About Kat
Imagine having a business that aligns your soul’s purpose with proven business strategies that help you succeed at the work you love!
My Story...
Hi, I’m Kat!
There are many, many reasons that I am passionate about what I do, but the story below will give you an idea about the origins of this passion and motivation for my own soul driven success.
I was gripped with fear and felt frozen behind my uncomfortable and tiny school desk. My 5th grade teacher had asked me to stay after class. This could only be something bad!
I was new to this school and had been doing my best to fit in, though I had discovered, in my 10 short years on the planet, that I just was not meant to blend in with the crowd.
Two years previous to this 5th grade call to “stay after class”, I had been called to the front of another classroom. On that occasion, my teacher told me to bend over and then paddled and humiliated me in front of my peers.
The sting of the shame was much greater than the sting of the paddle hitting my little back side.
In that case, I had been asked by my teacher to spell the word BEAUTIFUL out loud during a spelling drill.
I had always gotten straight A’s in spelling because I was good at memorizing, but when put on the spot I realized I actually didn’t know how to spell.
Frozen with fear, I just couldn’t put all those vowels together correctly.
When the teacher asked me to try again, and then again, and I couldn’t get the letters to behave, she thought I was clowning around and making fun of her, hence the paddling.
Back to the 5th grade, I was finally able to move from my desk and approach my teacher in a room that was now unnaturally empty and quiet. As she began to talk and tell me her reason for detaining me on this cold fall day, I had to really focus to hear her request.
I was so surprised that it took me a minute to comprehend that she was saying something positive. Something that had happened because I had made a choice to do things my way.
After my spelling debacle, I had made a choice. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had a learning disorder called dysgraphia.
What I did know then was that my brain didn’t compute in a normal way. So I decided, after that humiliating and painful moment, that I would have to get creative, use a different kind of strategy when it came to my school work if I wanted to succeed.
So instead of writing essays where I could get tripped up with spelling, I would use my strength of performing, speaking, and telling stories.
I had excelled in my own little community of friends in rural Ohio doing just this. Writing, performing and orchestrating plays and adventures for the neighborhood kids.
When asked to do a project on Lewis & Clark for my 5th grade history class, instead of writing a paper, I wrote and performed a play about Sacajawea.
My teacher was now asking me if I would be willing to perform my play in all the classes in our middle school. My play was a hit!
It was one of the most surprising things that had happened in my life up to that point. I never imagined anything like that could happen.
Using my strengths, my talents, and my own creative gifts had paid off. It was a strategy that would help me succeed in the greatest endeavors of my life.
That was how I found joy in motherhood. Was able to purchase my dream house. It was useful as I climbed the ladder of the USPS organization. It was essential in my pursuit of success in my coaching business.
When I made the choice to break free of the US Postal Service’s golden handcuffs, and the security of having a solid government career, to start my own business, I carried that lesson with me.
I knew there were proven business strategies to apply, and I knew I had to use my own strengths and talents, just like I had back in 5th grade!
In order to succeed as a coach, to have a fruitful and lasting career in this field, I would have to do it my way.
In 2002, as my coaching career was beginning, I was fortunate to be a part of a business training program with the Co-Active Training Institute. I was thrilled to be chosen as one of the first leaders of this program.
I loved applying the business strategies I learned in this program while being supported to honor my values and bring my creativity into the mix.
Leading other coaches to discover and implement their own mix of strategy and strengths was exhilarating.
This joy of teaching, leading, and learning with a community of committed Co-Active coaches was a dream come true for me. Together we learned how to succeed in a business that has as its only goal helping other people live their best lives
I, of course, had to find my own way in this amazing business of coaching. I read books, took other business building courses and worked with many business coaches, teachers, and consultants.
I had to try things out. To fail, fall flat on my face at times!
To find things that thrilled me like having my own networking group, becoming an interfaith minister and writing a best-selling book.
To integrate what I loved most into something that would benefit my clients. Using my strengths, my way.
One of the delightful surprises I discovered along the way was that helping entrepreneurs land on their ideal niche and message for their business was a superpower of mine!
All of this has taken time, effort, money, patience, and a LOT of support from coaches, consultants and colleagues.
No one was more surprised than I when I decided to take all of my learning and experience and open the doors to my Business Academy for Coaches.
But it felt right. Just like writing and performing my Sacagawea play. Using my strengths, talents and creativity to inspire others.
To do this in community as I did back in my childhood as well as my wonderful experience of leading for the Co-Active Institute.
So I have put my focus on creating a community based business training program for coaches.
A program that brings a high level of training, expertise and people who are drawn to do good work in the world. One that is accessible to all.
With a variety of options that make it possible for coaches to get the support they need for as long as they need it.
Nothing has brought me greater joy in my 20 plus years as a coach than supporting other coaches to find their own combination of strategy and soul, to access their creativity to build a unique business that is prosperous, fulfilling and brings much needed support to others.
I’d love to help you with your coaching business.
What People Say About Kat
