How to Start a Hypnotherapy Business

Hypnotherapy practices have remained relatively resilient during the past ten years, with hypnotherapy businesses operating successfully in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and more. Hypnotherapists can also be found operating in smaller localities, thanks to hypnosis becoming more widely accepted as a bonafide therapeutic modality.

Hypnotherapy businesses bring the excitement of possibility to people suffering from pain, who want to stop smoking, who want to lose weight, and want to reduce stress and other problems that hypnosis can alleviate. Hypnotherapists are working full-time across the country in every state in the US.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a hypnotherapy business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Hypnotherapy Business
  2. Form your Hypnotherapy Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Hypnotherapy Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Hypnotherapy Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Hypnotherapy Business
  7. Get Hypnotherapy Business Insurance
  8. Define your Hypnotherapy Business Brand
  9. Create your Hypnotherapy Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your hypnotherapy business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a hypnotherapy business?

The startup expenses for a hypnotherapy business are manageable, with the biggest expense being office space’s cost. Regus has some day office space for $300, but this is the low end of the price range. A dedicated office space available to you 24/7 can cost as much as $900 per month or more.

Other marketing expenses include building a website, purchasing marketing materials, and advertising. World-famous hypnotist Igor Ledochowski has lots of tips on how to operate a low-cost hypnotherapy practice. For example, Igor uses an intake form and uses it as a session agreement (contract) to get paid upfront. Igor also makes session recordings, from a smartphone app, and sells those to his clients for an added amount. Igor also sells packages of sessions over a single session to ensure he’s booked solid with clients.

Business owners who have limited funds can lower the cost of operating a hypnotherapy practice by starting out of their house at first. After saving up, they can transition to a rented office space. The other expenses are minimal, especially if business owners keep things simple.

What are the ongoing expenses for a hypnotherapy business?

A hypnotherapy business’s ongoing expenses are minimal. They include regular advertising, ongoing marketing expenses, and the monthly office rent for making bookings.

Who is the target market?

A hypnotherapy business’s most steady work usually comes from smoking cessation clients, so smokers wishing to stop and people with other habits are a good target market to focus on initially. As a business grows, business owners can add other services, like weight loss hypnosis, pain management hypnosis, stress reduction hypnosis, and so many more.

How does a hypnotherapy business make money?

A hypnotherapy business makes money by charging clients a fixed rate per session. It usually takes 4-6 sessions to help a client stop smoking. Fees are usually charged per session.

How much can you charge customers?

The going rate for hypnotherapy varies but is reported to be $75 per session, although this may vary some by location. A well established and credible hypnotist receives up to $250 per booking for a 45-minute hypnosis session.

How much profit can a hypnotherapy business make?

A successful hypnotherapy business can bring in sizable revenue. In just one day, a business owner could have ten 45-minute bookings. At a rate of $75 per hour, income from this day would be $750. Even working just weekends, a hypnotherapy business could make $1,500 per week.

A booking rate of $250 per hour is exceptional but shows how much the most successful hypnotherapists can earn.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Hypnotherapy business owners have found many ways to diversify and increase revenue. Igor Ledochowski has written books, has numerous training courses, and does live hypnotherapy training for aspiring hypnotherapists. Other methods include offering hypnosis downloads for sale and selling “skypnosis” sessions (online bookings).

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your hypnotherapy business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your hypnotherapy business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a hypnotherapy business business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a hypnotherapy business

One of the most effective ways to promote a hypnotherapy business is through local advertising and word of mouth. Hypnotherapy practices are excellent businesses for helping people to quickly find solutions to personal problems they may be facing. Hypnotherapy is a relaxing experience for the client, and often the guided relaxation alone and time spent discussing their issue is hugely helpful. 

These two side benefits are especially well-suited for a practitioner who exhibits a sense of calm and peacefulness in their advertisements.

How to keep customers coming back

Business owners can set themselves apart from other hypnotherapists by developing a truly unique hypnotherapy approach and brand. A strong backstory and engaging personality will leave memorable impressions.

Importantly, a hypnotherapist doesn’t have to be a traditional direct hypnotist commanding the hypnotee to do what they say (although some people may need a more direct approach). For example, a hypnotherapist may be able to connect better with a client by giving them indirect or “permissive” suggestions. If that indirect approach works, almost any conversation is viable for hypnotizing and helping the subject. The positive experience you give the hypnotic subject and the success they have with your hypnosis sessions will be the two key factors determining whether or not they come back to you and refer business to you.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Anyone who enjoys hypnotizing others and helping people overcome personal hurdles may like running a hypnotherapy business. Much of the work involves talking to people in a private office setting.

While big-name trainers like Igor Ledochowski dominate the industry, anyone with a desire to hypnotize others and help them can also start this type of business. There are challenges for any new business owner who enters the multiple-therapy-dominated industry, but several hypnotists are having success. Hypnotherapists don’t take insurance like so many other psychotherapeutic workers. However, the rate that a hypnotist charges is much less, and the time needed to help the client is much faster, so this is one reason hypnotists can excel in this profession.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a hypnotherapy business?

Attending a hypnosis session involves much more than simply showing up for the booked time. A hypnotist must prep themselves, drive to the location, and meet the client (going over an intake form) before the session starts. After going through the intake form, learning what the client’s desired outcome happens to be, the next phase is to start the hypnosis session. This involves having the client relax through a guided meditation, then providing some hypnotic suggestions to the subject, and then bringing them out of hypnosis. 

Once the session is finished, the hypnotherapist has the client wait until the client has fully resumed consciousness while talking them through how the session went. After seeing clients, the hypnotist files away their notes and goes home.

On a fully booked day or weekend, hypnotherapists might do all of this multiple times. Igor Ledochowski, perhaps the world’s most successful hypnotherapist, did up to twenty sessions in a single day, seeing hundreds of clients.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful hypnotherapy business?

Working as a hypnotherapist is more than simply hypnotizing people or relaxing them with a smooth voice. Business owners need to cultivate a hypnotherapist character with their own professional dynamics, personality, and a willingness to want to help people. General hypnosis experience helps with this, as does hypnotherapy-specific experiences.

To get general hypnotherapy training, business owners can enroll in a program and attend classes in person or online. Many hypnosis schools, online courses, and trainers have great programs, and in-person programs are often preferable to online classes as you get feedback from a live person helping you.

For hypnotherapy-specific tips, there are several resources to consult. Igor Ledochowski has an in-person training program, and various hypnosis schools, like Igor’s, sometimes offer regular classes for hypnotherapy enthusiasts. Additionally, Igor’s hypnotherapy books and training courses have helpful tips.

Along with learning hypnosis proficiently, hypnotherapists must be savvy business people. Hypnotherapists are not only hypnotizing people, but they must also educate the public about hypnosis and sometimes be an advocate for the profession. Moreover, the work is done from the office, which requires creating an environment conducive for doing hypnosis (i.e., a calm and peaceful place).

What is the growth potential for a hypnotherapy business?

Most hypnotherapy businesses remain small businesses because they usually consist of one person seeing clients in a local vicinity. When the time is right, business owners might increase their fees or seek more high-profile clients to grow their business. This strategy has proved successful for Steve G. Jones, who makes appearances around the world, and has hypnotized many famous people, like the original actor who played Superman.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a hypnotherapy business?

Working part- or full-time at a hypnosis training center, hypnotherapy practice, or for a stage hypnotist can help get a hypnotherapy business off the ground. Experience in these settings will help business owners become more comfortable interacting with the public and networking with others in the field to bring in some clients.

How and when to build a team

Many hypnotherapy business owners don’t hire employees unless they need an administrative assistant to help manage inquiries, bookings, and other such arrangements. Some business owners make contracts with professional office spaces, like Regus, where a dedicated receptionist will take your calls and pass along messages to you, so your clients have a high-quality image of you. This is usually done once a hypnotherapist is a little more established and has a good number of clients they’re working with already.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading