You Don’t Need Another Certification — You Need Confidence (and a Marketing Plan)
Here’s the thing nobody talks about: getting another certification isn’t going to grow your business.
Yesterday, I was on a call with a group of coaches, and someone shared new data about the coaching industry in 2025. One question stopped me in my tracks:
“What’s the number one way you plan to grow your business this year?”
And guess what the top answer was?
Getting more certifications.
Pardon my language, but… what the hell?
I couldn’t believe it—and yet, I totally could. Because this is exactly what keeps so many talented people stuck.
The Certification Trap
We’ve been conditioned to believe that if business isn’t working, the answer must be more knowledge.
Another course. Another credential. Another fancy set of letters after your name.
But here’s the truth: another certification won’t fix a visibility problem.
If you’re not already talking about your work—if you’re not showing up online, telling stories, sharing results, and letting people see your magic—then adding another credential to your bio isn’t going to do a damn thing.
You don’t have a certification problem.
You have a marketing problem.
Why You’re Avoiding the Real Work
Marketing yourself is uncomfortable. I get it.
You don’t want to sound braggy. You don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard.
You don’t want to take up space.
So instead, you go sign up for the next $3,000 certification because it feels productive.
But let’s call it what it is: a distraction.
It’s easier to hide behind a new skill set than it is to tell the world, “Here’s how I help people—and I’m really good at it.”
Intentions Matter
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-certification.
I love learning. I’ve invested in my own continued education too.
But here’s the difference: your intention matters.
If you’re getting certified because you’re genuinely curious, because you want to better serve your clients, amazing.
If you’re getting certified because you think it’ll finally make people take you seriously?
That’s where the problem begins.
People don’t hire you for your letters.
They hire you for your results, your presence, your story.
They care about how you help them, not about what’s written after your name.
Talk About What You Do
You want to grow your business?
Start talking about your business.
Tell people how their lives look different after working with you.
Describe what your clients’ dinner table conversations sound like now compared to six months ago.
Show them how your work changes not just their goals, but their days.
You don’t need another $3,000 course to do that—you need to hit post.
Talk. Share. Sell yourself on yourself.
Because when you finally believe in the value you bring, everyone else will too.
From “Who Am I?” to “Why Not Me?”
This is exactly why I created Industry Icon—my group coaching program that helps you stop hiding behind certifications and start owning your impact.
It’s where you learn how to:
See your brilliance clearly (no new letters required).
Sell yourself on your own value.
Talk about what you do in a way that magnetizes the right clients.
You don’t need more credentials to be credible.
You need confidence—and a strategy to make your voice louder than your doubt.
Because you don’t need another certification to prove your worth.
You just need to own it.
🎧 Tune into ‘Stop Buying Initials. Start Hitting Post.’ on the Simply Own Podcast to hear more.
Industry Icon is where you start.
If you’re ready to turn what you already know into income—and stop collecting dusty certificates along the way—join me.
