Coaching as a Passion Project and Side Hustle

You Don’t Have to Quit What You’re Doing or Sabotage What Matters to You Right Now to Begin Something Fresh and New

I want to address a common concern that a lot of people have when they think they want to become a coach and/or start a coaching business.

You don’t have to leave your job to start coaching.

You don’t have to ignore your family or home to begin dreaming. You don’t need a huge following, a perfect niche, or 40 hours a week set aside.

You can start small, part-time, and with what you already know.

Coaching is one of the most flexible, customizable industries out there. And when it’s built with intention, it can become something meaningful, sustainable, and even income-generating, without burning you out or pulling you away from your current responsibilities. You can call it a side hustle if you want, or if you don’t like that term, you can call it a passion project.

MY STORY

I want you to hear this from someone who’s living it- I’m not just sharing this as a theory. I’ve literally walked through the journey of growing my passion project / side hustle into a successful business at the same time I have two other full-time jobs.

And on a side note here, a job does not always imply that you get paid for it or that you get paid in dollars. Sometimes you work 24/7/365 for decades and get paid in hugs and smiles and tears and unfolded laundry. At the end of your life, that’s worth more than any amount of dollars could ever add to your story.

One of my full-time jobs is that I’m the Executive Director of Crisis Response International, a global missions organization, and that is a full-time calling in every sense of the word. It’s boots-on-the-ground, emotionally intense, spiritually demanding, and incredibly meaningful work. And I’ve been doing it for almost two decades.

But for the past ten years, I’ve also been building my coaching business in all of my spare time. Haha!

Not because I actually had tons of spare time. Not because I was trying to escape my other work. But because coaching has been one of the most life-giving things I’ve ever done.

It’s fulfilling in a different way. It allows me to walk with women through transformation, purpose, identity, and legacy. It’s where I get to bring my story, my wisdom, and my voice to the table in a way that feels deeply personal and deeply impactful. And the beauty is that I didn’t have to choose one or the other. I’ve been able to live out both callings in different seasons and rhythms.

That’s why I believe so strongly that coaching can be a side hustle. It doesn’t have to uproot your life. It can add to it.It can be the space where your personal purpose gets to stretch its legs.

So if you’re working full-time, or managing a ministry, or juggling a million things- don’t count yourself out. I didn’t. And I’m so glad I said yes when I did.

And in addition to that job, I didn’t just build this coaching work while leading a nonprofit. I built it while homeschooling my kids. While my husband was gone for anywhere from one week to three months at a time. While packing up one life and starting another in a brand-new state. While navigating the unknowns, the in-betweens, and all the normal chaos of real life.

There was no perfect season. No wide-open calendar. No magical window where everything aligned and said, “Now’s the time.”

I just started where I was with what I had. An hour here. A nap time there. A Zoom call from my kitchen table or even my bathroom, in a chair with a wall behind me, and the door locked.

And somehow, over time, those small moments of obedience and intentionality became something beautiful.

So I just want to say- if you're working, parenting, schooling, relocating, or doing any combination of life, you can still coach.

One of my favorite people in the world, Coach Patty, is also a sign maker. She made me a gift of a sign that says, ‘I’m not saying I’m Wonder Woman, but no one has ever seen us both in the room at the same time.’ It makes me laugh so hard every time I look at it. I’m so regular, I cry, I scream, I get in the weeds, but I just keep going because I love what I do. I love being a wife and mom, I love running a missions organization to bring hope around the world, I love leading the CRí family of responders who go with us, I love coaching, I love building businesses, I love strategizing and visionating and building, and I love worshiping Jesus and trusting God to lead me every step of the way. That doesn’t make me wonder woman. It makes me a daughter whose goal is to be a good steward of what God’s called me to do, a supporter of the people He sets in front of me, and a girl coming up out of the wilderness leaning on her Beloved.

You don’t have to wait for perfect. I didn’t, and because of that, I’m here. Not at the end and not perfected, just here right where I need to be.

You just have to be willing to begin and keep going when you get in the weeds. Fall down, stand up, try again. Be willing to show up for what’s in your heart. Don’t aim for instant success. Aim for the thousand things that teach you how to get there. Every ‘no’ is one step closer to the right ‘yes’.

Practice persistence like it’s your true strategy. Edison did, and history remembers him for it.

He famously said:

So whether it’s 10, or 1,000, or 10,000, the takeaway is the same- you have to keep going. It’s a powerful reminder that failure isn’t final, it’s formative.

Because your calling isn’t going to show up at your convenience. It will show up in the margins and the mess and the middle.

And that’s where I found mine.

Whether you're working full-time, part-time, or you're in a transitional season, here's how you can get started.

1. Clarify Why You Want to Coach

Before you start building anything, ask yourself:

• Why coaching?

• What draws you to this work?

• What kind of people do you feel pulled to help?

• What impact do you want to have?

This matters because your “why” will help you:

• Narrow your focus

• Stay anchored when things get slow

• Filter out comparison or pressure

This is the foundation of a meaningful side hustle—not just another thing to do, but something that adds purpose to your week.

2. Define Your Available Time and Energy

You don’t need 20 hours a week to start coaching. You need intentional time.

Start by looking at your current schedule and ask:

• What is realistic in this season?

• Can I set aside 2–4 hours per week to begin?

• When do I have energy (not just time)?

You can start with:

• 1:1 coaching two evenings a week

• Saturday morning clarity sessions

• One 6-week group program that meets once a week

• A few practice sessions during lunch hours or naptime

The goal isn’t to go fast, it’s to go faithfully.

3. Start with People You Already Know

You don’t have to launch to the masses. Start by offering coaching to:

• Friends, coworkers, or community members

• People in your church or online circles

• Anyone who’s asked you for advice or encouragement before

You can say:“I’m offering a few coaching sessions as I grow this side of my work. It’s a space to talk through things like [identity, clarity, mindset, confidence, etc.]. Let me know if you’d like to be part of a beta group or try a session.”

From there, collect feedback, testimonials, and clarity.

4. Keep It Simple and Sustainable

You don’t need a fancy funnel. You need:

• A basic offer (Who it's for + What it helps them do)

• A clear way to schedule (Calendly or Acuity)

• A way to receive payment (Stripe, PayPal, Venmo)

Your first offer can be:

• A 3-session package for women in transition

• A 4-week confidence coaching series

• A 1:1 mindset clarity call with follow-up journaling

• A 6-week mini-group for moms, creatives, or leaders

Start with what you can repeat and manage in your current schedule. Less is more.

5. Build Your Coaching Identity Bit by Bit

You don’t have to "arrive" to begin. As you coach on the side:

• Share what you’re learning

• Talk about who you love to help

• Create content in small bursts (a weekly post, a story, a behind-the-scenes share)

This builds trust, invites connection, and slowly grows your audience—without requiring you to be “on” 24/7.

You’ll be surprised how many people are watching quietly and waiting for the right time to reach out.

6. Be Patient—and Keep Showing Up

It’s easy to get discouraged if your side hustle doesn’t explode overnight. But coaching grows through relationship, trust, and depth. Side hustle success comes from consistency, not speed.

Set small milestones:

• 3 practice clients

• Your first paying client

• A sustainable routine that fits your life

Celebrate each one as progress, not pressure.

7. When the Time Comes, You Can Grow

As coaching becomes more established, you can:

• Increase your rates as confidence grows

• Add group programs or workshops

• Use vacation time or weekends for special intensives

• Slowly reduce job hours if and when you want to

You’re not stuck where you are, but you don’t have to leap before you’re ready. Let your side hustle grow with you.

Final Encouragement:

Coaching isn’t just a job—it’s a calling. But callings grow in seasons, not overnight.

So, whether you’ve got 2 hours a week or 10, know this: You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re simply building with wisdom.

Start small. Serve well. Let it grow. Invite God into it.