Last updated on February 13, 2024
There’s a plethora of life coach training programs available, but what about those focused on the business aspect of coaching? Coach Pony stands out as a leading option in this niche. However, the burning question remains: can this course really help you to establish a thriving coaching business?
In this post, we’ll delve deeper into Coach Pony reviews, pricing, and offerings to determine whether it is the ideal choice for enhancing your coaching business’s success.
Table of Contents
About Coach Pony Coaching
Coach Pony is a community for life coaches looking to master the business aspect of coaching. It was founded by Christie Mims, a successful career coach, now dedicated to helping other coaches thrive.
Their Coach Pony podcast is quite popular among coaches, but besides free resources such as the podcast, a guidebook, and Couch School (free weekly business training), they also provide paid courses. These include a short and intensive bootcamp designed to jumpstart your business and the comprehensive Build a Real Business (BARB) program.
The Coach Pony Coaching Philosophy
The Coach Pony’s philosophy emphasizes the idea that as a coach, you are selling more than your services; you’re selling yourself, which highlights the need for sound business knowledge. Their motto, “for coaches, by coaches,” signifies that you’ll receive guidance from experts who have navigated the challenges and successes of the coaching industry. They also have a mission to guide coaches in building a successful business over time and dispelling the misconception of achieving overnight success.
Coach Pony Coaching and Accreditation
Coach Pony’s courses aren’t accredited, which doesn’t really come as a surprise as they are primarily focused on the backend of the coaching practice. To be eligible for ICF or any other accreditation, programs need to adhere to rigorous standards that refer to curriculum and training approaches. Coach Pony’s training program has a unique system and methodology, which explains why it’s not a suitable candidate for accreditation.
Pros and Cons of the Coach Pony Coaching Program
Free resources and bootcamps aside, let’s dive deeper into the Build a Real Business (BARB) training program, which is the most popular CP course. We’ll delve into its pricing and duration, as well as the advantages that make this program a sought-after choice.
Comprehensive and Structured Curriculum
BARB provides a well-organized and comprehensive curriculum that covers all aspects of building a coaching business. It includes a 3-phase approach that guides you through starting, growing, and scaling your coaching business systematically.
Access to Business Systems
This practical program introduces you to different systems essential for establishing a successful and sustainable coaching business. BARB focuses on teaching you five core business systems:
- Coaching system – Focuses on defining and testing your coaching niche, creating packages, and setting prices
- Sales system – Teaches principles for conducting sales conversations and creating sales funnels
- Education system – Covers creating compelling website content, developing a personal brand, writing effective web copy, and establishing an automated email sales funnel
- Marketing system – Guides you in building a personalized and effective marketing plan based on your unique strengths
- Onboarding system – Teaches you how to onboard clients and covers essential aspects like creating coaching contracts, preventing refunds, and obtaining valuable testimonials
Supportive Community
You’ll become part of a thriving community of over 1,000 coaches from around the world. This community provides ongoing support and can make you feel connected, motivated, and less alone on your path toward success. You’ll have access to daily and weekly live support calls and a dedicated Facebook group.
Ongoing Training and Support
Many business coaching programs leave you on your own after basic training, but BARB takes a different approach. They provide you with ongoing support for a full year. This ensures you have the guidance and help you need as you progress in building your business.
How Long is the Coach Pony Program?
BARB is divided into three phases. In the initial phase, known as the “Start” phase, you’ll unlock one module per week for 10 weeks. After you complete it, you can access the second phase, “Grow,” and complete it in your own time.
The same self-directed format applies to “Scale,” the final phase, which unlocks after you finish the second phase. The program is available to you for 12 months, but you have the option to renew your membership beyond the initial 12-month period.
How Much Does Coach Pony Training Cost?
BARB comes with a relatively higher price tag of $3,000. If you prefer installment payments, there’s the option of four installments, each at $900.
The program offers a 100% risk-free guarantee. If you complete the Module 1 coursework, find it unhelpful, and submit proof that you completed and applied the coursework within 14 days of purchase, you’ll receive a full refund.
Coach Pony Reviews
Reviews and testimonials about Coach Pony’s training program are largely positive. The reviews are very insightful, with coaches sharing how BARB helped them attract clients and reach their goals. Here’s a small sample of reviews:
I feel like I’ve gotten further ahead in the last 8 weeks in BARB than I have in the last 6 months experimenting and wasting time. I just closed my first $500 workshop! I filled my business to capacity with 1 client over my goal!
Ashley Cash, Acash Coaching
Celebration alert: I just closed my first package in my new coaching business. My client was a stranger when I started the BARB program, and now she has paid upfront $3,000 for a 3-month package. You rock, Christie Mims. I’ve been doing a steady 10K for months! I have a good problem thanks in part to you: my 1:1 coaching practice is full, and I have a waitlist.
Benjamin Easter, Lucid Shift Coaching
I 5’xd my earnings from last year! I also just ran the second session of my 8-week relationship group coaching course for men. It’s a group of dedicated, focused guys daring to figure out their relationship lives, and I’m loving it. Thank you, Christie! My ability to do this is built so much on the foundation you teach us here and the support of this community.
Matt Hilliard Ford, Relationships That Work
I got so much more out of BARB than I did by working one-on-one with other coaches, even though this was a group and not an individual coaching program! I absolutely got my money’s worth.
Denise Cskay, The Firefly Moment
Alternatives
In addition to Coach Pony, there are other outstanding programs available for mastering the business aspects of coaching. You can evaluate them alongside Coach Pony to determine the one that suits you best. Here are some of our top selections for business training for coaches:
- Life Coach Business Masterclass by Transformation Academy (with our link, you get an 50% discount; applied at checkout)
- Coach Training Accelerator by Coach Training Alliance
- Coach Package Creation Program by iNLP Center
Is Coach Pony Right For You?
Coach Pony’s BARB program is designed to take you from the initial stages of your business to a level where you can sustainably generate income and achieve your business goals. Its strong suits are its well-rounded curriculum, supportive community, and practical business systems. Coach Pony definitely has a track record of helping coaches achieve significant results in their businesses, and the success stories and testimonials from actual program participants demonstrate its effectiveness.
However, the truth of the matter is that BARB can exceed the limitations of budget for some coaches. In that case, we recommend checking out more affordable options such as Life Coach Business Masterclass, Coach Training Accelerator, or Coach Package Creation Program.
For more resources about Coach Pony, life coach training, and developing a coaching business, check out the following:
- Free Coach Pony step-by-step guide on how to make money as a coach
- Free Coach Pony business training
- Coach Pony podcast
- Find the best life coach certification program quiz
- List of the best life coaching programs
Take the Coach Certification Quiz
Need help choosing a coach training and certification program? We created this short quiz to help you find the best program for you.
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