Wow! It’s been a little over 2 years since you opened your career and leadership coaching business. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about that?

Yes, it’s still a little hard to believe that January 15, 2019 was my last official day working at Microsoft.  Although I’d been coaching since 2016, leaving the security of working at Microsoft was a HUGE step for me.  It was both exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.  Now that I look back on it, I realize that I really wasn’t prepared for it.  I chose to just take that leap of faith and with each leap I’ve taken, the net appears!

I’ve also honed my coaching niche and discovered that I am both a Leadership & Mindset Coach. Leadership – leading from where a person stands which in some cases does not equate to a “leader” title.  This is demonstrated through executive coaching, high performance, transitions, career coaching, etc.  My favorite leadership quote is by Sheryl Sandberg, “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”

Mindset (definition: a way of thinking that determines your outlook, attitude, and behavior).  My belief is that a strong and positive Mindset is essential to developing healthy self-esteem; it affects our daily self-dialogue and reinforces our most intimate beliefs, attitudes, and feelings about ourselves. For me this is the most fulfilling and impactful coaching since it directly ties to our own personal success no matter what our professional or personal goals.

 What was the first year like?

My first year in business was all about two things:

    • Coaching my existing clients. Bringing forward my presence and authentic self, and creating greater positive impact by having every single one of my clients experience and receive high value in our coaching partnership, and;
    • Setting up my business (getting my license, establishing admin & ops policies, creating visibility (aka some type of presence on social media, podcasts, interviews, etc.)

It was fun, I was learning all the time, and it was my very own shiny new thing.

Did the second year have different challenges?

Absolutely!  This last year has been more about it becoming real, and me choosing to lean into it.  By that I mean embracing the good, the bad, and the ugly.   Accepting and owning the fact that I must become much better at wearing multiple hats and using my time wisely.  My 2nd year has been about recognizing that I do my best work through collaboration.  As an entrepreneur, or solopreneur, I want a group or community around me – to support me, to celebrate with me, to pick me up when I fall down, and to help me brainstorm and figure things out – so to fill this gap, I joined a networking group of global women entrepreneurs who are phenomenal!  #WeAre15

I have clients who have reached their goals and completed their coaching,  so I needed to figure out how to get new clients much more consistently (marketing!) and how to capture the results of my coaching clients in a way that translates to objectives, success, and Return on Investment (ROI).

It also made sense to become more automated in some areas.  In this way I was able to increase my productivity and focus on both the coaching and the business side of things.

I also realized that partnering with people that understand and support my mission and vision is critical.  As an example, for me, giving back to the community is non-negotiable. When a business coach I was working with learned of this, she advised against doing any donations or pro-bono coaching until my business was ‘making money’.  She did not understand that giving back is part of who I am and what I stand for, and she was unwilling to budge on this point.  So, I fired her!  Now this year, not only does Kathy Pearce Coaching donate a portion of all proceeds to support local children’s charities (Eastside Baby Corner, Treehouse for Kids, and Toys-For-Tots), we now also offer coaching scholarships to help support those who are unable to afford coaching.  I am proud to say that we have awarded 6 scholarships so far in our 2 years in business and I continue to offer pro-bono coaching both through Kathy Pearce Coaching and through my volunteer involvement with ICF WA.

What have you learned over the last year?

I am aware that I cannot continue to grow the business by doing this on my own.  I’m excited (and a bit scared) to share that I will soon be adding one, possibly two, part-time people to the Kathy Pearce Coaching team –  a virtual assistant (who is very tech savvy), and also a social media expert.  It will be better for the business, my clients, and will allow me to better focus on the things I do best!

I have also continued to listen to the needs of my clients.  When I first started my coaching business, I was doing one-to-one coaching and the occasional team or group coaching.  This last year I received considerable feedback from existing clients and potential new clients, that there is a great need for a weekly women’s group workshop. 

So, in response to these requests, I started an experiment during the Summer – an online Women’s Weekly Group.  And what began as an experiment 8 months ago, has now become a permanent offering.  This is a Virtual Women’s Group, consisting of a small, select group of women supporting one another during this unprecedented time through the pandemic experience and beyond – through the isolation, the anxiety, the uncertainty, and the possibilities for the future.  We are a collective and connect with other women as we work together to create, support, plan, and take action on whatever is most important in your life right now.  It’s been a huge success, and I love this group!  So much so that I’m considering adding one, possibly two, additional collectives.

How do you divide your time now that you are a full-time coach and business owner?

Today  I spend my time focused on 5 main areas:

    • spending quality time with my family and friends
    • coaching my individual and group clients
    • attracting new clients who are a good fit for my coaching niche and style
    • giving back to the community
    • continuing to personally & professionally learn and grow

In October 2020 you received your achievement of Professional Certified Coach. What did this mean to you and your clients?

This was such an enormous achievement for me and I’m quite proud of my PCC certification!  Many people are unaware that ICF Professional Coaches are advancing the coaching profession so coaching becomes an integral part of society. ICF Credential-holders are part of a self-regulating group of elite coaches who provide accountability to clients and the coaching profession as a whole. We pursue and complete rigorous education and practice requirements that provide unquestioned legitimacy to our commitment to excellence in coaching.  Most importantly, ICF ensures the entire coaching profession maintains high standards, ethical requirements, and a stellar reputation.

ICF offers three credentials: Associate, Professional, and Master Certified Coach.  For me, achieving the PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation is the culmination of over 125+ hours of training and 500+ hours of coaching experience.  Now the next step for me is MCC (Master Certified Coach) which requires 200+ hours of training and 2500+ hours of coaching experience.  That might be a ways off and it is a great goal to be working towards! 

2020 has by all measures been a very trying year. How have you managed to stay so upbeat during all the chaos? What tips for remaining focused do you have for others?

Yes, for many 2020 has absolutely been a trying year.  Yet, no matter what challenges have arisen, I believe that it is important to remain grounded in positivity and possibility.  Each day that the sun rises affords a new opportunity.  I truly believe that it is not the circumstances that dictate our life, it is how we respond to those circumstances that determine how we experience life. 

This past year has been filled with so much to be grateful for. This in no way minimizes the heartache and loss experienced. Rather it is a choice, a mindset, to focus on my gratitude especially those from painful learnings.  For me, it was a year of gratitude for rest, for reprioritizing, for more time spent at home with family, for creativity in safely meeting new people, for deepening relationships, for letting go of what no longer served, and for creating something new.  And for me 2020 was also a time of breakdown, and out of that, breakthrough. Yes, I’m grateful for both of these!  I’m not only grateful, I am embracing the gifts 2020 has offered me – the opportunity to see what’s working, what isn’t, what needs to change, and most importantly, the value of kindness and love.

This framework, of gratitude, celebrating small (and large) ‘wins’, and focusing on a weekly goal or priority is one that I use with my individual coaching clients, and with my virtual women’s group.  It is a framework that allows for the messiness of life, and helps lift us with the message of hope, optimism, and possibility.  It helps us move past the roadblocks and take the one small step forward toward whatever it is in our life that is most important at this time.

What misconceptions about starting your own business did you have as you started your business?  How did you overcome them?

The 2 misconceptions I originally had were that I would simply be coaching clients and that it would be easy and simple to have a continual stream of new clients.  I spoke about both of these earlier, and the reality is that I am both a Coach and a Business Owner/CEO.  I need to wear all the associated hats, until I’m able to hire others to help bring their expertise to the business. 

As for receiving new clients, consistency is key.  Delivering high value is key for me, since a majority of my new clients are received by word of mouth and personal referrals.  And yes, visibility and thought leadership is key as well. 

Your coaching appears to empower you as much as your clients. How has this impacted your relationship with others? Was this byproduct of your business surprising to you?

Not at all.  Coaching is a very reciprocal relationship.  We both learn and grow through the experience and empowerment is a fulfilling result.  This is part of what attracted me to coaching.  I am continually inspired and empowered as I partner with my clients to uncover their most important insights and as they fall in love with their life and career. 

What little known fact about you would most surprise people?

Hmmm…well a couple of things come to mind.  First, I was a happy, successful, single career woman and didn’t even meet my husband until I was 40.  I was very happy with my lifestyle (or so I thought) and really didn’t expect to marry.  Then I met Rod, and within one year we were engaged, in two years married, and then received custody of his 2 young sons (ages 8 & 12 at the time).  So I went from a single, career woman to a married woman with 2 young sons all within 2 years’ time!  Talk about MAJOR LIFE CHANGES! 

The other thing that comes to mind is that although I’ve never been very athletic, I actually completed a Marathon in Anchorage, AK – all 26.2 miles!  I’ve never done another one since,  and it is one of my proudest accomplishments.  So I’m a risk taker and have seen the results of a positive mindset.  I don’t just coach around these principles – I live them!

Integrity or intelligence? Which is more important to you and why?

Integrity – hands down! 

Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills – the ability to retain knowledge, use reasoning to solve problems or have above average brain power. An example of intelligence is someone obtaining their Ph.D.

Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions.  Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy, in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs. 

To me integrity is a choice in one’s behavior rather than simply a learning of knowledge.  Intelligence may be good, but intelligence without integrity can threaten the very fabric of humankind. 

What one thing will you do this year that scares you?

I am planning to hire 1-2 business partners.  These might be part-time, or contractors, I’ve not yet made a decision on the best business model.  It scares me because it’s really about taking that next leap of faith in my business.  I want to be able to have a team that I am able to pay well, offer good benefits, that makes a good living and truly believes in the Kathy Pearce Coaching mission and vision and is invested in it’s growth.  Wow, it’s out there now – and so it is!

What are the top 1-5 things that we can look forward to from you in 2021?

    • I’m participating in the Women in Cloud Virtual Summit January 28-30, 2021. I am one of ~20 ICF certified coaches offering pro bono coaching to the summit attendees.
    • I plan to expand my Weekly Virtual Women’s Groups, offering 1-2 additional weekly groups.
    • I am currently taking Positive Intelligence (PQ) training which is the science and practice of developing mastery over your own mind so you can reach your full potential for both happiness and success. Positive Intelligence (PQ) is based on breakthrough original research by Shirzad Chamine and synthesis of recent discoveries from Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Psychology, and Performance Science. I’m excited to begin to implement the process with my own clients helping to build the positive mental muscle in creating new habits.
    • I have the opportunity to participate in coaching opportunities with:
      • Pacific Northwest Aerospace Association (February)
      • Women in Construction (March)​
      • Women in Data Science (April)
    • I’m in the planning stages of launching my own YouTube Channel and Podcast highlighting interesting people who have created their own version of success. Some of the amazing people to be highlighted include an executive turned stress & health coach, an executive business administrator turned published author, a homemaker turned composer & pilot, a tech executive turned blogger, an executive assistant turned screenwriter and director, and many more!

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