Career Coaching Secrets
Career Coaching Secrets is a podcast spotlighting the stories, strategies, and transformations created by today’s top career, leadership, and executive coaches.Each episode dives into the real-world journeys behind coaching businesses—how they started, scaled, and succeeded—along with lessons learned, client success stories, and practical takeaways for aspiring or established coaches.Whether you’re helping professionals pivot careers, grow as leaders, or step into entrepreneurship, this show offers an inside look at what it takes to build a purpose-driven, profitable coaching practice.
Unlocking Potential: Dan Sivils on Limiting Beliefs & Executive Growth
Rexhen Doda interviews Dan Sivils, an executive coach and former trial attorney. Dan's coaching journey began after a Peru hike, focusing on uncovering limiting beliefs and emotional blocks. He specializes in deep transformational coaching for leaders navigating complex life and career changes. A key focus is Artificial Intelligence (AI); Dan, with over 1000 hours of AI study, asserts its necessity for coaches and its power for innovation and new careers through customized AI. He notes AI is already integrated everywhere and emphasizes its ability to enhance human output.
Lead generation...
The $100K Goal: Dr. Shaya Kass on Scaling a Coaching Business
Rexhen Doda interviews Dr. Shaya Kass, a transformational life coach and educator with 40 years of teaching experience. Inspired by his students' need for motivation, Shaya began coaching 12 years ago, focusing on solo entrepreneurs. He finds clients through a coaching school and online platforms.
Shaya aims to build a $100,000 coaching business and create a course. He learned to overcome self-imposed limitations and emphasizes time management. He advises coaches to help more people, not just make money.
Find Dr. Shaya...
From Corporate Recruiter to Coaching Pro: Dhara Majmundar's Journey
Rexhen Doda interviews Dhara Majmundar, a top corporate recruiter and LinkedIn Top Voice, now a career coach specializing in tech hiring. Inspired by a job seeker's emotional feedback, Dhara transitioned from free services to paid coaching for North American fresh graduates to mid-career professionals.
Her primary lead source is her 47,000+ LinkedIn followers and referrals. Dhara's key advice: "just start" and gradually price services. Her main challenges include time management and screening clients. She plans to pursue certification and structured programs.
Find Dhara...
Staying Relevant at 79: Randy Block's Secrets for Lifelong Learning & Coaching
Rexhen Doda interviews Randy Block, a Certified Professional Coach and career plan advisor with decades of executive recruiting experience. Randy pivoted to full-time coaching, driven by a passion for helping individuals. He focuses on empowering clients to help themselves and navigating their self-discovery.
Randy works with diverse clients from early career to near-retirement, finding them primarily through personal referrals and Blue Steps. At 79, he emphasizes staying relevant, continuous learning (including AI), and purpose, with no plans to retire. His biggest lesson was realizing he cannot control...
Mary Whitaker: Balancing Client Work with Business Growth as a Solopreneur
Rexhen Doda interviews Mary Whitaker, CEO of RightCareer, a veteran coach. Mary's unplanned journey into coaching began after a health pivot from finance. She now primarily helps professionals over 45-50 navigate job transitions and modern hiring.
Clients come from referrals, Google, and LinkedIn articles. Mary advocates for strategic digital marketing over traditional ads and keeps website prices off to encourage direct conversations. Despite personal challenges, her goal is to increase profitability for retirement. She manages time with a paper planner and emphasizes a strong support network for...
Michele Charles Gustafson: Why "Start With You" is Key to Coaching Success
Rexhen Doda interviews Michele Charles Gustafson, a confidence coach and brand strategist. Michele's unique approach helps high-achieving women build magnetic personal brands by integrating inner confidence with outer image, stemming from her marketing background.
She targets accomplished women in transition seeking realignment. Her primary client acquisition is through personal referrals and a strong digital ecosystem including her "Confidence Shift" podcast and "Show Up Confident" book, which qualify leads. Michele, also a city councilor, emphasizes defined systems for business growth and managing her multiple roles.
Her advice to...
The Unseen Value: Grant Cooper on Investing in Yourself for Coaching Success
Rexhen Doda interviews Grant Cooper, an executive career coach and founder of Strategic Resumes, detailing his 30-year journey. Grant's business began with purchasing a resume company, then significantly scaled via a national contract with Kinko's. After this, he pivoted to a boutique model, focusing on six-figure earning executives.
A key innovation was his proprietary resume critique software launched in 2002. Grant's client base primarily comes from referrals, built on his client-first philosophy. He plans to transition his business in a few years, seeking a successor he can mentor...
Why Referrals Reign: Robert Hislop's Strategy for Client Acquisition
Rexhen Doda interviews Robert Hislop, a career development strategist and executive coach at 2Tuumbs International. Leveraging his diverse corporate and sales background, Robert helps individuals with career pivots, salary negotiations, and interview strategies.
His coaching journey is rooted in a natural desire to help others succeed. Robert primarily acquires clients through referrals, supplemented by LinkedIn and networking. He nurtures these by seeking testimonials and directing new contacts to his website for validation.
His personal goal is a digital nomad lifestyle, viewing coaching as a "lifestyle." He emphasizes...
Grant Sundbye: Why Collaboration, Not Competition, Scales Coaching
Rexhen Doda interviews Grant Sundbye, founder of Grant Sundbye Career Coaching, who specializes in helping Korean professionals land international jobs. Grant's journey began teaching English in Seoul, evolving into a full Career Accelerator Program.
He targets single young professionals seeking global experience and older professionals looking for family opportunities abroad. His main client acquisition channels are LinkedIn (organic and referrals) and YouTube. Grant's long-term goal is to be the industry leader in his niche.
He emphasizes the importance of video content for building...
German Rochez : How to Conquer Marketing & Find Your Ideal Coaching Client
Rexhen Doda interviews German Rochez, a transformational career coach and HR business partner. German's journey evolved from HR into coaching, focusing on mid-to-senior professionals experiencing burnout, helping them shift mindsets and build confidence for career pivots.
In his first 10 months, his business generated about $5,000, prompting him to increase pricing as his formula proved effective. His main challenge is marketing and consistently finding his target audience, addressed by refining client avatars and diversifying channels like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. German aims for $150,000 annual revenue within three years<...
Intuitive Professional Coaching: Margaret Williams on Strategic Career Shifts
Rexhen Doda interviews Margaret Williams, founder of Intuitive Professional Coaching. A 38-year Army civilian, Margaret recently rebranded to coach mission-driven professionals transitioning from government/high-stakes environments, leveraging her extensive experience.
Inspired to be the role model she never had, Margaret emphasizes authenticity, relationship-building, and making clients "feel good" as core to her marketing, especially against AI content. Her goals are focused on legacy, community impact, and empowering younger generations.
She advocates for continuous learning and delegating tasks to focus on coaching. Margaret's key...
Beyond Habits: Catherine Barron on Lasting Change for Individuals & Couples
Rexhen Doda interviews Catherine Barron, a mindset empowerment, relationship, and career coach focused on "transforming from the inside out." Her model blends mindset tools, feedback, and personalized resources. Catherine draws from her background in psychology and a family history of service. She emphasizes the challenges of building an online coaching business, needing self-correction, learning, and adaptation. She passionately works with diverse clients, addressing relationship and career issues, with a focus on mindset and personal development.
Catherine uses all marketing channels, particularly referrals, YouTube, and large counseling platforms. Her long-term goal is...
Fara Yazdani: Leveraging MBTI for Career Clarity and Confidence
Rexhen Doda interviews Fara Yazdani, a career coach, MBTI practitioner, and talent strategist. Drawing on a decade in HR, Farah helps professionals find clarity, confidence, and momentum for fulfilling careers. She uses her MBTI certification to foster self-awareness. Her client acquisition relies on LinkedIn and referrals.
Farah plans to expand into group programs and workshops and is working towards ICF executive coach certification. She stresses starting before perfection and the challenge of delegating tasks. She also acknowledges the future impact of AI...
Alan Kirshner: Guiding Job Seekers Through the Maze with Confidence
Rexhen Doda interviews Alan Kirshner, a veteran career coach and founder of Kirchner Coaching Solutions. Leveraging his corporate finance background and volunteering, Alan helps job seekers in transition find clarity and confidence.
His coaching journey, spanning over eight years, highlights the importance of patience, networking, and continuous learning. Alan's leads come from LinkedIn, networking, speaking, and volunteering. While not focused on revenue scaling, he prioritizes purpose and helping others. He advises coaches to collaborate, seek help, and be resilient, embracing the evolving nature of the...
Beyond the Accident: Michael O'Brien's Path to Resilience & Coaching
Rexhen Doda interviews Michael O'Brien, an executive coach, speaker, and meditation teacher. Michael, founder of Peloton Executive Coaching and Pause Breathe Reflect, shares how a severe cycling accident inspired his coaching career. He specializes in coaching high-level corporate leaders, many in healthcare, with 90% of clients being company-sponsored. Michael leverages his "Whole Again" podcast, LinkedIn, and personal recovery story for client acquisition. He's focused on growing his Pause Breathe Reflect app, which offers short, frequent meditation practices. Key lessons learned include the importance of coaches having coaches, masterminds, and focused...
Lisa Allie: Navigating AI and Niche in the Coaching Industry
Rexhen Doda interviews Lisa Allie, a certified career coach, resume writer, and LinkedIn optimization specialist. Lisa's diverse background, from running a multi-million dollar staffing agency to non-profit work, fuels her empathetic and strategic coaching approach for a broad client base (new grads to C-suite). Her business thrives on 80% word-of-mouth referrals and a 30-minute complimentary intro.
Lisa plans to launch a website and webinars, staying current through industry associations. Key lessons learned include using bank loans over self-funding and integrating AI sooner. Her main challenge is <...
The Power of Certification: Ash Rao on Building Your Coaching Foundation
Rexhen Doda interviews Ash Rao, a certified career coach and speaker. With 18 years in global talent acquisition, Ash helps mid-career tech professionals achieve leadership roles. Her coaching journey started from her corporate recruiting passion, building her business from scratch.
Ash's main marketing channel is LinkedIn, where she actively engages and posts content. Her goals include diversifying into speaking and writing, and she stresses the importance of professional certification. Key lessons learned involve adapting to revenue uncertainty and the need for strong marketing. Ash advises coaches...
How a Shaman Built a Coaching Business That Transforms Lives with Kelle Sparta
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, we speak with Kelle Sparta – transformational shaman, podcast host, and energetic mastery mentor – about her journey from real estate to building a spiritually grounded coaching business. Kelle shares powerful insights on transformation, lead generation, podcasting success, and how to scale a coaching practice authentically.
You can find her on:
https://kellesparta.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellesparta/
https://www.facebook.com/kellesparta/
https://www.instagram.com/kellesparta/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kellesparta
https://www.SpiritSherpapodcast.com
You can also...
Scaling with Purpose: Dr. Diana C. Stephens on Consistent Growth and Mindfulness
Rexhen Doda interviews Dr. Diana C. Stephens, a career coach, author, and mindfulness strategist specializing in mid-to-late career professionals affected by downsizing and healthcare costs. Diana's "mindfulness job alignment path" combines strategy with emotional support, a concept stemming from her own career transitions. She primarily uses LinkedIn for client acquisition, including active engagement and hosting "Fresh Start Fridays" job seeker groups. Dr. Stephens is focused on scaling her business, planning a book ("A Mindful Approach to Job Search") and a 12-week accelerator course. She emphasizes the power of LinkedIn's "out-of-work" banner for visibility...
Ade Oluwayemi: The Power of Empathy in Career Transition Coaching
Rexhen Doda interviews Ade Oluwayemi, a career transition coach helping professionals pivot and overcome imposter syndrome. Ade, who personally transitioned from medical science to project management, began coaching part-time and aims for full-time coaching and later, helping others start side businesses.
She relies on LinkedIn, Instagram, and webinars for lead generation, emphasizing value-driven content. Her main challenge is converting leads (10% rate) to enable her full-time transition. Ade advises coaches to understand their audience's needs before creating offers.
Find Ade Oluwayemi:
LinkedIn:<...Helping Veterans Win VA Claims | Robert Pinero on Scaling a Mission-Driven Coaching Business
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, we sit down with Robert Pinero, CEO and head coach at Veterans Educating Veterans (VEV). After personally fighting the VA system for over 13 years, Robert turned his battle into a mission: helping fellow veterans secure the disability benefits they’ve earned.
Today, VEV is nearly five years in, with a 13-person team, hundreds of veterans served, and a growing national presence. Robert shares how he transitioned from doing everything himself to building a team, establishing systems, and training coaches to scale impact without sacrificing quality.
You can fi...
Scaling Without Selling: Noa Urbach’s Honest Path to Executive Coaching Success
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, executive coach Noa Urbach shares how she transitioned from leading $100M units at Google to helping tech founders scale with clarity. Noa opens up about lead generation on LinkedIn, getting her first 15 clients, and the mindset shifts required to grow a boutique coaching business authentically.
You can find her on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noa-urbach1/
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@CareerCoachingSecrets
If you are a career coach looking to grow your...
100th Episode Special: Radical Transformation Through Fasting & Identity Work with James Pyle
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, James Pyle — founder of Awareness Elevation — reveals how fasting and identity work are transforming coaching, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Learn why the future of coaching isn't more frameworks but deeper presence, energy, and frequency.
You can find him on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesfpyle
https://awarenesselevation.com
https://instagram.com/jamesfpyle
https://www.youtube.com/@awareness_elevation
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@CareerCoachingSecrets
If you are a career coach look...
The Entrepreneur's Pivot: Why Sai Vasam Embraced Teaching While Scaling
Rexhen Doda interviews Sai Vasam, a life and career coach helping young adults find clarity. Sai shares his pivot from corporate to coaching, fueled by surrounding himself with entrepreneurs and self-investment. He's expanding his business beyond one-on-one coaching to include speaking and his upcoming book, "Self-Investor." His target audience is young adults seeking intentional personal growth, moving from job indifference to clarity. Sai relies on referrals and is building a presence on LinkedIn and short-form video platforms. He discusses challenges like external pressure and "shiny object syndrome," emphasizing consistent action<...
Dr. Thierry Delatte: Coaching for Sustainable Stress and Self-Awareness in Science
Rexhen Doda interviews Dr. Thierry Delatte, a coach and trainer for scientists and academics. Thierry shares how a personal career challenge led him to coaching, focusing on medical scientists and the unique issues they face. He emphasizes the critical importance of finding one's niche and primarily acquires clients through university trainings and referrals. Dr. Delatte plans to expand into group coaching to increase accessibility. He prioritizes in-person sessions but also coaches online, particularly with French-speaking African scientists. His key advice for coaches is...
Scaling a Coaching Business with Workshops & Group Programs | Robin Camarote
Robin Camarote joins Career Coaching Secrets to share her journey from team leader to full-fledged career and leadership coach. Specializing in helping mid-career professionals take bold action, Robin discusses building her coaching business, the value of group programs, the power of speaking, and what she wishes she'd known about niche and marketing early on.
You can find her on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robincamarote
https://www.robincamarote.com/
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@CareerCoachingSecrets
If you are a career...
Ania Lichota's Mission to Shift Humanity to a Higher Paradigm
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, Rexhen interviews Ania Lihota, an executive coach with over two decades of experience. Ania shares her journey from a corporate executive to a transformative coach, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and identity shifts in leadership. She discusses the challenges leaders face, the value of coaching, and the necessity of having supervisors for coaches. Ania also highlights her mission to support innovators and sustainable businesses, while providing insights on building a referral network and the growth process that often involves pain and discomfort.
You can find her on:
https://www...
Scaling Impact Through Awareness-Based Coaching with Ty Hammond
Ty Hammond, executive coach and founder of One Mountain Leadership, joins Career Coaching Secrets to unpack his unique True Leadership Approach—an awareness-based coaching methodology for transformative leadership. In this conversation, Ty shares the difference between tactical and adaptive challenges, the deep story that nearly blocked his success, and how awareness—not mindset—is the key to lasting change in leadership.
You can find him on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/trueleadershipcoach
https://www.onemountainleadership.com
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@Career...
From Google to Career Coach: Alan Stein on Growing a 35-Person Coaching Company
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, Alan Stein, founder of Kadima Careers, shares how he transitioned from leadership roles at Google, Meta, and Salesforce to building a fast-scaling, systemized coaching company with a 35-person team.
His mission? Accelerate 1 million careers by 2040.
Alan reveals how he uses LinkedIn & webinars for lead generation, Kadima’s unique job acquisition coaching framework, the role of affiliate coaches in his growth, strategies to overcome cash flow & seasonality in coaching, and why coaching isn’t just about helping—it’s a business.
You can find him on:
https...
Goal Setting & Growth: A Pragmatic Approach with Dennis Larsson
Rexhen Doda interviews Dennis Larsson, founder of MOSO International, an executive coach and leadership trainer. Dennis shares his pivot from 23 years at IKEA to coaching, driven by a desire to move beyond "having all the answers." He specializes in executive and leadership coaching, emphasizing communication. Clients are primarily found through organizational partnerships and his LinkedIn engagement. His goals include a comprehensive leadership program and a 2025 book on goal setting. Dennis highlights credentialing (ICF, assessments) as vital for business growth and stresses...
Impact Over Income: Tanisha Moody's Values-Driven Coaching Philosophy
Rexhen Doda interviews Tanisha Moody, founder of Full Out Coaching, a certified Career, Life, and Leadership Coach. Tanisha shares her journey from theater and corporate events to coaching, driven by a passion for developing others. She coaches diverse individuals and teams globally, helping them navigate transitions and unlock potential. Her primary client sources are word-of-mouth and networking, leveraging her broad connections. Future goals include on-site coaching at events and corporate collaborations, prioritizing value alignment over revenue. Tanisha emphasizes continuous self-coaching and peer support, highlighting that success doesn't need...
How a Shaman Built a Coaching Business That Transforms Lives with Kelle Sparta
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, we speak with Kelle Sparta – transformational shaman, podcast host, and energetic mastery mentor – about her journey from real estate to building a spiritually grounded coaching business. Kelle shares powerful insights on transformation, lead generation, podcasting success, and how to scale a coaching practice authentically.
You can find her on:
https://kellesparta.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellesparta/
https://www.facebook.com/kellesparta/
https://www.instagram.com/kellesparta/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kellesparta
https://www.SpiritSherpapodcast.com
You can also...
The Power of Pause: Rachael O'Meara on Executive Coaching
In this episode, Rachael O'Meara shares her journey from a corporate career at Google to becoming an executive coach. She discusses the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, her experiences with burnout, and how she helps clients navigate their careers. Rachael also delves into her marketing strategies for her coaching business, including the use of social media and her podcast, "the Pausecast". She shares her insights on coaching, podcasting, and personal development. She discusses the importance of leveraging online learning and challenges, the authenticity in podcasting, and setting clear goals for business growth.
You can find he...
The CEO Mindset for Coaches – Lindsay Preston’s Journey to Leadership Mastery
Lindsay Preston, PCC-certified executive coach and CEO of Trust and Leadership Coaching, joins Career Coaching Secrets to share how she built a neuroscience-based coaching business that transforms lives. With over 2,500 coaching hours, 650+ training videos, and a powerful leadership program, Lindsay reveals her systems for client success, scaling a team, and staying values-driven.
You can find her on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayepreston/
https://trustandleadership.com
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@CareerCoachingSecrets
If you are a career coach looking to...
Crafting the “New Next Chapter” in Your Career with Yvonne Ravad
Yvonne Ravad, founder of Corporate Directions Plus, joins Career Coaching Secrets to share her journey from corporate talent management to coaching VPs, senior leaders, and C-suite executives. With decades of cross-industry experience, Yvonne helps clients define their purpose, clarify their executive brand, and reimagine their next chapter. Learn about her human-first coaching approach, mindset strategies, and group class offerings.
You can find her on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonneravad
https://corporatedirectionsplus.com/
You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@CareerCoachingSecrets
If...
Future-Proofing Your Business: Lessons from Matt Warzel's MGW Careers
Rexhen Doda interviews Matt "Magic" Warzel, founder of MGW Careers and former Fortune 500 recruiter. Matt shares his accidental entry into coaching after being laid off in 2008, now focusing on senior managers and executives. He dedicates half his time to real estate investment for long-term family security. LinkedIn and word-of-mouth referrals are his primary client sources, fueled by consistent, personality-driven content. He manages a lean team, with future plans to hire sales and operations. Matt values LinkedIn Profinder and VAs for admin, and aims for a...
Brian Kwa's Journey from a Google Recruiter to Career Coach
In this episode of Career Coaching Secrets, Brian Kwa, an ex-Google recruiter and founder of MPH Tech Academy, shares his journey from a non-technical background to becoming a successful career coach. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship, effective use of LinkedIn for client acquisition, and the challenges of scaling a coaching business. Brian also talks about the significance of listening to clients' needs, the value of having a coach, and offers advice for aspiring career coaches looking to make an impact in their field.
You can find him on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwa415/
...
Beyond the Technical: Kevin Barnhart on Learning Any Skill for Success
Rexhen Doda interviews Kevin Barnhart, an executive leadership coach and technology strategist. Kevin shares his shift from engineering to coaching, emphasizing how learned communication skills fueled his passion. He focuses on helping clients at all career stages overcome barriers using his "Grace platform." LinkedIn is his key organic marketing tool. Kevin highlights continuous learning (Center for Executive Coaching, industry trends) as vital investments and reveals that most skills can be learned, including sales. He discusses coaching accounting professionals for Rainmaker Companies part-time and identifies marketing and reaching qualified, interested clients<...
Karina Víquez Murillo: Bridging Corporate Experience with Regenerative Development
Rexhen Doda interviews Karina Víquez Murillo, founder of Numu Careers in Costa Rica. Karina shares her journey from traditional roles to coaching, driven by a pandemic-fueled need for accessible career strategy. She helps clients, predominantly women, transition to purpose-driven organizations, emphasizing LinkedIn optimization and proactive career planning. Initially reliant on referrals, she's now expanding via social media and speaking engagements, aiming for team growth while maintaining personalized, high-quality service. Karina discusses challenges like segmentation and the perception of coaching, preferring to be a "facilitator" g...
Dr. Vineet Mangal: Navigating Coaching Commoditization and Delivering Value
Rexhen Doda interviews Dr. Vineet Mangal, co-founder of BeWise Consulting and an HR thought leader/executive coach. With 30+ years in HR leadership, Dr. Mangal discusses his shift to coaching CXOs and founders, primarily through referrals and LinkedIn content. His ambitious goal: 5,000 career transitions in five years, personally coaching each client. He stresses specializing in a few core coaching themes (executive, career, peak performance) for maximum value. Dr. Mangal highlights the commoditization of coaching as a major industry challenge, impacting pricing and perceived value. He balances...
