Freedom isn't what most coaches think it is.
After 31 years in the business coaching industry, I've watched thousands of talented professionals face the same critical decision: Should I join an established organization like ActionCOACH as a partner, or should I build my own coaching business from scratch?
Most get it wrong.
They choose the path that feels like freedom, but actually creates a prison. They choose the option that seems cheaper but costs them years of progress and maybe millions in potential wealth.
Let me be straight with you about the three fundamental misconceptions that trap coaches into making the wrong choice.
The Three Costly Misconceptions
The first misconception is that starting from scratch is cheaper. This ignores the hidden costs of building everything yourself.
When you join ActionCOACH as a partner, you start making money on day one. When you go it alone, you spend months or years building systems, documents, and programs that already exist in our organization.
The second misconception is about ongoing costs. Independent coaches face unpredictable, never-ending expenses as they try to build their business.
Partners know exactly what they're paying: the initial investment, training costs, royalties, and marketing fees. The financial clarity allows for better planning and faster growth.
The third misconception is about building wealth. Many coaches focus only on income, not assets.
Building within a franchise structure creates a saleable business. Building something on your own, centered around your personal skills and reputation, often traps you in a job you've created for yourself.
The numbers tell the story. Franchises have a success rate of approximately 90% compared to only about 15% for businesses started from scratch, according to industry research.
That's not a small difference. That's the difference between almost certain success and almost certain failure.
The Hidden Costs of Independence
There are five specific areas where going it alone creates massive hidden costs that most coaches never consider until they're already years behind.
First, turnkey tools. ActionCOACH provides plug-and-play systems including scripts, documents, webinars, and videos that let you start earning immediately. Independent coaches have to spend months or even years creating these basics. Remember ActionCOACH is now 32 years old and has been building for you for that long.
Second, proven programs. Our training programs and coaching processes are already designed, structured, and ready to go. You simply step in and facilitate them. Starting from scratch means building every program yourself through trial and error.
Third, marketing systems. We provide complete campaigns down to the email sequences and lead generation strategies. Independent coaches often struggle for years to develop effective marketing.
Fourth, technology platforms. From AI systems to customer dashboards and feedback forms, our technology infrastructure allows you to do more with less. Building or buying these systems independently is prohibitively expensive.
Fifth, community support. You immediately join a network of other ActionCOACH partners, plus suppliers and agencies already trained in our methodology. Independent coaches face isolation and must educate every vendor about their business.
The real value of franchising is shared success. When we win, it's only when you win. Our interests are perfectly aligned.
The Freedom Paradox
Here's what most people miss: True freedom doesn't come from having no structure. It comes from having the right structure.
When you build your coaching business around yourself, you become permanently tied to it. Your clients depend on you personally. You become the business.
When you build under a brand and with a team, your clients work with your organization rather than just you. This gives you the flexibility to step back.
ActionCOACH offers both a work-from-home model for those who want to do the coaching themselves and a firm model for those who want to build a team. Many partners start with the first and upgrade to the second as they recognize the difference between building income and building an asset.
The numbers prove this works. The average ActionCOACH partner earns approximately $100,000 in Year One with a 62.4% net margin, increasing to $210,000 in Year Two with a 75.8% net margin.
Former partner Steve Leach put it perfectly: "I haven't worked a Friday in a decade!" He built both wealth and the lifestyle he wanted, working just three and a half days per week.
That's real freedom.
The CARE Model: Why Community Matters
The toughest challenge for independent coaches isn't technical knowledge. It's the isolation during difficult times.
At ActionCOACH, we believe in what we call CARE: Community, Accountability, Results, and Education.
We provide massive levels of education through weekly calls, initial training, podcasts, and more. We provide accountability both through tracking your statistics and through team support.
We focus relentlessly on results because we're not here to be busy. We're here to create profitable organizations.
Most importantly, we provide community. Just weeks ago, one of our partners fell ill and needed hospitalization. Immediately, other coaches from around the community stepped in to serve their clients so the business could continue growing.
That simply doesn't happen when you're on your own.
Being part of a high-performing team changes how you see yourself. The credibility of a global brand, the support of world-class peers, and mentors invested in your success create an environment where excellence becomes your standard.
It doesn't matter how good you are. We all need coaches. Having people who raise the bar for you and with you accelerates your growth beyond what's possible alone.
This is why ActionCOACH partners earn many times the average income of independent coaches as reported by the International Coach Federation.
Building a Saleable Asset
Let me share a concrete example of how this works in practice.
One of our partners, Gary, built his territory into a thriving business. When the coach in the neighboring territory wanted to retire, Gary was able to purchase that territory too, expanding his assets.
This demonstrates one of the greatest advantages of the franchise model: a built-in network of potential buyers. Your business has value to others in the organization.
Even when you're not selling to another ActionCOACH partner, being part of a franchise means there are always people looking to join our organization who might be interested in your territory.
Perhaps most importantly, if something unexpected happens, illness, family emergency, or other life changes, you have support. Other partners can help run your business until you can sell it or return.
That safety net simply doesn't exist for independent coaches.
The territory you own as an ActionCOACH partner is a true asset, similar to owning land. It has tangible value beyond your personal involvement.
Who Should Join ActionCOACH?
Let me be clear: We don't want people who couldn't succeed on their own.
If you couldn't build a coaching business independently, we probably don't want you on our team. We want someone who adds value to our organization.
You become number one and stay number one by recruiting A-players. We look for partners who are already superstars, who see the benefit of starting immediately rather than reinventing the wheel.
The ideal ActionCOACH partner values proven systems, instant credibility, and comprehensive programs they can offer from day one.
My advice for anyone considering this decision: Meet the people. Come meet our team, our partners in your area, and our clients.
Once you experience the caliber of people you'd be joining, you'll understand the power of being part of the world's leading business coaching organization.
The choice between independence and partnership isn't really about freedom versus restriction. It's about which path creates true freedom faster.
The paradox is that the structured support of ActionCOACH often creates more real freedom than the apparent independence of starting from scratch.
It's about building a legacy that works without you, so you can focus on what really matters in your life.
After all, that's what real freedom means.
Don’t spend years building from scratch when you can start earning and building wealth from day one. As an ActionCOACH Partner, you’ll have proven systems, a global brand, and a community that has your back. Join here and start building true freedom today.