As I started my coaching journey, I had spent 20 years working in advertising, media, and design at an executive level – but it was getting boring
Susan McKenzie
I felt like a hamster on a wheel
I had some interesting experiences in some agencies along the way – agencies with incredible cultures – and I learnt how culture, leadership, and a drive for success affects a company.
I found The Coaching Institute by being referred to coaching as a concept. I went searching, but most companies and schools looked dry as toast. When I found TCI, I was met with great reviews – and, when I dropped into the campus, I fell in love with the culture. I jumped straight into my Foundations of Coaching Success training, which put me way out of my comfort zone!
“It took a lot of thinking to decide what I really wanted to do with this. To be honest, I was scared – but I decided to jump off the cliff, rather than take the safety route – and I realised I was much more prepared than I thought I was, and that The Coaching Institute was prepared to help me keep my head above water.”
Susan McKenzie
Soon, all of my pro bonos were becoming paying clients or were referring paying clients onto me. I was doing loads of referral business – word of mouth marketing was extremely important to me. I had converted 40% of my target client number in only 8 weeks. What was the thing that did it? I got in the room. Following Intake, I did Advanced Skills, eDISC, Meta Dynamics I, and Meta Dynamics II. I’m booked into Meta Dynamics III. The Meta Dynamics training changed everything for me. I was able to work smarter, not harder. I was charging higher fees, and my clients were willing to pay because I was getting the results.
Initially, my struggle was seeing beyond the one-on-one coaching, small game mentality – doing Meta Dynamics II changed this, and allowed me to think big. I took on a commercial mentality, and everything changed. Disruptive Leadership and Ultimate Influence changed the way I think about business, marketing, and sales.
Thought Dynamics has made me more confident about the work I’m doing – I feel like I’m part of something. There’s definitely credibility in getting involved. Thought Dynamics gives me a group of people with a shared agenda – a place to call home. These trainings were all big turnings points for me. They were an opportunity to grow – to think like a grown up, as Remi would say.
My next step is moving further online! I’m branching into social media marketing – especially Facebook – and getting the Thought Dynamics branding plastered everywhere to show that I’m a part of an awesome community of coaches with the highest standards of training. I’m also in the product development stage at the moment – writing and recording some awesome stuff to add value to my coaching!
My big five year plan is to bring a group of corporate consultants together and start a global network.
My advice? You’ve just got to do it – do it all, buy it all, consume it all, accept it all, sign it all – talk to everybody about it. Get the confidence by holding yourself accountable – get advice about how to be strategic (the WOW Team is a great resource for this!)
I couldn’t be more delighted with The Coaching Institute – everybody without exception is tremendous. Their thought leadership and training is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It feels like they’re a pioneering organisation.
I’m proud to say I’m a part of it.
Susan McKenzie
