I only coach those that are ready for coaching. That might sound selective, but after decades in leadership and sales, I’ve learned that true change doesn’t begin with persuasion; it begins with readiness. I spent most of my career convincing people to buy, to try, to act – I am extremely good at sales. Coaching is different. It’s not something to sell and I have no inclination to try. There is truth in the old adage, when the student is ready…
Coaching operates in a space between potential and willingness. I can walk beside someone, ask the right questions, create space for reflection, but if they’re not ready to look inward and do the work, the process doesn’t land. Coaching isn’t about performance tricks or productivity hacks. It is not advice, nor consulting – those are mutually exclusive of coaching. It’s about confronting long-held and unaddressed beliefs and patterns, which requires courage, vulnerability, and a resolute, internal readiness.
So how do you know when you’re ready for coaching? Usually, it’s not from a book or a podcast. It shows up in lived experience. External signs emerge first: the nights where sleep won’t come because your mind keeps replaying the same decision; the creeping dissatisfaction even in success; the team that feels off; the company culture that doesn’t resemble the one you thought you were building; the results that no longer feel worth the cost; a desire to bow out of a company that’s doing well.
Then there are the internal signs. The silent weight of stress that no amount of strategy fixes. The dull fatigue that lingers under every achievement. The strain in your relationships. The loss of meaning, of purpose. The repeating thought, I can’t keep doing this like this. These are not failures. They are signals. Blaring signals, the psyche’s way of inviting you to take action towards growth.
Every single word I write, I have lived deeply. In addition to many roles and ventures, I was CEO of the same company for 15+ years. I’ve been in the deep trenches of founder burnout and I’ve also come out the other side, healthy and grateful.
If any of this resonates, coaching can help. It’s not about fixing what’s wrong; it’s about uncovering what’s true, beautiful and meaningful within you. The readiness isn’t about having answers; it’s about finally being willing to explore your deeper questions on this amazing journey you are on.