Facebook Group vs. Email List: What Really Builds a Coaching Business

Marc Mawhinney is the founder of The Coaching Jungle, a Facebook community of more than 24 000 coaches and entrepreneurs.
Since 2014 he's taught business building through honesty, humour, and consistency rather than hype.
Host of the Natural Born Coaches podcast — now over 845 episodes — Mark shares practical stories from a decade online and hundreds of interviews with world-class mentors.
He writes a daily email read by coaches around the world and is the creator of Group Gold and Secret Coach Club.
Canadian by home and realist by nature, he believes discipline is the quiet skill that keeps businesses alive.

“You don't own your followers — but you do own your list.”

In this masterclass, Taniya Hussain sits down with Marc— founder of The Coaching Jungle (24K+ members) — to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable coaching business in a changing online world.

Marc has been in the online space for over a decade, running one of the largest Facebook communities for coaches and sending daily emails that have quietly built a thriving business. Together, they unpack the truth behind visibility, discipline, and staying human while you grow.

From trolls and trademarks to the art of ethical selling, this conversation dives deep into the lived experience of leading an online community — and why your email list may be your most valuable asset.

You'll learn:
• The real difference between owning a list and growing a group
• How to sell without guilt or hype
• Why authenticity is better than algorithms
• What to do when engagement drops
• How discipline creates calm in a noisy online world

Marc’s Top Quotes

• “You own your list. Facebook can take your group down — but not your foundation.”

• “Selling isn't selfish — it's how you stay able to serve.”

• “Be yourself. People can smell fake faster than they can smell spam.”

• “Discipline beats motivation — every single day.”

• “Naïve is good. If you knew everything you'd go through, you'd never start.”

⏱️ YouTube Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back, Mark
04:15 Ten Years in the Online Space
09:00 The Facebook Shift: What Changed After Covid
14:30 Groups vs. Email Lists: What You Own
20:10 Lessons from the Group Gold Story
25:30 Selling Without Shame
31:40 Running a 24K Community (Without Losing Your Mind)
38:25 Staying Real: Don't Copy Your Coaches
44:50 Discipline, Not Glamour
51:15 Lowlights, Highlights, and Staying Grounded
57:45 Closing Reflection

The Early Days: When Online Coaching Felt Simple

Taniya and Marc first met years ago, when online coaching was simpler — before algorithms, before overwhelm. Back then, growing a Facebook group felt almost magical. Now, it's a discipline.

March as been in the online space since 2014 and has seen every evolution of the coaching world. His group, The Coaching Jungle, now has more than 24 000 members. But what he's learned isn't about reach — it's about ownership.

“You own your email list,” he says. “Facebook can take your group down tomorrow, but your list is yours.”

When Engagement Drops and Pressure Rises

Engagement is harder to get. Coaches feel pressure to post more, go live more, and stay “visible.” Marc laughs about it — “It used to feel effortless; now you work twice as hard to reach half as many people.”

Instead of giving up, he rebalanced.
His email list and Facebook group now feed each other: the list builds trust, the group builds reach.

Together they form one steady ecosystem that can't be taken away overnight.

Selling Without Shame

Marc tells the story of being criticized for selling on Thanksgiving. A group member scolded him for promoting an offer that day.

“Coaches look for any excuse not to sell.”

For him, selling is not a dirty word — it's service.
“You spend hundreds of hours a year building a free community. If you're helping people, you deserve to be compensated.”

Staying Authentic in a Noisy World

Authenticity becomes the heart of the conversation. After seeing coaches mimic others' styles, Marc laughs:

“Be yourself. People can smell fake faster than they can smell spam.”

Taniya nods. “If you're not aligned with your own values, it shows up in everything — your tone, timing, energy.” Authenticity becomes the heart of the conversation.

The Real Work: Discipline Over Glamour

Both admit that entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. Marc still has tough days even after ten years in business. The difference now is perspective.

“Naïve is good,” he smiles. “If you knew everything you'd go through, you'd never start.”

It's not about chasing motivation; it's about discipline — showing up when no one's clapping.

What Really Lasts

For today's coaches, this conversation feels like a compass.
It isn't about choosing Facebook or email — it's about building what lasts.

Email lists mean control.
Facebook groups mean connection.
Together, they create resilience.

“You don't need more engagement,” says Marc. “You need more integrity.”
And that's the heart of it: staying real, disciplined, and human in a noisy online world.