Life coaches ultimately strive to support clients in moving towards their personal or professional goals and creating a sense of fulfillment. Life coaches help provide clients with clarity surrounding their goals and support their clients in problem-solving to overcome obstacles.

Coaches who specialize in career coaching help their clients target career-based issues, skill gaps, and can provide support in strategizing a plan for career progression. Life coaches with a career specialization may also support clients in developing skills that encourage career advancement, such as assertiveness, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.

Coaches who specialize in business coaching support entrepreneurial clients through a variety of stages in the business development process. Coaches with a business focus can support clients in creating business and financial plans, cost and SWOT analysis, in addition to executive planning and strategizing.

Coaches who specialize in leadership coaching may work with clients currently holding leadership positions, or with clients who aspire to hold leadership positions. Leadership coaching helps clients discover and develop their leadership skills in order to facilitate positive change on personal, professional, or community levels.