With a large percentage of people dealing with feelings of anxiety, stress, disconnectedness, and loneliness, mental health coaching remains a service that is much needed across the country. 

You know you have what it takes to be a great health coach, but how can you actually build a business that allows you to reach people who need your help? It can be overwhelming at first to think about building a successful business in addition to being a coach, which requires a great deal of dedication and skill in and of itself. That’s why we’re outlining the foundational steps on how to start a health coaching business, including how to avoid common mistakes people make when venturing on this journey. 

HG Institute has the only NBHWC-approved health and wellness coaching certification program focused on digital wellness and mental health. The health coaching specialty is still relatively new, but it’s becoming increasingly popular. Now is the perfect time to establish yourself in a growing space and help shape the future of mental health care.

Choosing your niche: The foundation upon which everything else is built

The first step you need to take is to think about which area of health coaching you want to specialize in. Knowing and understanding your potential future audience will allow you to tailor your services and find the right clients. 

Why generalist coaching is harder to sell than you think

A generalist health coach will focus on many areas of health, including sleep habits, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and reducing stress. This can be a difficult service to sell because you have to establish a wide range of expertise. 

Furthermore, achieving better overall health looks different from person to person, so each individual may look for help in a specific area and choose a specialist who focuses solely on that particular problem rather than a generalist health coach.

Some in-demand specializations worth considering include: 

• Digital wellness: The current mental health landscape demands more than just traditional wellness solutions. Digital natives nowadays are navigating the complex relationships between their mental health, social media, gaming, and online communities.

• Burnout and stress: For people who feel like the demands and burdens of the world around them are too heavy to carry–like the pressures of hustle culture, endless distractions, stress at school, perfectionism–burnout and stress coaching can be a saving grace.

• Anxiety support: Anxiety coaches work with individuals experiencing everyday anxiety, excessive worry, or life transitions. They help clients build resilience, emotional regulation, and healthy coping skills.

The growing need for digital wellness coaching

The convenience and ease of access to information that smart devices afford us can come at a high cost. The constant scrolling and browsing keep our brains and bodies in a perpetual state of stress, even when we think we’re “relaxing.”

From social media and mobile apps to dating apps and video games, there are seemingly endless ways to be entertained and keep boredom at bay. It’s common for people to have poor boundaries with technology, causing them to essentially rewire their brains, increasing anxiety levels, and keeping them disconnected from other people and themselves. 

As digital fatigue grows, so too does the need for healthier habits around technology. Digital wellness coaches focus on helping people navigate a technology-driven world and learn how to lead balanced lives online and offline.

Looking to expand your expertise to the complex challenges of today’s digital natives? HG Institute’s Digital Wellness Expansion Pack is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) for 6 CE hours.

Building the right credentials

Being passionate about helping people and having foundational knowledge as a coach is just the beginning. Getting credentials from the official governing bodies in the health and wellness coaching field will help you instill trust among your clients and peers.

The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) accreditation 

Established in 2012, the NBHWC is one of the leading accreditation organizations, and it’s dedicated to advancing the practice of health and wellness coaching. 

The organization has built a reputation for offering rigorous and in-depth training, ensuring that health coaches in the U.S. meet high standards for ethics, competence, and integrity in their work. 

What to look for in a certification program

• Accreditation: NBHWC sets the highest standard for health and wellness coaches in the industry. Look for programs that are approved by the NBHWC. 

• Evidence-based curriculum: Choose a program that teaches proven coaching strategies and tools, especially in the niches you’re interested in. 

• Hands-on practice: Look for training that consists of opportunities to put into practice what you’ve learned throughout the program.

• Mentorship and networking opportunities: Learning from and being empowered by those around you is a powerful way to continue growing as a health and wellness coach. 

Building your first client base

Getting your first few clients is always the hardest because there’s no social proof of your competence and expertise just yet, even if you have full confidence in your abilities. The good news is that there are some simple ways to build trust among your target audience.

Where to find your first clients

• Existing networks: The easiest place to look is your personal and professional networks. They already know you and trust you on some level. The most effective way would be to reach out individually as well as promote your services more widely on your social media.

• Referral relationships with other health and wellness professionals: You can take your business further by leveraging mutually beneficial relationships with other practitioners, such as therapists, psychologists, primary care offices, physical therapists, etc. Partnering with other reputable practitioners is a powerful marketing strategy in which both parties can benefit. 

• Networking: Attend health and wellness events to meet and learn from other professionals and potential clients face-to-face. 

• Online communities: Connect with people on Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Reddit, and other online communities where your ideal clients are hanging out.

What to charge 

Figuring out what to charge as a health coach can often be tricky. You don’t want to charge so much that you turn away clients, but you also want to ensure you’re getting paid what your services are worth. 

Here are some tips on setting your prices:

• Research what other coaches are charging. What is the average market rate range for your services? 

• Factor operational costs into your pricing. Cover costs necessary for operating the business, such as accounting, marketing, software, supplies and materials, and taxes.

• Consider your experience: As a new coach, you likely won’t be able to charge a premium (yet). Start by offering discounts to get testimonials and build a good reputation. Once you’re able to collect proof of your expertise, then you can increase your prices.

• Hourly rates vs package pricing: Hourly rates are ideal for one-off sessions. Package pricing is ideal for selling programs that last over an extended period of time, helping keep clients accountable, and providing you with a steady income.

Setting up the operational side of your coaching business

As a coach who wants to help people, it’s important that you set yourself up for success. This means that you also have to think like a business person. 

Choosing a business structure

Before you start working with clients, you'll have to decide how your business will be legally organized. 

Consider the following:

• Whether you'll operate as a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or corporation

• What level of personal liability protection do you want?

• Tax implications for your business income

• State-specific registration and licensing requirements

• Whether you plan to hire employees or contractors in the future

This can be complicated, so it can be helpful to consult with a business attorney or accountant at the start to determine the best option for your business. 

Scheduling, contracts, and basic tools you need

Essential tools and processes for your coaching business may include:

• An online scheduling platform

• Video conferencing software for virtual coaching sessions

• Secure payment processing for coaching packages and recurring payments

• Client contracts that clearly outline services, expectations, cancellation policies, and confidentiality terms

• Professional liability insurance, if appropriate for your coaching niche and state

• A secure method for storing client records and session notes

• An email marketing platform for newsletters and client communications

• Accounting or bookkeeping software to track revenue, expenses, and taxes

Building a simple intake process

Before you bring in your first client, map out all or at least a few of these key intake steps: 

• Discovery call to understand whether or not the client is the right fit

• Client questionnaire to discover their lifestyle, health history, needs, and goals

• A coaching agreement and informed consent form

• A welcome email outlining the next steps and what clients can expect

• Goal-setting exercises to establish clear outcomes and success metrics

• A process for collecting baseline information that can be used to measure progress over time

• A system for determining when a client's needs may be outside your scope of practice and require referral to another health and wellness professional

5 common mistakes new coaches make (and how to avoid them)

Starting a health coaching business can be difficult, and there are common mistakes that many new coaches make. Here’s some to watch for. 

1. Telling clients what to do

Your goal isn’t to give your clients all the answers. If you’re not careful, you can fall into the habit of taking up too much space, even if it’s driven by the desire to get the best results for your clients. Come into sessions with the mindset of empowering them to come to their own realizations and channel their strengths to make lasting changes. Take a curious and empathetic approach; coaching is as much about listening as it is about guiding.

2. Getting too attached to the outcome

It’s not your responsibility to fix your client and make all their problems go away. Your purpose is to prepare them to take on challenges and support their personal growth. There are many other factors at play, and ultimately, it’s the client’s responsibility to take control of their lives. 

3. Trying to help everyone

Trying to be everything to everyone dilutes your attention and energy. However, when you hone in on just a few, or even just one, focus areas, there’s a much clearer pathway to selling your services and providing the necessary help to your clients and their specific needs.

4. Not marketing or promoting your services enough

Being a health coach requires more than only coaching; you have to build a business. We understand that this doesn’t come naturally to everyone. If it feels like drudgery, consider hiring outside help to teach you how to become more business-minded and/or handle the business development side of things.

5. Neglecting your own growth as a coach

Education doesn’t just stop at getting certified. Health and wellness coaching is a constantly evolving field that demands continuing education to adequately address client needs. The good news is that there are abundant resources to choose from. Take advanced courses, attend workshops, and follow respected experts in the field. Learn about new coaching techniques, behavioral science, recovery strategies, and behavioral psychology.

What the path forward looks like

As you take your next steps, keep your North Star in mind. What’s driving you to do this work? You can earn certifications, register your business, and build your practice, but without a clear understanding of your why, it's easy to lose sight of where you're headed and how you can make an impact.

If you haven't already, consider working toward becoming a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). Start by choosing an approved training program, then complete the certification exam. Once you pass, you'll officially be recognized as a certified health coach, and can start building your business.  

If you're particularly drawn to helping people build healthier relationships with technology, HG Institute's 20-week mental health coach certification program is the first NBHWC-approved program designed specifically around digital wellness coaching. It equips you with the skills to support clients navigating burnout, tech overwhelm, digital fatigue, and the very real psychological challenges of modern digital life.