The Different Types of Life Coaching Niches (and How to Choose Yours)

When I first started coaching, I thought I had to choose the perfect niche—like, the one that would define my entire business forever.

To be fair, that’s where many of the business and marketing gurus told me to start—with nailing down my niche and messaging.

So I listened, and I picked an audience. And then I changed my mind.

But what I didn’t realize at the time was that just about every successful coach I knew had once been exactly where I was—struggling with trying to articulate who exactly you help… and how.

So if that’s you right now? You’re not alone. And you’re not behind.

Let’s break it down.

Why Your Niche Matters

Your niche helps people quickly understand who you help and what you help them with. It’s like a shortcut for your messaging, your marketing, and your offers.

But here’s the thing: your niche is not a tattoo.

You can change it. You can evolve. You can start with one focus and grow into another.

Honestly, more often than not, that’s exactly what I see happen—we pick an area we think we want to focus on, and then it shifts (sometimes subtly, sometimes a complete 180) as we learn more about what really lights us up.

What matters is that you start somewhere—anywhere—that feels aligned with what you genuinely care about and are skilled at helping with.

I see this over and over with my clients, most of whom end up pivoting their niche at least a little once they start doing the actual work—creating content, interacting with potential clients, and getting a feel for what lights them up (and what doesn’t). 

Because clarity doesn’t always come from more planning—it comes from movement.

The Most Common Types of Life Coaching Niches

That said, we have to start SOMEWHERE. So if you’ve been wondering what kind of life coach you want to be, here are some of the most common coaching niches you’ll see out in the wild (in no particular order other than how they came to mind):

1. Alcohol-free Coaching

This is of course top-of-mind for me because it’s where I discovered coaching in the first place! (At least coaching unrelated to sports). Like many other types listed below, the big focus here is on mindset—on changing how you think and feel about alcohol, which in terms influences how you behave. I talk more about how I got started in this area here.

2. Business Coaching

Support entrepreneurs or aspiring business owners in launching, growing, or refining their businesses. Whether it's marketing strategy, offer creation, or backend systems, this niche can be incredibly rewarding—especially if you’ve built your own business and want to help others do the same.

3. Health and Wellness Coaching

Support clients with goals around fitness, nutrition, stress reduction, or overall wellbeing. Not a personal trainer or dietitian? Not a deal breaker—this niche is often more about habits and accountability than it is about writing meal plans.

4. Mindset Coaching

You help people identify and rewire limiting beliefs, shift their self-talk, and develop mental resilience. This overlaps beautifully with pretty much every other niche—and is often a great niche to start with if you’re still figuring it out.

5. Career Coaching

Perfect for helping clients navigate job changes, promotions, career clarity, or returning to the workforce. If you have a corporate background or HR experience, this might be a great fit.

6. Confidence Coaching

Help people feel more comfortable in their own skin, show up more fully in relationships or business, and finally stop second-guessing themselves to death.

7. Relationship Coaching

This can range from dating coaching to marriage support to navigating tough transitions like divorce. You’ll need strong boundaries and a solid process, but if you love helping people build stronger connections—this might be your jam.

8. Productivity & Time Management Coaching

Ideal for clients who are overwhelmed and need help getting their shit together. If you love planning systems and getting people out of the weeds, this can be a wildly valuable niche.

9. Purpose & Fulfillment Coaching

Support clients who are craving a deeper connection to their life’s work or path. This niche often blends spirituality or religion, self-discovery, and intuitive guidance to help people explore their values, align with their inner wisdom, and feel more grounded in their day-to-day decisions. Perfect for coaches who hold space for transformation that’s more internal and soul-led than checklist-driven.

10. Financial Coaching

Help clients get their money mindset on track—especially when it comes to budgeting, saving, setting their prices, or building financial confidence. Financial education or training is a big must here (and be careful not to tread into financial advising unwittingly!).

What If You Don’t Fit Into One of These Boxes?

You’re not doing it wrong.

In fact, some of the most successful coaches I know made up their own niche based on the exact kind of client they wanted to serve and the specific problems they knew how to solve.

The beauty of this industry is that you get to create your own category.

And if you’re not sure what that is yet? Totally normal!

Clarity often follows action, but you can start by asking yourself:

• What are people always asking me for help with?

• What have I personally overcome that others still struggle with?

• What could I talk about or support someone with for hours without getting bored?

Choosing a Coaching Niche Without Spiraling

Let’s talk about the very real fear of narrowing down.

I hear it all the time from new coaches: "But my work can help so many different kinds of people... I don’t want to exclude anyone!"

And honestly? I get it. If your work is more abstract, heart-led, or designed to support people in multiple ways, picking one focus can feel like cutting off parts of what makes your work powerful.

But here’s what I want you to remember: narrowing down isn’t about excluding people or pretending your work only does one thing.

It’s about communicating one clear thing that makes someone stop scrolling and say, “Oh—that’s me.”

Just because your work has wide-reaching benefits doesn't mean you need to speak to everyone at once.

When we do, we just end up with a watered-down and vague message, and people don’t stop scrolling for generic. They stop for something that hits.

That’s why I don’t believe in the ideal client avatar exercise where you need to know her name is Jenny, she’s 34, and she had a kale smoothie for lunch yesterday.

Instead, what we do need clarity on is the transformation: Where is someone when they come to you? And what can they know, do, or be after working with you?

That’s the real foundation of your niche. The rest? It can evolve.

Let’s Make This Easier

If you’re still stuck on choosing between the different types of life coaching niches, you don’t have to do this alone.

That’s literally what I help with.

The Shortcut is my done-for-you service that helps coaches and service providers get crystal clear on their niche, build a business that matches it, and set it up with systems that actually work.

Because clarity shouldn’t take six months.

You ready? Let’s build a business that actually fits you.