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Coach Interview Series: Denise Dema

by Brandon

Denise Dema

Business and Life Management Coach

denisedema.com

Our main objective here at the National Coach Academy is to enable aspiring coaches to reach their full professional potential. One of the most effective ways to educate students about the world of coaching is by offering them a window into the world of real, practicing coaches and showing them all the different ways coaches make a difference in the lives of their clients.

We hope today’s interview adds another insightful glimpse into the dynamic world of coaching.

Today we are interviewing Denise Dema. Denise is a Business and Life Coach based in Boca Raton, Florida.

NCA: Can you describe your coaching practice and the kinds of clients you typically work with?

Denise: My national coaching practice was founded in 1990 and specializes in the development of human potential and personal effectiveness for individuals, executives and business owners. Business Coaching and Consulting services assist professionals with activating performance solutions in all aspects of sales, marketing, operations, leadership and communications.

Life Coaching and Mentoring services are well-suited for individuals looking to improve personal relationships, confidence, self-awareness, career direction and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. I provide national phone coaching, local on-site coaching as well as e-mail coaching and encourage people to book a complimentary phone session at http://www.denisedema.com to discuss their objectives.

NCA: What initially got you interested in this career path and what kind of degree or certifications did you need to complete, if any?

Denise: I have always had a passion for personal development which has been at the core of my business and life philosophy. Early studies in behavioral sciences lent itself to attaining a successful corporate career in senior management with fortune 500 companies that encompassed all facets of business on a national level. That gave me the platform to mentor, train and motivate hundreds of professionals toward achieving their full potential. During those years, I started getting referred to business owners and executives who needed an objective, strategic business consultant and solutions provider to facilitate results. I worked independently on a part time basis at first but eventually was able to leave the corporate world altogether to work full time in my referral based coaching practice.

NCA: What is the most rewarding part of your career and on the flip side, what is the most challenging aspect of the work that you do?

Denise: Moving from corporate consulting/coaching within large organizations in NY to one on one sessions with CEO’s, entrepreneurs starting businesses and individuals seeking clarity of career direction or professional advancement has been extremely rewarding for me. I feel I have had the best of both worlds, first in NY and then moving to Boca Raton. My business platform changed once I moved to FL to focus predominantly on providing local onsite and national phone sessions thus allowing me more personal time in paradise…lol

Also I am very grateful to have long-term client relationships who continually rehire me to help them with their personal and ongoing business challenges. My coaching practice is built from decades of satisfied clients who have experienced my dedication to their growth and long term success. Many have chosen to kindly share their experiences of working with me on Google’s business directory which I appreciate.

My only real challenge is staying local and not taking on clients that need me to be onsite nationally. I used to travel quite a bit but that lifestyle no longer serves me so it’s hard to turn down business when you know you can positively impact their business and personal success. I truly LOVE my clients and the diverse type of work I do.

[My parents] instilled the confidence, support, and unconditional love that gave me the ability to thrive in anything I choose to do professionally throughout my entire life. I was truly blessed to be born to such wonderful people that contributed to my happiness and internal drive to build an accomplished, successful professional and personal life.

NCA: Can you think of mentor who was most vital to your success as a coach? In what ways did this mentor help you to thrive in your career?

Denise: There are two different types of mentors that contributed to my success and the first one is in the form of a book. I always took initiative to read philosophy and psychology books very early in life and two that guided my teenage years into adulthood were very simple but impactful in my development. “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran and more importantly “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen mentored me into living my best life both personally and professionally.

“As A Man Thinketh” served as a course of action for approaching life in a meaningful manner while capturing the pure essence of the human mind and unlimited potential each of us have. I first read this book when I was 16 years old for personal growth and it quickly became my guide for shaping my thought processes and creating self-awareness throughout my entire life. I have given it as a gift to clients, friends and acquaintances and continue to implement all of the principles in my coaching practice for well over 20 years.

But the most important “people” who mentored and taught me how to honor my core values while providing a strong foundation to become successful in my career was my parents! They instilled the confidence, support, and unconditional love that gave me the ability to thrive in anything I choose to do professionally throughout my entire life. I was truly blessed to be born to such wonderful people that contributed to my happiness and internal drive to build an accomplished, successful professional and personal life.

NCA: Finally, what advice would you give someone looking to get started in the career path that you chose?

Denise: My advice comes from decades of running my own coaching businesses and from working with entrepreneurs who run many successful businesses so this might be more than you asked for.

First learn what is involved in running your own business so you can create the best strategy for success. Starting any business involves many things, and choosing a business structure that will suit you is the beginning. Setting up operations and the fiscal requirements will determine the amount of resources needed. Deciding how will you market your services to drive business to you through branding and online visibility is vital in today’s competitive market. Developing sales procedures will also help you get through the beginning stages until you are comfortable with the process of closing business and getting paid for your services.

I help many entrepreneurs start their own business whether it be “home based” or “brick and mortar” and suggest if they are currently employed to not quit their day job until they have gained enough clients to financially support their lifestyle. If you have an idea, skills and or applicable experience that is great, but you need to know how to set up and run your business properly from the start in order to become efficient, productive and gain the most exposure for revenue attainment.

Also, the coaching industry is an unregulated business and many coaches come from different levels of experience and educational backgrounds. It’s good for people new to the coaching field to get certified by CTA to gain a strong knowledge base of the core competencies that define the skills of professional coaching and also get help with your first few paying clients.

Building a client base is the key to having a thriving coaching business and remember that all the degrees, credentials and certifications do not guarantee people will hire you. The individual who really needs your guidance isn’t going to work with you just because you have a certain credential. They are going to work with you because you can create results, and each client you work with should reflect those results. This is how you build a referral based coaching business that consistently brings new clients and repeat business your way. I am living proof of this and you can be too!

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