Are you about starting a health coaching company? If YES, here is a complete sample health coaching business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
The fact that people want to live healthy means that they will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal including exercising and eating right and that is where a health coach comes in. Health coaches are knowledgeable on how exercise, lifestyle and foods affect the health, physiology and well-being of a person.
They help guide people to live a healthy life. If you want to partake in this thriving industry, then you need to obtain all the necessary licenses and certifications.
A Sample Health Coaching Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
The Health Coaching Services industry includes health practitioners who have a bachelor’s degree in health science or any health related field, licensure, certification or registration and primarily advise on matters of healthcare. These practitioners operate private or group practices in their own offices or in the facilities of others, including hospitals or other medical centers.
A close study of the Health Coaching Services industry shows that the industry is thriving in the united states as a result of loads of Americans facing obesity and other health challenges, with skyrocketing levels of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases. As a result, demand for the Health Coaching Services has increased and is expected to continue to rise significantly.
Wellness, maintenance and disease prevention have become some of the buzzwords circulating among people who are becoming increasingly concerned about what they eat and how it affects their health. The industry has a positive outlook due to increasing emphasis on disease prevention through improved exercise and dietary habits. Growing focus on preventive care services and public interest in nutrition will also underpin demand.
A recent report published by IBISWORLD shows that the four regions that encompass the greatest percentages of health and wellness centers include the Southeast (22.6 percent of establishments), the Mid-Atlantic (18.7 percent), the West (16.2 percent), and the Great Lakes (15.3 percent).
Together these four regions account for 72.9 percent of total establishments. The report also shows that other regions including the Southwest and Rocky Mountains account for an estimated 9.0 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.
Geographic analysis by state indicates that wellness centers are primarily located in California (11.0 percent of establishments), New York (7.1 percent), Texas (5.9 percent), and Florida (5.5 percent). However, the Southeast accounts for the largest region due to its high senior population. The distribution and location of establishments is strongly correlated to population spread.
The Health Coaching industry is a thriving sector of the economy of the United States of America and they generate over $10 billion annually from more than 147,506 registered and licensed healthcare consulting firms cum health coaches scattered all around the country.
The industry is responsible for the employment of over 195,499 people. Experts project the industry to grow at a 2.3 percent annual rate within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that there is no single organization that has a lion share of the market in the industry.
The demand for the services offered by health coaches grow when public confidence declines and people’s ability to handle the issues on their own wanes. When the housing bubble burst and the US economy fell into a recession, consumer confidence plummeted.
However, as the economy slowly continues to recover and consumer confidence returns, demand for the services of health coaches is expected to grow. High-income households will serve as the primary vehicle of growth for the industry.
The key attributes needed to make good success from the trade is robust knowledge, patience, enthusiasm, passion about the specific area to be handled, and constant positivity. You are also expected to be highly proactive.
2. Executive Summary
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is a licensed healthcare consulting firm that is specialized in helping clients overcome their health challenges and ultimately achieve their personal health goals.
The scope of our business offerings covers areas such as health coaching cum counseling, planning and monitoring exercise programs, planning and monitoring food programs, planning and monitoring nutrition programs, promoting healthy eating habits and encouraging regular medical checkups. Our business will be located in a populated residential estate in Las Cruces – New Mexico, United States of America.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC provides broad – based health coaching related services at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pocket of our clients. We will ensure that we work hard to meet and surpass all our clients’ expectations as it relates to their personal health goals whenever they hire our services.
At McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC, our clients’ overall best interest would always come first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics.
We will ensure that we hire professional and certified health coaches; exercise psychologists, nutritionists and dietitians with various skills set who are well experienced and passionate in helping our clients achieve their personal health goals within record time.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a health coaching firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.
We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our clients’ needs precisely and completely.
Our overall business goal is to position our health coaching firm to become the leading nutrition consulting brand in the industry in the whole of Las Cruces – New Mexico, and also to be amongst the top 10 health coaching firms in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operation.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is founded by Dr. McIntosh Jason and he will run the business with his business partner, Dr. Lance Pearson. Dr. McIntosh is a certified and renowned health coach and exercise psychologist and Dr. Lance Pearson is a certified and licensed nutritionist and dietitian.
They both have a combined experience of over 20 years working with top government officials, corporate executives, celebrities and sports people both in the United States of America and Canada.
3. Our Products and Services
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the Health Coaching Services industry in the United States of America.
Our intention of starting our health coaching business is to help our clients overcome their health challenges, achieve their personal health goals and improving their overall wellbeing and of course to make profits. Our service offerings are listed below;
- Health coaching cum counseling
- Planning and monitoring exercise programs
- Planning and monitoring food and nutrition programs
- Retailing of health and nutrition books and materials
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to build a highly competitive and effective health coaching business that will become the number one choice in Las Cruces – New Mexico and the whole of the United States of America.
- Our mission is to provide affordable, professional and highly effective health coaching services to a wide range of clients that cuts across different divides.
- We want to position McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC to become one of the leading health coaching brand in the industry in the whole, and also to be amongst the top 10 health coaching firms in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operation.
Our Business Structure
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC, intends starting small in Las Cruces – New Mexico, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading firms in the Health Coaching Services industry. We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operation.
At McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, passionate, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff/partners and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;
- Principal Partner / Chief Health Coach
- Health Coach (Nutritionist and Dietitian)
- Exercise Psychologist
- Office Administrator
- Accountant
- Marketing Executives
- Client Service Executive
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Principal Partner / Chief Executive Officer:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
Health Coach (Nutritionist and Dietitians)
- Assess patients’ health needs and diet
- Counsel patients on nutrition issues and healthy eating habits
- Develop meal plans, taking both cost and clients’ preferences into account
- Evaluate the effects of meal plans and change the plan as needed
- Promote better nutrition by speaking to groups about diet, nutrition, and the relationship between good eating habits and preventing or managing specific diseases
- Keep up with the latest health and nutritional science research
- Write reports to document patient progress
Exercise Physiologist
- Responsible for evaluating, researching, and providing advice on coaching.
- Responsible for training
- Engage in recovery practices in all areas of exercise and rehabilitation
- Provide timely information and support on injury prevention, technique analysis, and nutrition
- Create training rosters for members
- Assist members during exercise session
- Guide members on how to make use of gym and fitness equipment
- Handle any other duty as assigned by the manager
Office Administrator
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carrying out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Oversee the smooth running of the daily activities for the organization.
Marketing Executive
- Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new clients, and business opportunities et al
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Documents all customer contact and information
- Represents McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC in strategic meetings
- Helps to increase sales and growth for the organization
Accountant
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting report
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the organization
- Serves as internal auditor for the organization.
Client Service Executive
- Welcomes clients and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the principal partners in an effective and timely manner
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
- Receives parcels/documents for the organization.
6. SWOT Analysis
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC engaged the services of a professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured health coaching business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive Health Coaching Services industry.
Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC;
- Strength:
Our core strength lies in our ability to attract local support and frequent referrals, having a high prior success rate and recommendation/accreditation from authoritative source. So also, we have a team that are considered experts in the industry, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in the industry.
Aside from the synergy that exist in our carefully selected team members and our strong online presence, McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is well positioned in a community with the right demography and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our doors for business.
- Weakness:
As a new health coaching firm in Las Cruces – New Mexico, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the fast – growing Health Coaching Services industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.
- Opportunities:
Growing focus on preventive care services and nutrition will strengthen demand. So also, an aging population will create opportunities for industry services in institutionalized care settings.
This goes to show that the opportunities in the Health Coaching Services industry is massive considering the number of individuals who would want to overcome their health challenges and achieve their health goal. As a standard health coaching firm, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.
- Threat:
Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a health coaching firm operating in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies that might affect businesses such as ours, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operation and global economic downturn which usually affects spending/purchasing power. There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
The trend in the Health Coaching Services industry shows that in the last half a decade, the industry has grown consistently. With the growing population of obese people in the United States, health coaching services are needed regardless of economic conditions, which insulate the industry from economic fluctuations.
Going forward, as people continue to be employed and regain a steady income, private health insurance will become more affordable, prompting consumers to seek health coaching services when needed.
The trend in the Health Coaching Services industry is such that if you want to be ahead of your competitors, you should acquire as much certifications as possible and you should be able to have loads of testimonies from your clients. The truth is that if your clients experienced huge difference in their overall well – being as a result of hiring your services, then they will be compelled to help promote your organization.
Another notable trend in this industry is the influence of technology; the advent of technology is responsible for the increase in income generated by health coaches all over the world. With technology, it is now easier for health coaches to work with their clients that are thousands of kilometers away from them. Tools like video calling / Skype, YouTube, live chat and Webcast et al are being used by health coach to coach clients in different parts of the world.
8. Our Target Market
The target market for health coaching firms is all encompassing. McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is a professional and licensed health coaching firm that is specialized in helping her clients overcome health challenges, achieve their health personal goals.
Our target market as a health coaching firm cuts across people from all walks of life. We are coming into the Health Coaching Services industry with a business concept and company’s profile that will enable us work with the clients from different backgrounds and different status.
Below is a list of the clients that we have specifically designed services for;
- Working class adults/corporate executives
- Politicians
- Business people / entrepreneurs
- Government officials
- Celebrities
- Sports men and women
- College students
- People undergoing depression
- Senior citizens
Our competitive advantage
No doubt, the Health Coaching Services industry is indeed a very prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only hire your services if they know that you can help them overcome their health challenges.
We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the Health Coaching Services industry means that you should be able to deliver consistent quality service, our clients should be able to experience remarkable difference and improvement and we should be able to meet the expectations of our clients at all times.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC might be a new health coaching firm, but the management team are highly qualified health coaches that can help her clients overcome their health challenges and achieve their personal health goal within a short period of time.
Aside from our robust experience and expertise of our health coaches, we have a very strong online presence that will enable us work with clients in different parts of the world from our online portals.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the Health Coaching industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;
- Health coaching cum counseling
- Planning and monitoring exercise programs
- Planning and monitoring food and nutrition programs
- Retailing of health and nutrition books and materials
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain, there would always be individuals who would need the services of health coaches in other for them to overcome their eating challenges and achieve their personal health goals and also to enable them become peak performers in their careers and in their family life. This is the major reason why the services of health coaching firms will always be needed.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in Las Cruces – New Mexico and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six months of operation and grow our health coaching business and our clientele base.
We have been able to critically examine the health coaching market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the sales projections for McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC, it is based on the location of our health coaching firm and of course the wide range of services that we will be offering;
- First Fiscal Year: $150,000
- Second Fiscal Year: $350,000
- Third Fiscal Year: $750,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
We are mindful of the fact that there are stiffer competitions amongst health coaching firms in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC. We want to build a standard health coaching business that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients.
Our goal is to grow McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC to become one of the top 10 health coaching firms in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with in Las Cruces – New Mexico.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our health coaching firm by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, religious organizations, households and key stake holders in and around Las Cruces – New Mexico.
- Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
- Use friends and family to spread word about our health coaching firm
- Post information about our health coaching firm on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops.
- Place a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our health coaching firm
- Advertise our health coaching firm in relevant educational magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
- Attend relevant educational expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Engage direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients.
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for clients in the whole of Las Cruces – New Mexico which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our business.
Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC;
- Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
- Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Las Cruces – New Mexico.
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
- List our health coaching firm in local directories / yellow pages
- Advertise our life health coaching firm in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
- Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our schools’ logo et al.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
Counseling and coaching services are billed on per hour billing rate and flat fees on a weekly or monthly basis as it applies. As a result of this, McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC will charge our clients flat fees except for few occasions where there will be need for us to charge special clients on hourly basis.
At McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC we will keep our fees below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our clients at regular intervals.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via mobile money
- Payment via Point of Sales Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via check
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
Starting a health coaching firm can be cost effective because on the average, you are not expected to acquire expensive machines and equipment. What you should be concerned about is the amount needed to secure a standard office facility in a good and busy business district, the amount needed to furniture and equip the office, pay bills, promote the business and obtain the appropriate business license and certifications.
However, this is what it would cost us to start our own standard health coaching firm in the United States of America;
- Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
- The budget for liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
- Acquiring an office space that will accommodate the number of employees we intend employing for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $35,000.
- Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, pens and pencils, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
- The cost for accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
- Phone and Utilities (gas, sewer, water and electric) deposits – ($3,500).
- The cost for launching an official website will cost – $500
- Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
- Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
- Miscellaneous – $5,000
Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard health coaching firm in the United States of America.
Generating Funds/Startup Capital for McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is a partnership business that will be owned by Dr. McIntosh Jason and his business partner, Dr. Lance Pearson. They are the only financiers of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
- Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
- Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).
N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $35,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.
One of our major goals of starting McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.
We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our health coaching services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.
McIntosh Jason & Co® Health Coaching Firm, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.
We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Leasing a standard office facility in a good location plus reconstruction: In progress
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of Logo for the school: Completed
- Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed software apps, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
- Creating awareness for the business in Las Cruces – New Mexico: In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress