Is the coaching industry a pyramid scheme? Five people asked me that last week, and I get why. Between coaches coaching coaches, sketchy screenshots, and straight-up liars, the noise is real. What annoys me is people shaming others for investing in growth while they waste money daily.

In this episode, I break down why the pyramid-scheme label sticks, call out shady tactics, and draw the line between manipulation and ethical selling. I share my own journey—from LCSW to a successful online biz—including the debt, the fear, and why I hid my income.

If you’re a wellness pro questioning if coaching is legit, or just want to make good money helping people without guilt, this one’s for you.

Topics covered on Is the Coaching Industry a Pyramid Scheme:

• Why does everyone keep asking if the coaching industry is a pyramid scheme - and what's the real legal difference.
• The coaching industry practices giving everyone the ick.
• The truth about the coaching industry pyramid scheme accusations and the "coaches coaching coaches" problem.
• Why therapists make better coaches than most coaching certification grads.
• What an ethical, sustainable coaching business actually looks like in practice.

Resources from this episode:

• Therapist to Coach Accelerator program

• Enter The Podcast Giveaway for the chance to win one of Carly’s digital products: https://thethrivingtherapreneurpodcast.com/reviews

This episode is sponsored by Berries — an AI-powered scribe tool designed for mental health pros. It’s HIPAA-compliant, private, and makes writing notes so much easier. Just record your sessions (with consent!),and Berries creates accurate, compliant notes for you—so you can stay present with clients and reclaim your time.

🎉 Try it at heyberries.com with code CARLY50 for $50 off your first month.

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💕 Looking for more support? Click here to explore different options to work with Carly

💕 What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Drop me a DM on Instagram - I’d love to hear from you!

Quote:

"I'm not building a tower of people below me, I'm building a ripple effect. And that ripple creates waves and impact generational healing income confidence." - Carly Hill

Are you being sold a lie about how to build your coaching business as a therapist? I'm calling out the BS I've been seeing online lately, especially from therapists who are literally running coaching programs while telling you coaching doesn't work. Yeah, you heard that right!

In today's episode, I'm breaking down the real pros and cons of every path you're considering: private practice, group practice, intensives, and coaching. I've done them all, and I'm sharing why I walked away from some and doubled down on others. You'll hear my honest take on why intensives are just a bigger chunk of dollars for a bigger chunk of hours (spoiler: still burnout), what really happened when I had clinicians under me, and why a coaching business (when done right) gave me the freedom to voice memo my team while doing tummy time with my baby.

If you're tired of back-to-back sessions draining your energy and capping your income, this episode will give you the clarity you need to decide your next move.

Topics covered on Coaching Business Myths:

• Why therapists with "coach" in their Instagram handles are telling you coaching businesses don't work?
• Is running a group practice actually freedom, or just managing other people's problems?
• Why intensives sound amazing on paper but still leave you drained.
• How you can start a coaching business without fancy funnels, websites, or paid ads.
• The profit margins in my multi-7 figure business.

Resources from this episode:

• Therapist to Coach Accelerator program
• Episode 47: The Step-by-Step Guide to Marketing Funnels for Coaches
• Episode 53: Paid Advertising Won't Save Your Broken Funnel - Fix This First
• Enter The Podcast Giveaway for the chance to win one of Carly’s digital products: https://thethrivingtherapreneurpodcast.com/reviews

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💕 Looking for more support? Click here to explore different options to work with Carly

💕 What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Drop me a DM on Instagram - I’d love to hear from you!

Quote:

“ The truth is, it's not coaching that is the problem ever. It's how people are building their coaching businesses.” - Carly Hill

Still Googling everything and spending hours on presentations? In today's episode, I'm sharing my favorite AI tools that have completely changed how I run my business and my life. I literally just created a professional webinar presentation in UNDER five minutes using AI, and it looked better than anything I could have made spending hours in Canva.

I'm breaking down exactly how I use three specific tools - from creating brand photos without a photographer to having ChatGPT help me with everything from launch plans to baby food recipes. Yes, you heard that right - baby food recipes! Look, I get it if you've been avoiding AI because it feels overwhelming or too techie. I was there too. But these tools have given me back dozens of hours every month that I now spend with my five-month-old or focusing on the parts of my business I actually love.

You don't need to be tech-savvy, and you definitely don't need to use every AI tool out there. Just start with one, have fun with it, and watch how much easier your life becomes!

Topics covered on AI Tools:

• The AI tool can help you turn messy notes into professional presentations in under 5 minutes.
• AI-generated photos on Instagram - can people really tell the difference?
• How I use ChatGPT in business and my personal life as well.
• The custom AI tools I’m building for my mentorship clients to get them faster results.
• Where you should start with AI if you've been avoiding it like the plague.

Resources from this episode:

• Gamma
• Freepik
• ChatGPT
• Therapist to Coach Accelerator program
• Enter The Podcast Giveaway for the chance to win one of Carly’s digital products: https://thethrivingtherapreneurpodcast.com/reviews

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💕 Looking for more support? Click here to explore different options to work with Carly

💕 What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Drop me a DM on Instagram - I’d love to hear from you!

Quote:

"AI has saved me dozens of hours a month. It's allowed me to serve my clients better, spend more time with my family, focus on the parts of my business that truly light me up." - Carly Hill