There was a time when anyone who felt they had the “right stuff” would hang their ”coach” sign on the door and start prospecting for clients. Thankfully, the ICF (International Coaching Federation) was established in 1994. It is the unified governing body providing legitimacy and formal structure to coaching.
Soon after, coach training certification schools, under the umbrella of the ICF, were established throughout the United States, and now the ICF is the leading global standard for professional coaching.