In the spring of 2017, I completed my LPI Certification with Diana Long. I had spent close to 34 years working in corporate America as a typical modern man. With tremendous financial success, married with three children and what appeared to be a perfect life, I awoke in the fall of 2015 near death.
I made the conscious choice to have the courage to change and listen to my inner intuition and not my thoughts and old stories I played out daily. This was a new way to navigate through life and took a ton of practice. Through the process of reinventing who I was or who I had become, I knew that how I created income was going to change as well. No longer feeling fulfilled or passionate about my work had provided me the courage to step into the world of coaching. After spending two years healing my mind, body & soul in a public manner, it laid the pathway for my new career as a coach.
One of the keys to my success was being an example of change, not just talking it. I have met so many people in the business of mental health and coaches who are teachers but lack mentoring skills. Teachers tend to provide knowledge but lack wisdom if they have not done their own work of change within. Many people believe they have a gift of helping others. I too believed that for over 5 decades yet found my own life was out of control. My intention with becoming a coach was to not help people; it is to inspire people that healthy positive change is possible. This continues to be the light for my continued passion as a coach. I bring inspiration to the coaching experience of my own behavior and passion for living today. First I show up for myself consistently each day through my own spiritual practices of self-care. Then I have set my balance for the day and ready to be the best coach possible for the client!
My Coaching Practice
When I launched my coaching practice I went the traditional route and secured a shared office to begin my practice. Over a period of time, I felt that the traditional business model wasn’t aligned with me at my heart space and wasn’t going to work for the greatest possibility of success for clients or myself. I too had gone through my own healing journey and found that being indoors to do the emotional, mental and physical work felt restrictive. The magic for me unfolded in nature along the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean in Huntington Beach, California. On one particular day, the concept of coaching along the shoreline felt right…perfect. Within days, I was barefoot with my clients in nature and so began the up-leveling of breakthroughs!
Eventually, I moved to the mountains of Arizona and launched Hike & Heal experiences through AirBnB and eventually Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. This had not been done before and became a unique and safe experience for individuals and couples while on a business trip or vacation. Although the price is lower than my typical coaching, many guests have converted to long term clients via video chat! My long term coaching clients meet me in nature and we hike/coach for 1.5-hour sessions. This trailblazing coaching environment brings forth beautiful moments of gratitude and hope for change.
I also launched three WebTV live streaming shows on social media to bring forward special interest in inspiring stories of going from surviving to thriving in life. Many of my past guests have also converted to coaching clients. I created a live streaming Hike & Heal Series where I share a coaching topic while I’m alone on a mountain trail; a topic that’s relevant to us as we weave through life’s challenges.
In 2019, I joined the local chapter of the National Concierge Association to network with the local resorts and offer Hike & Heal as well as workshops for their guests.
Recently, I partnered with a national corporate event management company to offer my services to major corporations when they have their annual conferences. Today, I am a vendor with Kapow.com in 13 cities in 3 states!
I have found that my business model works for me when the ideas flow from within and not from my thoughts. I love it when I create a new unique business model that hasn’t been done before and it works trailblazing across the world. Having clients as far away as the Netherlands, Australia, Great Britain, India, and Canada provides me the connections and incredible growth for myself as well as creating new friends, clients and relationships that span the world. No longer be confined to an office space has provided the greatest fulfillment in my life with a clear purpose.
My suggestion to anyone who’s a recent graduate would be to think outside of the box. The old business model no longer needs to apply for building a coaching business. I have found that building a brand around my coaching has created a beautiful business model for exposure in attracting new clients. Have the courage to try something that hasn’t been done before. Don’t let your ego-mind tell you it can’t be done because it has not been done. Push through your discomfort of not knowing and trust your inner voice that on the other side of fear is freedom in your coaching business.