Alecia Wellen With Alecia Wellen Coaching

Intro: [00:00:02] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Coach the Coach radio brought to you by the Business RadioX Ambassador Program, the no cost business development strategy for coaches who want to spend more time serving local business clients and less time selling them. Go to brxambassador.com To learn more. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:33] Lee Kantor here, another episode of Coach the Coach Radio, and this is going to be a fun one today on the show, we have Alicia Wellen with Alicia Wellen coaching welcome.

Alecia Wellen: [00:00:43] Hi, thank you. So happy to be here.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:45] Well, I’m excited to learn about your practice. Tell us how you’re serving, folks.

Alecia Wellen: [00:00:50] So I do a little bit of coaching, a little bit of consulting, so it’s a nice mix of both. I work predominantly with executives, entrepreneurs and small businesses. And really the common denominator for any of them is just whoever is going through a period of transition, whether that’s growth in the business, entering or exiting C-suite, just various transitions in life and business. And I show up to support them, however they need me to be.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:19] So what’s your back story? Were you always a coach or is this kind of a new adventure for you?

Alecia Wellen: [00:01:25] It’s somewhat of a new adventure. I do have a twenty one year finance career under my belt. Have always really enjoyed that. Have nothing bad to say about a really great experience, you know, through all of the firms that I’ve worked with over those twenty one years, I always participated in a mentoring program, whether that be a mentor or a mentee, and I always found a lot of purpose in those relationships. And I started getting really great feedback from some of the people that I worked with, you know, kind of asking, Hey, why don’t you do this for a living? You should get paid for this. You’re so good at it. And I heard it enough that I decided, you know, maybe I should pay attention to that a little bit more and dove into it. So, you know, I thought I’ll never regret learning something new, so I decided to look into a coaching certification program. There’s a lot of people out there that call themselves coaches, and it was important for me if I went this route to be credentialed. And so I looked into some programs. So I took one one step forward and the universe took 10. And before I knew it, I was certified and receiving referrals. And that’s sort of how it came to be.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:29] Now, when you were in your kind of corporate world and they were using terms like mentor mentee, it’s that was that kind of where coaching was in their kind of language. And they’re kind of the way they were going to to market in terms of how they’re serving their people, that this was only for a handful of people. It wasn’t, maybe not throughout the entire organization. And are you seeing that change a little bit?

Alecia Wellen: [00:03:02] Yeah, so in my experience, it really was something that was made available to everybody, regardless of what position you held at the firms, anybody could, you know, pair up with a mentor and a mentee and go for, you know, a year period or six month period of, you know, various growth places. And so it was the programs within the firms was very much that. Although, you know, our executives within the firms were made available to executive coaches outside of the firm. And so there was a little bit of both. I think that what I am seeing now is just really a lot of different companies embracing that coach mentality and wanting someone either actually on staff that they’re sort of ready, readily available for anyone who’s interested in it or they’re going to third parties such as myself hiring in and having you spend a certain amount of time with a certain number of people or a certain group of people during a peak transition or a certain project, or as they’re ready to execute something. And so there’s there’s definitely a new temperature out there of people sort of embracing the coaching aspect of the business and kind of farming that out. Or, like I said, in some cases, actually hiring people in for those jobs.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:17] Now, if you were to advise an enterprise level organization that was wanting to implement some sort of a coaching program, what would be some of the do’s and don’ts?

Alecia Wellen: [00:04:28] That’s a great question. I would say, you know, interview many coaches, I think like I had touched on earlier, a lot of people call themselves coach. And so really being clear and intentional about what you want for your firm or your company in the way of coaching and sort of what purpose you’re you’re looking to fill their, you know, interview a lot of different ones, see where the chemistry is, the sort of who fits which bill for you and really, you know, make it accessible. I think in the past, it’s always been sort of a privilege, right? If you’re in the C-suite and you’re an executive, you can have access to something like a business coach. But it’s really a genuine and very rich resource for anybody in the firm. You know, I found a lot of purpose in mentoring and coaching people that are new into the workforce or as they’re transitioning into managing people for the first time. And so really making that available to everyone, regardless of what their title is, I think is really something to offer. If you’re going to have a program like that, I think one of the don’ts is to only hire one coach and sort of force that person to fit into every mold for every person. You know, lots of coaches bring different things to the table. So you might have a coach that works really great with executives or really great with middle managers or with different projects and things. And so you’ve got to look for that, that sweet spot for yourself. So really, I think the biggest thing to be mindful of is is who you’re bringing in and for what purpose. And it doesn’t have to be a one size fits all.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:01] Now, in your journey from being kind of a corporate person to being an entrepreneur, was that a difficult transition to go from maybe a larger enterprise that had a lot of resources and a lot of kind of an ecosystem around it to now? Hey, this is Alisha’s kind of thing, and then she’s got to make you wear a lot of hats.

Alecia Wellen: [00:06:23] Mm hmm. Yeah, you know, I’ve held a lot of different capacities and titles throughout my career in the corporate world. You know, I’ve got an undergrad in marketing, I have a master’s in finance. And then as far as my credentials inside firms, you know, various things sales, marketing, compliance, operations, management. So you know, it’s kind of those pillars of business, right, that that I’ve gotten through education and job experience that has really, you know, supported me in the entrepreneurial space. And so I won’t tell you that it wasn’t a scary transition. It certainly is. You know, when you’re kind of going out on your own and looking to do something like this and to your point, letting go of the safety net, it can be a little scary. But that’s really what drove me. There’s a passion there. There’s an excitement there. I was very motivated to see what I could do and where I could take this, this coaching business. And so it was a little bit of a transition. But I did have some confidence from my past experiences, my network of people, the exposure that I had within the corporate world, along with my credentials and education.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:26] So any advice for other people, maybe that are thinking about leaving a corporate setting and going there own and doing their own thing? Is there any advice you would give to that person, you know, to make a smoother transition?

Alecia Wellen: [00:07:42] Well, face your fear, right? Get rid of that imposter syndrome and just do it right, you’ve got to try it in order to know. So first and foremost, just do the thing. If you’re hearing a nagging in your life and you’re chasing a sort of fulfillment that you think you’re ready for it. Listen, it’s it’s if it’s not scary, it’s probably not worth it. So I say power through that faced your imposter syndrome and go for it. And the other piece, you know, which is kind of a nice platform to speak about entire coach. There’s lots of people out there that have done it before you. There’s a lot of people that can get excited with you and for you and help support, you know, people that have done it, people that have coached people to do it. So look for some resources and support there. So no one take the step and no to look for some support and resources in the way of a coach or a mentor mentee or another business that can support you.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:36] Now, having kind of worked on both sides of this kind of world, any thing that you would like to share for someone who has never had a coach before. Maybe something that that happens when you’re working with the coach that this person may not think or may not be aware of. That is part of what you kind of experience when you’re working with the coach.

Alecia Wellen: [00:09:01] You know, that’s a great question, too. You know, if you’re going to enter into a coaching relationship, you know, be open to explore, right? The coach’s job is really to create a container for exploration and discovery. I don’t recommend a rigid agenda of any kind, which is funny for me to say because I’m very much type a person and I love structure and organization. But as far as coaching goes, you’re you’re doing something that you can’t quite account for if you’re looking to level up and become the next best version of yourself and really transform. You can’t account for what’s going to happen. You can’t gauge every step of the way and taking steps one through 50 to get there. There’s a little bit of that, but there’s also a lot of magic and wonder that happens if you allow space to receive coaching and really see a different perspective that you never thought was there or you’ve never realized was there. And so it’s really up to the coach to tease that out and facilitate that transformation. A lot of times it’s tapping into something that has always been there, but it’s deep down and you’ve got your saboteur kind of in the way telling you you’re not good enough to do it. You’re not credentialed enough. You’re maybe too old. You, whatever the limiting beliefs are, but sort of shining that light on those blind spots and finding your leader within to get rid of those limiting beliefs is super important. But it’s really affording the magic and wonder of coaching. It’s really affording that space of exploration and discovery so that you can tap into something that is either lying dormant or you just never knew was there and you bring it to the surface for the first time.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:42] Now you use phrases like imposter syndrome saboteur. And if a person isn’t self-aware enough to see those things in play, are there symptoms or are there some things happening that maybe you can say, Well, you may not call it a saboteur, but if you’re doing a B and C, that might be construed as sabotaging, you know, or if you’re saying you don’t have imposter syndrome, but if you’re doing a B and C, that might be what imposter syndrome looks like to the outside person. So are there things that you can share that maybe are happening in a person’s life that might kind of open their eyes that, hey, maybe these things are happening to me and I’m just not aware or I’m not at a place yet where I’m vulnerable enough to make myself aware that these things are happening.

Alecia Wellen: [00:11:39] Yeah, you bet. You know, being fearful is one, you know, negative self-talk, keeping yourself safe, playing small, playing safe, you know, not getting over hurdles that you really want to, you know, having your eye on a prize but not quite getting there. Repeating patterns where I keep going through the same pattern all the time, whether it’s a relationship or a job or whatever the case may be, but you see a repeating pattern that you keep going through the same things over and over. You’re kind of in that that vicious cycle of imposter syndrome. And so, you know, if you want to take the step forward, but you just don’t, that’s a clear indication that there’s a saboteur in there somewhere. It can also resonate very much as perfectionism. You go halfway and then it’s not exactly what you want it to be, or it’s not as perfect as you want it to be. So you sort of abandon it or you pivot to something else. And so it’s really about the coach helping you find the value and the resonance and then standing up to those limiting beliefs that saboteur. But it can look like all of the things that I mentioned. And you know, quite frankly, I’m going to make a general blanket statement here. In my tenure, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t suffer from some type of limiting belief. I think we all have it. I think it’s all there somewhere and can kind of manifest and present different for everybody. But a real flag for me as a coach is if someone says, Oh yeah, I’m not subject to that, that doesn’t apply. I want to get curious and ask some questions and really dig into that because I think we’ve all got it in some way, shape or form.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:19] So now in a person’s journey in life, how much of the time should be just spent, you know, trying to get to a new level? Like, how much time should you be investing in yourself, bettering yourself? Is this something that is that’s just that’s the definition of life. That’s what you should be doing as a human being? Or is there times when you should be pausing, reflecting, being grateful, appreciative and staying in that state for a while?

Alecia Wellen: [00:13:49] Well, I, you know, the word should is operative there, Leigh, I think anything done out of obligation is probably not going to be valuable in resonant and you’re not going to get to the endpoint that you want. And so, you know, there’s not really a tried and true everyone should spend x amount of time or X amount of hours or months working on themselves. It’s really about, you know, what do you as an individual want to do? But also, who do you want to be in this life? How do you want to contribute to your life and others? And, you know, giving back in various ways, and that’s the beauty and coaching for me is that no two clients are the same. So that looks and feels different for everybody. It’s a very unique path, a very unique experience. And so, you know, it depends on who you are and what you want to do and how you want to accelerate forward. And so there’s not a secret sauce that that magically works for everybody. I do think that every person has something inside them where they want to do better. No better, be better. And you know, that’s kind of the seasons of life, right? You get to different graduation days throughout your life and you’re chasing something. And so we naturally mature, but you kind of get to a place where you look around and think, Oh my gosh, how did I get here? What am I doing? Do I want to do this? And you know, you kind of take inventory of who you are, what you’re doing and what you want to do next. And so it’s it’s really kind of getting to that point in various times in our life where we just look around and think just what I want to do is this who I want to be. And and that’s sort of where the next growth phase start.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:27] And that’s really one of the benefits of working with a coach is to kind of probe those those kind of areas.

Alecia Wellen: [00:15:35] Absolutely, yeah.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:37] Now, one of the reasons we do this show is to help coaches learn from each other. Can you share with our listeners how you got your last client?

Alecia Wellen: [00:15:48] Um, well, I’m in a unique spot. You know, I don’t do a ton of marketing, I do a little bit, but I would say 90 percent of my clients come through referral, which is a really beautiful compliment from my clients. If they’re sending me people or I have a repeat client, that it’s validation for me that what I’m doing is meaningful. The reason I’m coaching is really to coach for the greater good and to really give back. That’s really the whole point of me doing this. It’s very fulfilling to me. And so, you know, the very last clients I got was very simply a text message. It was pretty informal and it was, hey, one of your classmates from your coaching program, you really stood out to them and I’m looking for a coach and they recommended you. So how can we get started? How can we connect? And so it’s really predominantly referrals that come my way. And to answer your question specifically about my most recent, it was it was very much that through a referral.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:43] Now are you doing anything that helps the referrals come or are you just doing good work and then they just happen organically?

Alecia Wellen: [00:16:52] You know, for me, this started out as a side hustle, right? So I myself am very much in a growth phase. And so I only work with a certain number of clients for a certain period of time throughout the year. I care a lot about quality over quantity. And so it’s for right now, it’s doing the best work that I can like. I said, giving back and helping people and sort of watching them blossom in their own graduation days. And so we’ll see where it goes from here. But for now, it’s really just doing the work that I know that I’m good at. And having that come back to me in the way of new clients or, like I said, repeat clients. So that’s kind of how it is for now.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:32] Well, if somebody wants to learn more, have a more substantive conversation with you. What is the website?

Alecia Wellen: [00:17:39] So my website is very simply Alicia Whelan dot com. I also do have an Instagram page, Alicia Whelan coaching as well.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:48] And that’s Allie CIA W.E.F LLC and. You got it. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today, you’re doing important work and we appreciate you.

Alecia Wellen: [00:18:01] Also, well, thank you so much for having me, this has been really nice, I really appreciate Vietnam.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:05] All right, this is Lee Kantor will sail next time on Coach the Coach radio.