Coaching Business Plan 25.12.2020

2020
ABC INC
Business Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK PITCH .......................................................................................................................... 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 4
PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS .............................................................................................. 7
MISSION, VISION AND GOALS ............................................................................................ 9
OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................... 10
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS .................................................................................................... 12
PLATFORM OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................... 14
MANAGEMENT TEAM.......................................................................................................... 16
MARKET ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................. 17
REVENUE FROM COACHING INDUSTRY .................................................................................. 18
NUMBER OF COACH PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE ............................................................ 20
MANAGERS OR LEADERS USING COACHING SKILLS ............................................................ 22
DEMOGRAPHICS AND BEHAVIOUR OF COACHES WORLDWIDE......................................... 23
IMPACT OF COVID-19................................................................................................................... 24
TARGET MARKET ................................................................................................................. 26
LOCATION ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 29
REVENUE DRIVERS.............................................................................................................. 31
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 32
MARKETING STRATEGIES................................................................................................... 42
SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 46
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 49
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BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

QUICK PITCH
ABC INC.
PLATFORM UNIQUE SELLING POINT

The platform will be an online marketplace § One-of-its-kind platform providing
driven by data and AI tools aimed to connect the opportunities to different categories of
coaches & coachees, enable coaches to coaches
manage their practice effectively through § Reasonable subscription packages
advanced features, and enhance the user
experience.
OPPORTUNITY
PROBLEM WORTH SOLVING COMPANY’S SOLUTION

§ People have to search through multiple § The platform will assist the coachees to
platforms to hire coaches find coaches of their choice on a single
§ At present, there is no single platform platform.
registering multiple categories of § All categories of coaches will be allowed
coaches to get registered on the platform
§ Other platforms present in the market whether it is arts, sports, life coach, etc.
charge an exorbitant amount of § The platform will charge coaches based
commission from the earnings of on a fixed monthly or yearly subscription
coaches or freelancers registered on without taking a regular commission on
their platform. their earnings
TARGET MARKET
The target market of the company includes:

§ Coaches
§ Employers or Corporates
SALES AND MARKETING
REVENUE DRIVERS MARKETING ACTIVITIES

§ Increased Demand § Social media
§ Growing internet penetration § Website and mobile application
§ Content marketing
§ Referrals
Page 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Industry Overview: The coaching industry has

experienced a massive boom worldwide across a
range of sectors over the past few decades. The COMPANY INFORMATION
industry is said to be the second-fastest-growing
§ Company Name: ABC Inc
sector in the world within the past 10 years. As the
§ Platform Name: XYZ
demand for coaching services will increase in the § Business: Coaching Platform
future, there will be the need for these services to be Industry
§ Location: Melbourne, Victoria
delivered in the format preferred by the largest
§ Geographical Focus: Worldwide
segment of the market i.e., tech-savvy population. So, § Website:
digital platforms are expected to become the primary § Overall Objective: To enable
coaches establish their online
communication method in the years to come. These
presence and ease the process of
digital platforms will also become the primary tool hiring coaches for people
among the businesses who are looking to schedule
time more effectively while booking top-tier coaches OWNERSHIP
for seminars and workshops. § ABC Inc
The global technology progress and its influence on REVENUE FORECAST

the day-to-day activities of people have driven a
§ Year 1:
constant change in customer behavior. People § Year 3:
nowadays require more creativity, open-mindedness, § Year 5:
online presence, and flexible working options from
coaches, which has created a massive demand for PROFITABILITLY FORECAST
online platforms connecting both through more § Year 1:
advanced options. § Year 3:
§ Year 5:
Company Summary: To be a part of the growing
coaching industry, the founder, Mr. A is planning to FUNDING NEEDED:
launch a platform named ‘XYZ’ which will be a SaaS- § Owner’s Funds:
based platform aimed to connect coachees with § Investor’s Funds:
coaches of their choice. The platform will allow the
coaches to perform basic functions including
scheduling assignments, creating assessments,
marking a coaching calendar, and much more. It will also enable coachees from every part of
the world to hire a coach of their choice. In a nutshell the platform will be a coaching universe
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that will provide an opportunity for any coach to reach out to his/her customers and in the
same way allow coachees to reach out to their desired coaches.
Parent Company: The platform will be owned by the parent company, ABC Inc, which is
owned by Mr. A as the managing director. In the future, the platform will be registered as an
independent entity with founder Mr. A as the only director.
Platform Milestones: The product will initially be launched as a desktop App/website and
after having created a presence among the targeted audience, the founder will be looking to
launch the mobile app version of the platform. The founder aims to launch a base version of
the product as MVP 1 (Minimum Viable Product) at end of June 2021. Once the base version is
launched, he will keep on releasing subsequent versions every 6 months.
Platform Description: The web platform and mobile application of the company will onboard
coaches from all spheres of life on a single platform and allow them to establish direct
connections with their potential customers by presenting their work professionally through
the platform. The platform supported by AI tools and data analytics will enable the coaches to
schedule their work effectively.
Target Segment: The primary target market of the platform will be worldwide coaches
looking to create an online presence and manage their regular and administrative tasks
effectively without having to devote extra time for the same allowing them to focus on their
core services. In addition to this, the company will also be targeting people looking to hire
different coaches (coachees) through a single platform, whether it is an individual or corporate
employer, and encourage them to join the platform’s platform to fulfill their requirements. The
authenticity of the coaches will be checked in advance before allowing them to register on
the company’s platform to assure security to the customers (coachees) looking to hire them.
Geographical Reach: The platform will be focusing on the worldwide coaches and users from
the very beginning. It will be looking to expand the market by introducing additional services
and improving the platform features based on customer feedback and changes in the
information technology industry.
Company Ownership in Future: The new company will be owned by Mr. A as the only
director. A Qualified information technology team and administrative staff will be hired to
assist him in daily operations and regular training will be provided to the employees working
within the company to update them with the latest trends in the information technology
industry.
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Strategy: The Company will be perfectly positioned to capture a significant share in the multi-
billion-dollar coaching platform industry through the experience of its founder and a
comprehensive team of employees, and their ability to utilize state-of-the-art digital and social
media marketing strategies. The Company is committed to investing in the latest technology,
highly skilled information technology team, and marketing professionals so that it can create a
solid base of professional coaches.
Competition: The primary competition comes from the platform named CoachingLoft.com,
which is engaged in connecting the coaches and coachees and helping both manage daily
tasks and measure the progress. In addition to this, Upwork, PeoplePerHour, and
Freelancer.Com are the other indirect players with whom the company will compete based on
its unique offerings and pricing structure.
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PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Problems: At present, there is no single platform in the market, which allows coachees to find
coaches of all categories under one roof. Coachees have to visit different websites or
platforms to find a variety of coaches for varied requirements, which makes it a cumbersome
procedure to search through various sources. Searching and managing the coaches through
various sources also consumes a lot of productive time of coachees, which can otherwise be
devoted to other productive activities. Some of the examples of difficulties being faced by
coachees are outlined as follows:
§ If someone needs an agile coach for their scrum teams, they have to look into
LinkedIn, job sites like Indeed, or freelance work sites like Upwork, Toptal, etc.
§ If they need a life coach or a mentor, they have to look up LinkedIn or freelance work
sites like Upwork, PeoplePerHour, or individual sites of different coaches
§ If they need a soccer coach, tennis coach, or yoga coach for themselves or their
children, they will end up searching through multiple sites
§ If they need a gardening coach, interior decoration coach or a pottery coach for their
hobby or even a coach for their pet, they do not know where to look, till Google helps
them to find something suitable to their requirements
In the same way, as there is no single platform for all categories of coaches, coaches with
different skills or abilities find it difficult to manage their work through multiple platforms.
Moreover, at present, the global market for coaching and mentoring is fragmented. Where
there are celebrity coaches who have their own world of coaching, mentoring, and following,
there are also ex-presidents, CEOs, retired military leaders, etc. who provide life coaching or
leadership coaching but do not have the required resources to establish an online presence.
The bulk of the coaches are however reaching out to a wide audience through social media,
LinkedIn, Upwork, Toptal, or EDM mailers. At the same time, there is a plethora of separate
coaching software that charges coaches to perform basic tasks like appointment scheduling,
assessments, etc., thereby increasing the cost burden on the part of coaches.
Moreover, the majority of platforms that are presently active in the market are charging their
users based on a fixed percentage of commission on their earnings through the platforms.
This discourages many coaches from using online platforms to find the work.
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Solution: Here lies the business opportunity to create a single unique online platform to bring
all types of coaches under one umbrella, which encouraged the founder to establish a
platform named ‘XYZ. The platform will help the coaches/mentors/trainers to reach out to the
prospective students without having to incur a heavy recurring cost. It will also help people,
organizations, clubs, etc. to search for the right coach through a single platform.
Some of the benefits to be offered by the platform are outlined as follows:
§ Assist a neighborhood coach to get customers through cluttered sites like LinkedIn.
§ Help an executive to hire the right coach he/she needs.
§ Assist an individual to hire a fitness coach or a life coach.
§ Assist parents to find the right soccer coach, sports coach, or teenage coach.
§ Help retirees to find the right gardening coach.
The platform is an attempt to solve all the problems being faced by both the coaches and
coachees. The platform will be a universal online marketplace for coaches which will also
have features of a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform that will allow the coaches to do
certain basic coaching functions in addition to establishing connections with their potential
customers.
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MISSION, VISION AND GOALS
MISSION
To create a user-friendly platform aimed
to assist coaches in managing their
practices and scheduling tasks
efficiently and help coachees
throughout the process of selecting the
right coach based on their requirements
with the help of AI-based tools and
systems.
VISION
To be the leading and trusted coaching
platform focused on simplifying the
experience of hiring coaches through
advanced discovery tools and ensuring
proper authentication.
GOALS
§ To position itself among the top
coaching platform companies
worldwide
§ To be a one-stop solution for
people looking to hire
experienced and skilled
coaches under different
categories
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OBJECTIVES
Short-Term:
§ To build an initial base of coaches through personal networking and social media
advertising.
§ To hire qualified IT staff and provide regular training to them to update them with the
latest trends in the information technology industry.
§ To create an open, accountable, and transparent culture across all levels in the
company.
§ To formulate multiple marketing strategies to ensure a steady flow of valuable leads.
§ To introduce attractive launch offers initially to build loyal coaches and coachees
base.
§ To assist the coaches to build, manage, and organize their practices to make their
coaching experience better.
§ To assist coaches in tracking the performance of the coachees.
§ To assist the small and big coaching companies to monitor the performance of
coaches employed through advanced tracking tools to ensure the highest customer
satisfaction.
§ To assist the corporate employers in measuring the performance of external coaches

hired through the platform.
§ To assist the coaches in increasing their productivity through setting realistic goals
and tracking the performance on regular basis.
§ To provide an authenticated platform aimed to establish trust and confidence among

users registering on its platform.
Medium-Term:
§ To review and measure the company’s growth and impact periodically, aligning
business strategies with existing market trends.
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§ To continually expand the user base of coaches and platform offerings with a priority
of building a brand name in the global market.
§ To monitor the platform performance periodically and introduce new features to

address the changing requirements of the coaches and coachees.
§ To build organizational capacity and expertise to support growth and ensure the
highest-quality delivery in all areas of work.
Long-Term:
§ To become a premier coaching platform worldwide.
§ To regularly study consumer behavior and changes in technology to update the

platform offerings to be at the top of coaching platforms globally.
§ To continuously seek new opportunities and gain a substantial market share to

become a top coaching platform worldwide.
§ To achieve a higher return on equity compared with peers operating in the coaching
platform industry and reach sustainable and profitable growth.
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KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
REASONABLE SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES: The platform will be free to download and use
initially. The coaches will be provided with an option to upgrade the features by opting for
different subscription plans. The subscription plans of the platform have been designed
keeping in mind each segment of people and have been priced lower as compared to its
competitors. Where competitors are charging the coaches or freelancers based on a
percentage of commission on their regular earnings through the platform, the platform will
have a standard subscription plan and no deductions will be made from the hard-earned
money of the coaches. This will attract more coaches to the platform and thereby increase the
user base of the company.
EXPERIENCE OF THE FOUNDER: The founder of the company has extensive experience in
the information technology industry, which will help him in effectively managing the platform
operations. He will leverage his expertise, strong domain knowledge, and personal networks
to create a unique platform with advanced features that will induce more coaches and
coachees to be a part of the company’s user base.
EXTENSIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES: The founder will leverage his networks and other
digital marketing strategies as marketing tools to target its potential user base. It will also
invest in becoming a thought leader in its segment and this will allow it to be discovered by
the coaches and coachees worldwide. The Company will also be participating in the sports or
business events and introducing referral programs so that it can widen its user base of
coaches.
UTILIZING THE NEXT_GENERATION TECHNOLOGY: Technology is accelerating the

coaching businesses, and the shift to online coaching platforms to search coaches is driving
the change faster than ever. The Company will use the next-generation technology coupled
with AI tools to develop an efficient web application and mobile app for the coaches. It will
allow them to use data analytics to manage their routine tasks and track the performance of
their customers effectively. The addition of the latest features to the platform based on
problems faced by the coaches and their customers will further result in the enhancement of
user experience and increased visibility.
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PROPER AUTHENTICATION OF COACHES: Due diligence is a vital step in the coaching
industry as the coachees are investing a significant portion of their hard-earned money on
hiring the coaches. The authenticity of the coaches will be checked at each level in the
company to ensure that they are genuine persons having the required skills, education, and
certifications. This will be ensured through reviewing the applications at the time of
onboarding the coaches to the platform.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Overall customer satisfaction is crucial to the business’s continued

survival, and a team of dedicated customer support will assist the company in building a loyal
customer base that will drive the business to success. These customer support executives will
resolve the problems being faced by the users promptly, which will ultimately result in higher
customer satisfaction. The feedback system will be kept transparent so that corrective actions
can be taken as soon as possible through improving the overall working of the platform and
update it with the latest features. The Company will collect the feedback through various
means including social media, newsletters, blogs, surveys, or other digital channels. This way,
the coaches and coachees will feel connected and a part of the business.
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PLATFORM OVERVIEW
Platform Overview: The Company will develop a web portal and mobile app facilitating the
coaches to generate more business and manage their practices effectively. The platform will
specifically be designed for people looking for different types of coaches on a single platform
without the hassles of searching through multiple sources and the coaches looking to expand
their customer base through creating an online presence. It is targeted towards people
looking for ease and convenience while hiring the coach of their choice.
The Pricing Strategy: The web portal and the mobile app of the company will be free to use
and register. The free version of the web platform and mobile app will have limited
accessibilities per user. In addition to the free version, coaches will also be allowed to choose
from among two upgrade packages including basic and premium having different features for
the coaches. The premium plan will allow unlimited access to the users.
There are 3 key elements of the platform, which are explained in detail as follows:
Element 1 – ‘The Coach’
The platform will allow any coach or mentor to register on its website subject to acceptance
of terms & conditions, privacy agreements and proper authentication by the platform. After
approval from the platform, the coach can showcase his/her work on the platform.
Element 2 – ‘The Employer’
The platform will allow employers to publish coaching jobs on the platform.
Element 3 – ‘The Coachee’
§ The platform will provide variety of options for the coachees to select the coach of
their choice.
§ It will assist the coachees to manage their focus areas, complete learning through the
platform, set goals, and measure the success against the set standards.
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Business Model: The business model consists of the key partners, key activities, marketing
channels, etc. that provide an idea regarding the main elements of the business. The business
model of the platform has been outlined as follows:
Key Partners Key Activities

§ Professional coaches § Web portal and mobile application
§ Technology partners development
§ Investors § Authentication of coaches
§ Payment processing companies § Running support
§ Hardware and software providers § Platform maintenance
§ Marketing
§ Pricing packages
Value Proposition Customer Relationships
§ One-of-its-kind universal coaching § Word of mouth
platform § Social media
§ Team comprising of strong § Referral program
individuals who support common § Customer support
goals § Networking
§ Reasonable charges as subscription § Blogs
fee § Customer feedback
§ Use of next-generation technology
§ Experienced founders
§ Simple and user-friendly web and
mobile interface
§ High-quality customer support
Customer Segments Channels
§ Coaches § Interactive website and mobile app
§ Employers § SEO
§ Corporates § Digital advertising
§ Coachees § Referrals
§ Retargeting campaigns
Key Resources
§ Robust web platform
§ Professional IT team
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§ Experienced founder
§ Hardware and software providers
§ Next-generation information technology
Revenue Streams Cost Structure
§ Subscription charges from the § Payment processing fee
coaches § Information technology personnel
§ In-app advertisements § Utilities
§ Rent
§ Marketing and advertising
§ Management remuneration and
payroll expenses
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Overview: The platform will initially be managed and operated by the founder, Mr. A as
managing director holding 100% share in the parent company named ABC Inc. After creating
a separate company for the platform, the whole platform will be managed and guided by Mr.
A as the sole managing director of the company. A qualified professional IT and customer
support team will be hired to support him in conducting smooth operations. The environment
at the company will encourage employees by providing creative independence and providing
challenges that are realistic and rewarding.
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MARKET ANALYSIS
Industry Overview: Coaching has become a billion-dollar industry. The industry’s growth has
been so massive that the demand for qualified coaches is rising from several sectors, whether
it be schools, corporate companies, sports, health clubs, and more. The perception of
coaching has shifted from a luxury once reserved for high-income individuals to that of a
significant contributor to the success of people from all spheres of life.
Coaching appeared on the scene about 20 years ago, gained a fair degree of popularity
within the last 10 years, and now is something most organizations and people are moving
towards especially for their top talent and self-development.
Methods Used by Coaches to Show Value of Coaching: 360 assessment is the highest
used criteria by the coaches to show the value of coaching to their potential customers,
followed by wee-being & engagement and performance reviews1.
29%
20%
18%
15%
10%
8%
360 Assessments Well-being and Performance Impact on Return on Effectiveness of

Engagement Reviews Business Investment Learning
In addition to this, the coachees are becoming sophisticated, and they are willing to pay for
coaches with great coaching skills and profound results. As a result of this changing
preference of people, app-based coaching platforms are expected to become a significant
player in the industry accounting for a share of 67%2.
Considering the demand for coaches and the changing preference of people to use app-
based coaching platforms, the founder decided to launch the platform ‘XYZ’ which is aimed to
simplify and digitize the business of coaches, improve their work efficiency, and deepen the
customer engagement.
Page 17

REVENUE FROM COACHING INDUSTRY
Annual Revenue from Coaching by Region: The estimated global total revenue from
coaching in 2019 was $2.85 billion, representing a 21% increase over the 2015 estimate.
North America has the highest annual revenue from coaching amounting to $1.30 billion
comprising 45.50% of the global revenue3.
Share in Global Annual Revenue from Coaching

4.42%
3.55%
6.71%
2.81% Asia
32.16%
Eastern Europe
Latin America and the Caribbean
Middle East and Africa
North America
Oceania
4.85% Western Europe
45.50%
Coach practitioner’s average revenue is highest in the high-income regions of Oceania, North
America, and Western Europe. Presently, 90% of coach practitioners have active clients.
Almost all coach practitioners have completed some coach-specific training through programs
accredited/approved by a professional coaching organization (93% in the 2020 study, up from
89% in 2016).
Total Annual Revenue from Coaching
USD (million) Share of Global % of change

(%) 2015-2019
Asia $126 4.4% 12%
Eastern Europe $101 3.6% 45%
Latin American and the $191 6.7% 107%
Caribbean
Middle East and Africa $80 2.8% 9%
North America $1,296 45.5% 36%
Oceania $138 4.9% -10%
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Western Europe $916 32.2% 2%
Global $2,849 100.0% 21%
Average Annual Earnings by Experience: According to a recent survey, veteran coaches

who have been in business for 15 years or longer earn an average annual wage of $160,0004.
$160,000
$122,000
10 - 15 Years 15 Years or Longer
Average Annual Earnings by Region: The average annual revenue/income from coaching
rose by 4% in 2019 as compared to the previous year. The average annual revenue from a
global perspective stood at $47,100 per coach.
Average annual revenue/income from coaching
$62,500 $61,100
$51,100
$33,600 $34,900
$19,100 $20,900
Asia Eastern Europe Latin American Middle East and North America Oceania Western Europe
and the Caribbean Africa
A survey of international coach salaries found that life coaches make about $190 per hour,
while business coaches and executive coaches make $279 and $386, respectively5.
Page 19

NUMBER OF COACH PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE
Coach Practitioners & Managers

Highest Growth Regions in Terms of Number
Worldwide: There were approximately of Coach Professionals
71,000 coach practitioners in 2019
174%
depicting an increase of 33% on the
2015 estimate. The managers/leaders
using coaching skills were
40%
approximately 15,900 showing an
Latin America and the Caribbean Eastern Europe
increase of almost half (+46%).
The Number of Coaches and Managers/Leaders Using Coaching Skills by Region: The
highest number of coaches are concentrated in North America and Western Europe.
Coach Practitioners Generation by Region: The majority of the coach practitioners

worldwide are in the Generation X age cohort, except North America where a majority of the
coach practitioners are Baby Boomers. In the Oceania region, a majority (51%) of the coach
practitioners are Generation X, and Baby Boomers account for 43% only. The generation
wise % of coach practitioners among different region is as hereunder:
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Coach Practitioners Generation by Region
0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 1% 1% 2%
14%
28% 29% 25%
34% 38%
43%
53%
64%
59% 55% 62%
58% 51%
51%
39%
22% 16%
13% 12% 5% 5% 7% 9%
Asia Eastern Europe Latin America Middle East and North America Oceania Western Europe Global
and Caribbean Africa
Millennial Gen X Baby Boomer The Greatest Generation
71,000 Number of coach practitioners

in 2019, showing an increase 46%
Growth in the number of
managers/leaders using coaching
of 33% as compared to 2015 skills worldwide
Growth in the number of

198% Growth in the number of
managers/leaders using 124% managers/leaders using
coaching skills in Latin America coaching skills in Asia
and the Caribbean
Coach Practitioners by Gender: In 2019, 70% of the coach practitioners were female
worldwide. Whereas, in the Easter Europe and North America region, the percentage of
female practitioners was highest among other regions with an estimated share of 75%.
59% 65% 66%

75% 75% 72% 71% 70%
41% 35% 34%

25% 25% 28% 29% 30%
Asia Eastern Latin America Middle East North America Oceania Western Global
Europe and the and Africa Europe
Caribbean
Male Female
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MANAGERS OR LEADERS USING COACHING SKILLS
Users by Generation: From a generational perspective, Generation X accounts for the

majority (61%) of managers/leaders using coaching skills. The remainder is equally split
between millennials and baby boomers. There are distinct regional differences in the
distribution across the generational spectrum. Managers/leaders of Generation X constitute
the majority of users across all the regions, from 53% in North America and Oceania to 69% in
Western Europe. The detailed breakdown of generation wise usage of coaching skills by the
managers or leaders is outlined as follows:
12% 8% 14%
20% 20% 19%
35% 34%
61%
63% 64%
62% 61%
69%
53% 53%
25% 31%
18% 22% 19%
12% 13% 11%
Caribbean
Millennial Generation X Baby Boomer
Managers and Leaders by Gender: Globally, females account for 68% of managers/leaders
using coaching skills, ranging from 61% in the Middle East and Africa to 80% in Eastern
Europe. In the Oceania region, 77% of managers/leaders using coaching skills were female.
64% 63% 61% 67% 68%

80% 77% 77%
36% 37% 39% 33% 32%

20% 23% 23%
Caribbean
Male Female
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DEMOGRAPHICS AND BEHAVIOUR OF COACHES WORLDWIDE
§ Male coach practitioners are more likely to have a business specialty (74% compared
with 61% of female coach practitioners).
§ A minority, under one in five coach practitioners (17%) work as both an internal and
external coach practitioner. On an average, they devote a higher proportion of their
time to their internal coaching practice (54%).
§ In 2019, 65% of coach practitioners identified business coaching (which inter-alia

covers leadership coaching, executive coaching, business/organization coaching, or
small business coaching) as their main specialty as compared to 62% in 2015. The
change was mainly driven by the rise in the proportion of coaches citing leadership
coaching as their main specialty, up from 25% in 2015 to 30% in 2019.
§ Among coach practitioners with a business specialty, 40% of engagements were

typically for seven or more months, compared with 28% for coach practitioners with a
non-business specialty.
§ Most frequently, coach practitioners engage with their clients in person. The use of
audio-video platforms has doubled in the past four years, from 24% in 2015 to 48% in
2019. The outbreak of pandemic has also necessitated the usage of online platforms
for coaching, thereby increasing the demand for coaching platforms worldwide.
Moreover, the online channels also enable the coaches to cater to the worldwide
audience and thereby increased the geographic reach of the coaches, broadening
their revenue base.
90% 93%
Percentage of coach practitioners having Percentage of coach practitioners offering
active clients additional services such as consulting,
counseling, etc.
44% 55%
On average, coach practitioners who offer 55% of the people and organizations who
additional services allocate 44% of their time receive/use coaching expect their coaches
to the coaching to be certified/credentialed
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IMPACT OF COVID-19
Coach practitioners have also been affected by disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a recent survey by ICF, 49% had experienced reduced income, while 37% said their hours
had been reduced. On the other hand, 34% of coach practitioners had said they had not
experienced any adverse effects from the pandemic on their income and employment.
About the overall impact of the pandemic on the coaching practice/business, 25% said they
had experienced a significant negative impact with a further 40% reporting a limited negative
impact. Only one in 10 said there had been no impact from the pandemic on their coaching
practice. Almost one in four coach practitioners (24%), reported that the pandemic had a
positive impact.
Covid-19 impact on Coaching Practitioners Business
40%
25%
16%
10% 8%
Significant Negative Limited Negative No Impact Limited Positive Significant Positive
The proportion reporting a significant positive impact ranged from 7% in North America to 12%
in the Middle East and Africa. While proportion reporting no impact ranged from 6% in Latin
America and the Caribbean to 13% in North America. The region-wise breakup of the same is
as hereunder:
Impact of Covid-19 on Coach Practitioners Business
10%
10% 12% 7%
9% 8%
8% 8%
18% 15%
16% 20% 19% 14% 16%
15%
12% 10% 13% 10%

6% 8% 8% 9%
Caribbean
No Impact Limited Positive Significant Positive
Page 24

Other Statistics of Covid-19 impact: Other statistics regarding the impact of covid-19 impact
on coach practitioner’s business are as hereunder:
§ Due to the guidelines of social distancing post-COVID, there has been a sharp
decline in coaching in person (80%). As a result of the same, coaches have started
using audio-video platforms (74%) to provide coaching across the regions post-
pandemic. This has resulted in increased demand for coaching platforms like XYZ.
§ Globally, a large majority of coach practitioners (71%) agreed or strongly agreed that
they will have to invest more in technology in the future including the need to create
a digital presence among people through platforms like XYZ.
§ 85% of coach practitioners have an opinion that their clients are willing to adapt to
new technologies regarding their coaching sessions. This is the result of people
becoming more tech-savvy after COVID-19.
§ Globally, the majority of coach practitioners have agreed that life vision and
enhancement coaching will become more prevalent in the future.
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TARGET MARKET
Target Market Overview: The target market of XYZ comprises of two segments. The primary
segment of the company is coaches (arts, sports, life coaches, executive coaches, etc.) from
all over the world looking to create an online presence of their own. In addition to the
coaches, it will also be targeting the businesses or corporates looking to hire coaches to train
their employees.
Coaches: The company will be targeting coaches from all spheres of life including IT, sports,
arts, executive, etc. Some of the statistics regarding the coaches and their behavior
worldwide are outlined as follows:
§ Nearly all coach practitioners (99%) have completed some coach-specific training.
Increasingly, training is through programs accredited/approved by a professional
coaching organization (93% in the 2020 study, up from 89% in 2016).
§ The vast majority of coach practitioners (95%) had completed 60 or more hours of
training in 2019, up from 93% in 2015.
§ A plurality of coach practitioners (43 had received 200 hours or more training,
compared with one in four (25%) managers/leaders using coaching skills.
§ Almost all coach practitioners (94%) offer services in addition to coaching. Most
frequently, coach practitioners also offer consulting (60%), training (60%) and/or
facilitation services (54%).
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§ The overall mix of clients served by coach practitioners has remained broadly
unchanged since 2015. A little over one in two coach practitioners said their clients
are mostly managers (27%) or executives (25%). The combined total of 52% is identical
to the position in 2015. Similarly, the proportion of coaching personal clients was
unchanged at 19%.
§ The split between primary and sponsored clients is strongly related to the number of
years of coaching. The sponsored share ranges from 25% among coach practitioners
with less than one year of experience to 64% for coach practitioners with ten or more
years of experience.
§ The typical coaching client is between 35 and 44 years old (37%). A little under one in
three clients (30%) are in the 45–54 age range. Around one in four (24%) are under 35
years old.
Businesses and Corporates: Businesses worldwide are increasingly spending money on

internal and external coaching or training to improve the skills and performance of their
employees. With the growth and popularity of online coaching platforms worldwide,
businesses and corporates are looking to use these platforms to ease the process of hiring
and monitoring the performance of employees effortlessly, so that the managers can spend
most of their time on productive efforts. As the number of businesses and start-ups is
increasing worldwide, it will necessarily create demand for online coaching platforms like
XYZ. Some of the statistics regarding the number of businesses worldwide and spending on
coaching or training are outlined as follows:
§ Millions of companies and entrepreneurs are registered daily all over the world. Only
China daily counts about 11,000-13,000 new businesses and the total number of
registered companies in this country exceeds 77 million. The total amount of
companies all over the world is approaching 200 million6. This represents a vast
majority of target customers that can be targeted by the coaches.
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§ Since the great recession, when the global workplace training industry was hit heavily,
the industry has rebounded strongly, posting year-on-year growth to reach estimated
spending of $370.3 billion in 20197.
Spending on Global Workplace Training (in Billions)
$362.2 $366.2 $370.3

$355.6 $359.3
$322.2
$306.9
$291.7
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
The Insight: The changing preference of coachees, employers, and corporates towards hiring
coaches online through third-party platforms is projected to fuel the market demand in the
future that will help the company to secure a significant portion of revenue in the target
market. The Company will frame suitable strategies depending upon the changing market
conditions to support business growth and be the top coaching platform worldwide.
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LOCATION ANALYSIS
The platform will be registered in Melbourne,

Australia, and will be looking to target the worldwide
coaches and coachees. According to a report by UK
real estate company Savills, Melbourne is not only
liveable but also incredibly tech-career friendly.
Melbourne is currently ranked as the best tech city in
Australia and the 14th best tech city in the world with
the criteria for assessment including business
conditions, tech environment, quality of life, and cost
of accommodation. Other reasons for choosing the said location are outlined as follows:
§ Victoria is Australia’s ‘startup state’, and Melbourne is the heartbeat. Melbourne has a
thriving and growing entrepreneurial community that has a huge impact on the
nation’s startup market. The central business district of the city is home to startup
incubators and co-sharing spaces that help to bolster the startup market in the city.
With dedicated workspace and living space, entrepreneurs are free to innovate and
design without having to worry about finding safe and appropriate facilities.
§ One in three founders are women; one in three founders are born overseas, and 2% of
founders are from indigenous peoples (representing 1% of the Victorian population)8.
TOTAL EARLYSTAGE FUNDING ECO-SYSTEM VALUE
$363 Million $4.8 Billion

Global Average: $431 Million Global Average: $10.5 Billion
Performance Talent
Top 15 APAC Ecosystem Top 15 APAC Ecosystem
MEDIAN SEED ROUND MEDIAN SERIES A ROUND
$541K $2.8 Million
Global Average: $494K Global Average: $2.7 Million
Page 29

§ Victoria reportedly has 190 meetup groups centering around startups and
entrepreneurship, with another 460 tech-specific groups. These casual networking
events are great spaces to meet like-minded people at all stages of the startup
journey. As the company is at its initial stage of business, these meetups will provide
valuable leads for the platform.
§ According to LaunchVic, there are over 150 co-working spaces in Victoria. Melbourne
co-working spaces often house entrepreneurs as well as freelancers and creatives.
These co-working spaces allow the start-ups to manage their expenses at an initial
stage, thereby increasing the ease of doing business in the area.
§ There are many different firms and investor networks offering private equity and other
funding opportunities at all stages of the startup journey.
§ The Victorian State Government has waived 2019/20 payroll tax for Victorian
businesses with annual taxable wages of up to $3 million to assist them with their cash
flow.
7 6 3
EXIT GROWTH INVESTOR FUNDING

INDEX ACTIVITY INDEX GROWTH INDEX
The above-said points make Melbourne a perfect city to start a tech-related business. With
more than 4 million of the population in the city, it will be easy for the company to hire
employees with varied skills and experience. Being an investors hub and business events
center, it will also facilitate the company with various options to raise money for the start-up
and further business expansion. More participation of the foreign-born population in the
entrepreneurial activities further ensures the success of the business.
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REVENUE DRIVERS
INCREASED DEMAND: The multi-billion-dollar coaching industry has grown at warp speed
over the past decade, as tens of thousands of people hire coaches for support in reaching
goals related to these various aspects of their lives. The demand for coaching is on the rise in
every sector. A huge percentage of people plan to hire coaches in the near future. The
business coaching industry is demonstrating high demand within the USA and the UK.
Coaching for start-up's and small organizations is demonstrating particularly high demand
within South Africa and Australia. Some experts predict that coaching will grow at a rate of
6.7% through the year 2022. All these statistics depict a strong demand among people to hire
coaches, which will ultimately benefit the online coaching platforms in terms of the increased
user base.
GROWING INTERNET PENETRATION: The number of internet users is growing worldwide

with 2.5 billion internet users in Asia followed by Europe with 727 million users, and Africa
with 631 million users. Looking at the internet penetration rate, North America tops the
position with an internet penetration of 90.3% of the overall population, followed by Europe
and the Middle East with a share of 87.2% and 71.5%. Increased internet penetration would
mean more usage of coaching apps, which in turn will benefit XYZ in terms of the increased
user base9.
Internet Penetration Rate Worldwide - 2020
90.30%
87.20%
71.50% 70.80%
67.70%
63.20%
59.50%
47.10%
North America Europe Middle East Latin Oceania World Average Asia Africa
America/Caribbean
Page 31

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Direct Competitors:
CoachingLoft.com: CoachingLoft.com is an all-in-one platform

designed to help professional coaches to run their coaching
practice, acquire new coachees, and manage their success.
The company has designed the platform intending to manage the whole admin work of
coaches and let them focus on their core specialty of coaching and gain maximum benefit out
of it.
Creating an account on the platform is free for the coaches. They can purchase the
subscription plans to enjoy additional features offered by the platform.
The company provides various solutions to professional coaches, coaching firms, and
enterprises, which are listed as hereunder:
Solutions for Professional Coaches (Individual): The platform provides the following
functionalities to assist coaches in managing their schedules and daily routine:
§ One central coach’s dashboard

§ Setting goals and objectives
§ Setting and tracking
§ Management of coaching packages and auto-population of invoices directly from
coaching agreement
§ Synchronized appointment scheduling with preferred calendar, secured internal
messaging and email alert systems
§ Coach, session & program rating and feedback system
Solutions for coaching firms: In addition to the features offered to individual coaches, the
platform offers the following additional functionalities for the coaching firms registering on its
platform:
§ Management of all coaches from one central dashboard

§ Monitor the coaches & coachees progress and activities
§ Assign or move coachees to coaches
§ Branding with own logo and colors scheme to create a strong presence among
customers
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Solutions for Enterprises: The company helps the large organizations in the effective
management of internal coaching culture and making the coaching practices more impactful,
effective, and efficient amongst their leaders and teams. Some of the major solutions offered
by the platform are highlighted as under:
§ Management of all Internal coach/coachee relationships from one central

organizational dashboard
§ Monitor the coach & coachees progress and activities
§ Assign or move employees across the internal coaches, external coaches and
coaching managers and leaders
Awards and Recognitions:
§ Premium Usability Award 2019 by FinancesOnline

§ Rising Star Award 2019 by FinancesOnline
§ Voted as Best Coaching Management Software 2019 by Reapon
Founder Wassim Karkabi

Founding Year 2018
Headquarters Office 206, Dubai Knowledge Village, Block 17, Dubai, UAE
1,253 103 628 446

Followers Followers Followers Followers
Page 33

Indirect Competitors:
Upwork: Upwork was formerly known as Elance-oDesk, which was formed to

connect freelancers with corporate and individual clients worldwide. Elance
was founded in 1998 by MIT graduate Beerud Sheth and Wall Street veteran
Srini Anumolu. oDesk was founded in 2003 by two friends, Odysseas
Tsatalos and Stratis Karamanlakis, who wanted to work together even though one of them
was in the U.S. and the other was in Greece. Elance and oDesk announced their merger in
2013 to create Elance-oDesk. In 2015, the new company was rebranded as Upwork.
Freelancers relatively receive higher pay from Upwork clients as jobs and tasks there are
more complex with clients having high expectations.
Platform Aim: Presently, Upwork is the largest global freelancing website, enabling
businesses to find, hire, and pay highly skilled freelancers for short-term and longer-term
projects. At the same time, Upwork frees professionals everywhere from having to work at a
set time or place and helps instill trust in remote work. The platform has over 8,000 skills,
including website & app development, creative & design, customer support, finance &
accounting, consulting, operations, and much more.
Platform Features: Upwork has built an expensive and unique repository of data on its
platform, which, when combined with machine learning capabilities, enables Upwork to best
predict the availability, interest, and skill relevance of specific freelancers for specific projects.
Once a freelancer is matched with a job, the platform offers collaboration and communication
features, time tracking & invoicing, and two-way feedback and review systems to better
manage the lifecycle of project engagements. The platform serves everyone from one-person
startups to 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables
companies and freelancers to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Upwork’s
freelancers have earned over $2 billion in 2019 alone.
Founder Elance and oDesk

Founding Year 2015
Headquarters Santa Clara, CA
781K 570K 102K 197.3K

Page 34

Freelancer.com: Freelancer.com is the world's largest
freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by the number of
users and projects. The company’s platform connects over 48,983,309 businesses and
freelancers globally from over 247 countries, regions, and territories. Through the company
platform, businesses can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software development,
writing, data entry, and design right through to engineering, the sciences, sales and
marketing, accounting, and legal services. The company also owns Escrow.com, the leading
provider of secure online payments and online transaction management for consumers and
businesses on the Internet.
The company earned a revenue of $58 million in 2019 with a team of more than 478
employees. To date, the company has raised an amount of $15 million through IPO.
Other statistics regarding the company are outlined as follows:

§ Freelancer has acquired the companies named Webmaster-Talk, Nubelo, Prolancer
Comunicacao Digital Ltda, and LimeExchange.
§ Freelancers can also only submit up to 8 proposals per month before they must
upgrade to a paid account.
§ Freelancer is less expensive as compared to other platforms.
§ Freelancer.com’s profile verification process is more lenient and simpler as compared

to other platforms. All a freelancer has to do is submit a valid government-issued ID
card, keycode verification, and 2 recent utility bills or bank statements or 1 of each.
§ Freelancers can link their social media accounts with their Freelancer.com profile to
improve the Trust Score.
Founder Matt Barrie

Founding Year 2009
Headquarters Level 37 Grosvenor Place 225 George Street Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia ACN 141 959 042
2.19M 173K 32.7K 228.8K

Page 35

PEOPLEPERHOUR: PeoplePerHour is the UK’s leading freelance
marketplace. The Company was founded in the year 2007 with a simple
vision to connect businesses to freelancers and empower people to live their
work dream. Since its inception, PeoplePerHour has become an invaluable
resource for small businesses in the UK and outside, allowing them to hire expert talent as
and when needed, 'on-demand' thereby staying lean and flexible while they grow.
Furthermore, PPH also offers enterprise solutions to big businesses. This provides them with
an avenue to quickly secure the talents they require for their projects to enable them to
increase their business’ competitiveness in their own industry.
Other statistics regarding the company are outlined as follows:
§ PeoplePerHour has solved over 1 million problems for businesses.
§ The platform has paid over £150 million to its freelancer community since its inception.
§ PPH as a platform offers an account management dashboard wherein businesses can

perform a variety of tasks including messaging, project progress monitoring, project
history, and more.
§ Posting jobs on PeoplePerHour is completely free. Employers pay only once a deal
has been signed with a freelancer and is released when a project is completed.
§ Top industries that use People Per Hour as a freelance marketplace are the internet,
software, and education.
Founder Xenios Thrasyvoulou

Founding Year 2007
Headquarters London, England
169K 43K 6.2K 76.7K

Page 36

COMPETITIVE COMPARISON
Particulars CoachingLoft.com Upwork Freelancer.com PeoplePerHour
Number of 16,489 subscribers 7 million 30 million More than 3

Coaches or 2,289 members registered clients registered million registered
Subscribers 100 enterprise 12 million freelancers freelancers and 1
accounts registered million businesses
freelancers
Geographies 95 countries 180 countries 247 countries Presence in 180+

Covered including India, including United countries
United States, States, Philippines,
Canada, United Pakistan and the
Kingdom, Australia, United Kingdom
and others
Charges from For Coaches The platform For fixed Service Fee:
Coaches or Core: $20/month charges the contracts, the Over £5000 -
Freelancers Premium: following % of platform charges lifetime billing per
$45/month commission from 10% of earnings buyer: 3.5%
Master: $95/month freelancers: or $5, whichever is Between £250 and
For Coaching 20% on the first greater £5000 lifetime
Companies $500 For hourly billing per buyer:
$95 per month per 10% on additional projects, the 7.5%
coach seat earnings over $500 platform charges - Below £250 -
5% on earnings a fee of 10% on lifetime billing per
above $10,000 earnings buyer: 20%
form a single client
Charges from No charges from Standard Fee: 3% Signing up and Payment

Customers/Clients customers/clients of the project posting the transaction fee of
amount project is free £0.6 + 5% and a
For Upwork Plus: Fixed price service fee of 5%
$49.99 per month contracts: 3% of for credit card,
the project cost or debit card, or
a $3 fee electronic
(whichever is payment gateway
greater) transactions
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For hourly
projects: 3% fee
Trial Offered 14 Days No fee for clients 1 Month 3 Months

to register on the
platform
Freelancers are
offered free
connects initially
to submit jobs and
are charged after
that
Target Customers Small business, large Freelancers, Freelancers, Small businesses,

enterprises, non- individual individual large enterprises,
profit, freelancers, customers and customers and medium
and mid-size corporate corporate businesses,
business employers employers freelancers
Languages English English English, German, English

Supported French,
Indonesian, Italian,
Portuguese,
Spanish, Turkish,
Filipino, Dutch
Unique Selling Advanced features To create an Freelancer.com The platform

Point for coaches to account on generally has conducts
manage their Upwork, more users as assessment of
business effectively freelancers have to freelancers that talents prior to
get their account fail to pass enrolling them in
approved by the Upwork’s its database,
platform, which screening process which established
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establishes can easily join the authenticity in the
authenticity of the platform and marketplace
platform as begin work
compared to other
platforms
Range of Projects All coaches All kinds of Short-term and Short-term and
projects entry level jobs long-term
As the company will provide one single unified and dedicated platform to all sort of coaches
to manage their all activities (ranging from scheduling appointment, goal setting, tracking
coachee progress, invoicing, and receipt of payment) concerning their coaching practice,
hence, presently there is only one direct competitor to XYZ and that is CoachingLoft.com.
There is no other direct competitor in the market providing such a single, unified, and
dedicating platform to coaching practitioners & coachees. Rather, there are some freelancing
sites like Upwork, Toptal, Freelancer.com, Guru.com, PeoplePerHour, etc. which facilitate only
in establishing a direct connection between coaching practitioners or freelancers and
coachees or businesses.
Most of the platforms charge both, the freelancer or coaches and the customers, thereby
creating an additional burden on the part of both the parties. Where Freelancer.Com offers
various additional add-ons for each of the features to be added to the accounts of users, XYZ
will only have 2 types of plans allowing the clients to make efficient use of the platform.
Authenticity is the one feature that differentiates Upwork from that of the Freelancer.Com,
which is the reason why Upwork is considered more reliable by both the clients and the
freelancers. In the same way, XYZ will also check the authenticity of coaches registering on its
platform to create a loyal customer base and increase the credibility of the platform.
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COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Although there are many coaching platform start-ups worldwide, the platform will compete in
the market through the founder’s extensive experience in the information technology
industry, use of the latest technology solutions, user-friendly web platform and mobile
application, AI-based analytics, and focus on providing the authenticated platform for coaches
at a reasonable subscription fee. The coaches can register on the platform for free and the
company will be charging a fixed fee in the form of subscription plans on a monthly or yearly
basis. There would be no hidden charges except for the subscription charges by the platform,
thereby enabling the coaches to get the maximum benefit of the online marketplace.
Other factors differentiating the platform from its competitors are outlined as follows:
One-of-its-kind Unique Platform: At present, no platform allows all kinds of coaches to register
on their platforms. The platform will be one-of-its-kind unique coaching platform gathering
different types of coaches (arts, sports, pets’ coach, business, life-coach, etc.) on a single
platform to connect them to different people looking for professional coaches of their choices
capable of meeting the set requirements. The platform will cater to a wide array of coaching
segments. The initial MVP (minimum viable product) will focus on a few segments including IT,
sports, art & crafts, finance, and pets, but gradually it will cover all types of coaching. In
addition to this, the platform will focus only on coaches and coachees. It will not be cluttered
with other roles like Analysts, Managers, etc.
Easy to Use Web Platform and Application: The Company will design an easy-to-use web
interface and mobile application that will allow both coaches and coachees to connect and
plan the activities. The AI-powered system of the platform will prepare lists of preferred
coaches based on the requirements of individual customers. Coaches will also be facilitated
with modern tools and features to enable them to manage their practice effectively. The
Company will also be checking the authenticity of the coaches registering on its platform to
establish trust in the target market.
Flat Subscription-Based Pricing Model: Where most of the freelancing websites like Upwork
are charging the freelancers based on a fixed percentage of the commission from their
earnings, XYZ will not be deducting the regular commission from the earning of the coaches
registered on its platform. Rather, the platform will be charging coaches based on
subscription plans selected by them whether on a monthly or yearly basis. This will encourage
more coaches to join the company’s platform as they need not forgo part of their earnings
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each time, they earn revenue through the platform. This type of autonomy offered by the
platform to the coaches will create a strong brand name in the market, which will assist it in
competing with the established players in the industry.
Loyalty Programs: To encourage referrals, the company will be offering loyalty points for
coaches for each lead registering on its platform. The coaches will be able to redeem such
points while making payments for the subscription plans chosen by them. This will enable the
company to widen its customer base without having to spend a heavy amount on other digital
marketing strategies.
Expansion: While other platforms may be entirely focusing on growing the number of coaches
listed with them, XYZ will focus on expanding into allied areas like selling coaching and online
courses, which will ultimately widen the revenue base of the company. In line with this aim,
XYZ will introduce more options for coaches in the future including providing an online
coaching shop to sell coaching gear, books, etc.
Employer Benefits: The platform will also allow the businesses and corporates to post their
coaching jobs on its platform. They will be provided suggestions regarding the coaches who
fit their requirements easing the process of selection of the right coach. The employers will
also be able to manage their payments through the platform.
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MARKETING STRATEGIES
Marketing is the key to success for any business, and the online coaching platform industry is
not an exception. Although platforms such as CoachingLoft.com, Upwork.com,
Freelancer.com, and PeoplePerHour dominate the mass market, there are plenty of
opportunities for the company to find its niche and build a loyal coaches base. The marketing
strategies of the company would aim to draw coaches to the platform’s platform from the very
beginning. To attract potential coaches, the company will introduce attractive offers, along
with extensive customer support, all backed by a solid marketing plan which has been
outlined as follows:
The primary means of marketing will be online through social media channels like Instagram,
Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn, and analytics-driven approaches like SEO & paid search, in
addition to capitalizing on the offline sources including networking and word of mouth. The
detailed marketing plan of the company has been outlined as follows:
1. WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT: A website is probably the

first point of interaction of a company with its prospective user base. According to
research, 80% of people look at websites, when looking for products or services of
any company. The platform will build an attractive website for its customers, which will
contain all the information regarding the coaches along with options for employers
and corporates to create and post their coaching requirements. The Company will
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regularly update its website content and features to keep itself at the top of search
engine results. Updating the web pages regularly will grab more numbers of visitors
from the targeted locations and in turn, grow the revenue base of the company. The
Company will be creating a mobile application to assist coaches in managing and
scheduling the daily work effectively. The mobile application will also allow the
coaches to post content, videos, or presentations to showcase their work and keep a
record of the payments to be received from different customers at regular intervals.
2. SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media is one of the easiest ways to promote and market in the
modern era. Being active on social media will increase brand awareness, help in
engaging with potential users, and establish the business as a leader in its target area.
The platform will use social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram,
and YouTube pages to build a community across social networking channels. These
sites will be used to share information regarding the additions to the portfolio of
services, the latest updates in the coaching industry, and successful use cases of the
company’s services. The Company will launch campaigns and contests on social
media channels to encourage user-generated images which will then be uploaded to
the website and mobile app pages of the company to build a community around its
brand and values.
§ Facebook: here are a total of 2.5 billion monthly active users (54% female and
46% male) on Facebook, which makes it the biggest social network worldwide.
The Company will use separate pages for different countries on Facebook, to
cater to the varying requirements of the users. It will start with prospecting
campaigns on Facebook to bring awareness and then re-engage website
visitors by creating additional touchpoints of awareness for those who have
yet to convert. It will also regularly update posts on its social media platforms
introducing different contests for its users to earn a loyalty bonus that can be
redeemed while making payment to the platform.
§ Instagram: The total number of active monthly Instagram users (56.3% female
and 43.7% male) amounts to more than 1 billion people worldwide. 30% of the
global Instagram audiences are aged between 18 and 24 years and 35% are
aged between 25 and 34 years, which are considered as the potential users of
the online coaching platforms, being tech-savvy. The content to be posted on
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Instagram will revolve around the company’s mission, values, app features,
app updates, and direct connections between coaches and coachees.
§ LinkedIn: There are a total of 675 million (57% male and 43% female) LinkedIn
users worldwide as of 2020 with 310 million active monthly users. The platform
will create its company page on LinkedIn including full information by the
company comprising of the company logo, description, cover page, platform
URL, company size, industry, location, mobile app, etc. The Company will keep
on posting engaging and valuable content regularly to keep its users updated
with the latest changes.
§ Twitter: The Company will share the addition of new services, the platform
features updates, and coaching industry updates with its existing customers
and prospects and continue growing its network.
§ YouTube: There are 2 billion monthly active YouTube users worldwide. The
Company will be placing videos concerning types of coaches registered on its
platform and satisfied users who have used the platform to hire coaches
worldwide to engage more users and coaches to the company’s platform.
3. E-MAIL MARKETING: E-mail marketing has proven to be an effective tool among other
successful marketing strategies for directly communicating with the targeted
customers. As of 2019, more than half of the world’s population used e-mail. The
Company will build an e-mail marketing list and create regular promotional messages
targeted towards the coaches worldwide. The messages will be about the introduction
of new features to the web platform or mobile app or special discounts, etc. Receiving
e-mails from the users and coaches regarding the problems being faced by them will
also help the company to improve the features of the web portal and mobile app in
the future, which will create a loyal customer base for the company.
4. SEO: More and more coachees are using online searches to find coaches. A well-
crafted SEO strategy will help the company in generating massive “free” traffic from
Google and other search engines and help generate visibility for targeted keyword
terms like ‘online coaching platform’, ‘hire coach online’, ‘best coach around me’, etc.
5. APP STORE OPTIMIZATION: Optimized app store creatives can increase a business’s
conversion rates by up to 40% for both paid and organic traffic. Considering the
benefits, the company will be constantly testing its creatives and messaging with
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target users through App Store Optimization to differentiate its offerings from its
competitors.
6. RETARGETING: More than 90% of web traffic does not take action on their first
website visits. The retargeting ads will allow the company to recapture that traffic, by
showing ultra-targeted ads only to people who have already visited or performed a
specific action on the website.
7. BLOGS: Capturing the attention of coaches and encouraging them to take action is
one of the most effective ways of finding new leads online. Blogging is one of the best
ways to grow a business and reach out to new people. Posting relevant content
regarding updated features of the website and mobile app, important company
updates, and recent press releases will help it to boost the company’s online
reputation. Posting high-quality and unique blogs will improve the search engine
rankings, helping to ensure that more brands and marketing agencies see and visit
the website of the company. The content to be posted will be about answering the
common questions among coaches and users and help them solve their problems.
8. REFERRAL MARKETING: Word of mouth advertising will help drive a significant

increase in inquiries without having to spend heavily on marketing materials or
advertising. The platform will introduce a referral bonus program in the form of bonus
points to incentivize its existing users and further expand its customer base.
Page 45

SWOT ANALYSIS
The industry is growing and evolving, and with that comes many new opportunities as well as
threats. They can have both positive as well as negative effects on the business of The
platform. These have been highlighted below:
Strengths
§ The experience and knowledge of the founder in the information technology industry
will help in the effective management of business operations.
§ The Company will use the latest technology to build the web platform and mobile
application enhancing the ultimate user experience and follow a cost-effective pricing
mechanism (subscription-based) charging only monthly or yearly fees, which in turn
will build a loyal customer base for the company.
§ A highly skilled and professional team; well versed with the latest trends in the
information technology industry will assist the company in creating an exceptional
user experience and thereby establishing long-term customer relationships.
§ The business model of the platform is one-of-its-kind that allows all types of coaches
to register on its platform.
§ The Company will use advanced technology and equipment to ensure that the internal
processes are completed quickly, securely, and in a cost-effective manner to ensure
quality delivery in all areas of work.
§ As The platform is one single unified and dedicated platform to help the coaching
practitioners and coachees, there is no competition in the market at present.
§ The Company’s strong marketing strategies will help it in gaining substantial share in
the market during the initial phase of the business.
Weaknesses
§ Being a new business, it might take some time for the company to break into the
market and build a solid customer base.
§ The struggle to constantly add new features to the web platform and mobile
application to stay ahead of the competition.
Page 46

§ Low brand awareness initially.
§ The right talent may hesitate in joining a company during its start-up phase.
Opportunities
§ With the growing popularity of smartphones and increasing reliance on custom-made

mobile applications, users are increasingly demanding convenient mobile apps and
web platforms for searching coaches online. Increased mobile ownership will further
contribute to this trend in the future.
§ Opportunity to collaborate with large employers and corporates to expand the

business reach.
§ Economic uptick and an increase in customer spending due to growing awareness

among people to hire coaches is an opportunity for The platform to capture new users
and increase its market share.
§ The Company will spend a vast sum of money on its website and mobile app platform
to update the offerings and add additional features. This investment will open a new
sales channel for The platform in the next few years. The company will leverage this
opportunity by knowing the coaches registered on its platform better and serving their
needs using big data analytics.
§ Increasing employment rate, disposable income, and busy lifestyle will result in a
surge in demand for online coaching platforms.
§ Increased awareness regarding the benefits of coaching may grow the demand for
coaches worldwide.
Threats
§ Changes in regulations may impact business performance in the future.
§ Adoption of technology changes may require huge capital investment on the part of
the company.
§ The rapid growth of coaches worldwide over the last years may cause a massive
market over-saturation.
§ The imposition of social distancing norms post-COVID may impact the demand for in-
person coaching services.
Page 47

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
§ Experienced founder § Struggle to add new
§ Use of latest technology
S
features initially
§ Highly skilled and
W
§ Low brand awareness
professional team § New business with no
§ Use of advanced brand recognition in the
technology and market
equipment § Difficulty to onboard
O
§ One single unified and employees initially
dedicated platform
T THREATS
OPPORTUNITIES
§ Growing mobile phone § Changes in regulations
ownership and high § Adoption of the latest
internet penetration technology may require
§ Opportunity to huge capital investment
collaborate with in future
employers and big § Market saturation due
corporates to an increased number
§ Increased awareness of of coaches
the benefits of coaching § The adverse impact of
§ Increased disposable COVID-19 on demand
income
Page 48

REFERENCES
1 https://brandminds.live/business-coaching-industry-to-top-15-billion-in-2019/
2 https://brandminds.live/business-coaching-industry-to-top-15-billion-in-2019/
3 https://coachfederation.org/app/uploads/2020/09/FINAL_ICF_GCS2020_ExecutiveSummary.pdf
4 https://www.statista.com/statistics/831803/worldwide-coaching-average-annual-earnings/
5 https://radiantcoachesacademy.com/the-coaching-industry-is-growing-fast-4-ways-to-keep-up/
6 https://datapo.com/news/how-many-companies-are-there-in-the-world/
7 https://www.statista.com/statistics/738399/size-of-the-global-workplace-training-market/
8 https://fi.co/insight/melbourne-s-22-best-startup-accelerators-incubators
9 https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
Page 49

Coaching Business Plan 25.12.2020

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2020

QUICK PITCH .......................................................................................................................... 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 4

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS .............................................................................................. 7

MISSION, VISION AND GOALS ............................................................................................ 9

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS .................................................................................................... 12

PLATFORM OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................... 14

MARKET ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................. 17

REVENUE FROM COACHING INDUSTRY .................................................................................. 18

NUMBER OF COACH PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE ............................................................ 20

MANAGERS OR LEADERS USING COACHING SKILLS ............................................................ 22

DEMOGRAPHICS AND BEHAVIOUR OF COACHES WORLDWIDE......................................... 23

TARGET MARKET ................................................................................................................. 26

LOCATION ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 29

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 32

SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 46

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

PLATFORM UNIQUE SELLING POINT

PROBLEM WORTH SOLVING COMPANY’S SOLUTION

The target market of the company includes:

SALES AND MARKETING

REVENUE DRIVERS MARKETING ACTIVITIES

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Industry Overview: The coaching industry has

The global technology progress and its influence on REVENUE FORECAST

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Some of the benefits to be offered by the platform are outlined as follows:

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

§ To formulate multiple marketing strategies to ensure a steady flow of valuable leads.

§ To assist coaches in tracking the performance of the coachees.

§ To assist the corporate employers in measuring the performance of external coaches

§ To provide an authenticated platform aimed to establish trust and confidence among

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

§ To monitor the platform performance periodically and introduce new features to

§ To become a premier coaching platform worldwide.

§ To regularly study consumer behavior and changes in technology to update the

§ To continuously seek new opportunities and gain a substantial market share to

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

UTILIZING THE NEXT_GENERATION TECHNOLOGY: Technology is accelerating the

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Overall customer satisfaction is crucial to the business’s continued

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Element 1 – ‘The Coach’

Element 2 – ‘The Employer’

Element 3 – ‘The Coachee’

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Key Partners Key Activities

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

360 Assessments Well-being and Performance Impact on Return on Effectiveness of

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Share in Global Annual Revenue from Coaching

4.85% Western Europe

Total Annual Revenue from Coaching

USD (million) Share of Global % of change

BUSINESS PLAN: ABC INC

Average Annual Earnings by Experience: According to a recent survey, veteran coaches

10 - 15 Years 15 Years or Longer

Average annual revenue/income from coaching