Marcus Bell standing on a limestone ledge above a creek at sunrise

You know you're capable of more.Let's prove it.

Are you a man from 20 to 32 who feels stuck, and can't seem to build discipline, confidence or a life with direction? You're in the right place. It doesn't matter where you live, and the first call is free.

Book a free call

Certified through a 10-month program at the Co-Active Training Institute (CPCC) and credentialed by the International Coaching Federation (ACC). I've coached about 120 men since 2021.

Sound familiar?

You start strong and lose steam in a week.
You feel behind everyone else your age.

You're not sure what you want, just that it's not this.
You've watched every self-improvement video, and nothing changes.

Usually what's missing is a plan, and someone who holds you to it.

Marcus leaning on the backstop of an empty ball field at dawn, an old glove in his hand

Marcus in an orange cap laughing down at his dog Ruth beside a backyard smoker

Meet Marcus

When baseball ended, I didn't know who I was anymore.

I'd planned my whole life around the game. Once it was gone, nobody told me what to do at 6 a.m., so I didn't do anything. It took a friend from the team telling me I looked checked out before I asked for help. Now I coach guys in their 20s and early 30s who are in the spot I was in.

More about my story

I grew up in Temple, Texas, about an hour north of Austin, the oldest of three. My dad ran a small auto shop and my mom taught middle school math.

After baseball I went into sales and hit my numbers, but I hated the work. Over the next 5 years I put on 25 pounds and kept telling myself I'd figure it out later.

The friend who said I looked checked out is a firefighter now. He said it over beers when I was 27, and it stung enough that I hired a coach for 12 weeks, a former minor-league pitcher. His first assignment was to be up at 6:30 every day for 2 weeks, so I used those mornings to run the trail around White Rock Lake.

At 28 I moved to Austin. At 29 I ran my first trail race, on the Barton Creek greenbelt. These days I live in East Austin with my wife, Dana, who's an ER nurse, and our dog, Ruth, named after Babe Ruth. Every spring I coach my nephew's Little League team.

How I got here

18 to 22Center fielder, 4 years of college ball. Captain my senior year.
22 to 27Torn labrum, no draft call. Sold payroll software in Dallas and gamed until 2 a.m.
27 to 29Hired a coach in Dallas. Moved to Austin at 28.
29 to 34Quit sales and trained as a coach. Coaching from Austin since 2021.

The Groundwork Method

Every program I run follows these 3 parts, in this order. The weeks below are for Groundwork, my 12-week program.

Marcus running toward the camera on a rocky trail through pines in early light

1
Direction
Figure out what you actually want and why it matters to you.
Weeks 1 to 3. You answer my intake questions, we go through your answers on the calls, and by week 3 you have one goal written down.
2
Discipline
Build simple daily habits that stick, even on bad days.
Weeks 4 to 8. We pick 2 or 3 small daily habits and you track them. After a bad week, we adjust them on the call.
3
Drive
Start acting on the goal you wrote down.
Weeks 9 to 12. Each week you take one real step toward that goal, then tell me how it went on our call.

Ways to work together

Every option starts with the free call, so you'll know what you're getting before you pay anything.

Free call30 min on video

A first conversation about where you're stuck and what you want to change.

Length1 call

PriceFree

Groundwork1:1 coaching

A 45 min call every week, with text check-ins between calls.

Length12 weeks

Price$1,500or 3 monthly payments of $525 ($1,575 total)

Start Groundwork

Eli P., 26, claims adjuster

Week 1: up past 1 a.m. most nights, 3 years into a job he called “fine.”

Week 12: up at 6:30 on weekdays and 2 classes into a paralegal certificate.

If after your first 4 calls you don't have a plan you believe in, I'll refund you in full.Marcus

Monthly coaching1:1, ongoing

2 calls a month, with text check-ins between. Keep going for as long as it helps.

LengthOngoing

Price$350a month

Start monthly coaching

The Groundwork CrewSmall group

One group call a week with up to 8 men. On the first call we agree that what's said in the group stays in the group.

Length8 weeks

Price$397

Save a seat in the Crew

The fine print

Week 1: You fill in a short intake form before the first call. On that call we set your goal and your first assignment.
Calls: On Zoom, weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, Central time. Clients join from any US time zone.
Text check-ins: Plain text messages. I reply within 1 weekday, and you can write as often as you like.
Missed call: Reschedule with 24 hours' notice.
Monthly coaching: There's no minimum. Cancel anytime before your next billing date.
Refund on Groundwork: Email me after your 4th call. If you don't have a plan you believe in, I refund you in full within 7 days. On a payment plan, you get back everything you've paid.

What clients say

“I went from ‘I'll start Monday’ to a 90-day streak of 6 a.m. workouts. Marcus doesn't let you off the hook.”

Jordan K., 24, electrician apprentice · Monthly coaching

“I finally applied for the job I'd been talking about for 2 years, and I got it.”

Devin R., 28, software developer · Groundwork

“First person who actually helped me figure out what I want instead of telling me what to want.”

Chris L., 22, college senior · Groundwork Crew

Shared with each client's permission.

Questions before you book

Anything else, email me at hello@marcusbellcoaching.com.

I don't even know what I want. Can you still help?

Yes. Most of the men I coach couldn't answer that when we first talked. Working it out is the first part of every program, and we don't set goals until it's done.

How is this different from YouTube self-improvement content?

A video can't tell when you've gone quiet for a week. I can, and I'll text you about it. Every call is about your life and what you said you'd do last time.

What happens on the free call?

You tell me where you're stuck and what you'd like to be different, and I ask a lot of questions. If coaching fits, I'll say which option and why. If it doesn't, I'll tell you that too.

Is this therapy?

No. Coaching is about what you do next. If you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or drinking or gaming you can't control, I'll point you to a therapist first, and we can work together alongside that.

Can I pay monthly?

Yes. Groundwork can be split into 3 monthly payments of $525 ($1,575 total), and monthly coaching is billed at $350 each month.

Do I have to live in Austin?

No. Every call is on Zoom, and my clients live all over the US. You need a quiet room and a decent internet connection.

Marcus sitting on a weathered bench in warm side light, an old glove and boots beside him

Start with one call.

30 min, free. Tell me what's going on. If I can help, I'll tell you how. If I can't, I'll say so and point you to someone who can.