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5 Things You Need to Build a Highly Successful Career as a Life or Business Coach
- Dr. Kalpana Sundar
- Mar 5
- 5 min read
Stepping into the world of coaching—whether life coaching, business coaching, or a niche specialty like aesthetics—requires more than just a desire to help others. It demands experience, integrity, and a deep understanding of how to truly create transformation.
Over the years, I’ve built a career that allows me to combine my medical expertise, business acumen, and personal growth strategies to help women thrive—not just in business but in life. I’ve learned that real success doesn’t come from surface-level strategies or generic coaching techniques—it comes from having a powerful foundation.
There are a lot of “coaches” out there who sell success without ever having walked the path themselves. I’ve seen it in aesthetics—consultants who have never owned a business, never injected, and never faced the real challenges that medical providers encounter daily. And yet, they try to guide others without having lived it. That’s not the kind of coaching that creates lasting success.
So, what does? What actually makes a coach successful, not just in attracting clients, but in helping them achieve real, tangible results? Here are five things you must have to build a powerful, results-driven coaching career.
1. Experience: You Can’t Teach What You Haven’t Lived
One of the biggest mistakes I see in coaching is people trying to teach from a place of theory rather than experience. If you want to be a successful coach, you need to have lived what you are teaching.
For me, I didn’t just study aesthetics—I built and ran a medical spa. I didn’t just read about patient care—I injected, I treated real people, and I learned the complexities of the industry firsthand. I understand the burnout, the pressure, and the unique challenges because I was in it.
When I coach aesthetic providers on building a profitable and fulfilling practice, I’m not just giving them advice I read in a book—I’m giving them strategies that I’ve tested in real life. I’ve navigated staffing issues, financial pressures, marketing struggles, and patient management. I’ve had months where revenue soared and months where I had to rethink everything.
If you are stepping into coaching, ask yourself:
• Do I truly know this space?
• Have I walked this journey?
• Can I relate to my clients’ struggles because I’ve lived them myself?
If the answer is no, it’s time to gain that experience before trying to teach others. Coaching isn’t just about inspiration—it’s about real, tested knowledge.
2. Radical Transparency: Own Your Successes and Your Failures
The best coaches are not the ones who pretend they’ve never failed. They are the ones who openly share their struggles, mistakes, and lessons learned.
I’ve had incredible wins in my career, but I’ve also faced setbacks. Instead of hiding them, I use them as fuel to teach others. Failures are not something to be ashamed of—they are simply feedback. They show us what didn’t work so we can refine, adjust, and grow stronger.
Early in my career, I made choices that didn’t always yield the best results. I’ve had partnerships that weren’t aligned, marketing efforts that flopped, and moments where I felt completely burned out. But every single one of those experiences made me a better coach. They gave me firsthand wisdom to share with my clients so they can avoid the same pitfalls.
One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is that failing fast leads to faster success. When you stop fearing failure and instead see it as data, you move forward more quickly. This is something I stress with the women I work with—your failures are not a reflection of your worth; they are stepping stones to your next breakthrough.
If you are a coach or want to become one, don’t hide your journey. Be open about the lessons you’ve learned, and watch how much more people trust and connect with you.
3. A Clear and Powerful Message
If you are going to succeed as a coach, you need to know who you are helping and why. People don’t just buy coaching—they buy transformation. And that transformation starts with a message that speaks directly to the people you are meant to serve.
For me, my mission is clear: I help aesthetic providers build more profitable businesses while creating lives that feel fulfilling and aligned.
It’s not just about making more money—it’s about designing a business that actually supports your lifestyle, rather than draining you. It’s about having time, energy, and passion for what you do.
Your message should be just as clear. Ask yourself:
• Who do I serve?
• What problem do I solve?
• Why am I uniquely qualified to help?
Too many new coaches try to be everything to everyone, which leads to generic messaging and scattered results. The most successful coaches narrow their focus. They know their niche, their audience, and the specific transformation they provide.
If you can’t clearly explain who you help and what result you get for them in one sentence, refine your message until you can.
4. The Ability to Hold Space for Others
Coaching is not about you—it’s about the person in front of you. The best coaches know how to listen deeply, ask powerful questions, and hold space for their clients’ growth.
Holding space means:
• Listening without judgment.
• Asking questions that help clients find their own answers.
• Challenging them when needed, but also supporting them.
Too many coaches focus on telling instead of guiding. But true transformation happens when you empower someone to think critically, make better decisions, and trust themselves.
When I coach clients, I don’t just give them strategies—I help them shift their mindset. Because real success isn’t just about knowing what to do—it’s about believing you’re capable of doing it.
The best coaches don’t just teach strategies. They help their clients step into the highest version of themselves. If you want to be a successful coach, become a master at holding space. It’s one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
5. A Bigger ‘Why’ That Drives You
At the core of everything I do is one mission: to help women thrive.
This is what keeps me going on the hard days, what fuels my passion for coaching, and what allows me to create real impact. Coaching isn’t always easy—it takes emotional energy, deep focus, and commitment. If your motivation is purely financial, you will burn out.
But when you have a mission that’s bigger than yourself, it fuels you.
I don’t just coach because I can—I coach because I must. I’ve been through the struggle of balancing business and life. I know what it’s like to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and uncertain. And I also know that with the right strategies and mindset shifts, women can create careers that are wildly successful and deeply fulfilling.
If you are considering a career in coaching, ask yourself:
• What impact do I want to make?
• Why does this work matter to me?
• How will this work change lives?
Because when you build your coaching career around a purpose that lights you up, success will follow.
Final Thoughts: Build from a Place of Integrity
Coaching is not about quick wins or surface-level advice. It’s about guiding people through deep, lasting transformation. If you want to be successful, build your career from a place of integrity.
• Have the experience.
• Be radically transparent.
• Craft a clear message.
• Hold space for real growth.
• Connect your work to something bigger than yourself.
When you do this, you won’t just build a coaching business—you’ll build a legacy.
Meet the expert:
Dr. Kalpana Sundar is a formidable force in medicine, entrepreneurship, and mentorship, dedicated to empowering women and embracing life to its fullest. A thyroid cancer diagnosis prompted her to reassess her priorities, emphasizing the importance of balancing career and well-being. She emerged stronger, ready to realign and reinvent herself. Dr. Sundar exemplifies turning challenges into opportunities, demonstrating resilience and adaptability. Now, she consults with Aesthetic Providers on running their med spas more effectively and efficiently to boost profits and quality of life with her 4-step GLOW method: Growth, Leverage your energy, Optimize your brand, and Work through barriers.
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