IAM022 – Executive Life & Leadership Coach Helps Clients Make an Impact on the World

Catherine Wood is the Founder and Head Coach of Unbounded Potential, a personal coaching firm dedicated to helping rising star performers and entrepreneurs who are committed to making an impact in the world. As an executive life and leadership coach, entrepreneur, and world traveler, clients have referred to her as a guardian angel for their dreams.

Catherine earned her coaching certification from Accomplishment Coaching where she currently supports coaches in training and with their development and personal leadership. She holds the designation of Professional Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation.

• CEO Hack: Chopping Wood and Carry Water / Personal Trainer
• CEO Nugget: Make decisions on where you want to be based on where you are
• CEO ReDefined: Living without regret and not settling for a safe or comfortable life.

Website: http://www.catherineawood.com
Retreats Website: http://packretreats.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineawood/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-a-wood-mba-pcc/

Transcription

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview?

If so, you've come to the right place, Gresham Harkless values your time it is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of.

This is the I AM CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:03

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Catherine Wood of unbounded potential. Catherine, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Catherine Wood 0:39

Nice to be here.

Gresham Harkless 0:40

Perfect. What I wanted to do was just read a little bit about all the awesome things that Catherine is doing so you can hear a little bit about her and her background and all the awesome things that she's been able to accomplish.

Catherine is the founder and head coach of unbounded potential, a personal coaching firm dedicated to helping rising star performers and entrepreneurs who are committed to making an impact in the world. As an executive life and leadership coach, entrepreneur and world traveler, clients have referred to her as a guardian angel for their dreams.

Catherine earned her coaching certificate from accomplishment coaching, where she currently supports coaches and training with their development and personal leadership. She holds the designation of the professional certified coach through the International Coach Federation.

Catherine, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

Catherine Wood 1:26

I am, and I am happy to be here.

Gresham Harkless 1:28

Perfect, perfect, perfect. Well, the first thing that I wanted to do was just try to give you the mic so to speak, and ask if you could tell us a little bit more about your CEO story. What kind of led you to start your business?

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Catherine Wood 1:37

Yeah, the short version is that I'm a senior economist for the federal government turned life coach. So a little bit of interesting, you know, opposite direction transformation. But essentially, you know, like so many people, I always desired to make an impact. For the government, I worked on some of our federal economic statistics, and I just found myself stuck behind two computer monitors all day in a sea of data. I just never imagined that that was the type of impact that I would be making. I really just came upon and coaching a friend of mine who was getting trained as a coach. Every time she'd talk about this coaching thing, I would just get this twinge of jealousy, which for me is just a sign from the universe, that there's something I want.

So I explored coaching further and realized that, wow, I'd actually been, you know, doing this thing my whole life, and I just realized that you could make an income off of it. So that's how I got started, and then built my business pretty methodically and slowly. I like to say there are two types of go-getters in the world, there are bridge builders and there are bridge burners. The bridge builders are the ones who see something they want on the other side of the bridge and they slowly and safely walk from one side to the other as they lay the planks. The bridge burners are the ones who see something they want on the other side of the bridge, they jump over the bridge, and then burn it up after them. So they literally have to make it.

I'm very much the former. You know, being the daughter of an accountant and an economist by training, I set a pretty clear foundation for what I wanted to have in place in order to transition to coaching full time. When I got there, I thought, Oh, it'll be easy to give my notice and jump, and to this day, giving my notice is probably the scariest experience I've ever had. It's been pretty smooth sailing ever since. I love what I do and I love the life I've built for myself.

Gresham Harkless 3:50

Awesome. No it's funny because I always feel like, you know as you mentioned, the universe kind of pushes you in the direction. Sometimes it puts you in a place where it's not your purpose, or where you're supposed to be, so to speak. And then often you get kind of small signs that, hey, this is where you're supposed to go. So it kind of sounds like, that's what happened with you.

I wanted to ask you a little bit more about like your coaching business. So can you tell us a little bit more about like what you do for your clients and customers?

Catherine Wood 4:16

Sure. So I'm a transformational coach, and I'm specifically trained in ontology. Ontology is the study of being. So what that means is that I work with clients to really help them create that impact and leave that legacy they want to make. It starts with these foundational concepts around who we're being in our lives, like what are we believing to be true about ourselves and what's possible for us and through really working on that inner dialogue and those inner conversations that we all have with ourselves, and transforming that inner dialogue and who we're being in life and how we're showing up in ourselves and with the world, we get to absolutely transform our outer reality.

So I work with a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs and high-performing women, mostly not exclusively, but my practices, mostly women, really help them to get out of their own heads and start truly unlocking their potential, starting with their relationship with themselves and setting themselves up to be the most powerful version of themselves. You know, sometimes we think that our job is like all that we are, and if things aren't going well in our job, then everything else will be crap or vice versa. Sometimes we use our jobs as a crutch, oh, you know, like, I just got this next promotion, and I just got this raise, and I worked 60 hours a week so I'm enough, I'm working hard enough, I'm doing enough.

We use that as a crutch to feel good about ourselves and to validate ourselves. And it's typically at the expense of feeling fulfilled and satisfied in other areas of our life. So in my work, I have a very holistic approach to transforming your life from the inside out, starting with yourself.

Gresham Harkless 6:09

That's awesome and that's, of course, you know, very important. I think, often, we're so stuck in our kind of day-to-day and in our own worlds that sometimes we need somebody else on the outside, so to speak, to kind of see the potential within us and see that we can do even more than sometimes we even think we can, which I think is some of the awesome work that you've been able to do.

I wanted to ask you a little bit more about like, what do you feel makes you unique from other coaches, or people that do kind of coaching services?

Catherine Wood 6:34

I think one thing that makes me unique is that I practice what I preach, you know, like, most professional coaches have coaches. I have my own coach, I've had my own coach since I started this work, but I truly practice what I preach. I live my life like an adventurer, I am completely remote, I work with clients virtually. So I travel a lot, I am also up to a big game in my own business and in my own life. I think that that commitment to my own personal growth and discovery, because it's not like we ever stopped growing, you know, it's not like we ever have to settle for what we have, we can always be in an unraveling and unlocking of our potential and possibility.

That inner commitment to my own growth and expansion has me able to stand for clients at a higher gradient and really not buy into their BS, because if I'm not buying into my own, then I can stand for my clients to do the same. So I think that shows up in a lot more tangible results, that my clients see a lot more real accountability and honoring what they said they would do, and like gets to be fun, like clients might have a lot of fun laughing at their own survival mechanisms and their own fears. Because when you start to identify that those stories that run on repeat in your subconscious, that they're not the truth, and that they're just a story, you know, that keeps us safe and keeps us where we are. You can start to play with them and have them not be so significant.

So one thing that I just really cherish about my client practice is that lots of my clients become close friends after we stop working together, and we get to laugh at who they're being in their lights that's getting in their own way. And it starts with me laughing at myself. I've had lots of opportunities to happen myself. So I think that I'm really modeling that integrity, and that own commitment to my own work has me stand out as a professional.

Gresham Harkless 8:36

That's awesome. Man! I'm glad I'm not the only one that laughs at myself. I laugh at myself all the time, so I'm glad I'm not alone in doing that. But no, I think that that speaks volumes to you know, especially like being a leader and of course being a coach, I think often you have to be able to like whatever advice that you're giving, you also have to be able to kind of take it upon yourself to listen to that same advice and make sure you're hitting everything that you're saying. I think that that helps out as far as working with your clients and your customers, I imagine.

Well, I wanted to switch gears just a little bit and ask you like basically for like a CEO hack. You obviously being an entrepreneur, business owner working with a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners, I want to ask you if you have a CEO hack, or it might be an app or a book or just something that you do on a regular everyday basis and use it makes you more effective and efficient as a business owner.

Catherine Wood 9:26

So there's so many I'm gonna give you two a mindset. One is this approach to business that I think is really invaluable. And it's as simple as chopping wood and carrying water. Being a business owner and a CEO, you have to play a long game in business. So for instance, in my coaching business, I've been playing a long game for the last you know several years of growing my visibility, establishing my credibility, building my presence online, and it took a while in order for the results to catch up with me. As a business owner, you have to have a long vision and be consistent in your daily actions of chopping wood and carrying water and trust that the results will keep up with you.

That has absolutely made all the difference for me in business, my private practice is full right now, I'm not accepting new clients. And it really started with having the vision and then taking consistent action and not making those noses meaningful along the way, not expecting irrationally immediate results. But truly being more committed to the vision that I was creating than what I had for myself at the moment. That's one of my mindset, visions, or my mindset hacks. But for my like daily routine hack, it's really about having the best relationship with myself that I can so that I show up as the best version of myself for my business.

When I first started my business, I had no balance between work and play, like I was just working all the time and I see that over and over again, working with entrepreneurs that we just absolutely self-sabotage. Because we don't have boundaries in place in life around when we stop working. When we spend time with our family, you know, we like getting into business in the first place, because we were passionate about our profession, and then we fall in love with it because we don't know how to create both ends. So one thing that made a huge difference for me was in the beginning, I was getting sick all the time because I was literally working in every free moment.

It got to a place where my health was suffering, and so I hired a personal trainer. You know, just like you need coaches for your mind, you need personal trainers for your body or an accountability system that is sufficient to your level of resistance not to follow through on what you said. So I have a trainer who I work with twice a week. She sends me workouts that I have to do between our sessions. I've been working with her for the last year and a half. It has made all the difference because as I'm constantly challenging my body, and really like busting the edge of what I think I'm capable of.

It has a direct parallel and how I show up for business in what I asked for in my rates and what I pitch proposals for. And it's really just about expansion, you know, like expanding the edge of your comfort zone and discovering what's on the other side.

Gresham Harkless 12:22

I love that. I feel like both of those also kind of overlap, but especially, you know, I found like, when I go to the gym, I'm running or jogging on a consistent basis, it also helps me sharpen my mind, so to speak. So like, I could definitely see how the overlap can help out too, because like you mentioned, you know, chopping wood and carrying water, but at the same time being able to physically take care of your body, take care of your health, so that you're playing the long game so that you're able to be in business for a long time. So I definitely think those are phenomenal kinds of CEO hacks.

I want to ask you next for like a CEO nugget, which might be like a piece of advice or something that you would tell other entrepreneurs and business owners on how to be successful.

Catherine Wood 13:02

So, I think one thing that I consistently am grateful for along my own journey is making decisions based on where you want to be in your business versus where you presently are in the current moment. You know, when you're starting something new, and launching into an industry or business or profession that you don't have experience in, you want to know how to do everything before you get started. If you wait until you get it perfect, you've waited far too long.

But even more important, is making decisions and investing based on the future that you're creating versus where you presently are. What that looks like for me was when I was still working at the federal government and I was building my business, I hired an assistant. At the time, I was like, Oh my God, I don't know how I'm gonna pay for her every week 10 hours. Like, that's not insignificant for me right now. But I was just more committed to what I was creating in my business and how I envisioned her supporting me in the long haul for my business, and it had dividends for my business.

I think that one thing that a lot of entrepreneurs could really benefit from is not letting fear guide or define their business decisions and really getting clear on their long-term vision so that they can just consistently take action in moving toward that vision rather than constantly being stuck in the present moment and in the red tape and in the net balance and their cash flow statement. Like really just again, playing that long game.

Gresham Harkless 14:36

I love that. I love that. Yeah, as you mentioned, definitely, you know, making sure you're paying attention to like where you want to be and how you might have to take the small investments and investments today in order to reach that and not get hung up on the day to day sometimes minutia that can kind of hold us back or fear like you mentioned. So I think those are awesome nuggets.

One of the great things that I get to do is have different types of quote and quote CEOs on the show. What I wanted to do and I get the opportunity to ask, what do you feel being a CEO means to you? What would be your definition of being a CEO?

Catherine Wood 15:09

I think what being a CEO means to me is living without regrets in not settling for a safe life or comfortable life, but truly willing to be fearless and relentless in making the impact that I want to make in relating to myself as the one and then trusting myself that I've got this and that I only live one life.

So living with no regrets.

Gresham Harkless 15:33

I love it. Well, Catherine, I truly appreciate you taking some time out of your schedule to kind of speak with us, and tell us a little bit about all the awesome things that you're doing. What I wanted to do was to give you the mic again, so to speak, to see if there's anything additional it could be about your business or just any advice or kind of closing remarks you want to let us know. I also wanted to ask you how best people can get a hold of you if they're interested in reaching out to you.

Catherine Wood 15:58

Yeah, you know, I think there's a really famous quote by Mark Twain that I love. If I were to leave your listeners with one quote, like I would truly want them to hear it. The quote is that “20 years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines sail away from Safe Harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails”- Mark Twain.

I love that it just totally sums up my values and like who I am. Regarding your listeners getting in touch with me, I'm doing some really awesome stuff in my business separate from my private and group coaching practices. I also lead transformational retreats to the Dominican Republic and to India in 2019, so if you're interested in checking out my retreats, you can visit us at packretreats.com and my website is catherineawood.com

Gresham Harkless 16:55

Awesome, awesome, awesome. We'll have those links in the show note just in case anybody wants to click through and follow you on that and also find out more about the retreats that you're doing. So Catherine, thank you so much again, I truly appreciate your time and all the awesome insight that you provided.

Catherine Wood 17:10

Thanks so much.

Outro 17:11

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co. I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community.

Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO podcast with Gresham Harkless.

Thank you for listening.

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