5 Steps to Turn Your EF Coaching Practice from a Hobby to a Professional Career
- Sean G. McCormick
- Oct 28
- 6 min read
This article is brought to you by the Special Educator's 10-Minute Transition Toolkit.
Find your niche, run your first session, set your price, and grab a ready-to-use coaching contract. Designed for special educators exploring executive function coaching.
If you’ve been treating your EF coaching practice like a side hobby, this post will show you how to get clear on your income goals, set the right rates, and take the steps that turn it into a real business.
What You'll Learn in This Post:
Two former special educators recently told me they felt trapped.
They were tired, burnt out, and drowning in school politics and heavy caseloads that never seemed to shrink.
They had both completed my certification program and were excited to start coaching, but when I asked what their first steps were, they listed things like creating flyers and printing business cards.
I understand why. Those tasks feel safe and comfortable.
The problem is that safe tasks do not build a business.
I told them I had a vision to train 10,000 educators by 2032 to form an education army that can tackle our nation’s growing attention and executive function challenges.
For that to happen, we need professionals, not hobbyists.
Professionals know their value, charge for it, and build systems that support their income goals.
This post will walk you through how to take your coaching from a part-time hobby to a professional business that creates real impact and real income.
If you prefer a video on this topic, watch my YouTube video How to Make EF Coaching a Real Job where I go further into charging for your value, setting a base price, raising rates for new clients, and more.👇
Why Professionalizing Your Coaching Business Matters
Executive function coaches are changing lives one student at a time.
Too many treat their coaching as a side gig, undercharging or giving away their time because they feel guilty asking for what they are worth.
When you run your coaching as a business, you create a structure that supports both your clients and yourself.
Students need consistent support.
That consistency only happens when their coach is not burnt out, worried about money, or juggling extra jobs to stay afloat.
Professionalizing your work helps you stay focused on your mission while ensuring you can sustain it for the long term.
If you want to be part of that 10,000-strong education army, it starts with owning your worth and running your practice like a business instead of a hobby.
Why Executive Function Coaches Struggle to Grow Beyond the Hobby Stage
1: They focus on the wrong priorities
New coaches often spend weeks tweaking their logo, updating their website, or printing business cards instead of doing the one thing that builds a business: coaching.
Those branding tasks feel productive but are really a form of procrastination.
You cannot improve as a coach if you never get in the game.
2: They avoid financial clarity
Many new coaches set rates by copying what someone else in their local area charges instead of figuring out what they actually need to earn.
When you skip the math, you either overwork or undercharge, both of which lead to burnout.
Financial clarity is not only about money, but also creating a practice that allows you to live your purpose without constant stress.
3: They wait until they feel ready
Some educators avoid doing the actual coaching and keep taking courses after already being certified.
They keep gather new resources, and preparing until they hit an imaginary point of perfection.
I call this the planning trap.
The only way to gain confidence is by doing the work.
Professionals coach, reflect, and adjust.
Hobbyists plan forever and rarely start.
5 Steps to Turn Your EF Coaching Practice into a Sustainable Career
Step 1: Define your financial goal
Start by setting a clear yearly income target.
If you want to earn $60,000 a year from your coaching practice, you can divide it by 10, assuming you will coach ten months each year.
That equals $6,000 per month or about $1,500 per week.
Now your goal has a number attached to it.
Step 2: Choose your schedule and rate
Next, decide how many sessions you want to coach weekly.
If your goal is $1,500 a week and you plan to coach 10 sessions per week (2 sessions Monday-Friday), your ideal rate is $150 per session.
If you prefer 5 sessions per week, your rate becomes $300 per session.
Numbers make decisions easy and remove guesswork.
Step 3: Confirm your ideal rate
Once you have your rate, compare it to your market.
Look at what other executive function coaches are charging.
In my 2025 industry report, I surveyed EFCA graduates and found that on average, EF coaches are charging between $100–$150 per hour, with some charging $250+ per hour.
If your number feels slightly uncomfortable, it is probably right.
Professionals charge based on value, not fear.
Step 4: Identify your income-producing behaviors
If your goal is $1,500 per week, focus on actions that directly bring in clients to make that happen.
You can:
Connect with referral partners like neuropsychologists
Follow up with potential clients
Build a simple onboarding system
Offer a complimentary consultation to warm leads
Develop a clear intake form
For a step-by-step plan to get your first paying client, I have a 90-day challenge with small daily actions to do just that.
These actions lead to growth. Endless editing of your website does not.
Step 5: Commit to your top 3 weekly habits
Pick 3 actions you will complete every week no matter what.
For example:
Reach out to three new professionals
Follow up with two past clients
Share one useful piece of content online
Success comes from consistency, not complexity.
The Bottom Line
Turning your executive function coaching practice into a professional business requires mindset, math, and movement.
Here's a recap of the 5 steps to get out of hobbyist mode:
Define your yearly income goal
Choose your schedule and rate
Confirm your rate with research and confidence
Identify actions that create income
Repeat those actions every week
Hope this helps! 🤙🏻
FAQs
How long does it take to go from hobbyist to professional EF coach?
Most coaches who follow a clear plan and take consistent action see results within three to six months. The key is staying focused on income-producing activities.
Do I need a fancy website before getting clients?
No. You can start with a simple one-page site or even just a Google profile. Clients care about your results and professionalism, not your design skills.
What if I feel uncomfortable charging higher rates?
That discomfort usually means you’re leveling up. Confidence grows when you know your worth, your math, and your impact. Clients don’t pay for time; they pay for transformation.
This article is a part of the larger category of:
The Business of Coaching Master Article Library (coming soon)
Related Articles:
2025 State Of The Executive Function Coaching Industry: Data And Statistics from EFCA Graduates
5 Reasons I Decided to Charge More as an Executive Function Coach
How To Build Your First Lead Magnet as an Executive Function Coach
What Is A Funnel And How It Will Help You Get All The Clients You Need (And Then Some)
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About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and expanding my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.