Why Coaching Businesses Get Stuck: 3 Surprising Reasons and How to Move Forward | by Lisa C. Gregory

If your coaching business feels stuck — like you've plateaued, lost momentum, or can’t grow past a certain point — you're not alone.

Many coaching businesses get stuck for reasons that are subtle, internal, and difficult to see when you’re in the thick of it.

As coaches, we're deeply focused on helping others move forward. But we can miss the signs in our own businesses: burnout, resistance to visibility, or quiet frustration that things just aren’t working the way they used to.

Through my work with hundreds of coaches and business owners, I’ve seen smart, experienced professionals struggle — not because they lack skill, but because they’re stuck in patterns they can’t fully recognize.

Here are three surprising reasons why coaching businesses get stuck — and how to break free with more clarity, alignment, and ease.

1. The Past Success Trap

What got you here... might not get you there.

Many coaching businesses are built on what used to work: loyal clients, organic referrals, or a social media strategy that once generated leads. But markets shift. Algorithms change. Clients evolve.

Instead of evolving with them, many coaches double down on old tactics, hoping they’ll still work.

The result? You stay busy, but not necessarily effective — and your coaching business stays stuck.

Try this:

Step back and reconnect with your purpose.

• What are you here to do now — not just when you started?
• What kind of impact do you want to have?
• If you looked at your business today with fresh eyes:
  • What would you let go of?
  • What would you rebuild?
  • What deserves more of your focus?

2. Burnout and Imbalance

You didn’t start a coaching business to feel overwhelmed. But over time, your calendar fills up: client sessions, marketing, content creation, admin, tech... life.

Burnout doesn't always show up dramatically. Sometimes it’s quiet: a creeping fatigue or loss of joy in the work you love.

I see this a lot with values-driven coaches — you give generously to others, but leave yourself for last.

Try this:

Pause and scan your upcoming week.

• Where do you feel most drained?
• Where do you feel most alive?

Now imagine you’re coaching yourself. What one small shift would you suggest to bring more energy into your week — and support around the areas that feel heavy?

Reducing burnout is a key step in moving forward when your coaching business is stuck.

3. Avoiding Visibility and Sales

Let’s be honest: the word “sales” can make even seasoned coaches cringe.

You might be completely comfortable in one-on-one sessions — but uncomfortable with visibility, promotion, or charging your worth.

So, you show up inconsistently. You speak vaguely. Or you hide behind content that doesn’t invite a clear next step.

What really gets in the way isn’t sales itself — it’s the story you tell yourself about sales.

That it’s pushy. Inauthentic. Desperate. That it’s not aligned with your values.

Try this:

Notice the story you’re telling yourself.

• Whose voice does it sound like?
• Is it actually true?
• What is it costing you to stay in this story?

Now, rewrite it.

What story could you tell yourself about selling that makes it feel fun, aligned, and energizing?
Tell that story until you believe it — because when you shift the story, you shift your presence. And that invites new results.

How to Move Forward When Your Coaching Business Feels Stuck

If you see yourself in any of these patterns, know this: you are not alone.

These challenges are not personal failings — they’re normal turning points in the journey of any coaching business. And with awareness, they become invitations to grow, realign, and reimagine what's next.

Pause. Reflect. Reconnect with what matters most.
Then take one brave, imperfect step forward.

You've got this!

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:

• Use Affirmative Writing To Get Clients Unstuck And Connected To Their Goals by Lynda Monk
• 35+ Great Coaching Questions to Get Your Clients Unstuck
• Stuck Clients? Use this Questioning Process to Help Clients See where they're Blocking Themselves!

Contributing Author:

Lisa Chapman Gregory is a certified strengths coach with a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology. A self-described “doer of the word, not a hearer only,” she brings hands-on experience as the co-owner of several small businesses with her husband, Joe. Lisa has also held leadership roles in organizations of all sizes.

Originally from Northern Virginia, Lisa has lived and worked in Boston, Jerusalem, Tokyo, New York City, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. She and Joe now make their home just outside the US capital.

Lisa is co-author of the Amazon best seller Stuck No More: Practical Self-Coaching for everyday Problems, and you can download a free Stuck No More Toolkit HERE to discover how she helps business owners get Unstuck.

Learn more about Lisa & see all their articles here >>