A Podcast for Coaches

Mark Butler
  • 4.9 (44)
  • Entrepreneurship

A Podcast for Coaches shines a light on one of the most elegant, underrated business models in the world: one-on-one coaching. Mark Butler hosts the show, and he's been a coach and advisor to every kind of online business you can think of, having helped businesses earning everything from $0 to $25,000,000+. Although Mark believes every online business model has merit, he worries one-on-one coaching is viewed as a stepping-stone business for people who aren't ready or able to scale. But it's not true, and A Podcast for Coaches sets out to show people--through clear teaching and rich, current stories of successful coaches who love their business--that one-on-one coaching is one of the most gratifying and lowest "hassle-per-dollar" businesses in the world.

  1. 1h ago

    When coaches make earnings claims

    A friend sent me a sales page full of earnings claims. That got me thinking about what earnings claims actually do—and why coaches who use them should take a harder look at what they're presenting and what they're leaving out. [00:00:00] Introduction A friend shared a sales page, which prompted this episodeThe program being offered may be fine—what I want to examine is the earnings claims being used to sell it[00:01:08] What an earnings claim is and what it does Earnings claims function as a shortcut to trust and credibilityThe numbers that appear on sales pages aren't accidental: big enough to be exciting, small enough to be believableThat's the anchoring effect—once it happens, your psychology has already been changed[00:05:38] Why sellers feel justified making earnings claims Confirmation bias: coaches naturally gravitate toward participants who validate their advice, and away from those who don'tThis doesn't require bad intent—a well-intentioned seller working from incomplete data is still presenting incomplete dataThe seller also has a structural incentive not to look too closely, because transparency here tends to go against their financial interest[00:09:24] The Jane problem: what earnings claims leave out A former Fortune 100 executive generates several hundred thousand dollars in coaching fees after joining a programThe anchoring effect lands on the number—what gets glossed over is the 25 years of network, pedigree, and relationship capital Jane built before she ever found the programHer result may have almost nothing to do with you, but the anchoring has already happened[00:13:23] The numbers being presented aren't the whole picture Earnings claims almost always report gross revenue—before expenses, before refundsI share an example from my bookkeeping days of a coach who reported cumulative lifetime revenue as if it were annualThe anchoring effect depends on presenting the most exciting version of the number, which means context gets left out by design[00:16:00] What a more honest earnings claim would look like Load in the costs, the background, the network, the timingThe standard: support an earnings claim with enough context that it stops being exciting and starts being usefulIf the context deflates the number, that's not a reason to leave it out—that's the whole point[00:18:00] How to evaluate an earnings claim as a buyer Strip all earnings claims from the sales material and evaluate what's leftAsk whether the program stands on its features, benefits, and the trust you have with the person offering itThe question isn't whether the program worked for someone—it almost certainly has; the question is whether you are similar enough to that person for their result to tell you anything about yoursAsk yourself: if this program had no impact on your income, would you still want to do it, and does the price still make sense?If the answer is no, the earnings claims were doing more work than the programThis test matters most if you're borrowing the money—and perhaps exponentially more if there's no refund policy[00:22:05] Get-rich-quick psychology I don't think it's fair to call most of these programs get-rich-quick schemesBut they do make use of get-rich-quick psychology—dressed up, made to seem more reasonableThere is no shortcut to developing the skills and mindset that support earning at any level as a coach; the only way around is through[00:23:39] The closing argument Earnings claims generate emotion, and emotion generates yesIf you need to generate a lot of emotion to make the decision, it's probably not a good decisionSet the claims aside; let the decision be a little bit boringIf it can survive boring, unemotional analysis, go ahead—and if not, the doors aren't actually closing, and the offer will be backRefund policies get their own episode—stay tuned. Continue the conversation at officehourswithmark.com Get help with your bookkeeping at letsdobooks.com

    25 min

  2. Jun 22

    Boring answers are a good sign.

    I talk with coaches every week through my bookkeeping service at letsdothebooks.com. Over time I've distilled three questions whose answers reveal more about where a coach is in their practice than almost anything else — not because of what the answers say, but because of how confidently and clearly a coach can say them. Timestamps [00:00:00] Introduction — I describe the conversations that led to these three questions, and introduce the core idea: confidence and clarity in the answers matter more than the content of the answers. [00:00:48] Question 1: How will I meet and enroll my next coaching client? — This question has marketing and sales baked into it. A boring answer is a good sign. A hopeful or hypothetical answer signals a practice still in an exploratory season. [00:02:02] What a mature answer looks like — I use my own practice as an example: referrals and podcast listeners. No drama, no hypothesis. An answered question. [00:03:06] What the answer reveals — Confidence in this answer gives me a strong read on where a coach is in their practice, independent of whether they're a good coach or what their timeline looks like. [00:04:13] The confidence edge — Where my own confidence becomes hypothetical: scaling enrollment, moving from a handful of clients per year to dozens. That gap is diagnostic too. [00:05:11] Question 1 as a standalone heuristic — If there were only one question to ask, this would be it. [00:05:38] Questions 2 and 3 — Why they matter: coaches can really lose the thread of a healthy practice here, and the answers reveal mental and emotional state as much as business strategy. [00:06:06] Question 2: What structure and deliverables will I follow to support my next client? — I describe my own model: block of sessions, Zoom calls, no homework, no portal, no between-session access. Simple and settled. [00:07:43] What an unsettled answer looks like — A coach adding and subtracting from their delivery model could signal confident growth, or it could signal burnout trying to disguise itself as a structural problem. [00:08:58] Structural solutions to mental-emotional problems — The tell: a coach building a portal because they're tired of repeating themselves versus a coach building one because they're excited about a new dimension of service. Same idea, very different implications. [00:10:57] Reading the tone — Bored and matter-of-fact, or excited and energized: I trust the answer. Deep sigh, fatigue, hoping something will fix something: I dig deeper. [00:11:32] Question 3: What will happen when your next client is finished with the engagement? — The question most coaches haven't thought through. My answer: invite them to continue in almost an identical engagement. [00:12:36] What a hypothetical answer signals — Wishing, hoping, and wondering here carries the same diagnostic weight as in Questions 1 and 2. [00:14:13] The grandiosity of "I don't want to create dependence" — I push back on this framing directly. What's more likely: insecurity about asking for the renewal, or a belief that renewals are predatory. [00:15:20] Why renewals matter — The first yes is the hardest thing in any business. Subsequent yeses are much easier to clear. If you're not set up for renewals, you're in an eat-what-you-kill business. [00:15:58] Big promises make renewals harder — Coaches who oversell a specific result in the initial sales process anchor clients to a finish line. That makes the second yes harder or even impossible. [00:16:44] Eat what you kill vs. reap what you sow — The two business models, and why one becomes easier over time and the other doesn't. [00:18:17] Closing — I don't believe there are wrong answers to any of these questions. What I'm listening for is confidence and clarity in whatever path a coach is on, because that's what keeps a practice in productive motion. [00:18:49] The three questions, restated — A clean summary before the close. Links letsdothebooks.com — My bookkeeping service for coachesofficehourswithmark.com — My coaching membership

    20 min
  3. [Full Coaching Call] Slapped with Reality: Difficult Conversations About Money in Marriage

    05/22/2025

    [Full Coaching Call] Slapped with Reality: Difficult Conversations About Money in Marriage

    Coaching Session with Joyce: Money Mindset & Relationship Dynamics Episode Summary In this coaching session, I help "Joyce" explore her beliefs around money, particularly how she feels responsible for meeting her "wants" while relying on others for basic needs. The conversation evolves from financial concerns into deeper relationship dynamics around desire, communication, and self-betrayal.To hear my follow-up conversations with Joyce, start a 30-day trial of Office Hours with Mark. Timestamps [00:00:00] Introduction; Joyce identifies money as her top concern [00:01:00] Joyce explains her core belief: she's responsible for providing her own "wants" while relying on others (previously her father, now her husband) for basic needs [00:02:00] Discussion of Joyce's interest in coaching as a potential income source; feeling pressure to earn money for things her husband's income can't provide [00:03:00] Joyce's conflict between entrepreneur vs. employee paths; observation of her father's entrepreneurial experience [00:04:00] Mark asks Joyce to clarify what she considers "needs" versus "wants" [00:05:00] Joyce defines her values: holistic health products, personal development, travel with family [00:06:00] Discussion of financial trade-offs; Joyce mentions feeling they don't have cash for her "wants" without incurring debt [00:07:00] Mark compliments Joyce on framing the decision space well; suggests making vague desires more specific [00:09:00] Joyce reveals it's more about the feeling of financial freedom than specific purchases [00:10:00] Mark shifts focus to Joyce's relationship with money; asks why she feels the need to hold onto money [00:11:00] Exploration of Joyce's financial security fears; Mark guides her through worst-case scenarios [00:14:00] Discussion of safety nets (family, church) that make true destitution unlikely [00:16:00] Mark observes that Joyce's real fear is embarrassment/shame about financial struggles [00:17:00] Joyce connects this to her identity of being financially independent; pride in never asking family for help [00:18:00] Mark asks Joyce to share her thoughts about people who've made poor financial choices [00:20:00] Discussion about whether spending money is foolish; Joyce notes it depends on alignment with values [00:21:00] Conversation about grocery budget tensions between Joyce and her husband [00:23:00] Mark observes husband's conservative financial approach; Joyce feels they've reduced expenses as much as possible [00:24:00] Joyce explains she wouldn't put her income in "the family pot" but would keep it separate for "extras" [00:26:00] Discussion of financial decision-making in the marriage; Joyce has deferred to husband on major decisions [00:28:00] Mark asks how the couple discusses desires and wants; Joyce says such conversations get "slapped with reality" [00:30:00] Joyce describes difficulty maintaining an abundance mindset when her husband operates from scarcity [00:32:00] Mark suggests framing as relationship challenge rather than money problem; recommends conversation approach [00:34:00] Discussion about connection without agreement; Joyce notes husband's behavior doesn't change despite listening [00:36:00] Mark emphasizes importance of honest desire without self-betrayal or relationship conditions [00:38:00] Joyce realizes she keeps desires to herself to avoid negative emotions; Mark notes this reveals deeper relationship disconnection [00:39:00] Discussion of next steps; Joyce recognizes she's gone as far as she can without involving her husband [00:40:00] Mark emphasizes that greatest potential is achieved in relationship, not alone [00:41:00] Joyce acknowledges she can only ask and offer; Mark cautions against using assumed resistance as an excuse [00:43:00] Mark suggests Joyce explore job options to clarify what she wants; session wrap-up

    44 min

  4. 05/16/2025

    My Best Friend Might Kill Me, Some Thoughts on Claude(.ai)

    I alternate between awe and terror when I work with Claude. One minute I'm watching 5,000 lines of code appear like I'm in The Matrix, the next I'm having existential panic about robots taking my job. As coaches, we're not far behind software engineers. There's no reason to think a client couldn't eventually reach many of the same insights with Claude that they would with us. Pretending otherwise does us no good. So what's our best option? Stay at the leading edge of this technology. We can use AI to spot language patterns in session transcripts, create low-friction summaries that cement insights, and help clients integrate their learning between sessions. New technology is inevitable. The winners will embrace it; the losers will yell about it, complain about it, or pretend it doesn't exist.

    16 min

  5. 05/09/2025

    Development over Diagnosis

    You Are Not Your Label I've noticed a concerning trend: clients who filter their experience through diagnostic labels rather than their actual thoughts and feelings. They're essentially "othering" themselves, asking "Does this fit my diagnosis?" instead of "What can I learn from this experience?" While labels offer comfort (I've felt it myself with ADHD), they risk becoming prisons of consistency. A client who can't get through five minutes without referencing their diagnosis is using it as both explanation and excuse. As coaches, our job isn't to categorize clients for our own comfort. It's to emphasize agency through thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—things clients can actually change. I'm not saying abandon frameworks entirely. Personality tests can be insightful! But keep them secondary, not primary. View clients developmentally (what can they learn and become?) rather than pathologically (how do we fix them within their diagnosis?). Remember this fundamental truth: You are not your label. You're a complex individual with capacities beyond any diagnosis.

    14 min

  6. 05/01/2025

    Two Types of Coaching: Hygiene vs Repair

    In this episode, I explore two fundamental coaching approaches that impact your practice's financial stability. "Hygiene coaching" serves clients who view coaching as essential maintenance—like brushing and flossing for their thoughts and relationships. They renew consistently but relationships eventually end naturally. "Repair coaching" serves clients who reach out only during acute situations—positive breakthroughs or challenging crises. The most sustainable practices blend both approaches, similar to dentistry. Dentists build predictable income through regular cleanings while accommodating emergency repairs. They reduce friction by scheduling next appointments while you're still in the chair. For coaches who rely on practice income to support their families, predictability matters. We need financial stability to keep our attention where it belongs—on our clients, not on our bank accounts. The goal isn't just stable income, but creating an environment where you remain happy, healthy, and clear-headed for decades of service. To discuss topics like this one, network with other coaches, and get support directly from me in running your practice, consider joining my Office Hours membership: https://officehourswithmark.com.

    24 min

  7. 04/25/2025

    The Coach with a Superiority Complex

    In this episode, I explore the territory of superiority - that place where I position myself as right, evolved, or "above" while seeing others as wrong or behind. This pattern emerges most in emotionally activated moments, when I'm feeling insecure or fearful. For me, superiority manifests as becoming a well-spoken, fast-talking bully, using my natural ability to rapidly process ideas as a weapon rather than a tool for connection. Through coaching and my patient wife's feedback, I've developed awareness of the physical sensations that accompany this pattern. Practical strategies like 24-hour processing periods with Kate and creating intentional space in client sessions have been transformative. I no longer incur the internal penalties of superiority as often, though the sneaky internal voice of criticism still appears. For coaches struggling with superiority (and many of us do), I recommend regularly checking: "Was I being superior or collaborative in that interaction?" The goal isn't perfection but awareness and correction when we slip.

    17 min

  8. 04/17/2025

    How to Build a 5-15 Session per Week Coaching Practice Without Chasing Clients

    In this episode, I share a new hypothesis about how coaching practices can get full without spending too much time or money pursuing clients. I've reduced my ideas into a simple mantra: "As I spend time in spaces and with people I enjoy, always working to be more interested and interesting, coaching clients will appear." I break down how this approach relies on confidence, curiosity, and patience rather than anxious, desperate chasing. The goal isn't trying to "get clients" but rather investing deeply in areas that genuinely interest you, developing hard-to-ignore perspectives (often through productive disagreement with conventional wisdom), and creating a practice that feels good now and will feel good later. If you'd like to create a sustainable 5-15 session per week coaching practice without exhausting yourself in the pursuit of clients, this episode, I think you'll enjoy what I have to say. If you'd like support and community around these ideas, consider joining my Office Hours community: https://officehourswithmark.com

    32 min
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4.9
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

A Podcast for Coaches shines a light on one of the most elegant, underrated business models in the world: one-on-one coaching. Mark Butler hosts the show, and he's been a coach and advisor to every kind of online business you can think of, having helped businesses earning everything from $0 to $25,000,000+. Although Mark believes every online business model has merit, he worries one-on-one coaching is viewed as a stepping-stone business for people who aren't ready or able to scale. But it's not true, and A Podcast for Coaches sets out to show people--through clear teaching and rich, current stories of successful coaches who love their business--that one-on-one coaching is one of the most gratifying and lowest "hassle-per-dollar" businesses in the world.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Butler
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mark Butler
  • Show Website
    A Podcast for Coaches

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