Janeice Garrard, Ed.D.

Being successful also takes hard work. If you want to do something, you need to set goals and have a plan to achieve them. For example, I knew that I wanted to start a podcast. I didn't know anything about how to go about it so I contacted another person who was doing a local podcast. He helped answer my questions about what software to use and how to edit the recordings. I focus on interviewing guests who had interesting stories to share. A majority of the episodes are about transracial adoption, but I don't limit myself to that topic alone. Because of the diverse topics. I have a global listening audience.

I also attribute my success to the meaningful connections I have built throughout my life's journey. Starting with nurturing relationships from family, teachers, and friends have been my resources of learning how to navigate life. I believe success comes from being around successful people and learning from their wisdom. Success breeds success so therefore, if we tap into the knowledge of successful people we are more than likely to also achieve our goals. Don't hesitate to ask people for guidance.

The best career advice I have ever received was, "try something new." If you don't take action, you will never know what might have been Dreaming turned into doing is what makes opportunities show up for you. Many times we believe if we stay in our comfort zone we will have just go on living an ideal life, but it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes life takes a turn of events that forces us to leave the comfort zone and try something new. Maybe we will need to train for a new job at the age of 50, which doesn't seem like fun. But, if we are forced to because of circumstances, we must try. Perhaps it's not something even job related, it could be taking up a new hobby, expanding on an existing skill, volunteering for a community organization. Anything that we do that is a new activity for us will stretch us personally and will also impact us professionally to grow and take on different perspectives about life and how we relate to others.

My advice to young women who want to coaches and consultants is to read as much as possible about this type of work. Ask yourself if this is they type of work you want to do? Do I want to help people find solutions to their problems. Talk to other women who have established coaching businesses. Ask them what they love best about being a consultant and what challenges arise. Talking helps you process what you are going though and having the wisdom of someone who has been there before can be extremely helpful. Also, by talking about your fears about starting a new business in a shared space of understanding you find out that others have experienced the same thing, so you aren't alone.

One of the greatest opportunities I am finding is the alignment of like minded people. There is an abundance of individuals searching for community with those who seek greater awareness of self. The life coaching has been an extremely open area for seekers of greater emotional intelligence. I have found that clients recognize a need for a shift in their thinking from negative thoughts that are robbing them of their energy to more positive mindset that gives energy and taps into their lifeforce for healing and creativity. A client came to me who wanted to get out of a negative thinking pattern about her job and family. By asking questions we were able to discover where she could start shifting her focus from negative to more positive thoughts. The answer was a simple as turning off the news channel and start listening to music that she really enjoyed!

The most important values are compassion, forgiveness, mentorship, and a commitment to helping others grow. After spending 20 years teaching in the public school system, I transitioned into life coaching, where I focus on supporting women navigating career transitions and personal growth. Building my virtual coaching business has reinforced the importance of genuine connection, and meeting a client in person was especially meaningful to me. My academic work, including my doctoral dissertation on Korean adoptees in the Midwest pursuing higher education, and my experience mentoring community college students, particularly international students, have further strengthened my belief in the power of encouragement, understanding, and creating opportunities for others to succeed.