A child of scientists a few years after the hippie generation, I’m an avid journaler and artist, and I sing and dance with abandon. I bought my first guitar with S&H Green Stamps and taught myself to play from books.
Doing so led me to become a youth-group song leader and to come out of my shell. As program vice-president, I facilitated members to develop leadership games and a video for a regional conference.
That experience was a touchstone in finding my future career.
Searching for fulfillment
After studying art and design, I felt pressured to get “practical”. I finished with a bachelor’s degree in urban administration and did research in a city consulting firm.
Remembering the fulfillment of facilitating in youth group, I also volunteered to facilitate planning and organization development groups for a planning agency a consultant to nonprofits.
Two years later, I left my job to study adult education and training at Ohio State University in the hope of combining my creativity with facilitating groups that help people learn and grow.
After earning an MA in training and development, I joined AT&T and then Sprint where I helped subject matter experts develop training workshops and videos as an internal consultant and project manager.
Finding Career Development
My first tastes of the career development process came when I became a certified instructor for Career Coaching for Managers and Career Development for Employees. I used the assessments on myself and everyone I knew.
I also recognized a course developer’s true gifts and encouraged her to become an instructor instead.
Then, at Sprint, I developed workshops on Selection Interviewing for Supervisors and Interviewing Skills for Employees.
Helping People Learn and Grow
When corporate work and politics led to illness, I left and joined my family, now in Florida. Although I dreamed of becoming a career coach in the 90’s when the field was young, I wasn’t ready to go out on my own.
Instead, I became a training consultant, tutored computer and reading skills at a college, and then taught high school subjects to adults as a GED teacher.
Eventually, I combined my learning center experience with my earlier program development experience into a director position where I founded university learning center, developed five programs with policies, procedures, and training, and supervised and trained a staff of 5 professionals and 5 students.
Find out more about my background or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Growing a Coaching and Marketing Business
During this time, I became a Certified Coach to help our students.
Soon I realized that I needed to make coaching the centerpiece of my work. I learned to market myself. I studied copywriting for websites, email marketing, LinkedIn and more. I provided these services to others.
When people came to me for career coaching and résumés, I finally became a Certified Career Transitions Coach and studied professional résumés writing with the National Résumé Writers Association. I wrote résumés, LinkedIn profiles, and bios for my clients and for other career services companies as a subcontractor.
Furthermore, my 7-step transitions model works for job and career changers as well as growing solopreneurs. I use it myself as my business changes and grows.
Now I'm also developing books and courses as I find the need.
Let’s Get Started
Find the threads and clues to your best future and clarify the message that will attract work you love.
Schedule a 30-minute phone meeting. There’s no charge or obligation. We’ll discuss your situation, your dreams, and your challenges. And if we both think we’d work well together, I’ll tell you how to begin your journey with me as your guide.
I look forward to talking with you soon!
