10 Hottest Homebased Businesses For 2000

You don't need a whistle to become a business coach, but you must have the ability to play a variety of roles-advisor, confidante, psychologist, cheerleader and more. Business coaches usually work with clients who are entering a new career, starting a new business, climbing up the career ladder or looking to make a transition. Only in existence since the early 1990s, the field is still evolving, but coaches say they're different than consultants or counselors because their approach is more conversational and more directed because they ask clients strategic questions and offer objective feedback.

Coaches usually interact with clients by phone or e-mail once a week or several times a month, charging between $50 and $300 per hour. Some specialize in working with particular types of professionals, such as the self-employed, executives or writers, or they focus on specific areas, such as time management or overcoming shyness. Coaches don't need a license to practice, but it's recommended that they complete an intensive certification course at a professional organization such as Coach University, located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

In addition to a training course, which costs between $500 and $2,500, start-up expenses include basic office equipment, as well as a marketing budget.

One of the biggest initial hurdles for those who are starting out is explaining why clients need the services of a coach. "In one sense, no one needs a coach," acknowledges Talane Miedaner, owner of Talene Coaching Co. in New York City, and author of Coach Yourself to Success (Contemporary Books, $22.95). "People have been getting along forever without one. But having a coach helps you go from ordinary to extraordinary. Why do Olympic athletes pay a coach, someone who they can run circles around? They hire someone who can offer an objective perspective and who is committed to their success."-Pamela Rohland

For More InformationCoach University
P.O. Box 881595
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80488
(800) 48-COACH
www.coachu.com