I remember sitting in a half-day VIP session with a long-term client and watching her strategize around her team and what was needed for the future growth of the business.
When she took a breath, I looked at her and simply said, “You are so good at this. You know that, right?”
And the look on her face surprised me because it was part disbelief and part pride.
This is a HUGE part of the work I do with my women business owners and professional women: helping them SEE their strengths and trust their guts (their intuition). Gently remind them to honor what they know and say out loud what they want.
For my clients, I’m a partner, a guide sometimes, an encourager other times. Every time I’m with a client, I’m a compassionate listener, holding space for anything need they need to talk about, whether it is on the ‘agenda’ or not.
Why do I care so much?
To be honest, the things my clients struggle with are things I have also struggled with. It has been an evolution for me to take pride in being a business coach, albeit one without an MBA or a coaching certificate (though I am working on that coaching certificate right now).
I’ve been reluctant to come right out and tell people how much I use my intuition (also known as ‘trusting my gut’) in my work. I’ve been fearful of sharing my deep relationship with Nature and God (I mean, what normal person gets messages from rivers and rocks, for goodness sakes? And what does it even mean??).
I have feared not fitting in. Being too smart. Wanting too much, and wanting it too fast. I have feared BEING too much and getting “too big for my britches.”
BUT – working gently with my thoughts and feelings, accepting my glorious “too much-ness,” embracing my kookiness and woo-woo side and trusting my gut has been hard but SO LIBERATING.
It took me forever to learn and be okay with wanting what I wanted. It took me forever to learn and be okay with being who I was, no filters, no faking.
Sometimes I still forget.
And then I go and do my work with my clients. They share their fears and frustrations. They talk about their too much-ness and wanting too much.
In these sessions, I get to settle into my compassion saddle, adjust our reins, and lead both of us back into hearts. We ride together towards the TRUTH of whatever needs to be said, accepted, and healed.
Some sessions with clients brings HUGE relief. We put an end to internal suffering. These are heart-filled.
Other sessions are all decision-making, planning, and strategizing. These are heady sessions where we get shit DONE.
I love my business coaching work for the combination of both the head and the heart. For you see, my clients – every single one – are SO SMART. They are professionals. Hustlers. Go-getters. Decision-makers.
BUT…
They are also humans. Flawed. Sensitive. Squishy. Tuned-in. Aware. Scared. Happy. Mad. Sad. Suffering. Rejoicing.
I can’t ignore one for the other. I welcome all parts of my clients to the table.
In fact, my long-time client Julie Bee of BeeSmart Social Media says it best in her recent testimonial:
“When I’m stuck in business or life, I go to Angie. Angie has helped me find my path on numerous occasions over the years. Decisions to hire employees, deal with a difficult client, or tear down a process and rebuild are always discussed with Angie before I pull the trigger. Angie has a few special skills that I rely on to help me make decisions. First, she always asks questions I’ve never thought of asking myself. Second, she has a unique ability to see situations from a completely different perspective than I do, often challenging the assumptions I’ve made. Third, she always helps me not only answer those challenging questions, but she also helps me identify the steps I need to take next. Finally, she’s great at helping me move through the pain of indecision and find the clarity I seek. I often refer to her as my bazooka that breaks down the walls that are halting my progress, because that’s what she does. She calls it Wayfinding, but it’s much more than that – I always have peace after speaking to Angie about any challenge I’m facing, and as a business owner, that is priceless.”
Gentle reader, may I help you find the peace and clarity YOU seek? I’d be honored.
Warmly, Angie
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P.S. May I ask you to share this note with one or two women business owners or women professionals who need some support? Someone you know who needs a partner who can address the head and the heart?
THANK YOU!