The following situations and results are typical of the people Joan works with.
(The International Coach Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics dictate that client identities remain anonymous.)
After spending almost six years in bed with severe pain associated with endometriosis, a singer and songwriter, a single mom of two growing boys, regained enough strength to get out of bed and back into life. Her first stop was attendance at one of my early workshops. She was ready to get back to work and terrified that she’d have to settle for another life-killing job instead of pursuing her passion as a songwriter and musician. Like most people who have suffered from the effects of a prolonged illness, she hid out in shame rather than admitting she needed help.
Buoyed by the message of the workshop, instead of returning to an unfulfilling job she tapped into her musical talents and started back to work by teaching piano to the children in her neighborhood. Slowly but surely, as she gradually regained her health, spending more and more time out of bed than in bed, she took on more students on a schedule that worked for her. She went from being helpless and independent to becoming self-sufficient and capable. It is now ten years later. She has fully regained her health and is well entrenched in her passion career as a singer and songwriter.
| A physics professor was derailed from her career by pancreatitis is becoming more and more comfortable with her situation. Her health remains an issue so she has had to retire from her previous career and take temporary advantage of her long-term disability benefits. Determined to find a way to be productive in a new career, she is starting with the basics, which for her means rebuilding and living a life on her terms. |
A Financial planner in growth mode resisted structure but knew he needed it to create the business and lifestyle he really wants. Furthermore, he wanted clarity about who is true target client is and guidance about how to reach them in a way that allows him to honor his introvert preferences. Thinking he wanted to add a new dimension to his business, he discovers that it’s not necessary at all as he now understands who is core client is, and how much he enjoys serving them. He developed a simple 3-pronged marketing plan that includes one-on-one weekly lunch meetings, excellent customer service and outreach to potential referral partners. We developed a master planning schedule that helps him coordinate efforts with his office assistant and now we’re working on his 5-year vision for growth. Personally, he has once again carved time for his music and is home with his family in the evenings reliably and consistently.
| An executive coach, who had created his own body of work, was spending too much time helping other people succeed. He gradually stopped accepting subcontract work to focus on developing and selling his own body of work. He doubled his sales within a year. He is doing more and more of the work he really enjoys and has reduced the number of hours he spends at work. Not only that, he has carved out time to practice his music and has addressed business and personal relationships that were draining his energy. |
A human resource consultant has no shortage of demand for services. She is on the edge of being overwhelmed and is concerned wants to make sure that she’s pursuing and accepting the right assignments. Furthermore, after years of being busy with graduate studies, she wants to make sure she carves out time for her personal life. To help with both situations, she creates her “signature” program, creates a master planning schedule to reduce her working hours and takes on only assignments that really interest her. Demand for her services remain high, but she now knows she’s doing the work that matters most to her.
| A college counselor with a growing local business is married and has a toddler with whom she wants to spend time during “normal” working hours. She is afraid to let go and trust others with her proprietary program. Yet, she knows that to serve an ever-increasing demand she has to start to build a team to help her deliver services. She hires her first subcontractor within 4 months and 2 years later has moved out of home office and hired a full-time assistant. Though time with her daughter expands and contracts each week, she is satisfied that she’s not sacrificed her ideals. |
A chiropractor wants help putting in the systems and structures that will enable him to take his business to the next level. In the process discovers that he has NO interest in doing the things required to do so and decides to close his business instead. He is now working for an innovative health company which allows him to bring his science background and health wisdom into the office environment and he is a much happier camper.
