Life Coaching Institute of America

What Life Coaching Institute of America does

Life Coaching Institute of America (LCIA) is an ICF Level 1 Accredited coaching education program founded in 2011 by Gina Barritt and Leslie Schultz, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company delivers a proprietary curriculum built on the 'Pure Philosophy of Coaching,' which integrates the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics and Core Competencies with the SPIRIT of Motivational Interviewing (MI), an evidence-based communication methodology co-developed by Dr. William R. Miller and Dr. Stephen Rollnick. Both founders received direct advanced MI training from Dr. Miller in July 2015 and personally deliver all instruction, with Leslie Schultz holding over 140 hours of certified advanced MI training through the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (M.I.N.T.). All training is delivered synchronously via Zoom in cohorts capped at 14 students, maintaining a 1-to-7 trainer-to-student ratio.

LCIA generates revenue through three one-time tuition-bearing courses: the 70-hour ICF Level 1 Full ACC Path Credential Training ($4,560), the 60-hour ICF Level 1 Partial Certificate of Completion ($3,600), and the 10-hour ICF Mentor Coaching module ($1,200, also available to non-LCIA graduates). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a self-serve website registration flow (PayPal) supplemented by a phone-based consultative enrollment line (877-599-5242) and free intro Zoom calls. Marketing relies on organic social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn), content marketing on coaching philosophy and MI techniques, and testimonial-based social proof from graduates including a Major League Baseball coach. Class dates are scheduled on weekends with cohorts offered throughout the year.

The operating structure is founder-led with a 1-10 employee headcount, no external funding, and no parent company. Its primary customer segments are aspiring professional coaches pursuing ICF ACC credentialing and helping professionals (counselors, social workers, holistic health practitioners, ministers) seeking continuing education or communication-skill enhancement. LCIA holds BBB accreditation in addition to its ICF Level 1 program accreditation.

Name

Life Coaching Institute of America

Legal name

Life Coaching Institute of America, LLC

Website

https://lifecoachingamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Life Coaching Institute of America is an ICF Level 1 Accredited coaching education program that trains aspiring professional life coaches virtually via Zoom using a proprietary Motivational Interviewing-based curriculum, with small cohorts of up to 14 students preparing for the ICF ACC credential.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Coaching Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAFAIAB

Cohort-Based Course Platforms

Education/Education Technology (EdTech) & Digital Learning/Education Marketplaces & Course Platforms (MOOCs, Cohort-Based, Creator Platforms)

Keywords

• Coach training programs
• ICF accredited education
• Motivational interviewing training
• Life coach certification
• Mentor coaching services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Coaching Education Course Fees: LCIA generates revenue primarily through one-time tuition fees for its three coaching certification courses: 70-hour ICF Level 1 Full ACC Path ($4,560), 60-hour ICF Level 1 Partial Certificate ($3,600), and 10-hour ICF Mentor Coaching ($1,200). Early bird discounts of 20% are available for registrations made at least 2 weeks before class start. Payment plans are available for 60 and 70-hour courses, requiring a 30% down payment followed by 7 monthly installments with no admin fees or interest.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LCIA sells ICF Level 1 accredited coach training programs delivered entirely online via Zoom. Its catalog consists of a 70-hour Full ACC Path Credential Training, a 60-hour Partial Certificate of Completion, and a 10-hour ICF Mentor Coaching course, all taught by the founders using a proprietary Motivational Interviewing-based methodology at a 1:7 trainer-to-student ratio.

Product overview

Life Coaching Institute of America (LCIA) is an ICF LEVEL 1 Accredited coaching education program that offers a platform of three training courses designed to take students from beginner to credentialed ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC). The core offerings include the 70-hr ICF LEVEL 1 Full ACC Path Credential Training (the comprehensive pathway), the 60-hr ICF LEVEL 1 Partial Certificate of Completion (partial pathway), and the 10-hour ICF Approved Mentor Coaching (add-on module). Programs are delivered virtually via ZOOM over weekend sessions with small class sizes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 70-Hour ICF Level 1 Full ACC Path Credential Training Comprehensive ICF Level 1 coach training program comprising 30 hours of synchronous and 30 hours of asynchronous coach education, 10 hours of ICF Mentor Coaching, observed coaching sessions with feedback, and ICF ACC evaluations. Designed for aspiring coaches seeking the full ACC credentialing pathway; delivered virtually via Zoom with class size capped at 14 students. Priced at $4,560 with a 20% early-bird discount and an installment payment plan.
• 60-Hour ICF Level 1 Partial Certificate of Completion Partial ICF Level 1 coach training program consisting of 30 hours of synchronous virtual coach training via Zoom and 30 hours of asynchronous coach training with observed coaching sessions. Targeted at students who want core ICF coaching education hours but not the full ACC pathway. Class size limited to 14 students; priced at $3,600 with a 20% early-bird discount and an installment payment plan.
• 10-Hour ICF Approved Mentor Coaching ICF-approved mentor coaching program offering 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum three-month period, including 7 group sessions and 3 individual sessions. Open to both LCIA and non-LCIA graduates for credentialing and continuing education needs. Group class size limited to 10 students; priced at $1,200.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates are prepared to sit for the ICF ACC Credentialing Exam upon program completion.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dr. William R. MillercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2015Dr. William R. Miller is the founder of Motivational Interviewing. LCIA founders Gina Barritt and Leslie Schultz received direct, advanced training from Dr. Miller in July 2015. This training directly influenced LCIA's integration of MI into its coaching curriculum, forming the foundational methodology of the 'Pure Philosophy of Coaching.'
• Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (M.I.N.T.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder Leslie Schultz has accrued over 140 hours of certified advanced training in Motivational Interviewing through M.I.N.T., the official training organization founded by MI creators Dr. William R. Miller and Dr. Stephen Rollnick. M.I.N.T. certification validates the highest level of MI training quality.
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLCIA is an ICF LEVEL 1 Accredited Coaching Education Program (accredited November 16, 2015). This accreditation means LCIA's curriculum has been reviewed and approved by ICF as meeting gold-standard requirements for coach training. Graduates can apply for the ACC credential via the Level 1 pathway. LCIA's program is listed on the official ICF website.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• iPEC Coaching: ICF-accredited coach training school offering Level 1 and Level 2 programs with cohort-based virtual delivery. Targets the same aspiring professional coaches and competes directly for ICF credentialing candidates, though at much larger scale.
• Coach U: One of the longest-established ICF-accredited coach training programs offering synchronous cohort-based certifications. Overlaps directly with LCIA on ICF Level 1 pathways and aspiring-coach target market.
• International Coach Academy (ICA): ICF-accredited coach training school offering Level 1 and Level 2 programs with cohort-based virtual delivery and mentor coaching. Direct competitor for aspiring life and executive coaches pursuing ACC/PCC credentials.
• MentorCoach: ICF-accredited Level 1 and Level 2 program focused on coaching niche markets (e.g., ADHD, leadership). Cohort-based virtual delivery and a similar teacher-to-student attention model make it a direct comparison for LCIA.
• Robbins-Madanes Training: ICF-accredited coach certification program affiliated with Tony Robbins, serving aspiring coaches seeking ACC credentials. Direct competitor with much larger brand awareness.
• Transformation Academy: ICF-accredited coach training and life coach certification programs delivered via cohort-based online learning. Offers multiple specialty paths and competes for the same aspiring life coach segment.
• Coach Training Alliance: ICF-accredited Level 1 and Level 2 program with virtual cohort delivery for aspiring professional coaches. Direct overlap with LCIA's curriculum, pricing model, and target customer.
• Center for Coaching Certification: ICF-approved Level 1 and Level 2 coach training and certification programs for adult learners pursuing professional coaching credentials. Direct comparator with similar small-cohort virtual delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lifecoachedu
• Facebookfacebook.com/LifeCoachingInstituteOfAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/life-coaching-institute-of-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifecoachinginstituteofamerica

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Life Coaching Institute of America