10 Years of Unlocking Potential at Ignition Coaching
10 years ago I decided to leave the consulting world and launch a business in Coaching. While frightening at first, I can confidently say this has been the best decision I ever made. I’m sharing this story today as I reflect on some of the pivotal moments that turned Ignition Coaching from a 1:1 Career Coaching practice in Hong Kong to what is now a global Executive, Team and Organizational Wellbeing company with a group of 16 world-class coaches across 4 continents. As you read about my journey, I invite you to reflect on your own strengths and values, and how you might take one small step in the right direction to find greater meaning and purpose in your life.
It all started with a deeper understanding of my own strengths, a lot of hard work, a bit of serendipity and the support of many amazing people along the way.
Discovering The Power of Coaching
Delivering a Keynote speech on Resilient Leadership at Deloitte's annual Technology conference in Atlanta, USA
It was 2007 when I was put forward for an infamously difficult Director Assessment Program at Deloitte, which was seen as a gateway to true leadership roles and ultimately a Partnership within the firm. I was, for the very first time, doubting my ability to pass this highly stressful assessment. After months of worrying, I shared my concerns with one of the partners who had supported me throughout my career. He listened and, rather than dismiss my concerns, suggested coaching to help me get in the right frame of mind. It was through that first intense yet truly transformational coaching program that I was able to see my inner critic was getting in my way: I was sabotaging my own potential to succeed. With the right support, I re-focused my attention on my achievements and the relevant skills and strengths I could bring as a leader to the firm, especially as a role model for other women.
My confidence boosted, I felt ready for the assessment centre - in fact I was looking forward to it! I successfully completed the assessment and – in addition to the client facing role – I was given the role of Talent Leader, overseeing recruitment, training, and people development. I loved it – it felt so natural! Little did I know then that this experience with coaching had planted a seed in me, which would later grow into my purpose.
Navigating Change
Breathtaking views of Hong Kong.
A year later, there I was confidently leading global engagements and managing multinational teams when my husband shared he’d been offered an opportunity to relocate from London to Hong Kong with his organization. I was terrified of leaving behind everything I had ever known – my identity, family, friends, and a career in finance that I had built for over 14 years. Did I really want to sacrifice it all to move to a city I had never even visited before? Deep down, a part of me was excited about venturing into the unknown and I knew this could be a great opportunity for both of us. I just needed to approach the move with a positive mindset.
Of course, it helped immensely that Deloitte offered me a two-year career break which provided me a future path should we return. Because I fully expected we would return.
Only I fell head over heels (literally – but that’s another story for another time…) in love with Hong Kong as soon as we landed. The energy, the nature, the people! In our first year, while settling my boys into their new school and exploring Hong Kong and Asia, I met the most incredible people from all around the world. We were invited to brunches, dinner parties, and hiking groups, and I connected with so many talented people who not only became lifelong friends but were instrumental in helping me to start my new business venture.
Pursuing My Passion; Finding my Purpose
Our first Wellbeing workshop at Top Toy (Hong Kong) with Wellbeing and Executive Coach Cristina Rodenbeck in 2013.
Reflecting on my career and the aspects that were most fulfilling, it was the passion I had felt for developing people and the revelation that my own coaching experience that really stood out. Feeling the urge to explore and expand my skill set, I decided to enroll in a Coaching Diploma at Hong Kong University (HKU).
In the early days, things progressed organically. While completing my diploma, I was invited to coach Business School undergraduates applying for roles within Big 4 accounting firms, to help them stand out and articulate their most compelling stories. Later, I coached several international women who, like me, had put successful careers on hold. I helped them unlock their potential and carve out new careers and businesses that aligned with their values, skills and strengths. Coaching clients in their transitions – a journalist to a jewelry entrepreneur, a financial expert to retail strategist, an actuary to a top 10 fin-tech start up, and many more – backed up my belief that so many of our skills are transferable to a new context if we are open to learning and being creative with finding new solutions.
I was hooked on helping others who wanted more in life to achieve their goals. Helping people find greater purpose and meaning in their lives became my purpose.
From Purpose to a Meaningful Profession
Facilitating a workshop on Mindfulness with Vermillion Talent in New York
Drawing on my personal leadership experiences and insights, I then went on to coach executives. They appreciated my understanding of the internal political challenges executives face, the confidence gaps, communication difficulties, team and people issues, and more. I was able to empathize while using my coaching skills to help clients identify their own blocks and see new and creative ways of looking at their challenges.
Keen to help others find greater fulfillment, I continuously built my toolkit, often facing up to and overcoming my own internal blocks, especially when presenting to large groups. Embracing the overactive butterflies in my stomach, I welcomed the challenge to speak at various events and each time it felt easier and even more rewarding, as it often opened up doors to new opportunities.
With my corporate background and new network in Hong Kong, I connected with HR/ Talent Heads and explored the opportunity to provide Executive Coaching services. This was the perfect blend of leveraging the leadership and management skills I had gained at Deloitte and my new coaching skills.
It was through being an executive coach that I realized an alarming number of people were overwhelmed, stressed, and close to burnout. Self-care was low on their list of priorities. I felt compelled to take action and develop a holistic wellness program that promoted real self-care (not the odd spa treatment or day off)and enabled professionals to become more productive and effective at work.
Such is the power of relationships that a friend from the Coaching Program was the Head of HR for a large toy manufacturer, which became our very first corporate client. We offered Executive Coaching and a Wellness program to a team of high performers. The feedback was encouraging: participants shared how this holistic program exploring their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing was critical for succeeding in today’s 24/7 and volatile world. After each program, we continually listened to the feedback and improved to make it even more impactful. Later, we delivered workshops to other groups including Women in Finance Asia (WiFA), which led to several opportunities with Investment Banks in Asia. I recall the energy in the rooms, people feeling excited and empowered by the practices, and wanting to learn more. I was becoming comfortable sharing vulnerable stories about my own challenges and how these practices have helped me to be a better mother, wife, sister, friend and entrepreneur.
How a Growth Mindset Took Ignition Coaching Global
Executive Coach Nicole Weber and I teaching the Search Inside Yourself program with City Harvest New York.
In 2014, just as my coaching business was gaining momentum, we had an opportunity to move to New York. My initial reaction: “No! Why now?!” I really did not want to have to start from scratch again. After a couple of days of reflection, with an open mindset, I began to see opportunities unfolding. I didn’t have to let go of what I was creating in Hong Kong – this was the foundation, and I could now build on it to go global.
In New York, I quickly realized there were a myriad of world-class programs and teachers that I could learn from to deepen my own practices. I started with the two-day Google-born Search Inside Yourself program - a leading mindfulness and emotional intelligence (EI) program and Google's most popular leadership development program. I found this program so powerful in the way it was structured to support organizations to understand the power of meditation and emotional intelligence for developing compassionate leaders. I later registered for their nine-month teacher training program in San Francisco. This deepened my own meditation practice as well as further understanding the research and neuroscience behind mindfulness and EI at a much deeper level.
Months after being certified, I was honored to co-facilitate the first open-enrollment program at Deepak Chopra's home base in New York City. I will never forget this incredible learning experience! I was nervous on Day one, and worried about getting everything right, providing clear instructions, and being perfect. There it was again: doubting my own abilities and my inner narrative getting in my way. On Day two, during my morning meditation, I visualized a positive day, focusing on the audience, and reminding myself to be kind to myself should I make a mistake. This put me at ease, and I was so much more relaxed, engaged with the audience, and enjoying myself.. I was in my element sharing funny personal stories and could feel the difference!
Through this training, I met more coaches and mindfulness teachers. Together, we partnered to create new resilience and mindfulness-based offerings. We updated our original wellness program, which became our WAVE Program for Mindful Resilience framed around four key dimensions: Wisdom, Alignment, Vitality, and Engagement. We later launched the program to numerous organizations in the form of Resilience training, keynote speeches, leadership development and company-wide mindfulness programs. To all our clients reading this today, thank you for trusting us to share these practices and for putting in the hard work that as we know makes the real difference.
Later I was selected to become a Meta Coach for Dr. Daniel Goleman’s (a world-renowned researcher in Emotional Intelligence (EI)) program which led to many interesting opportunities including working alongside Daniel Goleman himself in bringing EI to our clients. I was later featured on his podcast with Dr Richie Davidson, discussing the role of purpose and how we can foster more meaning for a greater sense of wellbeing. I often reflect on how none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for my husband and I being open-minded about moving our family to New York and then having the courage to explore new programs and adapt our offerings to a new market.
Developing Resilient Leaders Through the Pandemic
Our new online programs developed in 2020.
When the pandemic struck, I was shocked and worried along with the rest of the world. Businesses and life as we knew it stood still for seemingly the first time. As a coach and business owner, I realized we had the power to offer tools to help support others experiencing difficulties with adapting to the new world order. We were prepared for the possible impact the pandemic could have on the mental health of employees and wanted to support our clients through this. We transitioned to delivering virtual webinars on Resilience and Mindfulness and we were asked by one of our clients to create an online version of our programs. Within three months, after many late nights and collaborating with our coaches and vendors, we launched our very first Academy platform and made it available to thousands of individuals. We continue to create new programs as a blended learning approach using videos, articles, discussion forums, live sessions, journaling and more.
In fact, our latest program on Emotional Resilience goes even deeper into exploring how thoughts and emotions can get in your way, and help you get unstuck to thrive in today’s volatile and uncertain world. It’s our hope that armed with these tools, organizations can support their employees to deal with the constant change in a deeper and more meaningful way. I am also very excited to share that we are in the final stages of launching our new app where all our Academy programs will be available in an easy to access platform very soon. Watch this space!
Ignition Coaching Today
A selection of our wonderful team celebrating the end of 2020!
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Ignition Coaching would become what it is today. We have grown our close-knit but diverse global team to 16 certified coaches with strong leadership backgrounds across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Most importantly, our coaches are all kind and compassionate people committed to making a positive difference. Since moving to the US, our B2B client work has evolved to serve a wide range of executives and a portfolio of businesses across industries including education, pharmaceutical, sustainable power generation, hospitality and finance and I feel very fortunate to be leading and to being a part of this team of coaches.
I'm really proud of what we've developed, and I look forward to continuing the journey to build more resilient and effective colleagues, leaders and community members. Looking back at my journey, just as Ignition has changed, I realize I am a different person today than I was ten years ago. As a natural introvert, I have had to repeatedly step out of my comfort zone. Each time I doubted myself, and chose to take a chance anyhow, I allowed myself space to grow. Over time I have gained the confidence to try things I never would have imagined.
One thing I have learned from coaching successful leaders is that everyone has their own unique blend of hang ups, insecurities, and obstacles to overcome. However, it does not help to compare yourself or use other people as a yardstick for success. The real question should be whether you are a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday, because if you are you can be one step closer towards living with greater purpose.
I am sharing my journey with you today to show that anything is possible when we have a clear purpose and understand our own unique strengths and values. If we can tap into our courage and openness instead of playing small – we can all do it. And, as I know all too well, we don’t have to do it alone. From the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported me on this journey (you know who you are), thank you.
Ignite Your Purpose.
Visit our website to learn more about how Ignition can help you, your team, and organization!