Coaching Heroes, the professional coach education and business development school founded by British entrepreneur and international bestselling author Marco Robinson, has achieved Level 1 accreditation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and announced the successful graduation of its first cohort of students.

The accreditation marks a significant milestone for Coaching Heroes as the school expands its international coach education model, combining professional coaching standards with practical education focused on building sustainable coaching businesses.

The first graduates of the Coaching Heroes program include Jen Ripa, Elizabeth Bjorndal Ruud, Jodie Gruninger, Kersten Stengel, C J Janzen, Dianne Tremblay, Samir Doh and Lauren Margaritis.

For Robinson, the accreditation and graduation of the school's first students demonstrate the transition of Coaching Heroes from a new concept into an established professional education platform.

"We didn't want to create another coaching course with a certificate designed by the people selling the course," said Robinson. "We wanted to build a real coaching school around recognised professional standards. That meant creating the curriculum, bringing in highly credentialed coaching professionals, building proper assessment and mentor coaching into the education, and ultimately going through the process required to achieve ICF accreditation."

Coaching Heroes' Level 1 accreditation places its coach education program within the ICF's recognised coach education framework. The program provides students with structured education and assessment designed to develop professional coaching competencies and can serve as an educational pathway for individuals who later choose to pursue an ICF credential such as the Associate Certified Coach (ACC), subject to meeting the applicable ICF requirements.

The school has deliberately separated completion of its accredited education program from individual ICF credentialing. Graduating from Coaching Heroes does not itself confer an ICF credential, with individual credentials awarded separately by ICF to applicants who satisfy the organisation's applicable requirements.

At the centre of Coaching Heroes' educational structure is Merci Miglino, MCC, who serves as Director of Education. An ICF Master Certified Coach with more than two decades of experience in coaching, coach education, mentoring and leadership development, Miglino brings senior professional coaching expertise to the school's educational program.

Miglino has designed and delivered ICF-accredited coach training and has experience mentoring coaches pursuing ACC, PCC and MCC credential pathways. Her work has also included executive and organisational coaching with leaders and organisations internationally.

"People deserve to know exactly what they're paying for and exactly what their qualification represents," Robinson said. "That's one of the reasons achieving the ICF accreditation mattered so much to us."

The Coaching Heroes faculty and leadership team also includes Antoy Grant, ACC, who serves as business partner, instructor and accreditation strategist. Grant is an ICF credentialed Associate Certified Coach and served as President of the ICF New York City Chapter in 2025. Her experience in professional coaching, leadership and coach development contributes to the school's educational and professional standards.

The structure of Coaching Heroes combines professional coaching expertise with business development. While the school's credentialed coaching faculty focuses on coaching competencies, ethics, practical coaching skills, mentoring and assessment, Robinson's role centres on the commercial disciplines required to develop a sustainable coaching business.

Robinson founded Coaching Heroes after identifying what he viewed as a gap between learning how to coach and learning how to build a viable coaching career. The school's business education addresses areas including positioning, branding, offer development, marketing, sales, authority building and client acquisition.

"There's no point becoming brilliant at changing people's lives if nobody knows you exist," Robinson said. "Professional standards matter enormously. That's why we went through the ICF accreditation process. But once somebody has developed those skills, they also need to understand positioning, communication, marketing, sales and client acquisition."

The Coaching Heroes curriculum combines formal coach education with practical learning, mentor coaching, observation, feedback and assessment. Students develop skills related to ethical practice, coaching agreements, building trust, active listening, creating awareness, powerful questioning, facilitating client growth and establishing effective coaching relationships.

The school's first graduating cohort provides an early demonstration of the program's development. With its ICF Level 1 accreditation achieved, faculty established and students completing the program, Coaching Heroes is now preparing to expand its international education community and future cohorts.

Robinson said the objective is to develop coaches who understand both the professional responsibilities of coaching and the commercial skills required to build sustainable careers.

"This was never about putting another badge on a website," Robinson said. "It was about building something real. We now have an officially ICF accredited Level 1 coaching program. We have an MCC leading our education. We have an ICF credentialed coach who served as President of ICF New York City working inside the organisation. And most importantly, we now have graduates."

About Coaching Heroes

Coaching Heroes is a professional coach education and business development school founded by international bestselling author and entrepreneur Marco Robinson. Its ICF Level 1 accredited coach education program combines professional coaching education, mentor coaching, practical experience, observation, feedback and assessment. The school's educational faculty is led by Merci Miglino, MCC, with Antoy Grant, ACC, serving as a business partner, instructor and accreditation strategist. Alongside professional coach education, Coaching Heroes provides business development education focused on positioning, branding, offers, marketing, sales and client acquisition. The school has graduated its first students and is expanding its international education community.

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