Live Training with an Instructor
ICF ACC Certification: The Effective Small Business Coach Training Program
Earn your ICF ACC certification (Level 1) with a focus on working with small business owners and teams.
ICF Continuing Coaching Education Aligned Training
This entry-level program is designed for professionals who want to develop strong coaching skills without committing to a full Systems Business Coach® certification. You’ll learn our Effective Business Coaching Method, a practical system built on the ICF Core Competencies and designed specifically for coaching small business owners and teams.
You’ll discover how to hold powerful coaching conversations, support business growth, and strengthen leadership capacity while gaining the training hours required to apply for your ICF ACC credential.
What’s Included:
Courses
Learn to Coaching Bootcamp, Small Business Coaching Foundations, and Mentor Coaching.
ICF Accreditation
60 hours of ICF-accredited coach training recognized toward the ACC credential.
Training
Live, interactive classes that combine theory, skill practice, and real client fieldwork.
Support
Personalized mentor feedback aligned with the ICF Core Competencies and ACC performance evaluation requirements.
Real-World Application
Practical application of the SBC Effective Business Coaching Method to real-world small business challenges.
Community
Experienced ICF-credentialed faculty and a supportive, small-cohort learning community.
Additional requirements for ICF ACC:
100 coaching hours (75 paid)
ICF Knowledge Exam
When you’re ready to expand your skills and pursue certification, you can add the stand-alone Systems Business Coach® Certification program, which includes licensing, tools, and business-building support.
What’s Not Included:
This program does not include the Certified Systems Business Coach® designation, SBC® license, or access to the proprietary client tools, templates, or “business-in-a-box” systems. It’s focused purely on building coaching skills, credibility, and ICF eligibility, making it the perfect place to start your journey.
This program is ideal for:
- Those who want to complete ICF Level 1 training toward the ACC credential, with a focus on coaching small business owners and teams.
- Coaches, consultants, and advisors who already have their own tools, products, or frameworks and want to add recognized coaching skills and ICF credibility to their work.
- Individuals at the beginning of their coaching journey looking for a solid, small business–focused foundation before pursuing certification or licensing with Systems Business Coach®.
COURSE FEE
Participant Reviews
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.
What do small business coaches do?
Small business coaches are coaching professionals who help small business owners run their businesses with greater clarity and stability, enabling them to think more clearly and make better decisions.
Small business coaches:
- Ask powerful questions that build the owner’s own judgment and confidence, rather than giving advice.
- Support small business owners while looking at the whole business across five core areas: Leadership, Operations, Finance, Team, and Marketing.
- Provide a safe, confidential space where owners can say what they are worried about, admit what they do not know, and work through complexity without feeling overwhelmed.
Ultimately, a small business coach builds accountability and systems that reduce chaos, so the business stops running the owner and the owner starts leading the business.
Do I need previous business or coaching experience to take the Effective Small Business Coach Training Program?
Previous business or coaching experience is helpful, although not required.
Coaching Bootcamp is designed to teach you how to coach from the ground up, starting with the structure of a coaching conversation and the core skills you will practice between classes. In Small Business Coaching Foundations, we start with building practical competence through live practice and feedback.
Can I become a Certified Systems Business Coach® through this program?
No, the Effective Small Business Coach training program does not include Systems Business Coach® Certification/access to licensed resources and tools.
However, if you’ve already completed the Effective Small Business Coach training program, you can complete our 12-week program to become a Certified Systems Business Coach® afterwards.
How long is the Effective Small Business Coach Training Program?
It will take approximately 6 months to earn an ICF ACC credential through the Effective Small Business Coach training program.
Your completion of coaching hours affects the overall program duration. If you stay consistent with your coaching hours throughout the training program, you can be ready to apply for your Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential in a minimum of 6 months.
What courses are included in the Effective Small Business Coach Training Program?
The Effective Small Business Coach Training Program includes:
How can I earn an ICF Credential?
The Effective Small Business Coach Training Program comes with everything you need to become an Associate Certified Coach (ICF Level 1).
How do I know if the Effective Small Business Coach training program is right for me?
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 small business coach and help you decide if training with Systems Business Coach® is right for you.
Help Small Business Owners Build Their Dream Business, while You Build Yours
Our Small Business Coaching Foundations course is designed to help you deeply understand small business dynamics and learn to effectively coach small business owners towards success.
Get the skills to build trust, establish rapport, challenge business owners, and implement foundational strategies for small business success.
