For those of you looking for greater freedom and autonomy as a coach, perhaps you’ve been looking for a coaching franchise opportunity. However, coaching franchises can be extremely costly and restrictive. (If you’re unfamiliar with coaching franchises, you can read our article here.) Today we’ll be weighing up the pros and cons of the Action Coach Franchise against Business Coach Academy, taking a look at what each company offers, the costs you’ll incur, as well as reviews from paying customers. We won’t leave any stone unturned, so let’s get straight to it.
ActionCoach Franchise Cost
Before anything else, we thought we’d begin with some information that’s pretty important to have upfront and before you make an informed decision. Franchise fees can be very steep, especially in the beginning. That goes for pretty much any franchise model, and Action Coach is no exception.
To cover your training and your investment in an Action Coach license to market, sell, and coach within your territory, you’ll be looking at a cool $60,000. But that’s not it. From month 4, there’s a management fee of $1,800 per month.
As part of the franchise business model, Action Coach will pool 5% of your gross revenue into a coaches’ marketing fund to enable you to promote your business, and once your revenue exceeds $15,000 PCM, the marketing fund is capped and the fee switches to a percentage basis.
All in all, a pretty hefty investment. Worth it? Let’s see what some of their customers had to say.
ActionCoach Reviews
The Action Coach franchise is award-winning and has received countless positive reviews, including a 5-star franchisee satisfaction award on multiple occasions and many glowing reports on sites like TrustPilot and Franchise Business Review. They also have countless video testimonials from satisfied franchisees, but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to find any specific results.
And their founder, Brad Sugars, has definitely had his fair share of controversy, being accused by many of using deceit and fraudulent information to solicit new franchisees for Action International.
A quick Google search reveals an article by The Franchise King, referencing a report in which one anonymous user wrote:
“Being successful in this takes a very unique personality, level of confidence, work ethic, and background. I just spoke to a gentleman about 2 weeks ago who bought into this franchise and was sold into the idea of being a firm owner. He has now spent $300,000 from his retirement savings and is broke. I went to training with about 30 or 40 people, and to my knowledge, most of them are now gone—not one having successfully resold their franchise; most of them just ran out of money.”
And another former franchisee backed up this claim, saying:
“I estimate that about 2/3 to 3/4 of the coaches I went through initial training with had abandoned their coaching and given up their franchises within 2-3 years. I don’t think they left because they were making too much money and having too much fun. And there are ways for franchisors to deal with these failed franchisees so that these don’t show up as unfavorable stats in the UFOC. Always complete due diligence before you invest.”
These seemed to be some of the main concerns shared by franchisees, or ex-franchisees.
In fact, Business Coach Academy co-founder Pam Featherstone was Action Coach’s number one coach worldwide. You can read Pam’s story about her time at Action Coach and her reasons behind leaving the franchise here.
However, it wasn’t all negative, as one franchise owner wrote:
“We have never been misled by anyone at ActionCOACH… Anyone that wants to know about ActionCOACH should contact any of its 1,000 franchises, dozens of Master Licensees, or read the UFOC.”
Quotes from Rip-Off Report Dot Com
Business Coach Academy Cost
First and foremost, Business Coach Academy is not a franchise. This means becoming a ProCoach requires a minimum upfront investment of as little as £4,950. In fact, there are 3 options to choose from:
- Certification – £4,950 initial investment and no operating costs. This is ideal for people who want more security with an in-demand skillset.
- Part-time – £4,950 initial investment and £495 monthly operating costs. This is ideal for people who want a side hustle that generates £10,000 per month.
- Elite – £14,950 initial investment and £990 monthly operating costs. This is ideal for people who want to be self-employed, earning £20,000–£50,000 per month.
Keep in mind that you’re not buying into a franchise, so it’s far more simple, flexible, and affordable compared to coaching franchises like Action Coach. Furthermore, if you don’t hit £10,000 per month, you won’t pay anything; you’ll get £1,000 cash just for the trouble!
And the results are nothing short of exceptional. Let’s take a look at some reviews.
Business Coach Academy Reviews
Business Coach Academy has all 5-star reviews on TrustPilot. They have an outstanding track record when it comes to training business coaches, with 100s of testimonials from coaches. Some of the results include:
- Coaches who have signed new clients in a matter of days
- Coaches who have gone from 0 to 6 figures in the space of a year
- Coaches who only have to work 10 hours per week
- Coaches who have gained the freedom to work from anywhere in the world
These are just some of the results they’ve been able to help their Certified Coaches achieve, and there are hundreds of others just like them:
How Does Action Coach Describe Their License?
CEO Brad Sugars founded Action Coach in Brisbane, Australia, in 1993, and they’re now headquartered in the United States. The company describes its franchising license as a good fit for someone who desires the ability to work from home or their office. It allows one coach to work per license with full access to all of the intellectual property as well as the admin ActionCoach team.
Who is the Action Coach License Aimed At?
Action Coach calls the course they offer ActionPractice. It’s aimed at business people who have an investment mindset and the self-discipline to focus on productive activity. If you’ve owned a business, managed a team, or have a sales background, it would be beneficial. Applicants need to have a good understanding of the principles of business, an entrepreneurial spirit, and motivation.
To ascertain areas where an applicant will need the most support, the franchise will use the DISC behavior assessment tool. Afterward, they will discuss the results with the applicant.
Who is the Business Coach Academy License Aimed At?
Business Coach Academy’s program is for people with a high level of business experience; either they’ve worked at the director level in the corporate world or ran their own business previously. This experience gives you a strong framework and credibility as you begin your journey towards becoming a prestigious 6-figure business coach.
The program is designed so that it can be done part-time, too. This means that, unlike franchises, you won’t have to give up your busy role, incur huge costs (both upfront and ongoing), and go all-in, taking on a huge level of risk as you do so. They’ve helped directors from prestigious firms like Apple, JCB, IBM, and Nike become successful coaches.
How to Apply for the Action Coach License
To apply, you need to complete the Applicant Background Information Statement and arrange an interview with the Master Licensee. You will then have the opportunity to share any questions you may have. If you are successful at the interview, a Discovery Day meeting will be arranged.
At the end of the Discovery Day meeting, if you are a good fit, you receive all the pre-training materials in return for a $1000 refundable deposit. You’ll also go through the franchise agreement with a Franchise Recruiter. If ActionCoach believes that you have a great chance of success and you want to pursue the opportunity, ActionCoach will complete your franchise paperwork and award your ActionCOACH license.
What Does the Training Include?
As part of the initial fee, you receive a 5-day or 10-day intensive training workshop where you will learn a variety of coaching techniques. Before you attend coaching training, there is also a 4-week pre-training workshop that helps you prepare for the workshops that follow. Once completed, you will become a certified ActionCoach.
Pre Training
Your orientation begins with the Global Foundation Program. The Global Foundation Program covers the fundamentals of business coaching. You will learn through books, videos, and worksheets. Running in tandem with the Global Foundation Program is the Regional Foundation Program. This will equip you to set up your business and use the ActionCOACH systems effectively. Once you have completed the Foundation Programs, you will do the 10-day certification training.
10-Day Certification Training
Three of the company’s MasterCOACHes will conduct this highly intensive part of the training. They will cover the three key areas of running a successful ActionCOACH business, namely: working with mindset; business coaching, encompassing their tools and systems; and operations, which will equip you to run your business.
Post-Induction Training and Support
To entrench what you have learned during your induction training, you’ll participate in a structured online program for 15 minutes a day. Through this, ActionCoach aims to reinforce your knowledge, build confidence in your capabilities, and keep you on track as a successful coach.
In the workshop, Action Coach states you will learn:
- How to use the 9-step ActionCOACH business building system
- The way to coach someone to an investment decision with the ActionCOACH sales system
- How to deliver the alignment and coach business owners
- ActionCOACH’s 344 sales, marketing, and profit strategies
- How to deliver ActionCOACH seminars and workshops
- How to build a winning team
- More personal growth than you can imagine
How to Apply for the Business Coach Academy License
You can learn more about the license and book a call via the Business Coach Academy website. Once it’s been established that you’re fit for the program, you’ll have immediate access to the ProCoach platform, community, resources, and materials.
What Does the Training Include?
The online program provides you with all the tools, training, and resources to launch your own highly successful coaching business.
The ProCoach Training
Each program has slightly different training. The Certification consists of 9 modules, while the Part-Time program has an additional 9 modules around sales and marketing. Finally, the Elite program has an additional 3 modules to help you build your coaching business to £20,000–£50,000 per month. Here’s an overview of the first 9 modules you’ll go through as part of the ProCoach Certification.
Each module is an in-depth discussion around one vital aspect of business coaching, and once all 9 modules have been completed, you’ll receive your certification. You’ll also have access to the course and the 9 modules forever on any device, as well as complete flexibility as to whether you want to pause or repeat any parts of the program.
Here’s a breakdown:
- 9 training modules
- 1 year mentorship
- Full access to the extensive coaching community
- Monthly live Q&As
- Expert tools, worksheets, and materials to help your coaching business
- 1-1 calls with a millionaire coach
An Overview of Each Coaching Module
Going Pro
The first week of ProCoach training is all about laying the foundations for your new business. This involves structuring and optimizing for achieving business growth and success in the easiest, fastest way possible.
Best Coach
The second module is concerned with learning the best coaching skills to handle any situation. This module is designed to give you total clarity about the difference between business coaching and other change models, such as consulting. This means you only need to do what’s necessary to get your client exceptional results, and, as a result, your services will be in very high demand.
Coached Model
In the Coached Model module, you’ll learn the exact questions to ask clients. You’ll learn precisely how to create major personal shifts in any business owner by following a proven process—a 4-step system to deliver immediate value to every client you ever have. You’ll have a clear coaching plan and know exactly how to deliver immediate value to any new client. Every session will be templated and already done for you, making your life as easy as possible.
Client Rulebook
By week 5, you’ll be learning how to create a clear process that helps you deliver exceptional results and, most importantly, retain your clients for years.
Proof Generator
In this stage of training, you’ll build confidence and credibility by getting and conducting free business coaching sessions. These will prove that you have the ability to change people’s businesses and lives by following what you’ve learned in the previous modules, eliminating any sense of imposter syndrome or lack of confidence in yourself and your own ability.
Perfect Offer
By the end of week 7, you’ll have crafted the perfect offer and profile setup to attract prospects who are ready to talk and become paying clients without having to deal with overly complex marketing funnels or technical stuff.
Fast Funnel
Nearing the end of your training, you’ll be able to generate £1000-£5000 PCM clients on-demand by using the FAST Funnel with £0 ad spend. This means you can increase your income whenever you want and achieve true business ownership & financial security.
Income Escalator
In the final week of your training, you’ll learn how to continuously make your coaching business easier to run and, at the same time, more profitable. These elite tools and tactics have helped guide 100s of coaches to business success and generate results like this:
Business Coach Academy or Action Coach?
Both businesses may seem like great companies if you’re looking to become an established business coach, at least on the surface. However, it’s hard to ignore the controversy and lack of transparency surrounding the Action Coach franchise.
Is Buying Into a Franchise a Good Idea?
Business Coach Academy is not a franchise. This means it’s more than possible to get the same, if not better, results from Business Coach Academy at just a fraction of the price. Furthermore, you won’t have to give up your job to go all in; there’s no lengthy contract, and, to begin with, you can do everything by committing just 5 hours of your time at the weekend.
Final Note
Feeling overworked in your corporate position? Dreaming of a better life where you have the autonomy, work-life balance, and family time you deserve? Or are you worried about job security and feel like you need an exit strategy from your current high-stress job? Learn more about how you could become the next Business Coach Academy success story here.
