and respond to them.

7. Action Plan
Turn your coaching business plan into action with clear priorities, responsibilities, timelines and next steps.

Financial planning sheets

A successful coaching business needs more than clients. It needs numbers that work.

These eight financial planning tools help you understand what your coaching business needs to earn, what it will cost to operate, how cash will move through the business, and what it will take to become profitable and financially sustainable.

8. Profit Analysis
See what it takes for your coaching business to make a profit and how changes in revenue, pricing and expenses affect your bottom line.

9. One-Year Cash Projections
Map your expected revenue and expenses month by month during your first year or next 12 months in business.

10. Income Statement
Project your coaching business revenue, expenses and profit over five years.

11. Cash Flow Forecast
Understand when money is expected to come in, when it needs to go out, and whether your business will have enough cash to support operations.

12. Balance Sheet
Create a financial snapshot of what your business owns, what it owes, and the equity you are building.

13. Pro Forma Summary
Bring your key financial projections together into one clear summary of the financial plan for your coaching business.

14. Start-Up Costs Calculator
Calculate the investment required to start or expand your coaching practice, including technology, training, marketing, professional services and other business costs.

15. Funding Requirements
Determine how much money your coaching business requires, when you will need it, and where that funding will come from.

Pricing and structure tools

Building a profitable coaching business means knowing what to charge and creating a business structure that can support growth.

These additional planning tools help you test your pricing, understand the real cost of delivering your services, and think ahead about how your coaching business will be organized.

16. Product Pricing Calculator
Calculate pricing for coaching programs, workshops, courses and other products based on your costs, revenue goals and desired profit.

17. Manufacturing Cost Calculator
For coaches who also sell physical products, books, workbooks or other goods, calculate the true cost of producing each item.

18. Service Fee Calculator
Determine what you need to charge for coaching, consulting and other professional services based on your available time, expenses and income goals.

19. Organizational Chart
Map the roles your coaching business needs now and as it grows, including employees, contractors and outside professional support.

This is not a quick worksheet sprint. You will think, test, calculate, and refine. By the end, you have a living plan that belongs to you and fits the coaching business you are building.

Guided by someone who has built the business you want

Your instructor, Beverlee Rasmussen, MA, PCC, is an ICF coach and small business expert with more than 16 years of experience coaching entrepreneurs and professionals.

Beverlee:

Built a successful small business coaching practice with a two year waiting list.
Now trains ICF coaches, consultants, business bank managers, and economic development professionals on how to support small business owners.
Has helped hundreds of coaches and business owners use this exact planning process to create practical, fundable plans that reflect their real goals.

You are not learning theory. You are working with someone who understands both coaching and business at a high professional level.

Your Satisfaction Is Guaranteed

Try the course risk-free for 30 days.

If it doesn’t deliver the results you expected, we’ll provide a full refund.

Participant Reviews

I love the idea of small business, and they are the heroes of the economy. And it’s so tough and it can be lonely. And sometimes it is a coaching conversation that needs to happen. I feel like having systems and having the framework so I can not only be certified but but have that extra bit of confidence to sell myself and have that conversation.

Chris Wilkinson

Small Business Coach

I’m a CPA, and I’ve always worked with Small Business owners. I opted into this program because I am looking to transition my career to becoming a small business coach. I’ve always really enjoyed those interactions and that kind of relationship and I want to continue that on as I transition into my later career life and that’s why I’m here.

Kirsten Jenner

CMA CPA Certified Systems Business Coach ^®

Sometimes when people are stuck, yes, it might be a limiting belief. Yes, it might be something that’s coachable, but actually it might also be something that’s really practical. And the resources that I’ve seen from a systems business coach I think are going to be incredible for that.

Mike Kaufman

Executive Coach

The learning from this course has been immediately useful, effective and stays true to a coach approach. I encourage any certified coaches working with small businesses to take this step in their coach learning journey. Not only have I learned new systems and tools for my coaching clients, I have also been able to apply these systems and tools in my own small coaching practice.

Annette Siewertsen

Certified Systems Business Coach^®

$495.00

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More than just a course, you get:

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you exploring how to become a small business coach? You’re in the right place. Systems Business Coach® offers one of the only ICF-accredited coach training programs in the world dedicated exclusively to coaching small business owners. Unlike generic leadership or executive coaching programs, our training is built for helping professionals who work with entrepreneurs and business owners of companies with fewer than 100 employees, the segment that makes up 95% of all businesses globally.

Learn how to coach with confidence, earn your ICF credential, and support business owners where it matters most: leadership, finance, operations, team, and marketing.

Do I need previous business or coaching experience?

Helpful but not required. We start with foundations and build practical competence through live practice and feedback.

Does completing Foundations count toward becoming a certified Systems Business Coach®?

Yes. Foundations is the first step on the SBC pathway. After Foundations, you’ll have clear next steps to continue training and licensure.

What else do I need beyond Foundations to achieve ICF Level 1 / ACC?

We offer two (2) ICF Level 1 Programs.

#1 – The Effective Small Business Coach Training that includes Bootcamp, Foundations and Mentor Coaching

#2- For those who want to become a Certified Systems Business Coach, The Professional Small Business Coach Training program includes Bootcamp, a self paced version of our Foundations course, Certification and Mentor Coaching.

All students must pass the Level 1 ICF coaching performance exam included with the course , log 100 coaching hours, plus pass the ICF knowledge exam offered only by the ICF when you submit your graduation from one of our programs.

Book a call with one of our program advisors to discuss your unique learning goals. https://link.systemsbusinesscoach.com/widget/bookings/sbc-discovery-call

Who is Foundations small business coach training course for?

This program is ideal for:

Anyone considering a career as a small business coach, this is a great first step!
Consultants
Economic development officers
Marketing agency professionals
Accountants and bookkeepers
Coaches wanting to specialize in small business
Advisors already working with entrepreneurs
Current business owners looking for a side hustle that builds on their experience

Explore our Foundations Course to get started.

What credentials do I need to become a small business coach?

To become a small business coach through Systems Business Coach®, you don’t need to be a certified coach before you start. Our accredited training path provides everything you need to:

Learn how to coach effectively using the ICF Core Competencies
Apply coaching skills to real small business challenges
Earn your ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential

The Foundations Course gives you an overview of our method and the fundamentals of coaching small business owners. It’s designed to help you understand the principles and structure of effective business coaching.
However, this introductory course does not include access to Systems Business Coach® tools, templates, processes, or licensing rights.

To gain access to our full suite of proprietary coaching materials and resources, you’ll continue on to become a Certified Systems Business Coach®. Certification includes licensed use of our complete toolkit of systems, guides, and tools, giving you everything you need to support any small business owner challenge with confidence and professionalism.

Learn more:
➡️ Small Business Coach Certification Program

➡️ Foundations Course

How long does it take to become a certified small business coach?

With Systems Business Coach®, you can become certified faster than you might think. We offer two certification paths:

ICF Level 1 Certification – Complete in as few as 6 months.
Certified Systems Business Coach® – Earn your designation in less than 9 months.

Both programs prepare you to start coaching small business owners in as little as 12 weeks while you continue your training. This means you can begin building your coaching practice and gaining real-world experience long before you finish the full certification.

Can I make a living as a small business coach?

Yes—you absolutely can.

Our program is modelled after the real-life experience of our founder, who built a sustainable and profitable coaching practice working four days a week (Fridays off for family), taking summers off, and coaching 40 weeks per year. With a roster of 10 active one-to-one clients plus two group programs, this schedule generated approximately $200,000 annually.

And here’s the best part—it was achieved while charging about half of what many “guru” coaches charge. High fees can make it difficult to attract and retain clients. Our suggested pricing ensures everyone wins: the coach earns a healthy living, clients get exceptional value, and the community benefits from stronger, more sustainable small businesses.

With the right systems, tools, and pricing model, becoming a small business coach can be both financially rewarding and personally fulfilling.

Note: Our graduates build rewarding coaching practices through their own effort and drive. You’ll be responsible for finding and working with your own clients.

How do I get started?

You have two options:

Take the Small Business Coaching Foundations Course
This is the ideal starting point for anyone considering a career in small business coaching. It’s affordable, packed with deep and practical learning, and earns you 30 ICF CCEUs. You’ll gain valuable skills you can apply immediately, whether you decide to pursue full certification or not.
Book a Discovery Call
If you’re unsure where to start or want to know how your unique experience and situation fit into a professional coaching career, schedule a free call with us. We’ll walk you through what it takes to become a professional certified small business coach and help you decide if Systems Business Coach® is right for you.
Book a Discovery Call