Free masterclass recording with Laura Minard
How to Find Your First 10 Clients
as a Nurse Life Coach
Recorded live on Tuesday, October 20, at 6 pm CT
Where do my first clients come from? It's the question I hear most from nurses who want to start a nurse coaching practice, so I answered it. You don't have to run around on social media. You don't have to sell to your friends. I walk you through the path I teach, and you leave with a list of 10 names.
The nurse coach certification I teach, at a glance
Inside the recording
Tap a time to jump straight to it.
Your first 10 clients, step by step
On the call I asked everyone to write down 10 names, wherever they are on the path to becoming a nurse coach. Nurses who hadn't enrolled yet wrote theirs as if they already had. This is the path that list sits inside.
- Write down 10 people who could use a few free coaching sessions.
- Start with the one who makes you the most nervous.
- Invite them with a question that gets a clear yes or no.
- Serve first. Give the sessions with no strings attached.
- Ask for a testimonial or a Google review.
- Let your referrals carry the rest.
"Everything is scary and overwhelming when it's new. But it's not rocket science."
The words I say, and the words I skip
Nurses always ask me what to actually say. Your intention matters most, and a few small choices in the invite make a big difference. Here's how I explained it on the call.
What I skip
Makes it about me
Asking for a favor because I need practice hours. It treats my time like it isn't worth much, and it is.
Leaving the door open with "If you ever want a coaching session, just let me know." Nobody has to say yes or no, so nothing happens.
Explaining nurse coaching, my certification and the board exam. People care about their own lives, not about my credentials.
What I say
Makes it about them
"I just launched my coaching practice, and I'm building it through word-of-mouth. Would you like a free session with me? I have some time next week."
"I have two pro bono coaching spots open this month. You came to mind. Would you want one from me?"
No pitch and no brochure. If they ask what we'll do, I tell them we'll pick a goal and work on it together.
The first 10 people that pay you, you probably already know.
Look around. Friends, coworkers, people from church, the parents at your kids' school. Most of us know people who are getting by but don't feel well, and a few months with a nurse coach can change that.
A full practice is about 20 clients, not 200. Most new nurse coaches start with two, three or four at a time and keep their job. In the forms my students turn in, about two in every ten free conversations become a paying client. Many of the others tell someone about you, or hire you later.
"Forty percent of our students who go through our free business course before they graduate, four out of 10 of them have made $1,000 or more on the day that they graduate."Laura Minard, on the masterclass
Take the guide that goes with this class
Where to Find Your First 10 Clients as a Nurse Life Coach is the written version of what I taught. It maps out the places your first clients can come from, with scripts and checklists you can use this week.
Download the free guideYour questions, answered
I took questions at the end of the class. These are the ones I'd want every nurse to hear, with the short version of my answers. The full conversation is in the recording.
Can I bring up my practice if I still work at the bedside?
It depends on your organization. Some employers don't mind at all, and some don't want you to mention it to anyone at work, so read the conflict of interest section of your contract.
In my experience most organizations let you coach staff for free. Sometimes those coworkers refer family or friends, and that's the part to check against your hospital's policy.
Can I coach clients in other states?
Here's the approach I teach. Your contract lists the states where you're licensed as a nurse. If you have a compact license, list those exact states. Then add one line saying that if a client's primary residence is anywhere else, you're working with them as a certified life coach, not as a nurse coach.
One contract covers both cases. We also teach you to keep nurse and RN out of your business name, because this is a transformational business and not a medical practice.
How do I bring this up at a networking event without sounding like a pitch?
Don't lead with what you do. Get the other person talking about themselves and ask powerful questions. When they mention what they're working on, ask whether they have any personal or professional goals right now.
Then something like: "This sounds crazy, but this is kind of what I do for a living, and I offer free coaching sessions. Would you want a few?" Another line I like is that nurse coaching is experiential, so I'd love for them to experience it. Then ask for their number and set a time for next week.
Do I need social media to get clients?
No. In my first year I didn't rely on it at all. Later on, if you can set some rules and feelings around it, it becomes a good way to connect with people and serve them. It just isn't where you start, and it isn't required.
Hosting a workshop or giving a talk, in person or online, is another way people get to experience you before they ever hire you.
Can an LPN do this?
Yes. LPNs and LVNs can open a practice right alongside nurse coaches. The one caveat is that you can't sit for the board exam. Through the Academy you become a certified life coach and start your practice from there.
Do I need liability insurance?
I don't think you need malpractice insurance, and if you already have coverage through your bedside job, you can keep it. Some nurse coaches buy professional liability insurance for peace of mind, and that's your call.
What lowers your risk the most is a great contract, staying in your scope, and offering a refund if someone is deeply unhappy.
"Confidence comes from doing it when you don't feel ready."Laura Minard, Founder and CEO, Nurse Life Coach Academy
The path from this class to your practice
The class gave you a list of 10 names. The certification gives you the training to coach them, and 60 coaching hours with real people before you graduate.
Nurse coaching changed life for my whole family. If I can be the doorway to even a tenth of that for you, it's an honor.
Become a certified nurse coach
It's 28 weeks at 4 to 6 hours a week, with 121 CE credits. It's built around a full-time nursing schedule, so you can keep your job while you learn.
Enroll in the certificationTalk it through with an advisor
A call with our team helps you figure out if this is the right time and the right place for your money. Every once in a while, we'll even tell you to wait.
Book a free advisor callLaura Minard
BSN, RN, NC-BC. Founder and CEO of Nurse Life Coach Academy
I've been a registered nurse since 2012 and I'm a board certified nurse coach. I started my own practice in 2018, wrote the Academy curriculum in 2023, and have trained more than 1,400 nurses to coach. I could talk about private practice all day with any nurse who will listen.
