You have always had a passion for helping others–it’s something that comes naturally to you. Growing up, you might have been the friend that everyone went to for advice—and you may still be—because you enjoy guiding others through their life journey, being part of their support system, and helping people find the right path.
Maybe you woke up one day and realized that you wanted to explore a new career path. A domino effect unfolded and you were led to the realization that you’d love any opportunity to help others navigate their lives, and that this might be a perfect career.
After doing some research and discovering the International Coaching Federation (ICF), you’re excited about finding an ICF-accredited life coaching program online. Whatever brought you to this realization, one thing is true—you want to become a life coach, but there may also be some legal requirements associated with this profession that you’re unaware of.
Starting Your Own Life Coaching Business
For starters, you will have to register your business either as a sole proprietorship or as a limited liability company (LLC). Keep in mind that while registering as an LLC may be a bit more costly, it will, ultimately, allow you to hire other life coaches if you want to build a team to help even more people.
After you register your business, you need to protect yourself from any future lawsuits or legal problems. This means that you should put legal disclaimers in place in any of your agreements with clients; these disclaimers will inevitably protect you if a client decides to take legal action against you.
It’s also a good idea to add a privacy policy that informs your clients of how their data is collected, used, and shared. Remember, the more effort you put in to protect yourself and your business from the get-go, the better your chances are of being spared from any potential legal wrongdoings.
Accredited Training Programs
While there is no law that requires a life coach to have a degree or accredited training related to the field, it is often recommended that an individual aspiring to become a life coach get certified. Just because someone calls themself a life coach does not mean they have the skills necessary to carry out the role successfully and in the best interests of their clients. If you need some help finding the best life coaching certification programs, we’re ready to help you get the best training possible at Symbiosis Coaching so you can be ahead of the competition when it comes to certification success.
Because certification shows clients a coach is highly trained, qualified, and reputable, many life coaches decide to become certified. The process itself is fairly straightforward. ICF is the only organization authorized to grant certification. Candidates enroll in an accredited program, complete the requirements, meet a set minimum number of training hours, and take an exam.
Becoming certified confirms to clients that you are skilled, trustworthy, and acting in their best interests at all times. Because the ICF has a comprehensive list of ethical guidelines certified life coaches need to follow, it also reassures your clients that you are professional, ethical, and always abiding by professional standards.
Keep Yourself Safe
As your business starts to boom, you want to keep yourself as safe as possible from any unforeseen troubles.
In addition to creating a privacy policy and legal disclaimers, it is recommended that you purchase insurance for your business. A simple search on the internet might highlight several coach-friendly insurance packages. The most important type of insurance is professional liability insurance–this insurance protects you as a sole proprietor—or as part of an LLC—from losing everything if accused of any wrongdoings or for being accused of any kind of negligence.
While this all might seem like a lot of work, it’s important to know that it is not. These steps are simply the legal foundation you need to set in place so that your business can thrive— and so that you can stay protected, no matter what. ICF-accredited life coach training through Symbiosis Coaching can help you you to do just that–with the accredited online courses and follow-up mentorship to keep you on track!
