Hi there and welcome to the latest in my Be My Guest interview series. Today we have the talented Kathryn Entwistle, Career Coach & Mentor sharing her wisdom with us. Kathryn is a UK based Career & Work-Related Coach and Mentor – who has worked with around 1,000 clients from a wide range of backgrounds and sectors. She is adept at discovering what will help you unlock your true potential for meaningful success and contentment in life and work. The three main areas she works with are: clarifying your Career Direction &/or Niche, how to excel at Job Search and CVs in a super-competitive world, and how to create your sustainable Work-Life balance.
Describe yourself in 3 short fab and fun sentences
I’m very approachable and friendly, and love finding out just what kind of coaching unlocks the magic for each client. I love my work more than anyone I’ve ever met.
I’m a successful UK Career Coach & Mentor Coach – and fortunate to have a gorgeous family too. This fab work-life balance is due to having created a lifestyle that works sustainably on my terms. Now I have the pleasure of helping my clients vision and create a life that works beautifully for them; I’m their confidante, mentor coach and guide. I’ve developed my own unique style to serve my clients’ real needs and challenges.
What motivated you to pursue the field of Coaching?
A life-long passion for helping people fulfil their potential.
Coaching is a great way to practice kindness and skilful communication - and rewarding on so many levels.
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
My main influences have been Coaching and Buddhism. I’m constantly drawing in inspiration from diverse sources – from Anthony Robbins motivational skills to the big perspective of age-old Buddhist teachings on where to find contentment and how to use impermanence to aid us. I believe that ultimately I must take responsibility for keeping myself inspired in a constantly changing set of conditions!
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
To ‘do what you love’ – I interviewed lots of coaches and facilitators early in my career, whilst I was working at an amazing centre for personal development in Spain . . every one of them gave me the advice to ‘do what I love’ in one form or another – it made a big impression on me, and became one of my guiding principles as a Coach.
What three tips would you give to new Coaches?
- Do what you love! First focus on defining the ‘what’, ‘who’ and ‘where’ you want to work and the ‘how’ will follow on more naturally – don’t get stuck on the ‘how’ in the early stages.
- Find a mentor coach you admire and like – I wouldn’t be doing what I do today if I hadn’t absorbed so much from working with my own mentors over the years – they’ve been my best investments ever by a long way! I share tons of my resources with my mentees to save them time and energy.
- Invest in you – as you are your most precious resource! I’ve routinely spent around £4K a year on my own my own mentoring and professional development for years. Listen to my free seminars if you want an easy immediate way to define ‘what you love’ ;-) For your free place just go to: http://www.90daystoyourdreamcareer.com
What are the three biggest mistakes that new Coaches make?
Some routes are far harder than others - including
- listening to others instead of yourself
- trying to do it all alone
- failing to invest in yourself sufficiently
My 3 tips above will help you avoid these pitfalls!
What strategies do you know work when it comes to finding new clients?
Most of my clients come from recommendations from past and present clients – my mailing list has also largely grown In the same way.
I always offer to speak to clients with no obligation first to ensure a good fit and complete transparency about how I work. My take-up rate for my service is extremely high.
Existing networks are key as they are the people who already know and trust you – as a mentor I can help you understand how to develop those relationships for mutual benefit - without ever feeling you’re ‘selling’ yourself.
What’s your favourite Coaching tool/strategy?
The scale of 0 – 100% for rating people’s satisfaction/clarity/commitment/level of action take etc – it’s applicable in so many situations and so clear. It helps clients be precise so I use it as a shortcut to save time when I – and they – need to know where they stand. We can then focus on the easiest ways to close the gap between where they are now and where they’d rather be!
What’s your favourite Coaching question?
“ . . And how could you make that easier for yourself?!”
When I discovered that powerful question for myself some years ago, it came as a revelation to me that life could be so much easier – and that shortcuts were sometimes available! As a ‘recovered perfectionist’ I still have high standards, but only when they really serve me, not as a default setting! I’ve since gone on to help hundreds of clients find far easier routes to living lives they’d never have dreamed were possible once.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’d like to invite you to read my regular Newsletter for further coaching and Career Direction tips and tools, just sign up at: http://www.90daystoyourdreamcareer.com/register.html. If you’re looking for mentoring towards coaching exams or after graduating I’d love to work with you. My mentees have given me some great testimonials.
If I wanted to connect and/or work with you where would I find you?
I coach and mentor internationally by phone and skype. I can be contacted via email, or phone 0044(0)1772 458523.
I can personally vouch for Kathryn when I worked with her some time ago. She gave me a really useful coaching tool to work with and goes above and beyond to help you. Thank you for being my guest Kathryn. I’m glad I’m not the only perfectionist and that ‘recovery’ is a possibility!
Kathryn has also kindly shared her Career Health Check. Want to know how healthy your career is? Pop on over here to download your copy.
Over to you… We’d love to know what your top tips are for maintaining a good work-life balance. Let’s get a conversation going in the comments section below. Missed my work-life balance post the other day? You can read it here.
Enjoyed this interview? Please share with people you think would enjoy it too and check out the sidebar for more guest posts.
Would you like to be my guest? Just drop me an email to apply and tell me what gems you’d like to share with my readers.
Kathryn Entwistle is my coach and she is fabulous. She works with who you are and takes you as a whole person. Her flexible approach means that you could be talking about other areas of your life to help sort out what you want from work. She won’t confine you to talking about one aspect of your life as she knows that they overlap and influence each other. I would strongly recommend her and vouch for her friendliness and approachability.
I agree Mary, Kathryn is lovely! I think often we try to compartmentalise areas of our lives, but we need to look at it with an holistic approach.