The Ikigai Project

Our purpose is to touch at least 100.000 people worldwide with our Ikigai Programme.

Grow your coaching practice. Build on our global goodwill and reputation. Make more impact in the market faster through our joint marketing efforts.
Bite sized learning. Partner in small peer groups and one-one-one with Paul Donkers and his partners. Leverage on 30 years of real life independent industry experience.
Differentiate yourself in an unregulated market; using our innovative, exclusive and proven toolbox. We approach our work according to the highest professional standards.
Enjoy meaning and a healthy economic return from your work. Design your practice for continuity from the start.
Participate in our robust licensing process. Sharpen your skills.
Join our global community. Be part of something bigger than yourself, work together with like minded professionals while remaining independent.
Build on the momentum around Ikigai in the market.
And last but not least: make a lasting difference in the lives of your clients. Enable them to unlock their purpose.

IS BECOMING A LICENSED PARTNER FOR YOU?

While the coaching industry is growing, this not a simple industry. Developing the right returning clients, getting healthy fees and working with an exclusive toolbox takes effort.

Anyone can call themselves a coach. And that is exactly what many do! Calling yourself a coach is by far not enough to develop a coaching business. Having authority in the market and using a proven toolbox are critical steps to build a client portfolio.

We're not promising you shortcuts to easy success. Growing a healthy coaching business is hard work. However, with decent support, there are excellent opportunities. The coaching market is forecasted to continue to grow. It's a fantastic profession, really making a difference in the lives of your clients. Adding the right dose of business flavour to a great coaching practice will create the accelleration you're looking for.

We're in this industry ourselves for three decades. We've lived through the developments and know where it is today.

We've always had a very healthy and predicatable stream of income from our coaching practice. Both during good times, and during hard times. Therefore, you will only team up with very experienced independent business coaches.

WE INVEST IN YOU

We continue to innovate our end-to-end Ikigai eco-system. The result is that we have always something different and exclusive to offer. Tools like our Ikigai Questions Programme, our Ikigai Scan and Yarak: our Ikigai execution programme. Only our community has exclusive access to this eco-system.
Learn to apply our unique (Ikigai) coaching tools to work with your clients.
Access to our in-house developed coaches ànd client platform: IkigaiHUB.org You have your own dashboard to monitor the progress of your clients. With this tool, you can deliver your programs from anywhere. Of course IkigaiHUB is privacy protected. We comply to GPDR ruling and delete or anonimize data after a client finishes a program.
Receive 50 Ikigai® question programs per year via IkigaiHUB.
Once your license is active, you are featured in the global Ikigai Coach Locator. Via this tool, clients can contact you directly.
Join monthly complementary webinars to improve your delivery, sales and marketing. We teach you how to deliver impactful coaching and how to build your practice.
Build your network worldwide and join our global community like minded Licensed Ikigai Coaches. Most coaches are independent entrepreneurs. Partner, inspire and enrich each other.
24/7 access to our Resources Hub. Where you can download supporting materials.
Two year License as professional Ikigai coach.
Ask us anything! Partner with independent business coaches with at least 20 years industry ànd coaching experience.
The Ikigai Coaching Institute Bamboo poloshirt.
We limit the community of Licensed Ikigai Coaches to one Licensed Ikigai Coach per one million of inhabitants in for each country (e.g. Germany, England, France) or in one state (e.g USA, Canada, Australia). Each licensed Ikigai Coach receives a numbered license.
Leverage on our quality reputation in the market so you can open more doors. We own the European patent on the word Ikigai.

YOU INVEST IN US

Commit to our Institute's Guiding Principles for the delivery of ikigai coaching work.
Sign the licensing agreement.
Participation in two certification sessions. Start with a 90 minutes introduction licensing Zoom webinar. Finish approximately 14 weeks later with a 60 minute peer review session.
In between the two certification sessions, you apply the Ikigai Coaching Methodology with three clients.
Finish the Ikigai Coaching Licensing Questionnaire.
Your total hours of investment is approximately 30 - 40 hours. Split between: participating in the 2 licensing sessions, finishing the survey and preparing and delivery of your three Ikigai Programmes.
Participate in at least one peer style supervision session per year to continue your active license.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

You have finished a higher education at bachelor or masters level.
You have at least 10 years of business experience in a (senior) management position or as an entrepreneur, OR....
OR.... you have at least three years of proven coaching experience with at least delivering 200 hours of coaching.
You have the ambition to take your coaching business to the next level
You support our vision in our manifesto.

If you do not meet all of our criteria, but are interested to join our community, reach out to us to discuss via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We reserve the right to refuse applications. Whether this is due to the maximum number of licensed Ikigai Coaches in one market or for other reasons.

Upcoming Licensing sessions

24 january 2025

14:00 - 15:30 CEST via Zoom

Amsterdam / Paris

Investment: Euro 3500,-

Please reach out to us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you want to discuss a better timing for you due to time differences.

Climate resilience

When possible, we work digital. If we send you things: we compensate 100% of our CO2 footprint. We have your package at your doorstep in a matter of days.

ORGANISATIONAL LICENSE / FRANCHISE

If you are interested in our Ikigai methodology for your organisation or for your school, please contact us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you want to learn more about becoming an exclusive franchise partner for Ikigai Coaching Institute for your country or state, please reach out to us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Better career | Better life | Better planet