How To Build a Full Time Coaching Business, Get Clients With Work and Family (Without Losing Your Mind)
If you’re in the process of transitioning from a full time job to become a full time coach and you’re trying to do the math in your head thinking….
“Weekly calls + homework + 100 coaching hours for fulfill my ACC credntial… plus my job… plus my toddler… plus being a person…and building a coaching business”
Yep. I get it.
When I was building my business, getting certified, working full-time as a clinical pharmacist, managing my health, and helping care for two elderly parents, I didn’t magically came up with a way to “find more time.”
I built a structure that made the time I did have usable.
Why “I’ll Do It When I Have Time” Doesn’t Work
Most new life coaches and coaches-in-training try to squeeze building their coaching business into the leftover cracks of their week.
A little after dinner.
Some on Sunday.
Maybe during lunch.
And then life happens.
Work runs late.
Someone gets sick.
You’re exhausted.
The hours pile up.
Then you start thinking you’re behind, or “not disciplined enough.”
You are disciplined enough.
But what’s missing is having a structure that respects the fact that you have a whole life.
Time Blocking (Busy Coach Edition)
The concept of time blocking is simple:
You decide when you’re doing the work before the week starts.
Because once your week begins, your calendar will happily fill itself with other people’s priorities.
Here’s how to do it in a way that actually sticks.
Step 1: Block Your Non-Negotiables First
Before you plan business building time, put in what’s already real:
Work hours (and commute)
Sleep (be honest, not ambitious)
Family routines (drop-offs, bedtime, meals)
Health / appointments / baseline life maintenance
This becomes the frame. Color code this if it helps.
We’re building something you can repeat even on a busy week.
Step 2: Pick Your 3 Best Time Windows
Most people have 2–3 windows that are actually realistic:
Early mornings (before the world wakes up)
Two evenings per week (not every night, you deserve a life)
A weekend block (2–4 hours)
You’re not looking for “free time.”
You’re looking for time you can protect.
Step 3: Split “Certification + Clients” Into 3 Block Types
This is where most coaches accidentally sabotage themselves.
They schedule one massive block called “WORK ON MY BUSINESS”…
…and then avoid it because it feels like trying to eat a whole watermelon in one bite.
Instead, split your week into three types of blocks that match what you’re actually doing right now:
1) Certification Calls (Fixed)
These are your non-negotiables: live training, mentor calls, practice labs.
They go on the calendar first because they keep you moving forward in the program and building real coaching skill.
2) Certification Deep Work Block (60–90 minutes)
This is the behind-the-scenes work:
modules, homework, reflections, submissions, prep for your next session.
This block keeps you on track so you’re not cramming everything the night before.
3. The Client-Generating Block (60 minutes)
Your client-generating block has one job:
Create conversations that lead to coaching sessions, referrals, and paid clients.
Not branding. Not website tweaks. Not “researching” for 2 hours.
(Respectfully, no.)
Your Weekly Targets (pick one track)
Choose based on your capacity.
Track A: Steady (recommended)
5 invites to practice sessions or discovery calls
2 follow-ups to people who already showed interest
1 visibility action with a clear CTA (post, short live, networking)
Track B: Faster
10 invites
5 follow-ups
2 visibility actions with a clear CTA
That’s it. That’s the system.
The 60-Minute Client-Generating Block Template
Use this exact breakdown so you don’t waste the hour deciding what to do.
Minute 0–10: Pick your focus (one)
Fill practice sessions for coaching hours
Book discovery calls
Get referral introductions
Pitch a room (podcast/workshop/networking)
Minute 10–40: Do outreach (the money part)
Send messages. Make invites. Start conversations.
Minimum: 5 invites
Ideal: 10 invites
Minute 40–55: Follow up
Follow up with anyone who:
liked/commented
replied “I’ve been thinking about coaching…”
said “maybe later”
previously booked and disappeared
Minute 55–60: Track it
Keep one simple list (notes app is fine):
Name
Date contacted
Response
Next step
No tracking = you repeating work and feeling like it’s not working.
What Counts as “Client-Generating” During Certification
Here’s the approved menu (aka activities that lead to clients).
1) Practice-session invites (fills hours + builds pipeline)
Invite 5–10 people to a 45-minute practice session
Offer 2–4 slots per week
Confirm, coach, then follow up
2) Follow-ups that create calls
“Still want the link?”
“Want to grab one of my last two spots this week?”
“Want to keep going with this?”
Follow-up is where most clients come from.
3) Visibility with a clear CTA
One weekly action like:
A post that ends with “Comment ____ and I’ll DM you”
A short live training with “DM me ‘PRACTICE’”
A networking event where you talk to 2 people and invite them
4) Referral loop after every session
You say this at the end of every practice session:
“Who’s one person you know who’d want support with this too?”
This is the easiest way to build your pipeline without posting 24/7.
5) Get yourself in rooms
One pitch per week:
a podcast
a local group
a coworker wellness session
a community workshop
a Facebook group live
Rooms = leads.
Leads = calls.
Calls = clients.
Plug-and-Play Example Week (Steady Track)
Monday: Certification call
Wednesday: Practice session #1
Thursday: Deep work block
Friday: Client-generating block (5 invites + 2 follow-ups + one post with CTA)
Weekend: Practice session #2 + notes + follow-up text
That’s a real business-building week.
Without quitting your job.
A Realistic Weekly Plan (That Doesn’t Require You to Quit Your Job)
Steady pace: 5–7 hours/week
1 certification call (or replay)
2 coaching practice sessions (45–60 minutes each)
1 deep work block (90 minutes)
1 client-generating block (60 minutes: outreach, follow-up, visibility with CTA)
1 admin block (30 minutes: schedule, confirm, prep)
Faster pace: 8–10 hours/week
1 certification call
3 coaching practice sessions
2 deep work blocks
2 client-generating blocks (60 minutes each)
1 admin block
Pro tip if you have a busy household:
Two shorter weekend blocks beat one giant “Sunday panic session.”
Saturday: 90 minutes
Sunday: 90 minutes
Way easier to protect.
And way less likely to get eaten alive by laundry and life.
The Secret Weapon: Your “Minimum Week”
This is what prevents the spiral.
Decide your minimum commitment for chaotic weeks so you never fall off completely.
Example minimum week:
Attend the call (or watch replay)
Do one coaching practice session
30 minutes of homework
The Truth About “Balance”
You’re not trying to balance everything perfectly.
You’re trying to build a system that helps you finish what you started without sacrificing your health or your sanity.
Time blocking doesn’t make your schedule less full.
It makes your schedule less chaotic.
And that’s the difference between “I’m excited” and “I’m drowning.”
Want My Full “New Coach Setup” Plan?
If you’re in certification right now (or newly certified and staring at the internet like “okay… now what?”), I created a 3-part training series that walks you through what to do next to start building a real coaching business.
Inside the trainings, I’ll show you:
The exact roadmap I used to build my first 4-figure coaching business… and then grow into 5-figures later
The spots you’ll likely get stuck on (because most coaches do)
3 strategies you can use right away
A quick BTS peek at how I help other coaches use this roadmap inside Coaching Biz Builder to land their first 1–3 clients
👉 Click here to join the 3-part training series
And if you know another coach in training who’s quietly panicking in a group chat somewhere… send this to her. 😄
