11 Online Business Coaches to Help You Scale Your Business

As a retired insurance agent, I’ve spent decades helping others secure their futures. Now, it’s time to secure my own by venturing into the world of online business. But let me tell you, stepping into this digital landscape feels like learning a whole new language! That’s why I’ve been on the hunt for the best online business coaches to guide me through this exciting yet daunting journey.

After countless hours of research and some trial and error, I’ve compiled a list of the 11 best online business coaches who I believe can help fellow retirees like myself transition into the world of digital entrepreneurship. These coaches aren’t just tech-savvy youngsters; they’re experienced professionals who understand the unique challenges we face when starting an online business later in life.

From mastering social media marketing to creating passive income streams, these coaches offer a wealth of knowledge that can help us turn our years of experience into thriving online ventures.

1. Amy Porterfield

Amy Porterfield has established herself as a leading authority in the world of online course creation and digital marketing. Born on December 12, 1977, Porterfield grew up in Orange County, California, and later attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her journey to success began after leaving her position as the director of content development at Anthony Robbins Companies in 2009 to start her own social media consulting business.

Porterfield’s expertise lies in helping entrepreneurs transform their knowledge and expertise into profitable digital courses. Her flagship program, Digital Course Academy, guides students through the entire process of creating, marketing, and launching their online courses. The program covers essential aspects such as nailing down course topics, validating and pre-selling programs, developing high-converting webinars, and crafting compelling marketing plans.

What sets Porterfield apart is her ability to combine practical strategies with inspirational guidance. Her popular podcast, “Online Marketing Made Easy,” reaches millions of online business owners, offering valuable insights and actionable advice. Porterfield’s success is evident in her impressive track record, with her online courses and podcast generating over $100 million in revenues. Her approach emphasizes the importance of creating a business that aligns with personal values and allows for creative, financial, and time freedom.

2. Affiliate Marketing Coaching by Jack Davis

Jack Davis is a prominent figure in the affiliate marketing industry, known for his expertise in building successful online businesses. With over a decade of experience, Davis has established himself as a trusted authority, having built multiple six-figure income-generating authority sites. His approach to affiliate marketing emphasizes practical, actionable strategies that can be implemented by both beginners and experienced marketers alike.

Davis’s Affiliate Marketing Masterclass offers comprehensive training on various aspects of affiliate marketing, including niche selection, content creation, SEO optimization, and link-building techniques. What sets Davis apart is his focus on leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline content creation and automate various aspects of the affiliate marketing process. His coaching program provides personalized guidance, helping students overcome specific challenges in their affiliate marketing journey.

One of the key strengths of Davis’s coaching is his ability to adapt his teachings to different skill levels. Whether working with complete beginners or advanced marketers looking to scale their operations, Davis tailors his advice to meet the unique needs of each student. His coaching packages range from one-off consultations to ongoing monthly support, allowing students to choose the level of guidance that best fits their goals and budget.

3. Dropshipping Coaching by James Johnson

James Johnson is a seasoned expert in the dropshipping industry, with a track record of building multiple six-figure dropshipping stores since 2008. His expertise extends beyond just running successful stores; Johnson has also founded a marketing agency dedicated to helping eCommerce brands grow and thrive in the competitive online marketplace.

Johnson’s approach to dropshipping education is comprehensive, covering all aspects of building and scaling a successful dropshipping business. His course and coaching program address critical areas such as niche selection, supplier sourcing, store setup, SEO optimization, and marketing strategy development. What distinguishes Johnson’s teachings is his emphasis on automation and scalability, helping students build systems that can grow their businesses efficiently.

Through his coaching services, Johnson provides personalized guidance to dropshippers at various stages of their journey. His coaching packages are designed to cater to different needs, from beginners seeking to establish their first store to experienced dropshippers looking to scale their operations. Johnson’s hands-on approach and deep industry knowledge enable him to offer practical solutions to common challenges in the dropshipping world, such as inventory management, brand building, and customer service optimization.

4. Online Business Coaching by Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith is a prominent figure in the world of online business coaching, specializing in helping entrepreneurs achieve high-income success. As the founder of High Income Source, Smith has established himself as a go-to expert for those looking to build profitable online businesses.

With over a decade of experience in digital marketing and e-commerce, Jeff Smith has developed a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to succeed in the online business landscape. His expertise spans various areas, including affiliate marketing, product creation, and scaling online businesses. Smith’s approach is rooted in practical, actionable strategies that have been proven to work in real-world scenarios.

High Income Source offers a range of resources and programs designed to cater to entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey. The cornerstone of Smith’s coaching is his Online Business Coaching Program, which provides personalized guidance and support to help clients achieve their business goals. This program covers crucial aspects such as business model selection, traffic generation, conversion optimization, and scaling strategies.

What sets Jeff Smith apart is his focus on high-income strategies. He emphasizes the importance of not just starting a business, but creating one that can generate substantial revenue. His coaching is tailored to help clients build businesses that can potentially earn six or seven figures annually. Smith’s methods are based on his own experiences and successes, as well as those of his many successful clients.

In addition to one-on-one coaching, High Income Source offers a wealth of free resources, including blog posts, videos, and webinars. These materials cover a wide range of topics relevant to online business success, from marketing tactics to mindset development. Smith believes in providing value upfront, which has helped him build a loyal following and establish credibility in the industry.

5. Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk, widely known as Gary Vee, is a serial entrepreneur, social media marketing expert, and personal branding powerhouse. Born in Belarus and immigrating to the United States in 1978, Vaynerchuk’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age when he started a successful lemonade franchise at just seven years old.

Vaynerchuk’s rise to prominence began when he transformed his family’s wine business into a multi-million-dollar empire through innovative use of e-commerce and content marketing. He later founded VaynerMedia, a full-service digital agency that advises Fortune 500 companies, showcasing his expertise in leveraging social media trends for business growth.

What makes Vaynerchuk stand out is his dynamic presence across multiple social media platforms. He tailors his content to each platform’s unique audience, sharing insights on business, marketing, and personal development. On LinkedIn, he focuses on tactical business strategies for professionals, while on TikTok, he connects with younger audiences through quick, impactful content. His ability to adapt his message across platforms has earned him millions of followers and established him as a trusted voice in digital marketing.

Vaynerchuk’s approach to personal branding is characterized by authenticity and consistency. He maintains a cohesive visual identity across all his channels, using a signature logo, consistent color palette, and recognizable fonts. His content strategy revolves around providing practical, no-nonsense advice on growing businesses and leveraging social media effectively, appealing to both seasoned professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs.

6. Victor Antonio

Victor Antonio has established himself as a prominent figure in the world of sales training and influence techniques. With a background in electrical engineering and an MBA, Antonio’s journey to success is a testament to the American dream. He rose from humble beginnings in one of Chicago’s roughest areas to become a top sales executive and CEO of a multimillion-dollar high-tech company.

Antonio’s expertise lies in teaching effective sales techniques without applying undue pressure. He emphasizes the importance of influence and persuasion in daily scenarios, from shopping to social interactions. His approach focuses on subtle influence and the concept of “nudging” in sales, demonstrated through practical examples like seeking help in stores and understanding the impact of store layouts on customer behavior.

What sets Antonio apart is his ability to combine practical strategies with motivational guidance. He has developed comprehensive training programs, including the Sales Velocity Academy, which offers over 600 videos for sales professionals at all levels. His teachings cover a wide range of topics, from value-centric selling to understanding customer decision-making processes. Antonio’s success is evident in his track record, having grown a business from $14 million to $98 million in annual revenue within just two and a half years during his tenure as Vice President of International Sales at a Fortune 500 company.

Antonio’s influence extends globally, as he has conducted business across Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America, the Caribbean, South Africa, and the Middle East. His dynamic presence and proven communication skills have led him to share stages with renowned business speakers such as Rudy Giuliani and Zig Ziglar. Through his engaging presentations and training programs, Antonio continues to inspire and educate sales professionals worldwide, helping them to convert more “no-decisions” into sales and position themselves as industry leaders.

7. Danny Iny

Danny Iny is a leading figure in the realm of online education and course development, particularly known for his expertise in helping coaches, consultants, and experts monetize their knowledge. As the founder and CEO of Mirasee, Iny has transformed his own challenging start in entrepreneurship into a thriving business that supports thousands of expertise-based entrepreneurs annually.

Iny’s journey began in 2011 when he started the business that would become Mirasee. Despite initial setbacks, including significant personal debt and a lack of industry connections, Iny persevered and developed the “Audience First” paradigm. This approach helped him build Mirasee into an 8-figure organization that now employs over 100 full-time staff members globally and reaches hundreds of thousands of people weekly through its newsletters and email lists.

What distinguishes Iny is his commitment to transparency and continuous learning. He freely shares lessons from both his successes and challenges, supporting the online entrepreneurial community as a teacher, speaker, trainer, and advisor. His insights have been featured in prestigious publications such as the Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Inc., Forbes, and Business Insider.

Iny’s impact on the online education space is further evidenced by his prolific writing. He is a six-time best-selling author, with books like “Teach Your Gift,” “Leveraged Learning,” and “Online Courses” garnering over 2,000 Amazon reviews with an average rating of 4.4 stars. Additionally, he has created the Mirasee FM podcast network, which publishes over 10 shows and has accumulated more than 1 million downloads. Through his work, Iny continues to shape the landscape of online education, helping entrepreneurs transform their expertise into successful online courses and businesses.

8. Natalie Sisson

Natalie Sisson, known as “The Suitcase Entrepreneur,” has established herself as a leading authority in location-independent business strategies. Born in New Zealand, Sisson left her stable job and life in Canada in 2010 to embark on a journey of entrepreneurship and adventure. Her expertise lies in helping entrepreneurs build businesses that allow them to work from anywhere in the world, leveraging online tools, social media, and outsourcing.

Sisson’s approach to business and life is centered around the concept of “living life on your own terms.” She advocates for a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, choice, and adventure over traditional corporate structures. Through her own experiences of running a successful online business while traveling to hundreds of places worldwide, Sisson has developed a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with location independence.

What sets Sisson apart is her practical, no-nonsense approach to building a portable online business. She focuses on teaching entrepreneurs how to create digital products and programs, use online tools effectively, and leverage social media for business growth. Her methods emphasize action-taking and trust marketing, where she recommends products and services she personally uses and believes in.

Sisson’s impact extends beyond her business teachings. She challenges conventional ideas about lifestyle and work, encouraging her followers to redefine success on their own terms. Her philosophy emphasizes that true freedom comes from having the ability to choose how and where to live and work, rather than being tied to a specific location or job.

9. Jeb Blount

Jeb Blount has established himself as a globally respected expert in sales, leadership, and customer experience. His approach to sales training is comprehensive, focusing not just on techniques but also on the psychology behind successful selling and customer interactions. Blount’s expertise spans various aspects of sales, from prospecting and objection handling to emotional intelligence in sales and leadership development.

One of Blount’s key teachings is the importance of understanding and leveraging emotional intelligence in sales, which he explores in depth in his book “Sales EQ.” He argues that while technical skills are important, it’s the ability to connect emotionally with customers that truly sets top performers apart. Blount emphasizes that purchase decisions are primarily driven by emotions, with logic playing a secondary role in justifying those decisions.

What distinguishes Blount is his focus on delivering a legendary customer experience. He teaches that in today’s competitive market, the customer’s emotional journey throughout the buying process is a critical factor in sales success. Blount’s workshops and training programs are designed to help sales professionals and leaders understand the core elements of customer experience, audit and close experience gaps, and effectively deal with challenging customer situations.

Blount’s approach to sales leadership is equally comprehensive. He advocates for building high-performance teams by focusing on inspiring and effective leadership in the modern workplace. His teachings challenge leaders to examine their behaviors and provide insights into becoming leaders for whom people will “run through walls.” This includes strategies for pushing through fear, becoming rejection-proof, and developing an unstoppable mindset.

Through his books, workshops, and keynote speeches, Blount continues to shape the landscape of sales training and customer experience. His ability to combine practical strategies with psychological insights makes his teachings particularly valuable in today’s complex sales environment, where buyers are more informed and in control than ever before.

10. Russell Brunson

Russell Brunson is a prominent figure in the online marketing landscape, renowned for his expertise in sales funnels and digital marketing strategies. Born on March 8, 1980, Brunson’s journey into entrepreneurship began in college when he and his roommate created a successful potato gun DVD business. This early venture laid the foundation for what would become a prolific career in online marketing.

Brunson is best known as the co-founder of ClickFunnels, a software platform designed to help businesses create high-converting sales funnels without the need for extensive technical skills. 

Launched in 2014, ClickFunnels quickly gained traction, growing to over $100 million in revenue within just a few years and boasting more than 150,000 active users by 2023. The platform simplifies the process of building sales funnels, allowing entrepreneurs to effectively market their products and services online. Brunson has popularized the concept of sales funnels, emphasizing their importance in guiding potential customers through the buying process—from initial awareness to final purchase.

In addition to his software success, Brunson is a bestselling author of several influential books, including “DotCom Secrets,” “Expert Secrets,” and “Traffic Secrets.” These works provide valuable insights into online marketing strategies and have helped countless entrepreneurs improve their business practices. His teachings focus on understanding customer psychology and crafting compelling messages that resonate with target audiences. Brunson’s innovative approach has disrupted traditional marketing methods, enabling thousands of entrepreneurs to effectively communicate their value propositions and drive sales.

Brunson’s influence extends beyond his software and books; he is also a sought-after speaker and coach. He frequently shares his knowledge at industry conferences and events, inspiring others to embrace the power of sales funnels in their marketing efforts. His commitment to helping entrepreneurs succeed has solidified his reputation as a leading authority in online marketing.

11. Pat Flynn

Pat Flynn is a well-respected entrepreneur and thought leader known for his expertise in affiliate marketing and passive income strategies. Born on August 17, 1983, Flynn’s entrepreneurial journey began with the creation of Green Exam Academy, an online resource designed to help individuals pass the LEED exam. This initial success paved the way for Flynn to become a prominent figure in the digital marketing space.

Flynn is best known for his blog and podcast, Smart Passive Income (SPI), where he shares insights on building successful online businesses. His transparent approach to sharing income reports has garnered him a loyal following, as he openly discusses both his successes and failures in the world of online entrepreneurship. Since launching SPI, Flynn has generated over $3 million from affiliate marketing alone, demonstrating the effectiveness of his strategies.

One of Flynn’s key contributions to the field is his emphasis on ethical affiliate marketing. He teaches aspiring marketers how to promote products they genuinely believe in while maintaining trust with their audience. His course “1•2•3 Affiliate Marketing” provides step-by-step guidance on how to get started with affiliate marketing, choose the right products, and implement effective promotional strategies. By focusing on providing value rather than simply pushing sales, Flynn helps entrepreneurs build sustainable income streams without compromising their integrity.

In addition to his work in affiliate marketing, Flynn is also an accomplished author and speaker. His books cover various aspects of online business development, offering practical advice for those looking to create passive income through digital products or services. Flynn’s impact on the industry has been recognized by major publications such as Forbes and The New York Times, further solidifying his status as a leading authority in online entrepreneurship.

Through his innovative strategies and commitment to ethical business practices, Pat Flynn continues to inspire countless individuals seeking financial independence through affiliate marketing and passive income generation.