A few weeks ago, I bumped into a former colleague. When he asked what I was up to, I replied: “I’m a Coach.”
I could almost hear his eye’s roll & a wry smile spread across his face:
“Everyone’s a coach these days – just take a look at LinkedIn.”
He’s got a point. There are a lot of us about…so I thought I’d fact-check him…
The numbers…
– LinkedIn has 1.2bn members (about half active monthly).
– 4.7m have “Coach” on their profile (0.4% of members) – a number that’s doubled since COVID.
– Remembering that “Coach” spans many domains: sports, fitness, sleep, business, maths, parenting, voice… the list goes on.
According to the 2025 International Coaching Federation’s ‘Global Coaching Study’:
– Leadership & executive coaching dominates the sector at 54%
– Yet only 122k executive coaches worldwide are formally qualified & accredited executive coaches.
– Meaning the other 4.5m+ on LinkedIn are either qualified to work in other domains, use the title generically or coach without formal qualification.
So just how do you find the right coach with so much choice?
– Look for recognised qualifications & accreditation (ICF / EMCC / AC).
– Ask for recommendations – positive word of mouth is powerful.
– Explore coaching platforms that have done the due diligence for you.
– Be clear on the topics you want to tackle & the style of support that works best for you.
…and always insist on a chemistry conversation before committing — you’ll quickly know if it’s there’s a good fit with you & your coach.
So yes, there are a lot of coaches – but show me another sector that’s grown 17% in the past year, generates $5bn+ in annual revenues, and where 59% of practitioners feel optimistic about the future?
It’s no wonder so many are aspiring to join the profession. And for those who find the right coach. The impact may just be transformative.
If you want to talk some more about how coaching can help you deliver your goals email me at rupert@strongerhumans.com for a free 30-minute consultation.
