A clear-eyed look at what’s different — and why it matters
The coaching industry has grown rapidly over the last decade. With that growth has come a wide range of styles, promises, price points, and levels of depth. For anyone considering coaching, it can be hard to tell what actually makes one approach different from another.
This article offers a transparent comparison between HiR’s coaching approach and common industry models — not to criticise, but to clarify.
1. How Coaching Begins
The industry norm:
Most coaches start with a free discovery call, followed by an open-ended commitment to ongoing sessions or a fixed multi-month package. While this works for some, it often leaves clients unsure of what they’re committing to or whether the coaching will actually suit them.
The HiR approach:
At HiR, every coaching relationship begins with Foundations — a structured, four-week coaching experience designed to stand on its own. Foundations isn’t a teaser or trial. It’s a complete piece of work that creates clarity, insight, and momentum before any longer-term decisions are made.
This removes pressure, builds trust, and ensures coaching starts with substance rather than obligation.
Feel free to book a 20-min call to see if we vibe or ask questions before you commit to Foundations.
2. Coaching Philosophy
The industry norm:
Many coaches rely on goal-setting frameworks, accountability structures, and mindset work. These can be useful, but they’re often applied generically, without a clear psychological lens.
The HiR approach:
HiR’s work is strengths-based and evidence-informed, grounded in the Strengths Profile and positive psychology. The focus is on understanding how a person naturally operates — what energises them, what drains them, and where untapped potential exists.
Rather than “fixing weaknesses,” coaching amplifies what already works and helps clients design sustainable ways forward.
3. Turning Insight into Action
The industry norm:
Insight is frequently generated in sessions, but many clients struggle to translate that insight into real-world change once the call ends.
The HiR approach:
Integration is built into the process. HiR uses tailored articles, reflection exercises, and practical experiments — written and designed specifically to help clients apply insight in their everyday lives. Between-session support ensures momentum continues beyond the conversation; You have 24/7 WhatsApp or email support between sessions.
Coaching isn’t just about understanding yourself — it’s about doing something meaningful with that understanding.
4. Flexibility and Risk
The industry norm:
Coaching is often packaged in rigid timeframes or long-term contracts, which can create hesitation for people already stretched or burnt out.
The HiR approach:
After Foundations, clients choose how — or whether — they continue. There are no lock-ins, and support structures are designed to work with real life, not against it. This respects autonomy and ensures clients stay because the work is valuable, not because they’re contractually bound.
5. Who the Coaching Is For
The industry norm:
Many coaches specialise narrowly — either in corporate leadership or personal/life coaching — with limited crossover.
The HiR approach:
HiR works with individuals, leaders, teams, and organisations. Clients often include professionals who are doing well on paper but feel underutilised, leaders stepping into greater responsibility, people navigating reinvention, and organisations focused on performance, engagement, and talent.
We also work with people going through major life changes, such as trauma or upheaval, including redundancy, divorce, or relocation.
Strengths-based coaching works for everyone at every life stage, whether you have a vision for the future or not and regardless of whether you are 'successful' already or going through a 'down' period.
This breadth allows coaching to address both personal and professional realities together — not as separate worlds.
6. Experience and Credibility
The industry norm:
Credibility is often built primarily on certifications or methodologies.
The HiR approach:
HiR is informed by over 25 years of lived experience across leadership, entrepreneurship, recruitment, consulting, success, failure, burnout, and recovery, as well as Strengths Profile Accreditation and various coaching courses. This experience allows coaching to engage calmly with complexity, ambiguity, and change — without rushing toward simplistic answers.
Clients aren’t coached by theory alone, but by perspective shaped through real-world challenges.
Let’s talk money — because “is this worth it?” is a very sensible question.
Coaching prices in Australia are all over the place. You’ll see everything from bargain “accountability calls” to premium executive coaching that costs more than a weekend in Byron. The difference usually isn’t just the coach — it’s the structure, depth, and support you’re actually getting.
Foundations — $888 AUD (4 weeks)
In the wider market, short starter programs and intensives typically land anywhere from $600 to $1,500+, depending on experience and whether tools/assessments are included. At $888, Foundations sits in that sweet spot: serious, structured, and high value without the “luxury coaching” price tag. It’s also a complete piece of work — not a teaser.
Single coaching session — $249 (standard)
For experienced coaches, a common range is roughly $220–$350+ per hour, often with less structure between sessions. At $249, HiR is competitively priced for professional-level coaching — and when you run a limited promo (like $125), it’s basically the coaching equivalent of a half-price upgrade: same brain, same depth, lower friction.
Resume & Career Strategy Upgrade — $395
Resume services often range from $350 to $900+, especially when strategy and coaching are included. At $395, this is positioned as a strong-value option — because it’s not just a document makeover, it’s a clarity + positioning reset with support.
Coaching Memberships — from $249/month (or $2,699 upfront)
Ongoing coaching packages in the market commonly sit between $500 to $2,000+ per month depending on frequency, support, and brand. HiR memberships start at $249/month for monthly coaching, with options for fortnightly and weekly rhythms — and they include unlimited WhatsApp/email support between sessions. For clients who want consistency and momentum, it’s a practical, modern model: real support, real flexibility, no lock-ins.
What this means in plain English:
HiR’s pricing is set in the “credible and fair” zone — not bargain-basement (which usually means generic), not inflated premium (which often means paying for the coach’s lifestyle). You’re paying for structured clarity, strengths-based insight, and support that actually helps change stick.
In Summary
HiR’s coaching stands apart through:
a structured, low-pressure entry point
strengths-based, evidence-informed methodology
practical integration of insight into action
flexibility that respects autonomy
deep lived experience alongside professional expertise
The result is coaching that is human-first, grounded, and genuinely useful — designed to help people move forward with clarity, resilience, and intention.
For those considering coaching, the real question isn’t “Which coach sounds best?”
It’s “Which approach fits how I want to live and work?”
HiR exists to offer a clear, thoughtful answer to that question.
