Meet our Kinkajou coaches in our quick-fire chats about what inspired us to become coaches.
What inspired you to become a coach?
My primary area of expertise is career coaching. It's inspirational to help people move forward to create positive change.
I like hearing people's stories about what they're doing, what excites them, what motivates them, and what makes a difference in their lives. Becoming a coach is interesting because you hear many different stories and learn a lot from your clients.
Plus, I enjoy helping individuals make positive changes, learn new things, and overcome barriers and situations that may hold them back. This allows them to develop real confidence in themselves and their ability to cope and excel in the circumstances they find themselves in.
What led you to specialise in the area that you concentrate on?
My primary area of expertise is career coaching. When I was in my early 30s, I worked for Morgan Stanley in an HR/IT role, but I felt frustrated with the administrative and repetitive nature of the work. This frustration and the strong desire to make a meaningful impact led me to pursue a career in coaching. I wanted to help others avoid the frustration and disappointment of being in the wrong job and feeling like a square peg in a round hole.
My goal is to build confidence, belief, and hope in individuals to help them find a meaningful and satisfying career. Career coaching is a pleasure because I'm making a difference with people.
What are you reading or listening to for fun right now?
I'm learning how to play tennis. I haven't played tennis for many years, so yeah, I'm learning some techniques, reading books and learning how to improve my game on the court.
Describe yourself in three words;
Motivational, encourager and pragmatic.
I seek to build people up and help them to find their strengths. I'm pragmatic and deal with things as they are. I'm down-to-earth and transparent. What you see is what you get, which helps build strong, trusting relationships with my clients.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Enjoy the moment. You don't know what's going to happen, so make the most out of everything. Try to learn the most out of every situation and enjoy yourself
What's the best advice you've ever had?
Seek to understand first before trying to be understood. Too often, we only hear the first few words of what a person says as we are already working on our response in our head to what they are saying rather than taking the time to really understand what the other person's point of view is.
What brings you joy?
What brings me joy is travelling, seeing new places, new experiences, and different landscapes. I love spending time with family and friends, playing board games with my children, and going for walks with my family.