How to Conduct a SWOT Analysis for Your Coaching Business

As your coaching business grows, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day serving clients, creating content, managing your team and forget to pause and assess what’s actually working.

That’s where a SWOT analysis comes in.

It’s a simple but powerful tool that helps you see your business clearly, what’s going well, where you can improve, and how to prepare for what’s ahead.

If you’ve never done one before (or it’s been a while), here’s how to conduct a SWOT analysis for your coaching business and how to use the results to make better decisions.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for:

• S – Strengths (what’s working well)

• W – Weaknesses (what needs improvement)

• O – Opportunities (what’s next for growth)

• T – Threats (what could slow you down)

It’s a structured way to evaluate your business from your systems and services to your marketing and team.

You can do it quarterly, bi-annually, or before any big decision (like a rebrand, launch, or team expansion).

Step 1: Identify Your Strengths

Start with what’s already working well.

Ask yourself:

• What makes my coaching approach or programs unique?

• Where am I consistently getting positive feedback?

• Which systems or workflows feel smooth and effortless?

• What do clients say they value most about working with me?

Examples of strengths for coaches:

• Strong client relationships and referrals

• A clear signature framework or proven method

• Efficient onboarding and scheduling systems

• Reliable team support or backend automation

Celebrate these they’re the foundation you’ll build on.

Step 2: Be Honest About Your Weaknesses

This part isn’t about self-criticism it’s about clarity.

Think of weaknesses as the areas where your current systems, processes, or strategies are holding you back.

Ask:

• Where am I spending too much time manually?

• What parts of my business feel disorganized or stressful?

• Do I have SOPs or workflows documented for my team?

• Am I consistent with my marketing and visibility?

Examples:

• No clear client retention strategy

• Reactive (not proactive) marketing

• Lack of team delegation or support

• Messy systems too many tools, not enough structure

Once you see these clearly, you can start fixing them often with the right tools or help from an OBM.

Step 3: Explore Your Opportunities

Opportunities are the areas where you can grow, expand, or optimize.

Ask yourself:

• What new offers or services could I introduce?

• Are there platforms or partnerships I haven’t explored?

• Can I automate more with tools like Dubsado or ClickUp?

• What trends in the coaching industry could benefit my niche?

Examples of opportunities:

• Launching a group program or digital course

• Partnering with other coaches for co-hosted events

• Streamlining your onboarding to handle more clients

• Building a stronger content system to attract leads consistently

These are your next steps for sustainable growth.

Step 4: Recognize Your Threats

Threats are external factors that could impact your business things outside your direct control.

Ask:

• Are there industry shifts or economic changes to prepare for?

• Am I too dependent on one platform or lead source?

• What risks come from not having documented systems?

• How would my business run if I took time off?

Examples of threats:

• Social media algorithm changes

• Market saturation in your niche

• Overdependence on referrals without a visibility system

• Burnout from inconsistent processes or support

Once you’re aware of them, you can put proactive systems in place to reduce risk.

Step 5: Turn Insights into Action

A SWOT analysis only works if you act on what you discover.

Here’s how to turn your findings into an action plan:

1. Highlight 1–2 priorities per category. Don’t try to fix everything at once.

2. Assign tasks and timelines. Use ClickUp or Asana to delegate action items to yourself or your team.

3. Systemize improvements. Turn your new processes into SOPs so they’re easy to repeat.

4. Review quarterly. Check progress and update your SWOT every few months.

When you treat your SWOT as a living strategy tool not just a one-time exercise it becomes your roadmap for smarter decisions.

Mini Example:

A business coach I supported recently noticed during her SWOT that her biggest weakness was her client onboarding system, it was manual, time-consuming, and inconsistent.

We automated it with Dubsado, documented it in ClickUp, and freed up 10+ hours per month. That small change allowed her to focus on improving her opportunities building her group program and growing visibility.

A simple review led to a big result.

Quick Checklist: Conducting a SWOT Analysis

• Set aside quiet time (or do it with your OBM)

• List your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

• Choose 1–2 actions from each section

• Assign owners and due dates in ClickUp

• Review every 3–6 months

A SWOT analysis helps you step out of “doing mode” and look at your business strategically.

It’s not about perfection it’s about awareness, alignment, and smarter systems that support your growth.

Want help turning your SWOT insights into action? Let’s build the systems and workflows that help you scale sustainably. Book a discovery call today.