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Behind the Glitter: Why the Coaching Industry Has a Reputation Problem · Create Magic At Work®

• 0:00
  Amy Lynn Durham: This is over a $5 billion industry. Only 29% of coaches earn over 100k per year. And here's why a lot of people are selling how to be a seven figure Coach, how to make a quantum leap. And again, this is my opinion all of you know me who have listened to the podcast for years, I am way into spiritual intelligence. I am way into the law of attraction. I completely believe in abundance and attracting things that are meant for you. But there is something wrong with marketing to individuals and promising them certain things that end up not being delivered on, and then blaming the client because it wasn't delivered.
• 1:01
  Hey, it's Amy. Welcome to Create Magic at Work, where we cast visions for a future of work, where business decisions ripple outward to our teams, our communities, the planet and humanity as a whole. If you're ready to edge, walk instead of sleep, walk through your leadership, you're in the right place. So let's start making magic at work.
• 1:22
  Hey, everyone. Welcome to Create Magic at Work. This week, I want to do something a little bit different and talk about something that has been on my mind. I want to talk about the reputation of the coaching industry. Let me start off by telling you a little bit about my story. So when I left my corporate job to pursue this life purpose, thing of bringing more humanity into the workplace, I was like, This is great. I have the expertise and the real world experience and background that I can bring to being an executive coach or a consultant. I'm going to go off and get my certification in that and start helping clients with the specific areas that I'm studied in. And this is going to be awesome. And so I went off with rose colored glasses and started pursuing that. What I didn't know at the time was covid was going to hit, and I also had no clue at all what the coaching industry was actually like, and here we are, six and a half years later, and I have seen a lot, and so I'm just here to share my opinion, and I'm also here to share with you some things to look for When you are shopping for an executive coach or for a coach in general, a life coach, a nutrition coach, whatever coach it might be that you're seeking help from. I want to talk about a lot of the stuff that I hear behind the scenes, in private conversations with people that feel like the coaching industry is sort of this wild area that is sort of hard to funnel through and find the right coach for you.
• 3:31
  Okay, so I'm bringing my six years of experience in the coaching industry, my naivete from the beginning, my story of my naiveness of what this was going to be like. I'm also going to share some stories that are red flags for you to look for, and the ultimate goal here, for me is really to help you understand the power of coaching, particularly executive coaching, because that's what create magic at work is an executive coaching firm and help you kind of weed through the noise so you can step into a real experience with an executive coach that can help you elevate and amplify whatever issues or part of your life or growth area you want to take a look at, because also part of the behind the scenes that I've seen is the incredible transformation that I've had the honor to experience with private clients, and really the credit completely goes to them for jumping in and doing The work and myself, the executive coaches at create magic at work. We are all just guides walking with you through this portion of your journey or this portion of your life. Let me share some data points with you. This is the most current and reputable data,
• 4:57
  and this comes from the ICF global. Whole coaching study that was released in 2025 if you don't know, ICF, is the International Coach Federation, and so if you're looking for a coach, that's sort of the most well known standard that you can see. If a coach says that they're ICF certified, that's something you might want to look for because that means they've gone through training. They've gone through an education in the type of coaching that they're offering, and they've also gone through a rigorous exam on ethics to be able to hold an ICF certification. All of the coaches at create magic at work that all the executive coaches note are ICF certified, as well as many of them are certified from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business in executive coaching. I share that because that is one thing to look for. There's a big argument right now. Actually there's just an ongoing debate, not necessarily a big argument, but there's an ongoing debate I see all the time about whether you should hire a coach that has experience or the certification, because I see a lot of people in that label themselves as an executive coach, and sometimes they they they don't hold an executive coaching certification, and perhaps you might see somebody that holds an executive coaching certification, and they might not have some of the real world experience in the area that you're looking for. My opinion, my ideal situation is you hire somebody that has both you look at what their real world experience is as well as what their certifications are in, and you see if that's a match for you. You also reach out. Most coaches offer a discovery session to see if it's a fit for both of you. So you reach out, ask questions to see if that particular coach is going to be a fit for you. So I digress, but let me get back to the data. So here's the data on coaching right now, the global coaching industry in 2025 generated $5.34 billion Wow, $5.3 billion in 2025 that comes from, like I said,
• 7:26
  the 2025 ICF global coaching study. So there is a credentials gap. There's approximately 100 around up about 123,000 professional coach practitioners worldwide, which is a 54% increase since 2019 however, 85% of clients state that they now prioritize working with certified coaches, and I suspect I know the reason why, which I'm going to get into in a little bit here. What kind of ROI do you get working with an executive coach? Well, here's another data point from this study, executive coaching typically yields an ROI of five times to seven times the initial investment, and 86% of organizations that track coaching report a positive return, incredible. So if you find the right executive coach for your company, the right executive coaching firm, it can be a game changer, five to seven times the initial investment. Here's another one that this is what really annoys me. While yes, this is over a $5 billion industry, only 29% of coaches earn over 100k per year, and here's why a lot of people are selling how to be a seven
• 8:58
  figure Coach, how to make a quantum leap. And again, this is my opinion. All of you know me who have listened to the podcast for years, I am way into spiritual intelligence. I am way into the law of attraction. I completely believe in abundance and attracting things that are meant for you. But there is something wrong with marketing to individuals and promising them certain things that end up not being delivered on, and then blaming the client because it wasn't delivered. Now I get it if I'm working with a client and they're not doing their own work in the executive coaching process, and they don't see the results and they're not happy, it's always the client's responsibility to engage in the coaching engage. Engage in the process. However, there is something that has taken this dynamic and really exploited clients in a gross, to me, a gross marketing way. So somebody selling a dream, and then people pay multi six figures to engage with an executive coach, and then they don't see the results that they were promised, and then they're shamed because those results didn't happen. And to me, that's predatory marketing. That is something that is not within integrity, if you're shopping for executive coaching, especially this happens a lot in the one on one, private client space. And what I mean by that is, when you're looking for a coach to pay for out of your own pocket, a lot of large, larger organizations they I don't think they tend to have that problem too much here at create magic at work, we work a lot with corporate organizations, and so they're pretty familiar with our credentials and the tools we like to use and the instruments we deploy for organizational change and things like that. But where I've really seen people I know feel burned is in, I have to say, it is in that Instagrammy space of coaches, where it's life coaches, nutrition coaches, this coach, that coach, I can't even name them all, and they're promising these huge promises to somebody that might
• 11:37
  actually be in pain and really need help. And they're using predatory marketing to, frankly, take their money, and that is not something that I love at all, and it's really been bothersome for me in the coaching industry for these past few years. Anyways, some of these things to look for, as far as red flags go, how to spot a legitimate coach that truly can help you transform your life, elevate your life, amplify your life. Trust me, I've seen all of it, and I've seen that. I've seen it. It's been incredible. Tears. Oh my gosh. I can't believe my life looks like this today compared to six months ago. Just unbelievable space opening up for possibilities. I have seen that. I have also seen people that I know feel like they ended up working with a fake and that's why I wanted to record this episode for all of you today. So Red flag number one in this predatory marketing is mindset shaming. I freaking can't stand this being a certified spiritual intelligence coach and understanding the dynamics of these universal laws of the laws of giving and receiving, of the laws of karma, of the laws of attraction. I really feel like this is taking these universal laws and using them in a predatory, negative way. So if a coach tells you
• 13:16
  that you're not getting results because of your lack of belief, or because your vibration is off, or some sort of shaming, or mindset shaming in that way, that could possibly be a red flag. So just just sort of note that, and I might even say that might be a yellow flag, because sometimes our energy is a little off. And if you are with an ethical coach, and they notice that, they might name that and at the same time, help you come up with ways to shift out of that, but there will never be a blame or a shame feeling associated with that. Okay. It'll always hopefully be empowerment that comes from that. Another thing on the mindset shaming, I've heard people that are in Discovery sessions with individuals and professionals that claim to be a coach. I don't know if you've experienced this before, but I sure have had people say to me, you need to believe in enough in yourself, like this money that you're putting in for this program, it proves that you believe in yourself. And so you have to level up with this multi five figure fee, and then the universe will pay you back things like that, right? Like if you're not going to sign up for this, then this then this means you don't believe in yourself. That might not necessarily be true. I do not like that. That, to me, is mindset shaming. Okay? Red flag number two, no ethical oversight. Make sure my opinion that this coach, that a coach, that you're working. With has some sort of governing body or certification behind what they're doing. If they say, I don't need a piece of paper, they're basically, in my opinion, telling you they have no one to answer to if they behave unethically. And because the coaching industry is so it's getting better, but especially when I first started, it was so unregulated, this is really important to protect yourself. So again, I see this a lot in social media posts. I don't need a piece of paper. I have the experience, or I transform lives, or I help people take quantum leaps,
• 15:39
  or I can guarantee you seven figures in three months if you step into my program. Blah, blah, blah, well, that's fine. If you make that much money from your clients, then you have enough money to go through a certification program to learn the ethics that we've learned to where when we're working with human beings that we do that with care and with grace and with integrity. Okay, now here's my green flags. So look for people and ask them if they have specific frameworks. Coaches. What framework do you use? What is your method? What is your approach? Those are some questions you can ask a coach when you're looking to work with them to see if they will be a fit. So you don't step into an engagement where you're at the end, you're like, oh my gosh, that sucked. I didn't even get what I needed, right? So be brave in asking the questions in these Discovery sessions. So look for frameworks that match, for example, my frameworks that we use here at create magic at work are rooted in spiritual intelligence. So we use the SQ 21 it's a continuing education credit with the international coaching Federation, I had to go through certification process to deploy the SQ 21 assessment. We also use the edge Walker framework, and a lot of the executive coaches at create magic at work are certified in distributing the edge Walker profile and the arc types of change, which that helps you learn how you respond to change, what your relationship is to time, and then also help you expand the skills and qualities of an edge Walker. Help you tap into playfulness, help you tap into manifestation. But we're studied in this, and we also have the experience in corporate in the business world and all of those things. So we're marrying the two right to bring you these frameworks to incorporate into your life when you leave session. So more green flags when your coach holds you to specific boundaries and ground rules. That's important. Another green flag is when, oh, this is
• 18:00
  huge. And this ties into SQ this literally just came to me talking to you right now. So another green flag is when your coach is unattached to outcome.
• 18:14
  That is one of the biggest indicators that you will have a successful experience, if not extremely transformational, is when your coach is unattached to outcome. Because if they dip into the advice giving arena, or if they are so passionate about seeing some sort of result come from you, because then that, if you're successful, then that proves they're a good coach. Oh my gosh to me, total red flag if a coach is super invested in a specific outcome, or what a specific outcome looks like with your experience so unattached to outcome is a huge green flag. And let me tell you, let me paint a picture and a story for that. I was working with a high level client in an extremely large company, and they were a senior leader there, and we were about a month and a half into our six month engagement, and I received a phone call from HR saying that that person had been let go. They'd been terminated. I was like, wow, okay, this is what we're doing. So if I was so attached to the outcomes, originally discussed with their success in that job or in that corporate setting, I would have perhaps spiraled. I would have perhaps thought this was a reflection of my my executive coaching. Being I could have made it all about me and what my experience was instead of what my client was experiencing in that moment. And the path any coach should choose to take is low self orientation and being focused on your client's experience and what are they feeling in this moment, and how can I be there for them? And what is this new, amazing outcome that's going to come from this? Because the universe just basically gave you a turn in the road, and now you're walking a completely different path, and I will walk it with you, and I will help you see that this could have been the biggest gift that's ever been given to you, and that's what we did. Oh, I'm getting emotional talking about it. So that is a huge green flag, because remaining open to outcome, the gifts that
• 21:01
  come from that are something that you can't even imagine. And I walked the path, just to wrap up this story, I walked the path with that person, and their life is completely different now, in an extremely good way, and they are living with joy and with playfulness, and started their own business, and it's a business that gives back, and it just the possibilities that can come from that are incredible. Thank you for listening to me, because this is something I'm so passionate about. So let me wrap up the three points of what an elite coach can look like, and can help you if you look for this in this way, in my opinion, you will find someone that can truly help you in the way that transforms your life or elevates your life or moves you into that growth space that you've been seeking. Three points the credentials, because what the credentials provide are ethics they provide hopefully. I mean, I'm broad, stroking this and this, generalizing this, but like these are the hope, right, that it provides ethics, because they train us in that, that it provides psychological safety, that you have somebody that has a repeated methodology that they're using with you if they don't have credentials, then you're risking working with someone that's a loose cannon without any accountability or guardrails. Also look for real world experience, because that's going to provide you context, nuance, their ability to speak your language of leadership with you, or your language of life, or whatever that is, without that, then you're going to get a credentialed coach, but they're not going to understand like that emotion, that feeling of being in that meeting room. I know it's not exactly the same, because all of our experiences are experiences, but they're going to understand a little bit more that path that you're walking. Keep using path. But that's all I can come up with right now.
• 23:09
  Okay, the third point is, look for the specialty, right? If you're looking for an executive coach like me who incorporate spiritual intelligence, and you want to operate from your Higher Self more. Or you want to learn these skills. You want to maintain inner peace. You want to make wise and compassionate decisions for yourself and others. Or maybe you want to work with one of the coaches at create magic at work and learn. Why am I responding to change? Why is this rattling me so badly? And I want to learn what my relationship to change is, and also to time and how that relates, and all of those things, maybe wondering about that. So then that's a specific tool, a specialized tool that we have at create magic at work that we can utilize with you and help you have those aha moments in that way. So look for specialized tools within the coaching certifications of that coach that might resonate with you. Look for the specific assessments they might use. Look for the frameworks that they use. Sometimes, if you don't do your research ahead of time, if you're not armed with information, I always say it's like you're going to a foot doctor when you need a heart doctor. So to avoid that, take a deeper look at what some of the specialized tools some of these coaches are offering. But I think the core message here that I'm trying to share is I'm going to use my friend Bill, curse word plea. My plea is, if you feel that tug in your stomach when you see a coach marketing piece that says, I'm riffing here, but you know behind this curtain, once you step. Into this platform, you'll make a million dollars. Or once you believe in yourself and pay X amount of dollars, then you'll know, then you'll see. And if you feel like, oh my gosh, I'm missing something, there's something missing within me. But if I step in here, I'm going to get it, and then I'm finally going to be whole. That feels predatory to me. I think we're all whole. I think we're all exploring life. And I
• 25:30
  think that weird urgency feeling you might feel in your stomachy area, kind of like the solar plexus area, I would note that, and I would sit with that. And then, if you did get that feeling, maybe, after you sit with that and that feeling kind of dissipates, maybe you do start doing a little research to work with a real coach that aligns with you, and you take calm and peaceful aligned action to interview coaches and find the right one for you, and maybe you'll be that person sitting six months from now going, Wow, I love my life, and I'm so glad that I stepped into this experience, because there are some incredible, incredible executive coaches out there. I know a lot of them, a lot of them are on the create magic at work team, and they don't get enough credit. Back to that, the data point that I shared that the industry is booming over 5 billion with a B dollars, and only 29% of coaches earn over 100k a year, sometimes in the coaching industry, all that glitters is not gold, but if you do your due diligence and you find the right coach for you, you will find the gold, and you will Be that person. Six months, 12 months, whatever it is, down the line that is like, whoa. I am so glad I had this experience, the seven figure promises and the believe in yourself, and if you don't pay this, then all that shaming, no walk away from that and help all of us that are in the space of truly being there, human to human, truly trained, truly ethical. Help all of us so that when the glitter settles, you have a partner who has done the work in the trenches and in the classroom. And for me, I think I'll sign off this way at create magic at work, we do not choose between credentials and experience. That's not an argument for us. We just simply have both. I'm not really understanding why that's even a thing, but hey, that's just me. You are a human and a leader that deserves a compassionate professional. I hope
• 28:09
  this passionate episode got you thinking. I actually would love to hear your thoughts on this. So I hope the red flags helped. I hope the green flags helped, and I hope that this episode sent some magic to you today.