What Is a Creativity Coach?

Sometimes, the best way to overcome a challenging situation is to get creative. But creativity doesn’t come easily to everyone — especially those under duress. So when we’re stuck in a rut and our minds are spinning, where can we turn to get our mental juices flowing again?

When we need to think outside of the box, a creativity coach can help. While this type of coach isn’t widely known — even within our industry — they’re an incredibly valuable resource for clients with a creative block. Creativity coaches help people develop unique solutions to challenges in their personal or professional lives — it’s all about unlocking creative potential and revamping clients’ approaches to persistent obstacles. 

Of course, many coaches work with people in the arts, such as painters, writers, and actors — this aspect of creativity coaching is literal. But this niche isn’t limited to coaching for creative professionals. Anyone with a complex problem needing an imaginative solution can benefit from the guidance of a creativity coach.

Creativity coaching may be the right path for your career if you have a knack for problem-solving and a burning desire to see others succeed. We can help you decide. Read on to learn more about this professional niche. 

What do creativity coaches do?

Many people mistakenly believe creativity is something you’re born with. However, like any skill, creativity can be developed and practiced — that’s where coaching comes in.

While some creativity coaches may act as “art coaches,”  they can help anyone struggling with innovation to unlock their potential. Maybe someone wants to start a business but doubts their entrepreneurial ability. Or perhaps they hope to start a blog but can’t find their voice as a writer. Whatever the case, we can all benefit from a sounding board to bounce ideas off of. 

Here are some examples of work a creativity coach might undertake: 

• Helping clients identify mental blocks that may be limiting their creative process
• Guiding clients to form clear ideas and a vision for new projects
• Teaching clients new skills and techniques for their creative work (such as writing tips or drafting processes) 
• Cultivating out-of-the-box solutions for everyday problems
• Developing routines for creative work, such as a plan for practicing painting 
• Acting as a business coach for creatives who are pivoting toward entrepreneurship
• Supporting clients as they take on new projects and creative journeys
• Encouraging clients to feel confident in their creative and artistic skills

Who’s a good fit for creativity coaching services?

Just about anyone could benefit from creative coaching at one time or another — we all stand to improve our lives if we tap into our innovativeness. But there are a few common clients who are more likely to access this kind of support than others. Creative coaches can expect to receive inquiries from people in the following circumstances: 

• People who feel creatively blocked (such as writers, visual artists, and designers) and are struggling to meet professional deadlines
• Entrepreneurs who want to grow their business but are having trouble implementing creative thinking
• Artists and professionals experiencing imposter syndrome, causing them to doubt their skills, accomplishments, or careers
• People who have great ideas but don’t know how to make them a reality
• Artists who feel overwhelmed by their workload 
• Professionals who want to avoid burnout by approaching their workload creatively
• People who want to enhance their everyday problem-solving skills

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Is creativity coaching the right fit for you?

If you come at problems from a unique perspective, are interested in the arts and humanities, or believe in people’s power to innovate, it sounds like you’d make a great creativity coach. 

Still, assessing whether your skills and passions align with the creativity coach job description is important. Before landing on this career path, ask yourself the following questions: 

• Are you an empathetic person concerned with others’ well-being?
• Are you an out-of-the-box thinker? 
• Are you able to guide people through stressful situations?
• Can you identify others’ limiting beliefs?
• Are you a strong teacher? 
• Do you have experience in creative work? 
• Do you practice active listening? 
• Can you recognize when issues prevent people from reaching their creative potential?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then embarking on a creativity coaching journey may be the next step in your career. 

How to become a creativity coach

As with all coaching roles, there’s no strict educational course. You’ll have to carve your own path to ensure you walk into your first day of work prepared to help your clients. After all, the best way to overcome imposter syndrome as a coach is by feeling confident in your skills and credentials.

Here are some steps you can take to become an excellent creativity coach: 

1. Earn a degree: Pursue a college-level degree in a creative field that interests you, such as art or music, or in an area that could help you hone your coaching skills, like psychology. 
2. Acquire certification: Obtain a versatile coaching certification that will ensure you have the right background, skills, and tools to become a coach. Seek out courses from well-respected organizations with robust learning opportunities.
3. Connect with a mentor: Before taking on your first clients, find a mentor in the field who can help you gain experience and understand the demands of the work.  
4. Create your methodology: Decide on your coaching philosophy and develop a unique methodology to use with your clients. 
5. Draft a business plan: Define the services you’ll offer and your target audience. Do some research to determine what wellness services cost in your area, how much the competition charges, and how much your target demographic is willing to spend before setting your prices.

Focus on the creative aspects of your business

As a coach, your focus should be on your clients. Of course, running a business requires you to stay on top of administrative tasks, too — and that takes loads of creative thinking. 

At Practice, we understand what it takes to balance entrepreneurship with coaching. We want to lend a helping hand. Our customer relationship management (CRM) tool can equip you to run your business more effectively, giving you more time to focus on building your clients’ creativity. Practice’s CRM platform is specifically designed with coaches in mind, allowing you to schedule sessions, safely store client data, manage payments, and send important documents with ease.