8 years ago coaching was a dirty word. 

It's becoming a dirty word again.

Why?

tlrd; Unqualified people are calling themselves "CEO Coach" or "Founder Coach" and it's gaslighting the market.

Recruiters, VC platformers, and startup VPs are getting in on it.

My issue isn't with their job choice. It's with their inauthentic positioning.

A tennis coach needs to have played tennis first. Ideally at a high level.

This should be obvious.

A product coach needs to have experience building products first. Ideally at a high level.

This should be obvious.

A CEO coach needs to have been a CEO first. Ideally at a high level.

This should be obvious.

A founder coach needs to have been a founder first. Ideally at a high level.

This should be obvious.

If you haven't done The Thing, don't call yourself a Thing Coach.

You can coach CEOs and founders as their exec coach. Or a leadership coach. Or, let's be honest, their life coach.

Inauthentic positioning corrodes trust across the whole market.

Ps. If you disagree, I'd like to be referred to as Doctor going forward after completing a weekend course in medicine.