How do I become a life coach? What education credentials should I have before starting the business?

I graduated this past spring with bachelors in psychology and i want to do something with it. I am in grad. school right now and i currently work at a mental/behavioral hospital. i would like to start a life coach business, but i'm not sure what is required. I want to know, do I have enough education background to legally start the business and what other legal stuff will I need to know about? I live in ohio and I have looked on the gov鈥檚. site for establishing a new business, but it is less than helpful.





I want to specialize in high school sports and self-esteem building workshops.





Thanks





jason|||There are none. It's also incredibly competitive.





If you want to start that business, just do it. The most important factor will be your own promotional efforts. See if you can find the early-career stories of folks like Michel Fortin, who are slightly off the beaten path in the self-help game but still produce a decent bulk of material.





Also, educate yourself on it (obviously) -- that's probably how you got the idea in the first place. See what the other marketers in your field are doing- particularly Jeffery Gitomer and Stephan Schiffman- to stay on top of their sphere. The industry of which you're speaking is surprisingly mature- you won't be able to take it by storm the way Anthony Robbins did in his youth- but it's far from dead.





If I were you I'd focus self-education in a direction which suits your desired image and personality- classicism for one particular sort of flair, sports for another. Just today I was reading Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads, wherein Williams probes the far reaches of history, literature, and- sigh, yes- psychology to bring us an amazing perspective on the world around us and how to divert its money toward us ;)





Finally, my own personal hunch but I bet I could find people to back me on this- stop revving your engine and get into gear. Less school, more legwork. If you're serious about this then it should be no problem for you to burn some midnight oil and work up a quick folio of products/services to offer, then go sell somebody something! =)





If you haven't, also make SURE you've read The Little Red Book of Selling (Gitomer), E-Myth Master (Michael Gerber), one of Schiffman's "25" books or or Telesales, and at least one of David Ogilvy's major titles.





These geniuses of self-promotion and topical expertise will show you what works in the field you're attacking.





Also, consider myself an open-eared ally and email at your leisure.





Finally, cement your key connections by giving back- whether business, expertise, or personal synergy. Start by rating this answer the best =)|||The following website has a mini e-course:


http://www.mylifecoach.com/how_to_become鈥?/a>





Check out the e-course and read the website. It should give you the main points and help you on your way.





Good luck!