How To Start A Coaching Business Online — Business Coaching Tips from Cliff Ravenscraft [LNIM229]

Thinking about starting a coaching business online but not sure if you are qualified or where to begin? In this interview episode, Mark sits down with Cliff Ravenscraft — the Mindset Answer Man — to break down everything you need to know about launching a coaching business, from overcoming self-doubt to getting your first paying clients.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why coaching remains a viable business regardless of economic conditions
• How to overcome the “am I qualified?” self-doubt that stops most aspiring coaches
• The first two steps you should take when starting a coaching business
• Five practical ways to improve your coaching skills immediately
• Why hiring a coach yourself is the fastest way to learn the business

Episode Summary

Mark opens by connecting this episode to a previous discussion about four types of internet businesses. One category — online services — includes coaching, which Mark considers one of the most exciting opportunities available to part-time entrepreneurs. The barriers to entry are low, the work is deeply rewarding, and the demand never goes away.

Cliff Ravenscraft, who runs MindsetAnswerMan.com, brings years of coaching experience to the conversation. He starts by addressing the most common question: is now a good time to start a coaching business? His answer is direct — the timing does not matter. What matters is whether coaching is genuinely something you want to do and whether your heart is in it. The world always needs coaches. Even coaches have coaches.

The conversation turns to the biggest psychological barrier: self-doubt. Cliff explains that nearly every aspiring coach without an existing track record goes through a period of questioning whether they are worthy or qualified. The cure is simple but not easy — you need the courage to ask people to pay you. Once you get your first paying clients and see the transformation your coaching creates, the self-doubt resolves itself. The block is not about competence. It is about the limiting belief that people would not pay you.

For getting started, Cliff offers two concrete steps. First, connect with people who resonate with you and begin unpacking the limiting beliefs around whether you can do this work. Second, read The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin. The book does not teach you how to coach — it teaches you the shortest path to financial success as a coach, which is a different and equally important skill.

Cliff then shares five ways to improve your coaching skills: pursue a certification program (builds confidence and provides frameworks), hire a coach yourself (experiencing the process from the client side is the fastest education), watch other coaches on YouTube (take notes on what works and what does not), read coaching-specific books like The Coaching Habit and Super Coach, and live what you teach (stories and experience are more powerful than theory).

Key Takeaways

• The demand for coaching is constant — timing is irrelevant if your heart is in it
• Self-doubt about being “qualified” is universal and resolves once you get paying clients
• The Prosperous Coach by Chandler and Litvin is the best resource for the business side of coaching
• Hiring a coach yourself is the fastest way to learn how to coach — you experience the process firsthand
• Live what you teach; stories and personal experience are more transformative than theory

What's Changed Since This Episode

Mark and Cliff recorded this in January 2022. The coaching industry has continued to grow significantly, with the International Coaching Federation reporting record numbers of practicing coaches globally. AI tools now help coaches with scheduling, client intake, and content creation, but the core skill of human-to-human transformation remains irreplaceable. The books Cliff recommends — The Prosperous Coach, The Coaching Habit, and Super Coach — are still considered essential reading in the coaching community. Cliff Ravenscraft continues to coach and produce content at CliffRavenscraft.com.

Resources Mentioned

• The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
• Super Coach by Michael Neill
• Cliff Ravenscraft — The Mindset Answer Man
• Cliff's Notes on Profitable Coaching Podcast
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

Related Episodes

• LNIM220 — Why Now Is The Best Time To Start Your Internet Business
• LNIM233 — Limiting Beliefs: Skiing Whiteface Mountain
• LNIM226 — Leveraging A Positive Mindset To Achieve Your Goals

Listen and Subscribe

Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Have a question for Mark? Email [email protected] or call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655.