The coaching/counselling boundary is much talked about and yet there has been little research into how novice coaches identify the boundary in practice. This article explores how novice business coaches attempt to identify the boundary in their practice. The research employs a constructivist grounded theory approach, with seven novice business coaches and four coach supervisors. Findings suggest a theoretical framework consisting of three broad categories, each with several sub-themes, including the emotional current, gaining knowledge and abilities and defining the boundary. They also highlight some of the key challenges experienced by novice coaches.