Client Case Study Colleen Haggerty - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Colleen Haggerty - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  At 57,  Colleen  is a newly-launched Forgiveness Coach that already has a TEDx talk a self-published memoir under her belt! This Client Case Study is especially for those of you who have told yourself that its too late to have a grown-up business you love. Colleen is doing it, and you can, too! Why did you decide to work with me, a creative career coach? I am an independent person, so when I realized I wasn’t launching my coaching business as I wanted, I had to get real with myself. I was giving a lot of thought to being a coach, but I wasn’t really doing the work. I couldn’t land on a niche. I tried to talk myself out of needing a niche. But without a niche, it was a challenge do design my website without anyone to target it to. Marketing was difficult because I didn’t have anyone specific to market to. Also, I was filled with doubt about this path. I was really having trouble owning the validity of myself as a coach as the viability of coaching. I approached another coach to work with me and, after telling her about myself, she said, “My strengths lie elsewhere. You need to work with Michelle. She’s the one who can help you launch.” So I took one of your free webinars about how to set myself up to leave my old job for a new one. I liked how you broke down the steps; I liked your supportive natureâ€"and I liked your spunky personality. I knew you would bring joy to the process! What were you doing work-wise when we started our sessions? I was, and still am, a part-time executive director of a tiny non-profit that supports children and families who are grieving a death. I’ve been in the non-profit field for 30 years now and it’s in my blood. What was your biggest takeaway from our time together? What? You want me to pick only one? Impossible, Michelle! First, you brought into the light what I had trouble seeing for years: my niche. I’ve written about this niche, I did a TEDx talk about this niche, but I’ve tiptoed around it, unable to own it as mine. It has been huge that you’ve helped me to embrace being a Forgiveness Coach. Second, I felt seen. Owning that I’m a Forgiveness Coach is huge for me, but to you, it was a no-brainer. You didn’t bring in the judgements that I did. You saw me for who I am. I remember trying to put on the brakesâ€"“No, no, wait. I can’t do that!” and you just kept me going. Thank you for helping me to accept that I have this important work to share. Third, you gently yet firmly held my toes to the fire which made me get sh*t done! Holy Moly! In just six sessions I claimed my niche, I revamped my website, I created an offer and I started working with my first client. In our initial consultation call, that’s what you said would happen in those first six weeks. I’ll admit now, I was skepticalbut I did it. And fourth, I don’t think you ever explicitly said this, but a Titanic Take Away has been:  this is all on me. Hearing your story about being in a job that made you physically ill and how you planned and plotted on getting out is inspirational. But nobody did that but you. So you’ve been a mentor as well as a coach. Yes, we all have community and people who support us, but now I truly know that when I do the work, results happen. Was there anything else you tried to do as a career between the time we stopped our sessions and what you do for work now? If so, how did it inform your current business? No What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together? Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? Honestly? I’d tell them to invest in themselves and work with you! But if that’s not in the cards right now, I’d suggest that they make a plan and plot out their exit strategy. But mostly, I’d tell them to tell their Inner Critic to shut the hell up and just get on living the life they want. I’m 57 years old and I wish that I’d stopped giving my Inner Critic so much power for so long. Life is short. Do what you love. Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear about any upcoming offerings or goals! I have a Vision Board Workshop coming up January 14th here in my small little hamlet in the farthest northwest corner of the US. I love facilitating workshops and supporting people to go inward. And, now that I’ve worked with you, I’ll be bold and proud to tell them that I am a Forgiveness Coach and let them know how they can work with me. I’d like to offer The Forgiveness Sessionsâ€"a 10-week program that walks people through the steps of acceptance and forgivenessâ€"to your peeps at a 33% discount. They can go to my website and put Michelle Rocks in the comments.