The Democratization of Small Business Coaching

B Rasmussen 2023

This paper explores the importance of increasing support for small business owners delivered by professionally credentialed coaches. Despite the availability coaches, most small business owners do not have access to coaching. Social exchange theory was used to explore the relational exchange dynamics in the small business coaching market including the influence of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) in the democratization of small business coaching. Case study methodology was used with primary data collected via interview methods along with the meta synthesis of existing peer reviewed literature. The results indicated that while small business coaching works, it may not be as lucrative as other sectors and at the same time offers a great personal reward to coaches. With so few ICF credentialed coaches working primarily with small business owners and with the need for coaching so high, an opportunity exists for positive change in this sector.