The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.

3. Once you’ve decided to go ahead, consider professional coach training. This will give you resources, insights, tools,       and support. It will also help you to build your coach network — other coaches you can call on for help and advice.   You should pick a school which has happy, successful coaches.  Do you require face-to-face training, want the flexibility of teleclass (phone conference calls) training, the multidimensional impact of online learning, or a combination of these?  And shop around — prices vary.  For a list of training schools and the specials we’ve negotiated, visit: http://www.becomeacoach.com

4. Work with a coach to build your practice.  Some people skip Step 3 and jump straight to working with a coach to enter the industry.  People in this category are usually those with existing transferable skills (e.g. counselling, or a lot of personal development training).  Or, they are people short on cash, who want to generate some revenue from coaching before they invest in a proper training course.  A coach can help you avoid common mistakes, and build your practice faster, with less effort than you would on your own.  What business systems do you need in place?  Where will you find clients?  How will you keep your clients?  And how do you keep your chin up if you lose three in one day!?

Some new coaches like to combine Steps 3 and 4 by finding a training program which supplies them with a coach.