Dont’s and Do’s of Starting Your Recovery Coaching Business

Here are the 5 most common hang-ups I hear from people who are trying to start their recovery business.

1. I think I need a website. The truth is you don’t need a website to start your business. Don’t fall in the trap of spending lots of money on your website because the truth is that your brand and niche will evolve. However, if you feel that you would like one then do something very basic. You could have someone create a basic site for you or you could start with a landing page. Do get some basics in place like business cards, phone number and website or landing page. So don’t get caught up on a website, do move forward with basic business tools so that people can contact you for your services.

2. How do I pick a niche? Don’t get caught on niche. Niche is a funny thing. You hear people say that you have to have a niche. And the reason that is has more to do with creating clients. You can’t create clients if you have no focus. People will not know or understand who you serve so you have to clearly communicate who that person is and what problem you solve for them. This will make referrals easier when someone understands your niche. Recovery is a broad spectrum so being clear on who your person is is important. Is this person just starting out, are they in long-term recovery, are they male only, are they living in sober living homes, you get the point. The more clear you can be the better. Be open to your niche changing. And this is why it’s important not to spend a lot on a website because what your niche was starting off is not always what your niche will end up. Don’t buy into your niche staying stagnant, do know that your niche is going to evolve and grow as you continue to evolve and grow.

3. Do I pick Sole Proprietor or LLC? So many people want to know if they should do a Sole Proprietor or LLC (limited liability company). Don’t let someone make this decision for you. I have lots of people ask me what they should do and I always redirect people to an attorney and accountant. Perhaps you have access to people like this and perhaps you don’t. Make sure to do your own research when making this decision. I was able to talk this through with my husband. I personally started with Sole Proprietor as I was getting my feet wet. However, now I’m all in with my business and will be moving into a LLC. Don’t let someone make this decision for you. Do make yourself informed and understand more about this so you can make the best choice for yourself and your business. No need to be intimidated by this process. It’s all learning and growth. No one know’s this information until they learn it so you can learn it too.

4. What gives with Liability Insurance? This is another one of those not so sexy parts of the business. When I first started I had liability insurance as a Counselor and a Coach because I was just starting off and didn’t quite know what the business would look like. However, now I just have the Coaching Liability insurance through Westminster Group. I was provided this information from Recovery Coaches International which is an association for recovery coaches. I suggest you check out their site if you haven’t before. They have profiles of coaches there and you could certainly connect folks. I have a profile on the page as well and have had people contact me and ask questions before. Don’t worry if you don’t know much about liability insurance and how it works. Do inform yourself and get liability insurance.

5. How do I figure all of this out? Mentor coaching is really important part of the process. When I worked in a non-profit treatment facility we would get together everyday M – F and talk through new intakes, client’s behaviors and discharges. When you work alone you don’t have that level of support with your clients. The truth is that we are often working with people who have a lot of challenges and it is important to be supported through those challenges. Since starting my business in December of 2014, I have had 8 different coaches: mentor, business, marketing, health and spiritual coaches. It’s important that you continue to do your inner work to be able to support others in doing their inner work. Plus it’s important to be supported through your business as well. There’s a lot of moving parts here and having your own coach or coaches is part of the process. Don’t expect your business to take off without support. Do know that having your own Coach is going to expedite the process for you.

So today we talked about common don’ts and do’s around website, niche, business set-up, liability insurance and mentor coaching. These are the most common hang-ups I hear about for folks wanting to start their recovery coaching business.

Remember that everyone learns along the way.