Life Coaching is Overpriced! -- Skye Thomas & Tomorrow's Edge Press Release 05-29-06

Life coaches are people who have a knack for helping people. Like any other type of coach, they are a blend of cheerleader, counselor, mentor, trusted friend, and advisor. They inspire, motivate, and cheer their clients on towards success. Many go through some kind of certification process so that they can fine tune their listening skills and learn how to ask thought provoking questions that get the client thinking outside of the box. Just like with athletic coaches, life coaches are only as effective as the relationship they build with others. A beloved coach of any kind can inspire an individual to bypass their inner critic and live up to their full potential.

The problem is that most people cannot afford to hire a personal life coach. The average fee is around $160 per hour. People are expected to pay anywhere between $400-700 each month for a telephone conversation every 7-10 days and some follow up emails. If this sort of thing was in the average person’s budget, they might also consider hiring a personal trainer, a professional organizer, a wedding planner, and a personal assistant as the need arose. But the truth is, as much as we would love to, we just cannot afford to hire help. The result is, most life coaches are unable to support themselves doing this kind of work even though they love the work and find great personal satisfaction in helping others.

Many would argue that success, peace of mind, and self-confidence are invaluable, that you cannot put a price tag on such things. It is not that people would not be willing to pay $500 each month to have someone help them set goals, lose weight, find their ideal career path, or learn how to become more self-assured. Most people simply cannot spare that kind of money on a regular basis. To make matters worse, there are no guarantees that a life coach can completely heal, fix, reorganize, or empower you. Athletic coaches know all too well that you cannot guarantee your team a win. You can only help them to do their best and to enjoy the process of living life to the fullest.

When compared to doctors’ and lawyers’ hourly rate, the Life Coach does not appear to be charging too much. But here is the catch. Most of us do not keep a doctor or lawyer on retainer always available and ready at our first cry for help. We pay doctors and lawyers as much as we do because we have no choice. We need their help and they know it. To some extent the insurance companies and the legal system have made their hourly rates necessary. We do not have to hire a life coach the way we sometimes have to hire a doctor. Life coaches are not under government regulations and they are not sued for malpractice. They really do not have to charge as much as they do.

In response to this problem, Skye Thomas, CEO of Tomorrow’s Edge an Internet leader in inspiring leaps of faith is encouraging other Life Coaches to consider lowering their prices. “It’s supply and demand. Lot’s of people want life coaches, but few can afford it. The coach who lowers their rates will pick up more business and ultimately will touch more lives.” To test her theory, Skye has begun offering Life Coaching through her website www.TomorrowsEdge.net at $50 per hour to see if more people will utilize coaching services. “Luckily, I’ve got my day job to fall back on, so if things don’t work out I won’t have to eat too much crow!” laughs Skye.

Skye Thomas is a published author, self-proclaimed rebel, freelance writer, astrologer, parent, entrepreneur, and philosopher trying to inspire people to re-commit themselves to “the pursuit of happiness.”