Let’s be clear about something here before we begin: everybody is an expert (or “expert enough”) in at least one body of knowledge. It doesn’t matter what it is. Maybe you know how to sing a little bit better than everybody else, maybe you know your way around the basketball court, maybe have discovered a way of running a little bit faster, or maybe you know how to make money with Twitter or Facebook. Regardless of who you’re dealing with, everybody has at least one area of expertise.

We can all agree on this because not all of us have the same experiences. Not all of us have had the same things happen to us. It is precisely this difference in experience levels that make hanging out with our friends and family members so rich and rewarding. We get to look at the world from many different eyes and different perspectives. We also get to explore it through our shared stories at different times.

Since this is the case, did you know that people might actually pay for your expertise? This is the reason why the online coaching business is a large multimillion dollar industry. People all over the world are interested in what other people have to teach them. In fact, you only need to look at platforms like Udemy and the huge following of tutorial channels on YouTube to get a rough idea of the demand out there.

There is also a tremendous variety of online education platforms that help people improve their expertise in a wide range of knowledge areas. Online coaching is really just a variation of online education.

Of course, this is informal. You normally do not get some sort of certification or diploma after finishing a course. Still, the essence is still the same. People are looking for information that others possess. What’s more, people are willing to pay money to get this information.

There is a tremendous demand for online coaching services because, let’s face it, we live in a world that is increasingly expertise-based. How come? Well, the internet actually has a paradoxical effect on people. As more and more information accumulates online, people feel isolated and alienated from any definitive claim of expertise. In other words, if you are going to claim to be an expert or a guru in a certain subject, you better know your stuff.

Most people lack that confidence, and that’s why they hunger for specialized information. They know that, as information continues to grow on the internet, our knowledge becomes more and more specialized. It’s as if we can only focus on topics that are an inch wide and a mile deep. We focus on the thing that we know and we rarely go beyond our comfort zone.

If we want to pick up certain information to at least get a practical understanding of it, that’s when we need coaching. Because, let’s face it, while you can figure this information out by going through all sorts of blogs and downloading all sorts of free resources, who has the time? Most people wish there were more hours in the day because they’re so busy.

Not surprisingly, there’s a tremendous demand for online coaching because you cut straight to the chase. Instead of your client going through website after website trying to chase after the right information, you dish it out in such a way that they get all the information that they need, and they can acquire the knowledge that they’re looking for on their own terms and on their own schedule.

Given these market realities, the demand for online coaching services will continue to rise in the foreseeable future. Platforms like Udemy, as well as free resources like Codecademy and YouTube “how to” channels, are just the beginning. This space is continuing to evolve.

Become part of that market evolution by starting your own online coaching business. This book gives you an overview of what’s out there, the different models you can explore, and what to look for in terms of opportunities and potential problems.