On this 'Making of a Coach', Tobi meets Lucy Higgins to unpack real "Frequently Asked Questions" from aspiring coaches wanting to become a coach.

Drawing on her work training cohorts of new coaches at Animas in the UK and her own practice, Lucy digs into client acquisition strategies, whether to niche, and the true timeline of coaching business building. They also explore coaching pricing models, the balance between directive and non‑directive work, why supervision matters and when ICF/EMCC accreditation helps (and when it doesn’t).

Key Learnings:

• Define a precise client avatar and map “Hell Island to Heaven Island” outcomes; choose outreach where those clients already are (e.g., LinkedIn, events), then prioritize referrals - practical client acquisition strategies to become a coach who consistently books calls.
• Run an 80/20 split: 80% delivering, 20% building; set up simple systems early (e.g. Calendly or similar tools for scheduling) to compound your coaching business building.
• Calibrate fees to client segment and outcomes, then review quarterly; consider sliding scales and raise rates as evidence and confidence grow - your working “coaching pricing models.” If you target corporates or platforms, evaluate ICF/EMCC accreditation requirements first.

Resources:

• Lucy Higgins's Website: https://lucyhigginscoaching.co.uk/
• Lucy Higgins's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyhigginscoaching/
• Animas Centre for Coaching: https://www.animascoaching.com
• International Coaching Federation (ICF): https://coachingfederation.org
• EMCC Global: https://www.emccglobal.org
• Association for Coaching (AC): https://www.associationforcoaching.com
• Calendly: https://calendly.com
• CoachHub: https://www.coachhub.com
• BetterUp: https://www.betterup.com
• Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.eu
• Try the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.com
• Connect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Teaser: Hell Island To Heaven Island

00:02 Why This Coach‑Trainer FAQ Episode

00:10 Client Acquisition Strategies: Avatar, Channels, Referrals

00:13 Coaching Business Building Timeline And Buffer

00:15 Should I Niche Or Be The Niche?

00:17 Selling As A Helper, Not A Salesperson

00:19 Coaching Pricing Models And Sliding Scales

00:25 Systems That Save Time: Calendly, Xero, SEO

00:36 Directive vs Non‑Directive Coaching

00:40 Coaching Accreditation: ICF, EMCC, AC