What Coaching Costs and Why it’s Worth It
What Coaching Costs and Why it’s Worth it.
I know a common question people ask themselves is, “Is coaching worth the investment?'“. Another question is usually, “But is it self-indulgent?” - that’s another journal for another time… Onto the price question in hand:
It’s not a question people often ask me overtly, right up front, but they do often take the long road to essentially asking, ‘W'hy does coaching cost what it does? And I imagine sitting behind that is and, ‘Is it really worth it?’
It’s a fair question. Especially in a world where advice is everywhere, and online self-help can feel endless in the sea of coaches on social media. So, let’s talk honestly about what you’re paying for when you work with a coach, and specifically, when you work with me.
Coaching isn’t just a conversation
Coaching is a focused, challenging, confidential space to think clearly. It’s you, fully supported. No judgement. No agenda. No fixing. No rescuing. No telling you what to do. No critique. No back door hints. Just space to see what’s really going on and what needs to change - actually, what you’d like to change..
Yes, we talk. But we’re not just having a chat. We’re making meaning, uncovering patterns, identifying blind spots, creating accountability, and gently pushing into areas where you’re stuck or playing small. This process is both an art and a craft that takes time, consistent practice, reflection and continuous learning on my part, not to mention my investment in own coaching, coaching supervision and CPD..
When you work with me, you’re not paying for 90 minutes of my time. You’re investing in:
25+ years of corporate leadership experience
A Masters in Coaching (with Distinction)
Senior Practitioner accreditation from the EMCC
Hundreds of hours coaching senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals like you
A space that’s fiercely confidential and emotionally intelligent
An experienced coach that invests in her own development too
You’re not buying hours, you’re investing in sustainable change.
Most people don’t book coaching because they want to talk about their career, although that can be a place to start. They book because they’re:
Burnt out or heading there and wondering how to keep going
Doubting themselves despite all they’ve achieved
Feeling disconnected from their own life
Leading others but feeling alone at the top
Wanting something to shift, things to be different, better, even if they can’t name what
A little bit sick of their own excuses and stories getting in the way of their own progress.
Coaching isn’t a magic wand, but it is a catalyst. The most common feedback I hear is: "That one session changed everything, it completely changed how I…."
Sometimes it’s about clarity. Sometimes confidence. Sometimes mindset. Often, it’s just having space to be real with yourself, to think, and to decide - so much emerges from this sanctuary.
Pricing: self-funded and organisation-funded
I work with both self-funding individuals and organisations.
For self-funded clients, I offer a reduced rate because I want coaching to be as accessible as possible to the people who need it. It’s also an act of trust: I believe that when someone is investing their own money, they’re deeply invested in the process too. This was my own entry into coaching as the organisation I was working for didn’t support coaching at all. It’s a considered investment in yourself.
For organisation funded clients, when your organisation is paying but not involved, the pricing reflects the additional context, the additional complexity and the scale of your work and what you’ll give back to them.
For Executive Coaching the fee is built specifically for you depending on what you want. Executive Coaching often includes shadowing, 360 Feedback etc and has considerably more complexity, and specific time driven outcomes involved. It’s often tied to performance, strategy, or leadership capability.
You can see all my current pricing on my PRICING page. It’s completely transparent, which by-the-way is unusual, most coaches don’t publish their pricing structure. (Why? I don’t actually know, it’s never made sense to me - I don’t buy anything without knowing the price first).
Is it worth it?
Only you can decide that.
But here’s what I know: almost every client I work with tells me they wish they’d started sooner. And nearly all of them renew after their initial sessions, because once they experience what this kind of support can unlock, they don’t want to go back doing it all on their own.
So yes. Coaching is a commitment. It takes time, effort, and investment.
But it’s also one of the most generous things you can do for yourself. Because when you feel clear, grounded, and confident, everything else flows more easily. And that impacts not just your work, but your relationships, your health, and your ability to lead and live well.
If you’re curious, start with a free Chemistry Session (you can contact me here). Come and ask all your questions and satisfy your curiosity. No pressure. No obligation. Just a conversation to see if this is the right thing for you.
I know you're worth that much. At the very least.
Thanks for reading.
Gill