Make Change Coaching

We are pleased to announce the arrival of a coaching practice, conceived in mid-2023 and birthed on May 12, 2024.

I picked May 12 to launch for three reasons. 

First, May has contained many new beginnings for me throughout my life. Just as the trees change seemingly overnight from twiggy coatracks to lush foliage, I also tend to undergo transformations. May was the month I discovered I wanted to move out of the Communications field and into Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice work. Two years later, it was when I decided to pursue my full Masters in Learning and Organizational Change and certificate in Organizational and Leadership Coaching. This year, I’m launching Make Change Coaching as the next step in my journey of trying to make a difference in this mad world. I can’t think of a year in more dire need of movers and shakers than 2024.

Second, May 12 is Katharine Hepburn’s birthday. Anyone who knows me knows Kate Hepburn isn’t just my favorite actress but one of the old Hollywood icons who pushed boundaries, from wearing pants on set (the horror!) to shirking Academy Awards, for which she was nominated 12 times and won four. While she wasn’t perfect, she epitomizes the kind of people I love to work with — the kind who refuse to compromise on their values: My skill and talent comes with my true self, or you don’t get any of it at all.

Third, May 12 this year is Mother’s Day. I’ll save you the Instagram caption proclamation (that no one really reads) of how my mom is my rock, my best friend, my confidante, etc. I mean, she is — but in the context of launching my coaching practice, I’d like to offer a reframing.

Coaches are a little like good moms. When we have a coach/mom we respect and love, we at some level feel obligated to please them. But coaches/moms really want the best for us, and while they might not always agree with what their client/kid decides to do, a good coach/mom knows that it’s out of her control and that her job is to offer support when it all goes to hell.

My mom has a saying that I use with clients and, more often, with myself: “Get some dirt on your uniform.” We don’t always get what we want right away and instead need to gain a different experience first. When I took my corporate job, I had a little grit on me from my journalism career, but I was still pretty immaculate (that has since changed). Now I’m putting on a pristine coach’s jacket, and I’m excited to get it grimy while helping my clients do the same — take risks, learn skills, and get messy.

Who wants to come play in the dirt with me?