Oosie9

Hi

I am very new to all this and am just trying to get a feel as to how realistic moving to South West France would be!

I currently work as a life coach in Surrey, England. I am considering a move to France in the next couple of years. My main concern is work - and I know I need to learn the French language much better.

Someone suggested possibly working as a life coach with British expats. The areas I'm looking to move to are around Dordogne, Lot et Garonne, Gironde, Landes, Gers.

I just wondered if people who are living in France could perhaps give me an idea as to whether this is something which could be successful? I know there are a large number of Brits who live in South West France, but do you think life coaching is something that would be taken up on?

Any thoughts would be gratefully received!! I feel a bit blind in my thoughts - so anything would be helpful!

Thank you!

balding_potter

What's one of them do, then? 'Life Coach', that is?

B_P

Oosie9

Life coaching is about helping people to reach their goal or make a change in their life. It's about listening and asking the right questions so a person can find their own path, their own truth and their own answers. It helps people to move their life forward - to find fulfillment, success, well-being and happiness and to help identify the blocks and obstacles that makes a person feel 'stuck', and helps you to move through them.
A life coach (or me!) is not a therapist - it's all about looking towards the future, rather than dealing primarily with the past.
It helps change negative thoughts in to positive thoughts and helps to build confidence, self esteem, more motivated.
I currently work for a housing association. I work with the residents on a one to one basis and it's all about helping them overcome their barriers to work.
That is a little bit in a nutshell!!

Why do I think there may be a market? Well, during a conversation with someone (an expat), they suggested there may be a market for it. When I thought about it, I considered that maybe it was possible in terms of helping people go through their transition of change - a move to France, a change of job, finding work etc.

So, hence why I came on here to explore the notion further really!

I hope I've made some sense! :-/

mikelincs

Sounds like an excellent idea...


as long as you have a load of money you want to get rid of, doubt that there will be many expats in the area who would need your skills,

I also suspect you would have to be totally fluent in French, including the idiomatic expressions, for French people to use your services when they can get native French people to do the same thing.

Oosie9

I wish I did have a lot of money - then I wouldn't have to work! Lol.

But I thank you for your thoughts.

dmu

Hi, I think you yourself should have first-hand experience of moving to France and working here, before you can help new expats.
"Coaching" is certainly in fashion at the moment for the French, but practitioners must be registered as a business structure which entails regular contributions to the Social Security system even if you don't earn any money. It also involves being able to speak adequate French in order to cope with Bureaucracy and potential French clients, since the number of British expats is limited.
You must do a lot of homework on the legal side of things, apart from the question of where you'd find most potential clients.
Hope this gives you food for thought!
And welcome to the Forum, by the way!

Oosie9

Thank you - that is a really helpful reply! This is why I have come on to a forum to ask! It's all very well having an idea and a dream - but it's about exploring the reality of it and whether it is achievable! I am blessed to be a bit of a 'jack of all trades' - so will explore other ideas if this one is a bit of a dead end really! But we all have to start somewhere - so my thinking was this was as good a start as any! :-D
Thank you!

Chatter Static

Have you considered seeing a coach to help you reach your goals

Oosie9

I do enjoy the humour on these forums

Harvester523

A 'lot of expats' is just a drop in the ocean compared with the English speakers in the UK. I do know a couple who were running courses - various body & mind type things (don't ask me, it's all beyond me) along with B&B, and really it was a dead duck (with most people coming from the UK). I'm also not sure that the type of people who emigrate to France really want or need life coaching - they're the type of people who look for what they need in life themselves. While there may be one or two, they're probably very far between. There are already some hand-holding companies, but I don't know how well they do.
Your best bet in my view is something you can do on the internet (as I do).
Edit: Not ebay though, as they tax the postage as well, it's impossible!

InVinoVeritas

I find a cubi of rosé is the only life-coaching I need!

Oosie9

This is really helpful - thank you so much. I did think about linking it at some point with B&B - so that is really interesting. Thank you.
It is quite obvious going by this thread and another forum I joined, that this sort of service, although may be taken up by a few, really isn't going to be a sustainable business/income - which is absolutely fine, because I can explore other ideas and look for other opportunities. If I were to move to France, it won't be for a couple of years anyway - but I wanted to start researching and looking into it before just making a blind leap! I really appreciate you replying, it has been really helpful.
Can I ask - what is it you do?

Harvester523

You're welcome
I'm a graphic artist and always have been, so it was easy to transfer to the internet. Not so easy to make a living at it though, but it is extra income.

Oosie9

Lol, I can't say that doesn't sound good!

Oosie9

Oh wow, sounds good! Yes, I'm thinking that I would do something else, but perhaps a bit of life coaching as extra and to keep 'my hand in' so to speak! It's just working out that something else! Lol. I am lucky in as much as my parents are looking to buy something, so we will pool resources. They won't live in France, but they will spend half their time there - so it's possible that we will invest in a small business that someone is retiring from - we've seen a couple of those over the last few months. So it's all exciting and it's just about being flexible in your approach I guess!
Thank you so much again for your really helpful feedback. It's much appreciated.