The Final Entry — Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day

Posted on December 3, 2024 in #My story. Reading time: 4 minutes

And where would be the fun in that?

I started building my business almost 6 years ago and the exciting thing about it is that it never stops surprising me with new and wondrous twists and turns.

This In and Out of Corporate Series was conceived as an exercise of self-reflection and to illustrate what a transition from a stable corporate job into the world of entrepreneurship can look and feel like. But that was not the only reason I decided to put it out into the world. I know how intimate coaching can be and the more I can reveal about myself outside of these often time-sensitive coaching sessions, the more comfortable and assured (I hope…) my clients can feel in choosing me. This series is about me. This is my story.

This is the last entry into the series. A little peek at the building blocks of my coaching practice, those that I find most relevant to any business in the making. Let’s keep it short and sweet along the following formula, shall we?

My Life Purpose x My Business Purpose x My Credentials x My Incremental Goals x My Crew = My Bliss

My Life Purpose

This is my fuel, the thing that gets me out of bed and behind my desk in the morning. I love helping people show up as the best version of themselves. Helping them minimize internal and external friction in their professional lives. Helping them to breathe easy. It is a self-perpetuating source of energy for me, so much so that it has manifested as a mantra for me that guides my every step: I see, I say, I hurt sometimes (because coaching can be uncomfortable), I heal, I propel.

My Business Purpose

I left corporate and never want to work in corporate again. However, it remains an incredibly complex, fascinating and dynamic environment within which to effect change. So if not “in”, I certainly want to continue working “with” corporate. I also have a hedged interest in moving the needle for the female cause in corporations. For equity, respect and fair representation. To do so, as a coach, I am deep in the weeds with my clients. My business is about creating intimacy and close connections as opposed to transactional client-coach relationships.

My Credentials

I take education very seriously.We can debate lengthily about the value (or lack thereof) of diplomas and degrees, but having a rubber-stamped seal of approval from a renowned organization in your field does lend any young business a degree of authority (I did this with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), as an aside). Going back into a learning space after decades of working in hierarchical leadership positions is also a very humbling experience. I was an established corporate leader, yet to truly become a Leadership Coach, I opted for a very challenging leadership program. To get to know my own reactivities, my patterns.

While formally trained in it, I realized that Team Coaching knows dimensions of complexity and systemic dynamics that require a very specific skill set. So, I went and studied some more. So intricate was the topic, that in fact I did the program a second time. Only this time round, I acted as the teacher’s assistant, another humbling experience after decades of “being in charge”. Neuroscience and Immunity to Change programs to carve out a niche, and the coach you meet today has taken shape.

My Incremental Goals

This is where the title of this article comes into play. Pick small goals when you get going with your own business. Better yet, get going while you are still employed so that you have the comforts of a regular income as you experiment with your budding brand. Owning a business is not for everyone, the grind, the hustle, the enterprising. For me, having incremental goals allows for equally incremental and frequent feelings of success. It maintains my sense of joy and discovery.

In my first year for instance, my only financial objective was to make enough money to reimburse myself for what I had put into my business, chiefly the cost of my education. I over-achieved on that goal in the end, but having held it so firmly in my mind, this achievement was not just an “Oh, ok.” but an “Oh. WOW!” moment of delight.

My Crew

Every business owner you ask will speak about the power of delegation if you want to grow. You will reach a point at which you will need help to unlock the next milestone. To people at that pivotal moment I will say this. Don’t look for a “contractor” or “just a freelancer”. Look for true collaborators, for people who believe in your dream and are excited about making it a reality with you. In my case, I knew I had more to share with the world than I could find time to express all on my own. Unpacking my coaching practice and its foundations with a small but inspired group of communications professionals has accelerated the development of my online presence. Beyond that, it granted clients the kind of insights into who they were hiring that I’ve wished for them to have.

So. We’ve made it, you and I. To the end of an expansive multi-chapter series about my personal journey from “in” to “out” of corporate. I just went back and checked when the first entry into this series was released. March 21, 2023! Time flies when you’re having fun, hey? As I stare at this date in mild disbelief, I smile to myself as the title of this last article was indeed aptly chosen. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Thank you so much for reading and your interest in what goes on in my life. If you ever need me, you know where to find me.

—Véronique

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