26 Business Coach Success Stories [2024]
Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?
Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.
Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.
In this list, you'll find real-world business coach success stories and very profitable examples of starting a business coach that makes money.
1. Harwood Financial Group ($4.8M/year)
Robert Harwood, founder of Harwood Financial Group, was inspired to start his business after witnessing firsthand the financial struggles his parents faced due to medical expenses. With a degree in engineering and computer science, Harwood leveraged his knowledge and experience in finance to become a financial advisor, helping clients plan for retirement and navigate their finances. Since its inception in 2008, Harwood Financial Group has grown rapidly, managing over $500 million of clients' assets and experiencing a 20% growth in 2019.
How much money it makes: $4.8M/year
How many people on the team: 22
Robert Harwood started Harwood Financial Group in 2008 which has now grown to manage over $500 million of clients' money across four offices, offering investment management services and specializing in retirement planning, tax planning, and estate planning.
2. Think Future ($3.52M/year)
Kalaboukis, a futurist and innovator, always dreamt of living in the future and creating it. After realizing that people's fear of change is what holds them back from embracing innovation, he started hellofuture to provide tools, workshops, and coaching to help individuals and companies innovate without fear. With revenues of around $293k per month and a portfolio of 122 patents, Kalaboukis is helping others create their ideal future.
How much money it makes: $3.52M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 2
A futurist and innovator has built a business strategy consulting company with revenues of around $293k per month by helping companies increase revenues and patent portfolios, and generate employee engagement, using a set of tools, workshops, and coaching to move people from their comfort zones, with a highly structured process for lead generation that he considers a trade secret.
3. Natasha Zoryk ($1.34M/year)
Natasha Zoryk transformed a favor for a friend's website into a six-figure digital marketing agency within six months, pivoting to a business mentorship role in 2020 and now generating close to $2 million annually.
How much money it makes: $1.34M/year
How much did it cost to start: $119
How many people on the team: 9
Learn about the journey of Natasha Zoryk, a 3x founder and business mentor who currently generates close to $2 million per year and over 6 figures in cash per month, as she shares her entrepreneurial story and tips for building a successful business.
4. Jennifer Dawn Coaching ($1.2M/year)
Jennifer Dawn, the founder of Jennifer Dawn Coaching, came up with the idea for her business after being burned by marketing companies in her own business and seeing it happen to her clients as well. She decided to vet out quality and reliable marketing professionals who know what they are doing and do the work. This led her to start her own coaching practice, digital marketing agency, and create the Best Planner Ever to support business owners in their growth journey.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 10
Jennifer Dawn, founder of Jennifer Dawn Coaching, grew her business from $50k to seven figures by expanding her offering to include a digital marketing agency, coaching academy and Best Planner Ever product, with a focus on customer retention through the use of digital marketing and a personalised service.
5. Ecom King Vault ($1.2M/year)
Kamil Sattar, an entrepreneur with a passion for high-quality fashion, started his drop shipping business after realizing he needed a way to accumulate funds to afford the clothes he loved. He discovered Shopify and drop shipping in 2017 and used his knowledge and techniques to create successful six and seven-figure stores. Now, he specializes in helping others create their own drop ship companies.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 6
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
6. Rockstar Mind ($936K/year)
Steve Mastroianni, a professional musician, started Rockstar Mind Inc. as a way to make money while caring for his father, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer. What began as a guitar coaching website has grown into a six-figure business, offering private coaching and interactive workshops for musicians. Mastroianni has also expanded his business to include business coaching and has plans to grow it into a seven-figure business in the coming years.
How much money it makes: $936K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 3
Rockstar Mind Inc. is an online coaching platform that generates six figures per year serving hundreds of customers per month and is run by owner Steve Mastroianni and his team of three virtual assistants, providing an array of coaching products to musicians from private coaching to interactive workshops.
7. The Uncaged Life ($816K/year)
Rebecca Tracey started The Uncaged Life in 2011 after simplifying her initial business ideas and niching down to helping new coaches. With just a small team of 3 part-time contractors, she is on track to hit $1M in revenue this year and has helped hundreds of people start their own businesses.
How much money it makes: $816K/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
How many people on the team: 3
The Uncaged Life, a business that helps coaches and solopreneurs get their first paying clients, has reached nearly $1M in revenue annually with just a small team of three part-time contractors, by niching down to one specialty and building a community through Facebook, email, and blogging.
8. Project 9 Life ($480K/year)
After losing 100 lbs and turning his life around, Todd was inspired by his own journey and the low success rates of typical resolutions. He founded Project9LIFE, a coaching program now generating $40k/month, to help others achieve lasting lifestyle changes.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $40K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study is about Todd, a former athlete who transformed his own life by becoming active and losing weight, inspiring him to start Project9LIFE, an 8-week group coaching program that focuses on mindset and helping professionals aged 35-55 make progress in their lives, currently making about $40k/m on his way to $500k/m+.
9. JVI Mobile Marketing (Now JourneyBuilder.io) ($444K/year)
Jay Vics, the founder of JVI Mobile Marketing, came up with the idea for his business when he attended a business growth workshop and heard someone express the need for someone to teach them how to use their smartphone. Recognizing that small business owners could benefit from learning how to utilize technology to market their businesses, Jay started offering services as a side hustle, eventually expanding into a full-service digital marketing agency. Through networking and word-of-mouth referrals, Jay has been able to attract and retain clients, and he continues to focus on building relationships and providing a good return on investment for his clients. Currently, the business brings in around $7,500 a month in revenue, with the goal of reaching $17,000 a month in the future.
How much money it makes: $444K/year
How many people on the team: 2
How a side-hustle turned into a full-service digital marketing fulfillment agency that is currently bringing in around $7,500 a month in revenue, with big goals for the future, by focusing on human-to-human connections and continually evolving to meet their clients' needs.
10. Fearless Business ($300K/year)
Robin Waite transitioned from running a small marketing agency to founding Fearless Business, a coaching accelerator, after selling his agency for £90k. He leveraged his experience and extensive networking, conducting 125 consultations in his first year, to build a thriving, six-figure coaching business with over 150 international members.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
This case study article is about Robin, a business coach and founder of Fearless Business, a business coaching accelerator for coaches, consultants, and freelancers. Through the accelerator, Robin helps one-person businesses productize their offers, raise prices, and improve sales processes, with clients typically seeing results within the first three months, including pitching their new products to 10-20 prospective clients and achieving their financial goals.
11. eBiz Facts ($252K/year)
Niall Doherty started eBiz Facts after being inspired by a friend who built his own affiliate website to $40,000 per month. Niall saw the opportunity to provide honest and transparent information in the "make money online" niche and decided to create a website dedicated to helping people make money online, focusing on in-depth reviews and helpful content. His dedication to his readers' best interests has led to steady growth in his business and trust from his audience.
How much money it makes: $252K/year
How many people on the team: 0
This case study is about a website called eBizFacts.com, which helps people make money online through in-depth reviews of products and services related to building an online business. The business earns $4,000 per month consistently through affiliate marketing and has 4,731 email subscribers. The founder focuses on providing accurate information rather than maximizing profit and aims to make his site the ultimate gateway for anyone looking to build an online business.
12. Catalyst Growth Advisors ($240K/year)
Bill Flynn, a serial entrepreneur and former VP and GM of a division of a $100MM IT services company, came up with the idea for his business coaching venture after successfully leading a turnaround during the 2008 financial crisis. He realized his passion for teaching and guiding others to achieve growth and impact, leading him to start Catalyst Growth Advisors. With his revenue doubling every year and a book published, Flynn has positioned himself as an expert in helping business owners predict and plan for the future.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 1
Bill Flynn's coaching business, Catalyst Growth Advisors, has doubled its revenue every year since starting (until COVID), with Flynn earning $250k last year and set to reach a seven-figure practice within three years through his focus on being exceptional and providing like-minded, thoughtful content.
13. Freelance Cake ($240K/year)
In 2009, Austin L. Church started his freelance writing business after getting laid off. Over the years, he developed various creative services and eventually launched an online course called Freelance Cake, which aims to help freelancers and consultants make more money. The course launched in December and Austin plans to scale up sales from $1,000 to $3,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how writer and brand strategist Austin L. Church accidentally started his own freelance writing business, and eventually launched his $1K/month business growth course, Freelance Cake, distilling a decade's worth of hard-earned insights on how to thrive as a freelancer or consultant.
14. The Mindset Society ($186K/year)
Claire Osborne, founder of The Mindset Society, came up with the idea for her business during the UK coronavirus lockdown when she realized that many employers were struggling to help their employees with stress and anxiety. She saw an opportunity to provide coaching to startups and scale-ups, helping founders make decisive actions and supporting teams to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. Since launching, the company has averaged over $15k in revenue per month.
How much money it makes: $186K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
How one founder launched a coaching business during lockdown, bringing in an average of over $15k revenue a month through coaching startups and scale-ups, and has plans to scale up by adding complementary services and creating cross-company support networks.
15. Cain Consulting, Inc. ($180K/year)
Dave, the founder of Cain Consulting, Inc., came up with the idea for his leadership coaching business after realizing the lack of formal training and education in leadership. With over 30 years of leadership experience in various industries, he saw the impact that coaching had on his own development and wanted to help others become effective leaders. Since starting in 2010, the business has been profitable and Dave is adapting to the changing landscape by offering virtual coaching through platforms like Zoom and MS Teams.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study details how a veteran-owned leadership consulting company was started with one main coaching offer, which has now expanded to include video series, corporate training modules, and custom requests from clients, generating a profit and aiming to make leadership a more diverse and inclusive practice worldwide.
16. Ascend Marketing, Inc ($180K/year)
Jim Ackerman, the founder of Ascend Marketing, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that many small businesses struggled with marketing and advertising. He developed a highly prescriptive coaching program that included weekly one-on-one meetings, specific assignments, and personalized feedback and accountability. The program has been successful, with over 600 businesses completing it and only one refund requested.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
Ascend Marketing founder Jim Ackerman developed a six-month 1-on-1 coaching programme to help small business owners improve their marketing, advertising, and sales systems, resulting in over 600 businesses enrolled with a unique 200% ROI guarantee and a $15k monthly profit selling 2 dozen programs yearly, and now the company provides a business opportunity for marketing professionals seeking to become marketing coaches.
17. Thrivette ($120K/year)
Stacey Haynes, the founder of Thrivette, came up with the idea for her business after realizing that many people settle for an unfulfilling Monday-Friday work week and put off their dreams due to a lack of motivation and money. She and her husband, Jason, used their skills in design and customer experience to start small businesses and fund their bigger dreams, eventually earning over $165,000 through Kickstarter. Thrivette now offers consulting and free resources to help others achieve their goals and make their dreams a reality.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 2
This case study follows the story of Stacey Haynes, founder of Thrivette, a business consulting and resource community that helps people start and grow their businesses, and how she and her husband have made over $10k per month through consulting and merchandise sales on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and Shopify.
18. Content Intelligence Media ($120K/year)
Thomas Oppong, the founder of AllTopStartups, came up with the idea for his business while studying software entrepreneurship at Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology. He started by aggregating the best and top technology ideas on his personal platform, and after receiving interest from readers, he transformed it into a startup blog focused on sharing promising startups that were growing rapidly or changing the way we live or work on a large scale. Today, AllTopStartups collaborates with hundreds of content marketing agencies and generates approximately $10,000 per month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 2
From blogging about the best technology ideas to earning $10K/month through paid newsletters and courses, this case study explores the journey of entrepreneur and blogger Thomas Oppong and his successful online platforms.
19. Screw The Cubicle ($120K/year)
Lydia Lee started Screw The Cubicle as a blog to document her own transition from employee to entrepreneur. After receiving a message from a reader asking about coaching services, she decided to explore coaching as a way to help others navigate career transitions. Through beta testing and refining her coaching process, Lydia was able to create self-guided courses and build a successful business, generating approximately $10,000 per month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
Screw The Cubicle's Lydia Lee started a location-independent coaching business that generates an average monthly revenue of $10,000, helping corporate professionals transition to independent careers by offering self-guided courses and personalized coaching programs.
20. Personal Growth Base ($120K/year)
came. One of the most important lessons I learned is that success doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, dedication, and consistency to build a successful business. Additionally, I learned the power of personal connections and the importance of over-delivering and providing value to customers.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 0
A 22-year-old entrepreneur from Vienna built a $10k/month personal growth business by executing ideas quickly and targeting needs, as well as delivering quality services and personal connections to his customers.
21. Simply Hudson ($84K/year)
based on Simply Hudson's core values and vision. By offering strategic advising and process design services, along with additional public speaking packages and online business development courses, Simply Hudson attracts and retains customers by providing tangible and effective solutions for their businesses. The company's focus on simplicity, effectiveness, sustainability, integrity, and trust resonates with clients, leading to meaningful and impactful results.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $16K
How many people on the team: 0
Simply Hudson, a process design and strategic advising company, has saved over 800 manual work hours and $80,000 in annual overhead costs through designing streamlined, semi-automated processes for their fully remote, globally distributed team.
22. Blue Sky Coaching ($72K/year)
Carly Kay, the founder of Blue Sky Coaching, came up with the idea to start her coaching practice after receiving a coaching session at work, which sparked her interest in people development. After going through a certification program and experiencing personal and professional growth, Carly decided to leave her corporate job and start her own coaching business. The Covid-19 pandemic actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for her, as it allowed her to offer coaching sessions online and reach a wider audience.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 0
Blue Sky Coaching is a personal and professional coaching practice that launched in March 2020 and has built a sustainable business through consistency in branding, nurturing relationships, and offering effective coaching services in areas such as agile working and employee engagement.
23. Gabriel Neuman ($72K/year)
Gabriel Neuman, a successful WordPress developer, realized the need for individuals and enterprises to create and monetize their personal brands. He decided to productize his expertise and create a Personal Brand OS, aiming to double his monthly recurring revenue and grow his consulting and affiliate income. With his innovative approach, Gabriel plans to attract more customers by providing value-added services and content.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
Gabriel Neuman founded a Personal Brand Marketing Agency in 2020, earning around $15k per month at present, with plans to double the MRR in 2021 through the creation of his new product “Personal Brand OS,” having validated his idea by creating small examples for 3 actual customers.
24. Emerging Humanity ($60K/year)
Christos Kritikos, the founder of Emerging Humanity, came up with the idea for his business through his extensive experience as a technology solutions consultant for small businesses. With a passion for humanity and society, he realized that there was a need for a better way to support and empower entrepreneurs. Through structured programs, educational content, and hands-on help, Emerging Humanity aims to help impact-driven entrepreneurs launch successful products and become fundable.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 0
Emerging Humanity offers accelerator programs, entrepreneur courses, startup tools, and hands-on services that help impact-driven entrepreneurs launch successful products and become fundable, having helped over 50 founders/entrepreneurs from developing parts of the world within the past three to four years.
25. Small School ($42K/year)
Kevon Cheung, the founder of Public Lab, came up with the idea for his business after leaving his CEO role at a funded SaaS company and feeling lost about his next step. He wanted to build a presence and voice online to create a sustainable business while also having more time and flexibility for his family. He started documenting his journey and sharing his learnings on Twitter and stumbled upon the concept of "Building in Public," which resonated with him. Realizing there weren't many resources to help entrepreneurs who wanted to build in public, he decided to fill that gap and began writing a guide in public, eventually launching the Building in Public Guide to great success.
How much money it makes: $42K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 0
Public Lab founder Kevon Cheung shares his journey of starting his online business with no niche, network, or followers, and how he utilized the "Building in Public" framework to grow his business to a mid-5-figure revenue and establish a trustworthy brand by focusing on honesty, transparency, and helpfulness.
26. Commissioning and Startup ($42K/year)
Paul Turner, a professional electrical engineer and project management professional, came up with the idea for his business, Commissioning and Startup, after seeing numerous projects struggle due to poor commissioning. He created a suite of training programs to teach project managers and engineers the structured process of commissioning complex projects. These programs have been well received, with over 10,000 people taking the free intro course and positive feedback circulating on social media.
How much money it makes: $42K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how one professional engineer created online commissioning training programs to help project managers and engineers deliver complex projects on time and budget, with over 10,000 people taking his free mini-course and growing interest in his courses.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
