With so much focus on the coach training, legal structure, and business planning, it can be easy to forget how important your office set-up is for your success.
At a basic level, the Code of Ethics for coaching calls for confidentiality which means a lockable space where you control who has access and when.
Next to consider is how your office is arranged in terms of desk space, computer, files, etc. The comfort of your chair and desk will impact your productivity. Decor is a factor because when you like being in the space and it feels good, then you are both more productive and more effective.
An up-to-date computer and appropriate software are essential because these are tools for the work and also because this is how you interact with clients and prospective clients.
Forms that coaches use include their coaching agreement plus various intake or session questionnaires. Many coaches also have forms for clients to reflect and report or forms for different assessment tools.
Processes for taking care of your business, such as the accounting, promoting your services, maintaining an online presence, signing on new clients, coaching, and closing out a coaching engagement are best organized from the beginning and then adjusted as you grow. In this way you have the thought behind it, a way to work with others, plus free up time when you start while also maintaining flexibility.
Resources for you as a coach and also resources for clients make it easier for you to stay on track and to support your clients. The Center for Coaching Certification provides a multitude of tools on the coach login page plus ongoing support for the business and marketing efforts of graduates.
