Legal & Policy
Last updated: July 10, 2026. The Coachies is produced by The Teaching Studio, LLC · 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 125, Durham, NC 27707 · hello@thecoachies.com
By accessing or using TheCoachies.com, submitting a nomination, casting a vote, purchasing any product or service, or participating in The Coachies Awards in any capacity, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions in their entirety. If you do not agree, do not use this website or participate in the program.
These Terms apply to all users, including nominees, nominators, voters, purchasers, sponsors, and visitors. The Coachies is produced by The Teaching Studio, LLC ("Producer," "we," "us," or "our").
The Coachies 2026 is an awards program recognizing excellence in the coaching industry across 13 award categories in three groups: Coaching Leadership Awards, Coaching Content & Experience Awards, and Specialty Coaching Awards. The program operates across two recognition tracks:
There is no single "category winner." The Coachies intentionally honors multiple voices of excellence within each category. Top 5 Honorees and the Community Choice winner for each award are announced live on YouTube on December 10, 2026.
Nominations are evaluated using artificial intelligence tools including Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and Gemini (Google). AI scoring is applied consistently across all entries in a given category using a structured rubric emphasizing measurable outcomes, documented impact, and category-specific performance indicators.
AI-assisted judging provides the initial structured score. Final eligibility and integrity review remain subject to administrative oversight. The Producer reserves the right to review, adjust, override, or supplement AI scores at our sole discretion. AI tools may evolve or change between the nomination period and scoring.
Important: AI scoring does not constitute a professional evaluation, endorsement, or certification of any nominee's qualifications, claims, or business practices.
Nominations open July 10, 2026 and close November 15, 2026. Nominations are open to coaches and coaching-adjacent professionals worldwide. You must be at least 18 years old to submit a nomination, complete a nomination fee, or vote. By submitting a nomination, the nominator warrants that all information provided is truthful, accurate, and not misleading, and that they are authorized to submit it.
All nomination content must be original, lawfully owned or licensed by the submitter, and free of defamatory, obscene, or unlawful material. The Producer reserves the right to reject, remove, or disqualify any nomination at any time without notice or explanation.
The Producer may request additional documentation to validate any nomination. Failure to provide requested information, or submission of inaccurate or fraudulent information, may result in immediate disqualification. The Producer's determination of any entry's validity is final and binding.
Submitting an application and having it evaluated by the AI judging panel are free of charge. No payment is required to apply or to receive a judging result. A nomination is completed only if and when the nominee chooses to pay the applicable nomination fee described in Section 6. Pricing tiers and their availability are promotional and subject to change or withdrawal at any time without notice.
A single nomination fee covers entry in up to three (3) award categories for the same nominee. No additional per-category fee applies within that limit, and entry beyond three categories is not offered. All fees are subject to the no-refund policy in Section 6.
Public voting for the Community Choice award opens with nominations and closes at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on November 15, 2026. Each vote requires confirmation via a unique email-based token. Only one confirmed vote per email address per award category will be counted. The Producer reserves the right to invalidate any votes, adjust vote counts, or determine the Community Choice winner at our sole discretion. See the Official Contest Rules for full voting details.
The following fee applies to nominees:
No Refunds. All Sales Final. All payments are final and non-refundable. No refunds, credits, chargebacks, or exchanges will be issued under any circumstances. This includes, without limitation: a nominee not being selected as a Top 5 Honoree; not being recognized as a Community Choice winner; the number of votes received; the outcome, score, or result of AI judging (including not qualifying in any or all categories entered); voluntary withdrawal; disqualification for any reason; dissatisfaction with any deliverable; or any program change, postponement, rescheduling, or cancellation. By completing a payment, you expressly acknowledge and accept this no-refund policy.
Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. By making a purchase, you also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. We do not store full card numbers. All payment data is handled by Stripe in accordance with PCI DSS standards.
The nomination fee and all Nominee Recognition Package deliverables are digital and available internationally. All prices are in USD.
If you opt in to SMS communications during registration, you consent to receive text messages about your nomination status and general program updates from The Coachies at the phone number provided. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe. Reply HELP for help. SMS communications are powered by Twilio.
The Coachies Awards show is scheduled to stream live on YouTube on December 10, 2026. The Producer reserves the right, at any time and for any reason, to cancel, postpone, reschedule, or modify the event or any portion of it; change the format, platform, date, time, or structure; add, remove, or modify award categories; or cancel the program entirely. In any such event, no refunds will be issued.
By submitting a nomination, you grant the Producer a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use your name, likeness, nomination content, and submitted materials for promotional, marketing, and editorial purposes in connection with The Coachies, including on social media, press releases, the event broadcast, and future promotional materials. This license survives any disqualification or withdrawal.
The Coachies name, logo, and all associated branding are the property of The Teaching Studio, LLC. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Nominee Recognition Package deliverables, including studio-based video production, and related services described on this website are produced at The Teaching Studio, a broadcast-grade virtual and live event production facility operated by The Teaching Studio, LLC at 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 125, Durham, NC 27707. Inquiries regarding studio availability, virtual event hosting, and production services may be directed to info@theteachingstudio.com or TheTeachingStudio.com.
By continuing to use this website after being presented with our cookie consent notice, you agree to our use of cookies as described in the Privacy Policy. You may withdraw consent at any time by clearing cookies through your browser settings.
Paying a nomination fee completes a nomination and unlocks the associated Nominee Recognition Package. It does not guarantee, and is not a purchase of, any particular result, including selection as a Top 5 Honoree, recognition as a Community Choice winner, any minimum number of votes, any specific AI score, any placement, or any level of exposure, publicity, or business result. Fees are paid for the nomination and package deliverables only, and not for any outcome.
Because all sales are final and non-refundable, initiating a chargeback, payment reversal, or bank dispute for any payment made to the Producer is a breach of these Terms. You agree to contact us first at hello@thecoachies.com to resolve any billing concern. The Producer reserves the right to dispute any chargeback with evidence of your agreement to these Terms, to recover the disputed amount together with any associated fees and costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees), and to disqualify the nominee and suspend or terminate the associated account.
You represent and warrant that all information, statements, results, testimonials, and materials you submit are true, accurate, non-misleading, and lawfully yours to submit, and that you hold all rights and consents necessary to submit them. You are solely responsible for the content you submit and for any claims made about your coaching, business, or clients. The Producer does not verify, endorse, or guarantee any nominee's claims, credentials, or services, and participation does not create any endorsement, certification, partnership, agency, employment, or joint-venture relationship. You participate at your own risk.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Producer, The Teaching Studio, LLC, and their respective owners, officers, employees, contractors, co-hosts, sponsors, and partners from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to your participation in the program; your nomination, content, or materials; your breach of these Terms; your violation of any law or third-party right; or any misrepresentation made by you.
The Coachies website and program are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The Producer does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the qualifications, claims, or services of any nominee, and does not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Producer and its affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity, arising from or related to the program or this website, whether based in contract, tort, or any other theory, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. In all cases, the Producer's total aggregate liability for any and all claims shall not exceed the greater of the total amount you actually paid to the Producer in connection with the program or one hundred U.S. dollars (USD $100). Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so some of the above may not apply to you.
Please contact us first at hello@thecoachies.com, most concerns can be resolved informally. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the program that is not resolved informally shall be resolved by final and binding individual arbitration administered under the rules of a recognized arbitration provider, seated in or around Durham, North Carolina, rather than in court, except that either party may bring an individual claim in small-claims court.
Class Action Waiver. All disputes shall be brought solely in your individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, or representative proceeding. You and the Producer waive any right to a jury trial. Any claim must be brought within one (1) year after it arises or be permanently barred.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, and the exclusive venue for any matter not subject to arbitration shall be the state or federal courts located in North Carolina. If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be limited or severed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. The Producer's failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it. These Terms, together with the Official Contest Rules and Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Producer regarding the program and supersede any prior understandings. The Producer may modify these Terms at any time; continued use of the site or participation after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.