The Coaches' Corner: Recent Episodes
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The average person is unsure when it comes to coaching, yet most thriving executives and entrepreneurs depend on them to accelerate their success. The Coaching Podcast will put you back in the driver's seat towards leveling up.
Drew Ross never imagined that his journey would lead him from the fast-paced world of corporate real estate to becoming a life coach who transforms lives. Born and raised in Winston Salem, North Carolina, Drew's path was unconventional from the start. While his friends chose state schools, Drew took a different route, enrolling at Auburn University. It was here that his interest in entrepreneurship and finance began to take shape, setting the stage for a career that would eventually pivot in a surprising direction.
After college, Drew found himself working for a boutique real estate development firm. The company specialized in building luxury apartment complexes and selling them before the paint even dried. It was a high-stakes environment where Drew learned the ins and outs of sales, marketing, and the intricacies of corporate America. Yet, despite his success, Drew felt a growing sense of unfulfillment. He describes his corporate experience as a rollercoaster ride—one that often left him questioning his place in the business world.
"I loved my role at times, but when I would fall out of love with it, I would get promoted," Drew recalls. "That cycle kept me in the corporate world longer than I wanted, but it also pushed me to explore other possibilities."
It was during one of these periods of disillusionment that Drew stumbled upon the world of life coaching. An avid reader and lifelong learner, he began listening to a podcast aimed at helping moms in the LDS community. Although the podcast wasn’t directly speaking to him, Drew found himself applying its lessons to his own life. The insights he gained were transformative, sparking a newfound passion for coaching and personal development.
"I was lost," Drew admits. "I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, but that podcast gave me the tools to start figuring it out."
With this newfound clarity, Drew decided to make a bold move. He left his corporate job and dove headfirst into the world of coaching. It wasn’t an easy transition, and Drew acknowledges that he could have been more strategic about leaving his corporate role. However, he also believes that the leap of faith was crucial to his growth as an entrepreneur and coach.
Drew's approach to coaching is straightforward yet profound. He begins by asking clients to articulate their dream life 90 days from now. He firmly believes that everyone knows what they want in a perfect world—they just need help turning that vision into reality. Drew describes his consultations as "fighting for their dreams," where he helps clients identify what's working in their lives and what needs to change to achieve their goals.
"Your life or your business will not be the same after coming to a consultation," Drew confidently states. It’s a bold claim, but one that is backed by the success he’s helped his clients achieve.
One of the most significant challenges Drew’s clients face is overcoming the fear of what others might think. Whether it's posting on social media or pursuing a new career path, Drew emphasizes the importance of valuing one's own opinion over that of others. "You never know what people truly think, so why not decide they’re thinking good thoughts?" he suggests.
For those considering a career in coaching, Drew offers some valuable advice: don’t be too eager to leave your day job. He believes that financial stability can provide the necessary foundation to grow a successful coaching business. Additionally, he encourages aspiring coaches to make offers and tell people what they do, emphasizing that the key to success lies in taking consistent action.
Drew's story is one of resilience, courage, and the relentless pursuit of purpose. His journey from corporate real estate to life coaching serves as a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to change direction and find fulfillment in a career that aligns with your true self.
As Drew puts it, "Be the messy bowl of pasta—go out there, take action, and embrace the delicious chaos of life."
In the latest episode of the Coaches Corner Podcast, gratitude coach Gopi Nair shares a compelling tale of finding joy and emotional freedom through the practice of gratitude. Gopi's story is not just about overcoming adversity but about transforming life's challenges into moments of profound insight and growth.
From the beginning, Gopi captivates listeners with his humble origins in India, where his mother instilled in him the importance of accepting life's gifts with gratitude. "Whatever God gives you, accept it with both hands and say thank you. It could have been worse," she would say, a lesson that has resonated with Gopi throughout his life. This wisdom laid the foundation for his journey into becoming a gratitude practitioner, a path he has followed diligently for the past seven years.
Gopi speaks candidly about the transformation he experienced by practicing gratitude. "Before, I was at a level three, and now I practice at a level eight," he shares. This shift has brought about significant changes in his life, particularly in how he interacts with others and views his own responsibilities. He emphasizes, "My tendency to blame other people has gone away. I take full responsibility for my thoughts, speech, and actions."
One of the most poignant moments in the episode comes when Gopi recounts the passing of his wife. Despite the profound loss, he chose to embrace gratitude as a means of coping. "Every time a negativity creeps into my mind, I remind myself of the great things my wife did for me and our family," he reflects. By writing daily in his gratitude journal about his wife's contributions, Gopi found a way to honor her memory and alleviate his fears.
Gopi's practical approach to gratitude is both simple and profound. He starts and ends each day with a gratitude prayer, thanking the universe for all it provides. This routine, he believes, anchors him in the present and helps him maintain a positive outlook. His advice to those struggling with pain and loss is to keep the mind busy with positive thoughts and to practice the "thought observation process," which involves observing thoughts without judgment.
A significant turning point in Gopi's life came when he suffered a mild stroke. In this critical moment, he practiced what he preaches: surrender. "I surrendered to the present moment and did not resist," he explains. This acceptance gave him the clarity and energy to call 911 and manage the situation calmly. His experience underscores the power of surrender in conserving energy that would otherwise be wasted on worry and resistance.
Gopi's journey is a testament to the power of habit. He believes that practicing good habits daily can prepare individuals to handle life's inevitable challenges. "Our rituals are pillars of our behavior," he states, urging listeners to cultivate habits like gratitude and surrender.
For those feeling stuck or fearful of stepping out of their comfort zones, Gopi offers a fresh perspective. He compares life to a firefly's fleeting moments of light, emphasizing the importance of making a difference in others' lives. "You don't need money to make a difference. A simple smile or a small act of kindness can have a profound impact," he says.
Ultimately, Gopi's message is clear: practicing gratitude can transform one's life, bringing joy that transcends happiness. His story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, gratitude can light the way to emotional freedom and a more fulfilling life.
Heather Krueger’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. Diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease just before her 25th birthday, Heather’s life took an unexpected turn. Facing daunting odds, she battled through acute liver failure and a transplant with remarkable resilience and positivity.
Heather’s journey wasn't just about survival; it was about transformation. She lost friends but found her true self, gaining a deeper appreciation for life and solidifying her faith. Her positive attitude, even in the darkest times, was a beacon of hope not just for her but for others facing similar battles.
Heather now channels her experiences into coaching, helping others navigate their own challenges. Her journey is a testament to the unexpected blessings and strength that can emerge from life's toughest trials.
Heather’s story reminds us that no matter how tough the journey, perseverance and faith can lead to unimaginable outcomes. Listen to her full story on Coaches' Corner Podcast for a dose of inspiration and wisdom.Heather Krueger’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. Diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease just before her 25th birthday, Heather’s life took an unexpected turn. Facing daunting odds, she battled through acute liver failure and a transplant with remarkable resilience and positivity.
Heather’s journey wasn't just about survival; it was about transformation. She lost friends but found her true self, gaining a deeper appreciation for life and solidifying her faith. Her positive attitude, even in the darkest times, was a beacon of hope not just for her but for others facing similar battles.
Heather now channels her experiences into coaching, helping others navigate their own challenges. Her journey is a testament to the unexpected blessings and strength that can emerge from life's toughest trials.
Heather’s story reminds us that no matter how tough the journey, perseverance and faith can lead to unimaginable outcomes. Listen to her full story on Coaches' Corner Podcast for a dose of inspiration and wisdom.
Meet Carolyn Litton, a mortgage maven turned life-changer!
From clinching Chicago Magazine's "5 Star Professional Award" to founding a charity and becoming a beacon of inspiration, Carolyn's story on our latest Coaches’ Corner Podcast episode is a must-hear.
Dive into her journey of adding fun, passion, and purpose to life, and discover how you can too!
Tune in to be inspired.
Meet Brighid O’Shaughnessy on the latest episode of Coaches’ Corner Podcast!
Dive deep into a world where discipline transforms into empowerment, and mental wellness fosters community strength.
Discover how Brighid’s expertise in restorative justice, trauma-informed care, and somatic healing crafts spaces where everyone thrives.
Tune in to be inspired by her journey of mobilizing youth, empowering women, and supporting families through innovative social work and therapeutic practices. Your journey to empowerment starts here.
In a riveting episode of the Coaches’ Corner Podcast, host Jennie Raymer delves into the world of coaching and personal transformation with her guest, Jessica Dawson. This conversation isn't just a recount of Jessica’s journey; it's a treasure trove of insights and life lessons.
Jessica, a former corporate warrior turned entrepreneurial coach, shares her journey with Jennie, transforming from a finance professional in New York to a beacon of empowerment in the coaching world.
Her story begins with the allure of New York's financial district, a dream that quickly turned sour. The 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse was a pivotal moment for her, catalyzing a deep reevaluation of success and personal fulfillment.
Jennie's adept questioning brings out Jessica's insights on transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship. She highlights the importance of authenticity, a trait often masked in corporate settings. “In entrepreneurship, authenticity is meta,” Jessica emphasizes, revealing how shedding her corporate 'mask' was crucial to finding her true calling.
Jessica's coaching philosophy is rooted in belief – in oneself, in one's product, and in the potential to grow a business. She shares, “The belief in possibilities, that there are no limits,” is the cornerstone of her approach. This powerful message resonates deeply, offering listeners a glimpse into the mindset needed for success.
Jennie skillfully guides the conversation, ensuring that Jessica’s wisdom is front and center. They discuss the nuances of effective coaching – not just providing answers, but empowering individuals to find their own.
Jessica’s mantra, "Think in terms of possibilities," encapsulates her ethos and is a recurring theme throughout the podcast.
Relating to sports, Jessica draws parallels between athletic discipline and business acumen. She shares her personal experience as an athlete and how it shaped her business approach, emphasizing community building and resilience.
This episode is not just about Jessica's transformation; it's a call to action for listeners to reassess their paths and embrace possibility. Jennie's engaging style makes this not just an interview, but a journey of discovery for both Jessica and the audience. It's a guidebook for anyone looking to make meaningful changes in their life and career.
Tracie McKinney, also known as the Turnaround Coach, shared her story on this recent episode of the Coaches' Corner Podcast.
McKinney's brand, "She Found Her," was born out of her personal journey of losing her son and finding herself again. McKinney's goal is to help others who are going through traumatic experiences by letting them know that they can live again.
McKinney shared how she had once been consumed by a spirit of murder after her son was killed, but she eventually surrendered to God and moved to a small town in Missouri. There, she found a church that helped her turn her life around.
Today, McKinney is a published author and a transformation coach, helping clients who are going through similar experiences.
McKinney's approach to coaching involves helping clients find their purpose by teaching them to let go of their past and focus on their future.
She helps clients who are stuck and feeling stagnant to find their way out of their current situation. McKinney believes that her personal experience of loss and turning her life around is what makes her a better coach.
McKinney's story is a powerful one, and her brand, "She Found Her," is a reminder to us all that we have the power to turn our lives around, no matter what we have been through. She encourages us to take accountability for our actions, to surrender to God, and to trust that our lives can get better.
McKinney's story is one of hope and resilience, and it serves as a reminder that we can all find our way out of difficult situations.
Roberto Escalante, President at Pueblo Consulting, joins us on The Coaches' Corner Podcast to discuss his work building, protecting and transferring wealth through small businesses, particularly for minority groups.
With his experience working for Fortune 500 companies, including Toys R Us and McDonald's, Escalante has developed valuable knowledge he can share with the small business community. He targets entrepreneurs of color, women and veteran-owned businesses with his services, offering management consulting and financial advisory services.
His heart for helping these communities grew from his experiences working as a Latino professional in large corporations where he was often one of few Latinos, giving him a sense of loneliness that he aims to counter.
Life coach Arsemiris Galva joins us on The Coaches' Corner podcast, sharing her journey towards becoming a life coach and the importance of relationships in her coaching.
Having accomplished all the traditional markers of success, including degrees and the "American Dream," Galva began to question if there was more to life than just checking boxes. This led her to become a life coach, specializing in helping women business owners and ministry leaders heal from past hurts, including toxic relationships.
Galva's work is informed by her own experiences of being in a toxic marriage, which she came to understand as rooted in her childhood. She sees her work as a way of bringing healing and hope to women’s lives.
Alyssa Poggioli is a certified Life Coach passionate about helping others truly live their most authentic lives. After spending ten years managing corporate fitness centers, Alyssa noticed a common element in all the conversations she was having with her clients. Most of us can probably attest to feeling, at times, like we’re stuck on a hamster wheel. Maybe the stresses of work inspire us to join gyms to work out our frustrations or maybe we take out that stress in other ways like eating or alcohol.
“People in middle management and up had this underlying lack of support, feeling resentful, lonely, under-supported and really just wanting to focus on the physical element of who they are.
They would come down and bust ass on the treadmill and in classes but then they would still feel this lack of connection and being overwhelmed with how they felt with their life. So my original intention in becoming certified as a coach was to bring it within the organizations that I was already managing.”
Much of the underlying issues, she noticed, came from a lack of intention. People weren’t connecting or recognizing their core values. She explains how in any coaching practice, the first step is helping someone get clear on what it is they actually want.
“Who are you being? What's working, what's not working? What do you want? And then getting clear and solidifying what those values are.”
It’s common for us as human beings to go through life on autopilot not paying much attention to the things we say or do and if those are truly aligning to what we deem to be our core values. As Alyssa puts it, “It's really about the ability to be able to connect to yourself, be aware of and take ownership of what you are thinking.”
A big tell on how you’re living your life is your ability to be playful. “Children up until the age of three are beautiful because they only can live from a space of intuition and exploration and innocence.”
If any of this resonates with you and sounds familiar, Alyssa may be able to help get you on the track to living your best, most authentic life. The most important thing to understand when thinking about coaching, as she puts it, is “if you're not willing to get help. How can you expect someone to help you?”
Tune into this episode of the Coaches Corner podcast to hear more about Alyssa’s approach to coaching and her advice on being more mindful in your life.
It’s common for people to seek out therapy when they’re unhappy with life or feeling stuck. Not too many seek out coaching. On this episode of the Coaches’ Corner, Life and Health Coach Kendra Thomas talks about how transformative working with a coach can be. Kendra first became a coach about 12 years ago in Corporate America for a coaching organization focused primarily on self-development and professional development. It was around this time that she started to identify what her life’s mission would be. “I was really looking at some of the different things that I was encountering when I was coaching some of these individuals from a professional standpoint. I began to find that there was a lot of unhealed trauma, a lot of unresolved issues that people were facing. And so the reason why they weren't able to show up and do their best at their places of employment or in their current roles is because they hadn't healed from things that had happened in their childhood.” Putting in the work to dig deep and understand what things you need to do to evolve and grow is never easy. Kendra talks about how at times it’s been difficult when she’s coaching and developing. “It takes a lot of things. It takes a lot of time and you have to hang in there because again, someone is not going to always get the message that you're trying to deliver to them the very first time.”
Dedicating all of your time to helping others become the best version of themselves can take a toll. Kendra shares how she used to be the type of person who never turned their phone off making sure she answered every email and took every call.
“I had to unplug and I had to learn how to create things in my life to feed my soul. So if I'm not coaching, developing, and doing different things of that nature, I read tons of books, I'm looking at different podcasts. I'm just learning more about my craft, but then also taking time to spend with my family.”
Tune in to this episode of the Coaches’ Corner Podcast and hear more of Kendra’s advice on finding the right coach, how you can identify if you have trauma you haven’t healed from yet, and more.
As Kendra puts it, wholeness is being able to say “I've healed, I'm healthy. I'm focusing on the things that matter.”
Growing up in Johannesburg South Africa, Rene De Coning witnessed first hand the end of apartheid and sites it as an incredible experience to live through. After moving her family to London for a bit, they made their way to Chicago where they developed such a strong community of friends turned family. Rene tells how she went from a life in Corporate America working for an international oil company to coaching countless people through their personal and professional journeys. After leaving the oil industry for several reasons Rene explains further, she was invited to attend a coaching class by a friend and the rest is history. Going through her own struggles at the time, attending that coaching program transformed Rene and helped her process and work through some of the tragedies she experienced. “I don’t know that I would have had the skills to work through them if I did not firstly have my faith and secondly, have this training in being aware of myself and how I show up and deal with the adversity in my life.” She goes on to explain the intricacies and behind the scenes of the world of coaching and how the governing bodies of “coaching” work. She gives a recommendation to those looking for a coach: “ find somebody that has a certification because you know that they have training and that they have a model and a structure under which they work that determines the ethics, the values and the eventual outcomes for people.” As someone who has coached with and without an education, Rene will be the first to tell you that there is definitely a difference; the education has made her a much better coach to her clients. Listen in as Ree talks about shifting energies, the foundations of the IPEC coaching model she practices, and more.