By Sarah Santacroce, Humane Marketing
Growing a coaching business is an exciting journey. You support people through meaningful change, build deep client relationships, and create a livelihood around service.
Why coaches need both structure and soul
Many of my clients (coaches, entrepreneurs, healers) start their business from the heart. They want to help. They want to serve. They want to make a difference.
But relying on purpose alone can lead to:
- Unclear offers
- Inconsistent clients
- Marketing that feels confusing or scattered
On the other hand, relying only on structure, business plans and financial goals, the classic “hustle harder,” “more funnels,” “scale fast” approach, doesn’t feel aligned and makes you want to just pull the plug and give up altogether. I certainly felt that way when one of my business coaches told me just ‘get the yes’ on my Clarity Calls. ‘Just have them put it on the credit card’ she said. But that didn’t feel good at all with my soul. It’s not how I wanted to run my business. I wanted my clients to have sovereignty and feel good about working with me! So I quit working with that coach.
Because growing a coaching business requires a middle path:
A business that has enough structure to support you and enough soul to feel meaningful.
What “structure” really means in a coaching business
When I speak about structure, I don’t mean rigid business plans or complex strategies you’d find in corporate environments. I mean the kind of structure that creates clarity and stability. Here are the forms of structure that matter most:
1. A Clear Offering
What exactly do you help people achieve?
How long does it take?
What’s the method?
Clarity makes it easier for clients to say yes.
2. A Simple, Repeatable Client Experience
Think: onboarding, check-ins, communication rhythm.
Not complicated technology—just consistency.
3. A Regular Marketing Practice
Content you feel comfortable creating.
A rhythm that works for your schedule and energy.
A message people can remember.
4. A Sustainable Business Model
Something beyond only 1:1 sessions so you can grow without filling every hour.
Structure protects your time, your creativity, and your wellbeing.
What “soul” means in a coaching business
“Soul” in business isn’t fluffy or vague.
It simply means:
- Your business reflects your values and your worldview
- Your work feels meaningful
- You’re guided by integrity
- Your marketing feels honest
- Your offers feel like an extension of who you are
Soul is what makes your coaching practice authentic, trustworthy, and deeply human.
How to grow a coaching business by blending structure and soul
Here are the most effective ways to grow without losing yourself in the process.
1. Start With a Clear, Aligned Offer
A structured offer gives clients confidence.
A soulful offer gives them resonance.
Ask yourself:
- What transformation do I feel most called to support?
- What approach feels authentic to me?
- How long does meaningful transformation typically take?
When your offer reflects both clarity and authenticity, it becomes easier for clients to understand and easier for you to sell without feeling salesy.
2. Create One Scalable Path That Still Feels Personal
Many coaches fear scaling because they worry they’ll lose the personal touch. But scalable offers can still feel intimate when designed with care. In my Business Like We’re Human book I refer to this as ‘the new business intimacy’.
Options include:
- Group Coaching: Teach once, support many, and create a sense of community.
- Hybrid Programs: A blend of group sessions + occasional 1:1 support.
- Online Programs With Live Elements: Cohorts, Q&A calls, or guided modules.
These models give you structure and predictable income while keeping the soul of your coaching intact.
3. Build a Marketing Rhythm You Can Actually Maintain
Traditional marketing advice can feel overwhelming: post daily, be everywhere, build funnels, do reels, start a podcast…
For many coaches this simply isn’t sustainable.
Instead, choose a simpler path:
- One platform you enjoy and where your ideal clients are present
- A weekly or bi-weekly content rhythm
- A message you gradually refine
- A way for people to join your world (newsletter, community, events)
Consistency matters more than quantity.
4. Listen to Your Energy: It’s a Business Resource
Growing your coaching business isn’t only about strategy. Your energy is part of your work. Soulful business owners honour:
- Time for rest
- Time for creativity
- Time for deep client sessions
- Space for self-care
The more nourished you feel, the more clarity and presence you bring to your business.
5. Align Your Pricing With the Value You Deliver
Many coaches underprice because they think clients pay for hours. They don’t.
They pay for:
- Clarity
- Transformation
- Confidence
- Growth
- A sense of progress
When you price from value you create a structure that honours your work and a soul-aligned exchange that feels fair to both sides.
Conclusion: Growth that feels good is growth you can sustain
Blending structure and soul is not only possible—it’s the most sustainable way to grow your coaching business.
When your strategy is solid and your values are guiding you:
- You resonate with the right clients
- Your business becomes more spacious
- You grow without burning out
- You feel grounded, aligned, and confident
- Your work has deeper impact
This is growth you can trust.
Author bio
Sarah Santacroce is a Conscious Business Coach for Coaches and service-based solopreneurs, founder of Humane Marketing and author of Marketing Like We’re Human, Selling Like We’re Human, and Business Like We’re Human. Since 2016: with marketing, entrepreneurship, and conscious business coaching, she’s supporting changemakers worldwide through workshops, programs, and her signature Conscious Business Coaching. Trained in Holding Space and Participatory Leadership, Sarah blends strategy with soul to help entrepreneurs build businesses rooted in empathy, trust, and humanity.
Sarah has been a guest on nearly 100 podcasts and has been podcasting for almost since 2011. Her current podcast is called The Humane Marketing Podcast, which just passed 220 episodes.
