I
have been very fortunate in a corporate career, having worked for
a domestic and an international corporation since my graduation
from college (and after two years of military service in the Vietnam
era). An MBA with a concentration in finance positioned me to work
in the corporate financial services field. I held positions in strategic
planning, financial planning a controllership, and finally a Chief
Financial Officer. At the age of 46, I found myself financially
ready to step away from the corporate world and pursue other interests
in my life.
After much soul-searching, we decided to relocate from our comfortable
beach-close home in Southern California. My family loves animals,
horses in particular, so we searched for a property, either in
or out of California, which would allow us to pursue our love
of animals and co-locate with the, otherwise boarded-out, equestrian
members of our family. We ultimately purchased a 5-acre parcel
and moved horses, dogs, cats, rabbit, and an exceedingly verbose
African Grey Parrot.
Once the property was improved to our expectations, I began casting
about for something to do. It was suggested to me that I consider
coaching, since in previous business situations, I had, indeed,
been coaching employees, colleagues, and clients for years through
many types of circumstances and situations without having the
name of the service which I was , by nature, performing.
Within a relatively short period, I had built a coaching business
with executives, sole proprietors, and partners in partnerships.
In truth, the work was not work. It was simply collaborating with
people I found in need of some clarity around specified parts
of their lives. It was a partnering with persons, who wished to
reach higher, achieve more, or redirect or validate, some aspect
of their business or personal lives. It has never been work to
me. It seemed as natural as gravity, and almost as consistent.
I offer a complimentary coaching session to those who express
an interest, and my offer is to determine, for both of us, if
our partnering might be a good fit. If we both find comfort in
working together, we continue. I encourage business people to
consider how having a supportive partner in your life can move
you to a position you cannot reach alone.
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