How Coaching Works
La Vela, translating to "the sail" in Spanish, symbolizes the force that propels ships across the waters. Similarly, as your coach, I help you steer your behaviors and actions towards your goals. People seek coaching for various reasons, but at its core, you are probably seeking change and you want a fresh perspective and to overcome self-limiting beliefs that might hinder your progress.
In our initial meet-and-greet session, we'll delve into your coaching goals and explore why coaching is the right choice for you at this moment. If we have a mutual connection, our work will start with you getting your goals in writing so we can revisit them throughout our sessions. You might also do a CliftonStrengths assessment or gather some 360 feedback to inform our work together.
Before each session, you'll think about what you want to talk about and each session will focus on getting you closer to your goals. You'll leave each session with concrete actions to do between sessions, and I'll challenge you to hold yourself accountable for them. Expect to take the lead in our conversations, and as needed, I'll introduce frameworks or concepts to support your growth.
In our sessions, I strike a balance between honesty and diplomacy, seriousness and enjoyment, compassion and objective distance. You'll be nudged beyond your comfort zone, and encouraged to try new things to grow.
Our Mission
To create experiences that leave women feeling more empowered and rejuvenated to reach their full potential.
Our Values
Harness and channel potential
we embrace and recognize our unique talents to untap our full potential.
Catalyze transformations
we face our fears and step out of our comfort zones to grow.
Build connections
we love connecting people with other people or services they need.
Lead with authenticity
we do not bend, morph, or apologize for who we are.
Demonstrate relentless gratitude
we appreciate our clients by listening to them, caring for them, and maintaining an objective perspective that helps them grow.
Face challenges head-on
we are resourceful problem solvers and don't take "can't" as an answer.
Nurture balance
we gracefully navigate the balance between work and life, and strengths and overdone strengths, to be the best version of ourselves.
Challenge the status quo
we break down the barriers women put in the way of our own success and force companies to think and act differently.
Meet Jessica
On the surface, my career trajectory seems straightforward. I loved math and science as a child and, despite struggling in school, I went on to earn a Mechanical Engineering degree with honors at the University of Washington. Microsoft hired me directly out of college, beginning my 20+-year career in tech. I worked on product development and customer-facing teams for large and mid-size companies across Europe, Australia, and the U.S..
After ten years at Microsoft, the opportunity to work for a 3-person startup came my way. We built a Learning and Development consulting firm in Seattle, offering leadership development and sales training programs to high-tech companies. We successfully grew and ran the business for seven years. While my skills as a learning and development professional expanded exponentially during my time there, I hit a career growth cap and missed honing my technical skills after seven years.
I jumped at the opportunity to marry my technical and professional development sides at Tableau Software. On their product development team, I worked to build leadership capabilities for engineering leaders.. Over time, my role evolved back to Business Operations Management I accepted the position and realized my heart was rooted in the organizational development field.
The people with whom I worked made my technical career most meaningful. I loved the camaraderie of collaborating with all sorts of people to deliver a great product or service. I had a special passion for helping people align their talents and goals to their work. So in 2020, in the middle of a pandemic (no one ever said I was averse to risk), I became a professionally trained coach and started my own business.
More about me: I live in Seattle, WA with my husband (Jay), kids (Zack and Elly), our cat (Bengie), and leopard gecko (Pickles). I know firsthand how crazy it is to be the default parent at home while managing a full-time job. Our family loves live music, playing hockey, skiing, mountain biking, and everything the Pacific Northwest offers.
For a more detailed look at my business experience, please see my LinkedIn profile here.
