Building a Coaching Career That Lasts: Lessons From Andrew Coates on Skill, Reputation & Real Human Connection

Nov 25

Key takeaways:

Mastery beats marketing.
Andrew’s success was built through 15+ years of coaching, learning, and building relationships — not shortcuts, gimmicks, or viral content.

Real connection is the best career strategy.
His reputation was earned through listening, supporting, and adding value to people — long before there was anything to gain.
Longevity comes from depth, not speed.
While the fitness industry chases hacks and hype, Andrew proves that sustainability belongs to those who stay curious, stay humble, and stay consistent.

There are guests who come onto the podcast with impressive résumés, and then there are guests who arrive with impact — people whose careers speak louder than their titles and whose reputation has been earned, not marketed. Andrew Coates is one of those people.

Andrew isn’t just a coach — he’s a career professional, an industry educator, a writer, a speaker, a podcast host, and one of the most respected relationship-builders in the coaching space today. He’s someone whose name comes up behind closed doors in the fitness industry — not because he chases recognition, but because he gives more than he takes, adds value everywhere he goes, and treats people well over long periods of time.

That’s why I wanted him on the Choose Hard Podcast.
Because the theme of this show is simple: life rewards people who choose the path that’s harder in the beginning but richer in the end — and Andrew is a shining example of exactly that.

Watch the full episode of the Choose Hard Podcast with Andrew Coates here:

Parallel Paths — 15 Years In & Still Evolving

Andrew and I share something unique — we started our coaching careers around the same time, more than 15 years ago, long before the online coaching boom, social media algorithm culture, or viral fitness content strategies even existed. Back then, coaching wasn’t about followers, aesthetics, metrics, or polished content — it was about showing up, coaching real humans, mastering the craft, and building relationships one hour, one session, and one transformation at a time.

Listening to Andrew reflect on his early years reminded me just how different the landscape is today — and why so many coaches, despite having far more exposure and opportunity, struggle to build sustainability or fulfillment in their careers.

Today, people see:

Instagram followers
Podcast interviews
Speaking gigs
Brand partnerships
Industry recognition

But what they don’t see are the years of:

Coaching 6 AM and 8 PM sessions in the same day
Learning through failure
Studying what works, not what's trendy
Holding clients accountable even when it risks the relationship
Reinventing systems, language, and delivery
Surviving setbacks, burnout, and doubt

That’s the part of the journey Andrew represents exceptionally well: the slow, unsexy road that produces real excellence.

Andrew’s Instagram

Andrew’s Podcast: Lift Free Diet Hard

Why Andrew’s Career Matters in 2025

We live in a coaching era where many people want:

results without reps
influence without skill
credibility without consistency
authority without experience

Andrew is the opposite.
He’s built a career, not a brand.
A reputation, not a persona.
A network, not an audience.

And if you’re a coach — whether you’re in your first year or your fifteenth — that matters. Because the truth is, anyone can go viral. But very few people can stay valuable.

Real Coaching Comes Before Real Marketing

One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is that Andrew didn’t build his business on social media — he built it on relationships, professionalism, and results, and social media simply became a tool to scale his message, not a substitute for skill.

Too many coaches are trying to reverse-engineer that formula.
They want the attention first and hope the knowledge develops later.
But attention without ability always collapses.

Andrew is proof that the foundation must be:

Know what you’re talking about
Know how to communicate it
Know how to make people feel supported
Know how to keep learning

That’s why his audience trusts him.

That’s why event organizers hire him.
That’s why high-level coaches respect him.
That’s why clients stay.

Skill earns success.
Success earns trust.
Trust earns longevity.

The Real “Secret” to Career Success: Relationships, Not Algorithms

One thing that stood out during our conversation is how naturally Andrew builds relationships. He doesn’t force them, pitch them, or strategically manufacture them — he shows up with curiosity, offers value without expecting repayment, and treats people like humans, not business opportunities.

That’s why he’s connected with some of the biggest names in the industry.
Not because he “networked hard,”
but because he invested in relationships slowly, authentically, and generously.

For coaches, trainers, entrepreneurs, or creators, this is a priceless lesson:

If people enjoy talking to you, they’ll eventually enjoy working with you.

You don’t need scripts.
You don’t need elevator pitches.
You don’t need aggressive DMs.

You need to care.
You need to listen.
You need to stay in the room long enough for trust to form.

Skill Stacks — Why Andrew Never Stops Learning

Another key theme in Andrew’s story is that he never stopped being a student. Even 15 years in, he continues attending seminars, reading research, learning from peers, and challenging his perspectives. Not because he doubts himself, but because true experts know expertise isn’t static.

He has stacked skills, not chased shortcuts:

Coaching
Speaking
Writing
Podcasting
Networking
Content creation
Mentorship
Event pedagogy

That is why he isn’t replaceable.
Replacement happens when someone can copy your tactics.
Nobody can copy your collection of earned skills.

Why Coaches Should Focus on Depth, Not Volume

A major problem in the fitness space today is speed-based identity:

How fast can I scale?
How fast can I get clients?
How fast can I create content?
How fast can I grow?

Andrew’s philosophy is the opposite: go deep, not fast.

Depth creates mastery.
Depth creates value.
Depth creates referrals.
Depth creates reputation.
Depth creates meaningful client transformation.
Depth creates impact worth remembering.

Anyone can capture attention.
Not everyone can change someone’s life.

The Lift Free Diet Hard Podcast — A Lesson in Consistency

Andrew’s own podcast — Lift Free Diet Hard — is another example of slow, strategic growth done right. He didn’t launch with expectations of overnight success — he built it brick by brick, conversation by conversation, guest by guest.
choose-hard-andrew-coates-take-…

Now, it’s grown into a platform full of respected voices, nuanced education, and meaningful conversations that help both clients and coaches think for themselves — something sorely needed today.

This is how careers are built:
Not by chasing volume, but by producing value.

What Coaches Can Learn From Andrew Coates

Here are the non-negotiable principles Andrew embodies that every coach should internalize:

Master your craft- Expertise is your lifetime job security

Play the long game- Longevity > virality

Build real relationships- People hire people, not profiles

Lead with value- Earn trust before attention

Keep learning- Stagnation is the death of relevance

Be authentic- Nobody remembers a replica

And if you’re a new coach reading this, here’s the truth:

Clients don’t need you to be famous.
They need you to be effective.

Why This Episode Matters Now

The coaching space is evolving faster than ever — but fundamentals never stop mattering. Andrew’s approach is a reminder that if you want to build something that lasts, you must do more than “show up online.”

You have to show up in people’s lives.
You have to show up in your education.
You have to show up in the uncomfortable work.

Success has gravity — and Andrew has earned every pound of it.

Final Thoughts: Choose Hard, Build Something Real

This was more than an interview — it was a masterclass in professional maturity. Andrew Coates represents everything that Choose Hard stands for:

Work ethic over ego
Craft over hype
Integrity over image
Longevity over novelty
Connection over clout

In a world full of influencers, Andrew is a builder.
That’s what coaching needs.
That’s what leadership needs.
That’s what the next generation needs.

Because the shortcut era will pass —
but mastery will always matter.

Where to Find Andrew

Cody McBroom