When to Hire a Coach and When to Take a Course

We offer both courses and coaching, and courses are usually significantly cheaper than hiring a decent private coach. You can learn virtually anything from our training partner Udemy.

So why hire a coach when you can learn virtually anything by taking a course? Here's a quick guide to when you should hire a coach and when you should take a course.

Learn Specific New Skills

Both courses and a coach will help you learn new skills. Classes are usually much more structured, so if your goal is to learn all the ins and outs thoroughly of a piece of software or learn a specific skill needed for your job, a course may be your best bet. Coaches will often recommend a particular course instead of spending many hours regurgitating information that doesn't change.

A coach may be a better idea if you want to skip all the parts that don't apply to you and get right to the heart of the matter. A course is better suited for learning how to do something. A coach is better suited for helping you implement what you've learned.

WINNER: COURSE

Cheap

If you want the cheapest route, a course will almost always be your best bet. Online courses are created once and repeatedly sold, which is why they can be so cheap. Udemy even offers a few classes for free and many for $10 or less.

Keep in mind that cheap doesn't always mean better, though. A coach may save you money and time in the long run or create a much higher return on your investment. It's like the difference between reading a book and talking directly to the person who wrote it. The book might be a work of art, but the person who wrote it can adapt that knowledge and help you apply it to your unique situation.

WINNER: COURSE

Direct Feedback

While some live courses do provide direct feedback, most online courses don't. If you are running a business and are trying to figure out how to get your time back, for example, you could take a thirty-hour course on time management and learn some new skills.

Or you could meet with a coach for a little bit each week who would take a look at your unique situation and give you feedback on specific things you can do to reclaim your time. Courses teach based on a fixed curriculum. Coaches provide feedback based on your particular situation.

WINNER: COACH

Accountability

How many courses or books have you purchased but then failed to complete? Have you ever bought a gym membership and then did not attend?

I used to have a gym membership for a long time but never went. I hated it when I did go because I didn't have any friends there and didn't know what I was doing. No one cared if I showed up or not.

When I hired a personal trainer, suddenly, I had a fixed schedule and someone to hold me accountable for my goals. Now I enjoy my time at the gym and am keeping in shape using less time than I was when I tried to do it on my own. On top of that, I've made friends with my trainer and others in the gym.

A private coach can help you stay on track and get you back on track if you get derailed. When you have a regular meeting time, there's a built-in deadline to get whatever you promised them done.

WINNER: COACH

Adapts to Your Specific Needs

Adaptability is where a private coach shines. Courses have a set curriculum, so you've wasted your money if they don't apply to your unique situation.

Coaches adapt to your specific needs. With coaching, you have a lot more flexibility. Returning to personal training, a personal trainer will adjust your routine to work around a shoulder injury, for example. In contrast, a video training course would continue without recognizing your unique needs.

A coach is a good bet if you want the maximum flexibility to adapt the material to your unique situation.

WINNER: COACH

Strategizes With You

Courses might prompt you to think through your situation and provide additional information, but they won't sit down with you and create a strategy for your unique situation. There is no substitute for human interaction for kicking ideas back and forth and creating a plan.

WINNER: COACH

Hopefully, this guide helped explain when you may want to take a course and when you would want to hire a coach.

To work with a business coach, click here. For a wide variety of courses at very attractive prices, we recommend checking out Udemy.