Debbi McCullough, Master Certified Coach
Debbi McCullough is a Master Certified Coach and executive communications specialist who works with senior leaders at organizations such as Google, BlackRock, and Deloitte. Through more than 9,000 coaching sessions, she has guided rising executives and C-suite leaders in strengthening their personal brand, overcoming communication challenges, and advancing their careers. 80% of her clients who seek a promotion or growth role achieve their goal. Known for her practical frameworks in storytelling, visibility, and leadership presence, she helps professionals communicate with clarity and confidence across global corporate environments. Before transitioning fully into coaching, Debbi built a respected career in journalism, reporting on social trends and business issues for prominent publications including The Economist and The Guardian. She later moved into academia, lecturing in business communications and journalism at universities such as University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These experiences shaped her holistic approach to leadership development, blending analytical thinking with empathy, mindfulness, journalism skills, and active listening. A New Zealander who has spent decades in the United States and seven years in Asia, Debbi brings a multicultural perspective to her work as a coach, writer, and workshop facilitator. Certified at the highest level by the International Coaching Federation, she also trains leaders in mental fitness and personal reinvention. Beyond corporate coaching, she supports immigrant families and students pursuing ambitious educational paths, including applications to institutions such as Harvard University. Through her writing, podcasting, and live training programs, she continues to empower individuals to communicate with purpose and lead meaningful, values-driven careers, without venturing from their core self nor their values.
• Master Certified Coach
• Professional Certified Coach
• Sales Rocket Fuel: How to Crush Quota Almost Every Year
• Certified Positive Intelligence Coach
• The Science of Well-Being
• University of California, Berkeley- Master's
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• CANTERBURY UNIVERSITY Christchurch- Bachelor's
• Hosted by Carnegie Mellon University to attend 10-year anniversary in Qatar
• Met the Dalai Lama and reported on his visit to Thunderbird University | Financial Times of London
• Won a UN Foundation Press Fellowship | Learned to report on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with global reporters
• Hosted by Tourism New Zealand to feature New Zealand in global business media
• Earned the Bloomberg Prize for Excellence in Business Reporting | University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• ICF Wisconsin Chapter
• ICF Chicago Chapter
• UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Alumni
• Harvard Crimson Football Mothers Club
• Hanging Rock, LLC
• Muskego Warriors Varsity Football
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being honest and open in my interactions with myself (through writing, self-coaching, and journaling) and with others. I place a premium on self-care and have three legs of my stool: Nature. Creativity. Physical exercise. If I neglect one of those legs, I can wobble. I get antsy when I'm not learning and improving. Over 35 years ago, I left everything behind in New Zealand at age 20 to move to Japan and then the U.S. to pursue my immigrant dreams. Staying complacent or stagnant would feel wasteful. I find love, truth, and strength through my family (my husband and teen sons, my New Zealand family, and my close sister and brothers who are my dearest friends.) I make devoted "present" time for those I love every day.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received was a compliment more than advice from Professor William Drummond, my then news writing professor at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. He told me (after we performed our first live show) that I had a "lovely voice, one that Americans would like to listen to and would believe anything I said." I didn't pursue broadcast journalism. I became a digital print reporter. But now I host two podcasts, and enjoy interviewing guests, I've realized audio and video becomes a great way to share your ideas and elevate your brand.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to not feel too spooked by the super established and super qualified coaches out there. Many have PhD's in psychology. I do not. I entered the coaching industry without having received formal coaching before and with no psychology background at all. My clients tell me my life experiences and my journalism background and my mental outlook, that I'm optimistic and an original, creative thinker is what helps them unlock their freedom and big ideas the most. That I listen to them well helps them find their truth. I do recommend certifying with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) because you gain that deep dive into active listening and the clear distinction between coaching from other help professions. You will feel more confident as a coach. And active listening training can change your life, in beautiful and meaningful ways.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The coaching industry is in an interesting and turbulent time with more disruption than many of us anticipated through AI coaching, which has created challenges for traditional coaching practices. Additionally, when clients have sponsored coaching from their corporation, that source of sponsorship has gone down compared to before, with layoffs and rehires affecting the funding. My clients work in tech, finance, and manufacturing, and I've had to navigate a significant downturn - I was down 90% in my business up until about one month ago. But I've now turned things around and I'm on the upswing, having won 30 new clients in just the last two weeks. It feels vital to me that very session must help my client unlock a new perspective, approach, and the courage to go forth. To be "better than a bot" I must resist pouring in advice and giving clients the space (through reflective inquiry) to figure out their own tactics and build upon those together.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are mentoring others, leading by example, doing one brave, uncomfortable thing daily, and learning daily. I make time for those I love and do something blissful every day (with no real agenda), which feels vital. A perfect workday for me has scheduled time just to think and to marvel on all the beauty in front of me. I like to revel what I am proud of, right now, without changing a thing. This brings me confidence. Without taking stock of what's already working perfectly, we forget and never feel satisfied nor complete.