In the ’90s, I ran a business assembling and repairing computers. Back then, the PC world was exactly what coaching feels like today:

• Anyone with curiosity and a screwdriver could call themselves a “computer builder.”

• People sold systems from driveways, garages, and spare bedrooms.

• Quality ranged from “surprisingly good” to “this won’t even turn on.”

There were no standards, no oversight, no guarantees.

Consumers had no idea who actually knew what they were doing.

Yet even without marketing, customers came to me — because they wanted someone they could trust.

That’s when I learned a truth that applies perfectly to coaching today:

When an industry lacks structure, people buy confidence, not credentials.

And today, coaching is reliving that same growing pain.

The Coaching Industry’s Three Categories

After years of watching, hiring, mentoring, and training coaches, I’ve noticed the industry sorts itself into three groups.

1. Well-Trained Coaches

These are professionals who commit to real training:

• 9+ months of structured programs

• Live practice hours

• Mentoring and supervision

• Skill assessments and ethical guidelines

They’ve been evaluated before charging clients.

2. Under-Trained or Self-Proclaimed Coaches

This is where confusion starts.

• Some take a two-week online program and call it certification.

• Some switch titles (“consultant,” “mentor,” “coach”) without understanding the difference.

• Some genuinely want to help but lack the tools, frameworks, or self-awareness to do it safely.

Most mean well — but don’t yet know what they don’t know.

3. Well-Trained and Accredited Coaches

These coaches go through rigorous training and independent accreditation (ICF, etc.), which includes:

• external evaluation

• ethics requirements

• supervision

• continuing education

Accreditation doesn’t guarantee brilliance — but it drastically reduces the chances of harm or inconsistency.

Important Reality

• Certification ≠ automatically great results.

• Lack of certification ≠ automatically poor coach.

• But accreditation shifts the odds heavily in favour of the client.

The Real Wild West: Coaching Marketing

If skill differences create confusion, marketing multiplies it.

I’ve sat through more coaching marketing workshops than I’d like to admit. Most mean well, but “advice” is often misleading or downright harmful.

Here are the statements that worry me most:

“If you’re one step ahead, you can coach them.”

Life experience isn’t the same as professional coaching skill.

“Sell the transformation — promise the outcome.”

No coach can predict:

• timeline

• emotional readiness

• depth of work

• unexpected obstacles

A good coach checks if someone is prepared — not just motivated.

“Lock clients into 6–12 month contracts.”

If money is what keeps someone in the relationship, trust breaks instantly.

“The more they pay, the more they value it.”

False.

I often offer free sessions — and those clients progress just as much.

What matters is:

• psychological safety

• commitment

• honesty

• partnership

Not price tags.

“If the client doesn’t succeed, it’s their fault.”

Dangerous mindset.

Coaching is co-creation.

Blame destroys trust — and misrepresents the whole industry.

What 30 Years Across Two Worlds Has Taught Me

In tech, the problem was obvious — but so was the solution.

In coaching, the stakes are higher.

You’re working with people’s minds, confidence, identity, and potential — not computer parts.

That’s why I don’t believe in pressure tactics.

I don’t believe in selling dreams.

And I don’t believe transformation requires “pain point” manipulation.

Instead, I believe in creating real value — frameworks, tools, insights, and clarity that help people think more powerfully, even if they never work with me.

Because in both industries — PCs or coaching — one truth stays constant:

Trust is the real product.

Where Coaching Goes Next

Just like the early tech industry, coaching is slowly evolving:

• more accreditation

• more structure

• clearer standards

• more consumer awareness

We’re still early — but progress is happening.

While the field matures, here’s what matters most:

If you’re choosing a coach, ask:

• Do they offer sample sessions?

• Are they accredited?

• What are their ethics and boundaries?

• What’s their process when things go wrong?

• How do they measure progress?

• Does it feel safe and grounded — not salesy?

If you’re a coach:

Exceed expectations.

Invest in training.

Build actual skill.

Stay curious.

Serve, don’t sell.

Because in every industry — tech, coaching, or anything else —

Belief, integrity, and real partnership are what create lasting transformation.