If you’re new to the coaching industry maybe you’ve wondered how much time you need to be spending on ‘businessy’ activities v actually coaching clients in order to make your business work.

I know how overwhelming it can feel to navigate this question, so in this blog post I’m going to break down how you can approach the mix of different activities in your business to get results and not get burned out.

Listen to this episode on The Wholehearted Business Show Podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts / Listen on Spotify

Time ‘In’ vs. Time ‘On’ Your Business

I wanted to start off by talking a bit about time in versus time on your business and what that means. Because really, the answer to this is a little bit wider than just marketing. Marketing is obviously very important, but there are all sorts of other things you need to do to run a coaching business – beyond just coaching.

A lot of coaches, when they initially do their coach training, are very passionate about the actual action of coaching. But they often get a bit of a shock when they realise how much they need to do as a business owner in order to actually do the work they love.

So part of this comes down to how much time you spend working in your business versus on your business. Time in your business is when you’re doing the work – coaching clients, managing admin, marketing, invoicing, and so on. Time on your business is about growth – stepping back and looking at your business strategically, like a CEO.

I know that thinking of yourself as a CEO probably doesn’t super resonate with you if you’re here in my ‘cosy coaching business’ space! However, taking this kind of role in your business even just for a day a month is going to help you gain that bigger picture perspective that is so essential for your business growth.

How Much Marketing Gets You Clients?

Ultimately, the answer to how much time you should spend on coaching versus marketing comes down to how much marketing you need to do to attract the clients you need.

What often happens is a balance emerges between marketing and attracting clients. You do the marketing → get some clients → slack off on marketing → suddenly no clients → panic marketing → repeat. That’s the classic feast-or-famine cycle that can be common if you’re struggling to create consistent income as a coach.

Generally speaking, you will probably be doing more of the marketing and businessy work than actual coaching, especially at the start. If this comes as a surprise to you, and especially if you don’t feel equipped to deal with it – it isn’t your fault – the business part of running a coaching business also needs to be learned somewhere – this is where I’d always suggest checking out a program like Wholehearted Business!

You Probably Can’t Work With as Many Clients as You Think

Another thing to recognise is that you probably won’t be able to work with as many clients as you imagine.

Many coaches think they can manage 10, 20, or more clients at once, but realistically, the balance you’re going to need to be able to do the marketing and other admin around the managing of clients – plus the energetic holding of space for these people – is likely less than you think.

If you have a target number of clients, consider scaling it back slightly and potentially increasing your price This may need to happen over time – check out my Powerful Pricing Workshop for more help with this.

This helps ensure your marketing stays consistent and your client work is sustainable. While there are exceptions, most people overestimate their capacity when they start out.

Choose Time-Effective Marketing Strategies

When it comes to marketing, you want to be as effective as possible with your time so you can get the most bang for your buck.

For me, my Searchable Show Method ticks that box – I teach my YouTube, Podcast, Blog and short form video strategy here.

Most coaches didn’t train to spend hours on Instagram reels or networking events. But marketing is part of being a business owner. The goal is to find marketing you enjoy and that works for you.

Some tips:

• Experiment to see what methods attract your ideal clients
• Find a system you can be consistent with
• The more consistently you do it, the faster and easier it gets
• A strong system frees up time for client work and strategic business growth

If you don’t enjoy marketing, options like paid ads can be a helpful alternative. They require setup and testing, but they can run automatically in the background and bring leads in without constant effort.

How You Manage Your Time

Another aspect that’s going to contribute to how you manage the mix of marketing and coaching is how you actually manage your time in your business. I’m a big fan of planning and I use my mini seasons approach to help with this.

One other approach I find helpful is separating project-based tasks from ongoing tasks:

• Project-based tasks: Have a start and finish (e.g., setting up ads, creating a lead magnet, recording episodes)
• Ongoing tasks: Require regular attention but are less time-intensive once systems are in place (e.g., checking ads, posting content, responding to client messages)

Understanding this distinction can help you plan your weeks, make better decisions about where to invest your time, and ultimately get better results for the effort you put in.

How Much Time Should You Spend on Marketing vs. Coaching?

To summarise, the time you spend on marketing versus coaching depends on your business and your stage of growth.

If you’re new, expect to spend more time on marketing than you initially imagined until you establish a steady flow of clients. You might spend most of your time on marketing at first – and that can feel overwhelming – but as long as you’re using the right strategies it should be temporary.

The goal is to find a sustainable balance:

• Allocate enough time to marketing to maintain a steady client flow
• Find marketing methods that feel enjoyable, give you more bang for your buck or at least aligned with your style
• Avoid the feast-and-famine cycle by keeping marketing consistent

Remember, there isn’t a fixed formula. Your balance will shift over time, but staying aware of your workflow and making it sustainable is key.

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