How to Start or Add Business Coaching to Your Practice: Key Insights & Next Steps
- Tyrel Wilgosh
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Business coaching is one of the fastest-growing professional services worldwide—and for good reason. Whether you’re exploring a career pivot, looking to add coaching to your practice, or simply curious about the benefits of coaching, this guide distills the biggest takeaways from the recent webinar hosted by the Professional Business Coaches Association of Canada (PBCA). You’ll discover:
Why demand for business coaching keeps climbing
Three distinct entry paths (full-time, part-time, or mission-driven)
Foundational coaching skills you can practice immediately
How PBCA’s coaching certification in Canada can accelerate your journey
Why Business Coaching Is Booming
Unlock measurable results for leaders
Clients turn to business coaches to transform vision into measurable outcomes—from higher revenue to stronger teams. Unlike consulting or mentoring, coaching uses open-ended questions and accountability frameworks to help leaders find their own best answers.
Flexible, scalable revenue for coaches
A coaching business can be run virtually, locally, or as a hybrid model, giving you control over hours, client volume, and pricing. As PBCA President Jim Shopland notes in the video, coaches enjoy “flexible and scalable income” that grows alongside their expertise.
A growing talent gap
More organizations recognize coaching as a must-have leadership tool, yet there aren’t enough certified professionals to meet demand—especially outside major urban centers. That gap spells opportunity for qualified coaches across Canada.
Meet PBCA: Canada’s Trusted Coaching Community
Founded in 2005, the Professional Business Coaches Association of Canada is an independent, member-led network spanning every province. Key differentiators:
Rigorous CPBC Certification. PBCA’s four-day Certified Professional Business Coach (CPBC) Training blends coaching methodology with business systems and ethics.
Ongoing support. Members access an extensive tool library, mastermind sessions, and a national peer community—no franchise fees or revenue splits.
Values-driven standards. An enforceable code of ethics keeps coaching relationships confidential, professional, and client-centered.
“The PBCA community is the best decision I ever made. I wish I’d joined five years earlier.”— Anna Harrison, CPBC Coach
Three Paths Into Business Coaching
1. Career Pivot: From Corporate Leader to Coach
If you’re an executive, manager, educator, or seasoned entrepreneur craving a new chapter, coaching lets you monetize decades of experience without “starting over.” PBCA members include HR directors, engineers, accountants—even former school principals—who now guide business owners and C-suite teams.
2. Elevate Your Existing Practice
Consultants, CPAs, project managers, and advisers often add coaching to deepen client relationships. By integrating future-focused questioning into engagements, they move beyond prescribing solutions and help clients own their growth—leading to longer contracts and better results.
3. Coaching as a Purpose-Driven Calling
Maybe you’re semi-retired or volunteering with nonprofits and faith communities. Coaching skills amplify your ability to serve, mentor, and create impact—on your schedule, at your desired pace. Many PBCA coaches maintain part-time practices to “give back” while staying professionally engaged.
Core Coaching Skills You Can Apply Today
Active Listening That Builds Trust
Be fully present. Minimize distractions, maintain eye contact, and listen for tone, body language, and unspoken cues.
Reflect and clarify. Use phrases like “What I’m hearing is…” to confirm understanding.
Pause before responding. Silence gives clients space to process and reveal deeper insights.
Ask Powerful, Open-Ended Questions
Closed yes/no queries shut down conversation; great coaches ask “what,” “how,” or “why” questions that spark reflection—for example:
“What outcome are you hoping to create in your business this quarter?”
“How will success feel for you and your team?”
Turn Ideas Into Action
Help clients break big goals into SMART steps: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Anchor each step with:
Clear timeline. “What will you complete by next Friday?”
Ownership. “Why does this matter to you?”
Accountability. “How will we know you’ve succeeded?”
Even if you never charge a fee, practicing these habits positions you as a trusted partner—and lets you test your own affinity for coaching.
From Interest to Implementation: Your Next Moves
Define your niche. Who do you care most about helping—start-ups, family businesses, professional services firms?
Pilot a session. Offer a complimentary 30-minute coaching call to a colleague or client and gauge the impact.
Gather feedback. Ask participants what felt valuable and where they see coaching adding ongoing value.
Assess training needs. If coaching energizes you, formal certification will sharpen your skills, credibility, and pricing power.
What PBCA’s CPBC Training Includes
Component | Details |
Duration | Four live virtual days (next cohort June 17-20) |
Curriculum | Coaching foundations, ethics, business systems, marketing |
Resources | Business Effectiveness Evaluation, Leadership tools, assessments |
Community | 12-month membership, monthly masterminds, national conference |
Investment | $7,500 CAD (includes first-year dues; early-bird or group savings may apply) |
Ready to Explore Coaching Certification in Canada?
If the idea of becoming a business coach or adding coaching to your practice resonates, PBCA invites you to:
Download the free Career Starter Guide (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DR0wlF0rr2uCx1ZT6v0em3I-adGR5Fk9?usp=drive_link).
Secure your seat in the June 17-20 CPBC cohort—or ask about upcoming September dates if those work better.
Business coaching changes lives: your clients’, your community’s, and your own. Take the first step toward a more purposeful, profitable future today.
