Journey to iPEC
What drove me to become a coach?
To be a bit vulnerable with you, let me rewind the clock and take you back to the early days of my career. Picture a young, ambitious designer, eager to make her mark in the world of apparel. My journey began with internships at prestigious fashion houses like Laurel and Escada before landing a pivotal role at Adidas – a breakthrough moment that set the stage for what was to come.
Quickly rising through the ranks, I found myself leading some of the industry’s most influential brands. From Adidas to Nike, each chapter brought new challenges and triumphs, culminating in my role at Columbia Sportswear, where I led the women’s technical outerwear design team.
But as they say, life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect it. In 2007/8, the global recession hit with full force, sending shockwaves through the industry and leaving me at a crossroads. Despite weathering previous layoff rounds, I found myself once again facing uncertainty as the financial crisis reached its peak.
The first year of the recession was a test of resilience. Balancing the demands of motherhood with the pressures of leadership in uncertain times felt like an uphill battle. It was during this tumultuous time that I realized a harsh truth – I was neglecting the most important person in the equation: myself.
After being laid off at the end of 2008, my daughter just a year old, and fueled by a desire for greater autonomy and flexibility, I decided to venture into freelancing. It was a leap of faith, but one that ultimately paid off. By prioritizing quality over quantity and embracing a freelance model, I gained the freedom to care for my daughter while pursuing my passion for design.
Renting a workspace outside the home signaled to potential clients that I meant business. With the support of a former colleague and a strategic partnership with an industry veteran, my freelance gigs quickly evolved into a full-fledged consultancy and agency partnership. Word-of-mouth referrals flooded in, and before we knew it, we had more design work than I could handle.
My daughter’s autoimmune battle brought my world to a standstill, shattering the illusion of control and forcing me to confront a myriad of emotions – shame, guilt, isolation, and fear. The scaffolding of my ego crumbled, when I left the design industry for good to be able to take care of her.
Through the darkness, I found the strength in meditation and redefined my priorities.
What does success truly mean?
This newfound clarity paved the way for my journey with iPEC, a journey that would ultimately reshape not just my career, but my entire way of being.
A friend who had embarked on a journey of transformation through coaching. Her newfound confidence and passion were infectious, sparking something within me. With little more than a leap of faith, I signed myself up for the iPEC program.
Now, if you’re anything like me, diving headfirst into the unknown can be simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying. Most of my cohort had a background in HR or the healthcare industry. They seemed to speak a different language, one that I hadn’t quite get at first.
The iPEC training wasn’t just a course; it kicked off a holistic transformation. Armed with newfound knowledge and skills, I emerged from the program with a solid foundation, ready to start coaching!
But the minute I received my certifications and could call myself a professional coach and ELI-Master Practitioner, the world ground to a screeching halt as the pandemic lockdowns made the world retreat and go online.
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, I specialized in both leadership and transition dynamics and started carving out my niche in a rapidly evolving landscape.
While I started coaching right away, I still wasn’t quite satisfied: One of the iPEC key anchors is the Energetic Self Perception Chart and the 7-Levels of Energy.
I wanted to know how I could reach Level 7.
Which got me on an even deeper journey.
