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Last Year, India produced 111 new ICF credentialed coaches. 41 were trained and mentored by Guiding Light.
ICF Level 1 Coach Training • ACC Credential Path
Become an ICF Credentialed Coach.
Built for Mastery.
The ICF Level 1 Program Behind 58% of India's New ACC Coaches in 2025
Schedule Your Exploration Call
30 minutes. No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity on your coaching journey.
30 minutes. Clear direction. Genuine guidance. With Guiding Light Faculty (ICF-credentialed coaches)
ICF-Accredited Level 1
Rated 5/5 by Participants
41 Coaches Credentialed in 2025
Experience a Live Session
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE YOUR PROGRAM, READ THIS
There Are Two Ways to Train a Coach.
One Focuses on Completion.
The Other Focuses on Capability.
If you're here, you've already decided to become a professional coach.
You may be an HR leader who has experienced the power of coaching conversations. A manager who wants to lead differently. Or someone at an inflection point, drawn toward more meaningful work.
This next decision matters. Because coach training is not simply about earning a certificate. It is about becoming someone who can hold real coaching conversations with depth, clarity, and presence.
Now consider this:
111
New ICF Credentials in 2025
55
Accredited Training Institutes
37%
Came From Guiding Light
Coach training is widely available. Credentialed mastery is rare.
The question is not whether you can complete a program. The question is whether you will be developed.
THE DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL
The Craft of Professional Coaching
Completion Is Administrative. Craft Is Developmental.
Professional coaching is not content consumption. It is refined through disciplined practice, structured observation, and deliberate feedback.
A certificate confirms participation. Craft confirms capability.
In many training environments, the emphasis rests on coverage: competencies explained, frameworks introduced, hours logged.
But coaching, at its highest level, is a live discipline. It demands presence under pressure. Judgment in ambiguity. Precision in questioning. Ethical clarity in real time. These qualities are not downloaded. They are developed.
Craft requires:
Repeated, supervised practice
Feedback that sharpens awareness
Mentors who see what you cannot yet see
Structured progression from understanding to embodiment
Without this depth, coaching remains conceptual. With it, coaching becomes instinctive.
If you are committing months of your life and significant investment, the decision is not whether you will complete a program. It is whether you will develop the craft.
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CRAFT
We Develop Coaches. Not Graduate Them.
Guiding Light's ICF Level 1 program is built on a simple order of priority:
Mastery first. Credential second. The credential matters. We clearly have the numbers:
41 Guiding Light graduates credentialed in 2025 alone. But capability matters more.
Here's what that actually looks like in practice:
You practice.
A lot. With real feedback.
Not role-plays with your batchmates where everyone says "that was great." Structured, supervised coaching practice where experienced mentor coaches observe you, challenge you, and help you see what you can't see yourself. This is where real coaching skill is built. Not in lectures. Not in theory modules. In the messy, uncomfortable, beautiful work of actually coaching.
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You get mentored. Not just taught.
There's a difference between an instructor who delivers content and a mentor who develops you. Our program is designed around high-touch mentoring. You're not a number in a batch. You're a developing coach who gets personal attention, honest feedback, and guidance tailored to where YOU are in your journey.
You get supported AFTER the program ends.
Most programs wave goodbye the moment you complete. We don't. Your credentialing journey, your first real clients, your moments of doubt... we're there for all of it. Through our Coaches Circle community and ongoing mentoring support, you stay connected, keep practicing, and continue growing long after the program is "over."
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You get clarity BEFORE you enroll.
We don't do high-pressure sales calls. We do exploration calls. Honest conversations where we help you figure out if this is the right path, the right program, and the right time for you. We even invite you to attend a live session for free before you make any decision. Because we'd rather you choose right than choose fast.
Our promise is simple:
We take you to the finish line. Not just the starting block.
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE
Every Other Institute Can Make Promises. We Have the Scoreboard.
In 2025, India produced 111 new ICF credentialed coaches across all 55 accredited training institutes. Here's the breakdown:
ACC (credentials via Level 1)
All India (55 Institutes) - 24
Guiding Light - 14
Our Share - 58%
PCC (credentials via Level 2)
All India (50 Institutes) - 65
Guiding Light - 15
Our Share - 23%
MCC (credentials via Level 3)
All India (10 Institutes) - 22
Guiding Light - 12
Our Share - 55%
TOTAL
All India (55 Institutes) - 111
Guiding Light - 41
Our Share - 37%
CREDENTIALS
ALL INDIA
(55 INSTITUTES)
GUIDING LIGHT
OUR SHARE
ACC (credentials via Level 1 / Portfolio Path)
24
14
58%
PCC (credentials via Level 2 / Portfolio Path)
65
15
23%
MCC (credentials via Level 3 / Portfolio Path)
22
12
55%
Total
111
41
37%
Source: ICF Credentialing Records, 2025
60
Total coaches supported to credentials (including free community)
54%
Of all new ICF credentialed coaches in India in 2025
What Our Coaches Say
"After 15 years in senior leadership, I sought formal coach training to help others and discover myself. Among many institutes, Srikanth stood out for his transparency and genuine support. His journey, marked by resilience and success, inspired confidence. The training has transformed my perspective, allowing me to unlearn corporate habits and embrace a calmer approach. The open, structured, and hands-on coaching, coupled with the supportive community of 250+ coaches, has been invaluable. Srikanth's accessibility is a bonus. Highly recommended for aspiring coaches." - Krishnan Subramanian, ICF ACC
"Participating in the program was transformative, enhancing my understanding and practice of coaching. It highlighted the importance of self-exploration, and prioritizing process over results. The program is a powerful tool for self-discovery, and I’ve even integrated it into my approach to teaching Indic Wisdom." - Krishna Prakash, ICF ACC
"When I first came to coaching Level 1, I was almost a blank slate, knowing only a few things that didn’t quite make sense to me yet. My main intention was to reinvent my career, become independent, and find my voice and purpose. Through the coaching journey, that intention was not only fulfilled, it was exceeded in ways I hadn’t imagined. Coaching was more than just learning the basics; it became unavoidable inner work filled with deep conversations, meaningful reflections, and the support of a caring community.
One person’s success truly becomes the success of all. I highly recommend Coach Srikanthan Kumarasamy and his team for their high-quality learning combined with a genuine human touch, supporting growth from the being and beyond." - Sabah Al Sheraifi, ICF ACC
"I had the privilege of doing my ICF-ACC training under Srikanth, and I can say with absolute certainty that he’s one of the most authentic and grounded mentors I’ve worked with.
What stood out from the very beginning was his calm, centered presence. Srikanth brings such depth of experience that he effortlessly helps you uncover blind spots. Every mentoring conversation felt like a powerful blend of insight, encouragement, and honesty.
He’s someone who always shows up whether it's responding to a message or clarifying a doubt. I know he is always there to hold space when I am unsure of my next step. His commitment to strengthening our coaching fundamentals is unwavering, and his knowledge of the ICF framework is second to none. If you're looking for a mentor who is not just skilled, but truly invested in your growth as a coach then Srikanth is that person." - Ruchikka Kar, ICF ACC
"Effective coaching is less about applying tools and more about developing the coach’s way of thinking, listening, and being present, especially when situations become human, complex, and unpredictable. I didn’t fully understand this until I attended your (Coach Srikanth’s) cohort. You genuinely changed the way I think about coaching:
“Slow is fast.”, “Absence is presence.”, "Silence speaks", “Trust the process, Magic happens.”
On a more serious note, for anyone considering a career as a coach, Guiding Light is where you need to be. Srikanthan doesn’t train you to be a coach—he lets you grow as a coach, from within, and in your own style." - Ravi Chandra Kukke, ICF ACC
IS THIS FOR YOU?
This Program Is Not For Everyone.
And We're Okay With That.
This is for you if:
You're a working professional, HR leader, manager, consultant, or trainer who feels called to coaching and wants to do it right the first time
You don't just want to "get certified." You want to actually become a coach who creates real impact in people's lives
You value depth over speed. You'd rather build genuine mastery than rush through a program to add letters after your name
You want honest guidance, not a sales pitch. You appreciate transparency before you invest
You understand that real skill takes practice, feedback, and support, and you're willing to show up for that process
This is NOT for you if:
You're looking for the fastest or cheapest way to add "ICF Certified" to your LinkedIn headline
You want a fully self-paced program where you can watch recordings and skip the practice
You're not willing to receive honest feedback about your coaching. Our mentors will challenge you because that's how growth happens
You want someone to guarantee a thriving coaching business in 90 days. We build coaching skill. Business building is a separate journey
If you read the "This is for you" list and felt something stir, you're probably in the right place.
INSIDE THE PROGRAM
What You Actually Get
(And Why Each Piece Matters)
Transformational Coaching Foundations • ACC Credential Path
🎓
ICF Core Competencies
Aligned with the latest ICF standards. Learn what competencies look like in real sessions, not just in theory.
🎬
Live, Interactive Sessions
Every session is live. You're in the room, engaged, practicing in real time with your cohort and facilitators.
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👁
Supervised Practice
Coach real people while experienced mentors observe. Get specific, actionable feedback. Real coaching on your coaching.
🤝
Mentor Coaching Hours
Included in the program. Essential for credentialing. We make sure they're genuinely developmental, not just logged.
🏆
Credential Preparation
Application, documentation, performance evaluation. We've guided 41 coaches through this in one year. We know what works.
🌐
Coaches Circle Community
250+ coaches. Practice partners, peer learning, mentor access and accountability. A living ecosystem, not a dead group.
WHO'S BEHIND THIS
We Built Guiding Light Because We Believe the Coaching Industry Deserves Better
Lakshan & Srikanthan Kumarasamy
Guiding Light Coaching was founded by Srikanthan Kumarasamy and Lakshan Srikanthan with a simple belief: if someone is going to call themselves a coach, they should actually be able to coach.
That sounds obvious. But look at the numbers. 55 institutes. And only 111 credentials.
We didn't set out to build the biggest coaching institute in India. We set out to build the one that actually delivers on its promise. The one that doesn't just sell programs but develops people. The one that measures success not by how many people enroll, but by how many people actually become the coach they set out to be.
The lantern in our logo isn't just decoration. It represents what we do: we guide you every step of the way. Through the learning, through the doubt, through the practice, through the credentialing process, and beyond.
No hidden funnels. No upsells after you enroll. No bait and switch. Just honest, high-quality coaching education with the track record to prove it.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Let's Have an Honest Conversation About Your Coaching Journey
Book a free 30-minute exploration call. This is not a sales call.
It's a clarity call.
You tell us where you are. Your background, your goals, why coaching interests you. We listen.
We tell you what we honestly think. Is ICF Level 1 the right next step? Is now the right time? We'll give our honest assessment, even if the answer is "not yet."
We answer every question you have. Program structure, time commitment, investment, credentialing. Nothing is off limits.
If it makes sense, we invite you to attend a live session. Free. No commitment. Experience the quality before you decide.
If it doesn't make sense, we'll tell you. We'd rather lose an enrollment than enroll someone who isn't ready. That's how we've built a 37% market share.
Limited seats per cohort. Conversations happen on a first-come basis.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions You Probably Have
(And Honest Answers)
That's exactly what the exploration call is designed for. You don't need to be certain. You just need to be curious enough to explore. We'll help you think through whether coaching aligns with your goals, your personality, and your current life stage. And if it doesn't, we'll say so. We'd rather you make the right choice than a fast one.
A fair question. Here's how we'd think about it: The investment isn't just for a program. It's for an outcome. Most programs at any price point produce 1-2 credentialed coaches per year. We produced 14 new ACC coaches in 2025 alone, which is 58% of all new ACCs in India. The question isn't how much the program costs. The question is what are you actually getting for that investment. A certificate? Or real coaching mastery with the track record and support system behind it?
Yes. We invite every prospective participant to attend a live session for free before making any commitment. No strings attached. See the facilitation style, experience the learning environment, and decide for yourself whether this feels right. We believe the best sales pitch is showing you the actual product.
That's where most programs leave you hanging. We don't. Our support extends well beyond program completion. Through ongoing mentoring, the Coaches Circle community, and credential preparation guidance, we stay with you until you're ready. "We take you to the finish line" isn't a slogan. It's our operational commitment. 41 credentials in one year is the proof.
It's the opposite. Most certification programs focus on completing hours and checking boxes so you can get a certificate. We focus on building real coaching competence through structured practice, mentor feedback, and sustained support. The certificate is a byproduct. The credential becomes a natural outcome. Because when you actually develop mastery, the credentialing process isn't a struggle. It's a formality.
Let's be transparent: this program builds coaching skill and credential readiness. It doesn't include business development or client acquisition training. However, we've found that coaches who have genuine competence, confidence, and an ICF credential have a significant advantage in attracting clients. Skill is the foundation. Everything else is built on top of it.
The track record speaks for itself. In 2025, Guiding Light contributed 37% of all new ICF credentialed coaches in India. Including our free community, that number reaches 54%. Our founders have built a coaching development ecosystem that produces real results at a scale no other institute in India has matched.
55 Institutes. 111 Credentials. 41 Were Ours.
The best time to start your coaching journey is when you've found the right guide. You've seen our numbers. You've read our philosophy. You know what we stand for. Now let's find out if we're the right fit for each other.
30 minutes. Clear direction. Genuine guidance.
With Guiding Light Faculty (ICF-credentialed coaches)
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