Career & Executive Coaching
Mary Beth Toczek, PCC, CPCC
Getting Started Packet
The First Three Documents I Regularly Leveraged for My Coaching Business
Starting a coaching business can feel overwhelming. There are many things you can do and countless opinions about what you should do.
One of the most helpful realizations for me was that I did not need everything figured out on day one. Instead, I focused on creating just a few foundational documents that allowed me to get started effectively and build the rest as the business evolved.
These tools helped me begin having real conversations, work with early clients, and create enough structure to move forward with confidence.
Coaching Individuals
Most of my initial clients were individuals with whom I contracted directly. The first two documents that helped me create a professional and consistent experience were my rate sheet and one-page coaching agreement.
1. Coaching Rate Sheet
One of the earliest questions I faced was: How do I explain my services and pricing in a simple, professional way?
A rate sheet became my answer.
This document anchored what I think of as the “conversion” portion of a coaching consultation call - the moment near the end of the conversation when a coach shares what they would recommend if the client chooses to move forward and what that investment would look like.
A three-tiered package and pricing model is often recommended because it provides options and flexibility while helping clients select the level of support that best fits their needs and budget. Be sure to include some of the outcomes clients will experience as a result of your sessions together, along with the structure of the sessions, and cost to the client.
Having this document shifted me from feeling salesy to feeling confident asking for the business because I was no longer creating pricing on the spot or reinventing my offerings each time.
Helpful reminder: Your initial rates and packages can evolve over time. Consider your first rate sheet a starting point that will be fine-tuned as you gain experience and learn what works best for both you and your clients.
2. One-Page Coaching Agreement
A simple, concise coaching agreement complemented the expectations I set during an initial consultation call, but in a more formal and consistent way.
This document helped establish shared expectations around logistics, confidentiality, payment, and the coaching relationship itself. It created professionalism without unnecessary complexity and helped ensure both my clients and I began the engagement with clarity.
Helpful reminder: Your agreement should reflect your own practice, coaching approach, and any legal guidance or protections appropriate for your business. Similar to other documents, I continued refining mine throughout my first year in business.
Coaching Within Organizations
While working with individual career coaching clients early on, I also began marketing my executive and leadership coaching services to organizations.
One of the first tools I created for conversations with companies and institutions was my professional bio - a document designed to communicate who I am, my background and credentials, how I work, and why an organization might choose to partner with me. This also became an effective “leave-behind” that extended conversations beyond the initial introduction.
3. Professional Bio
Having a polished bio made introductions, proposals, and partnership conversations easier. Page 1 of the sample document reflects where I started. Page 2 was built out over the course of my first year in business as I gained more coaching experiences and testimonials.
Helpful reminder: You do not need decades of experience to write a compelling bio. You simply need to communicate your value clearly and authentically.
I wish you much success as you create a coaching business that reflects who you are and how you want to help others. And if you’d like a little extra support along the way, I’d be happy to connect.