Rob Wise with Focal Point Coaching

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Stone Payton: Welcome to the High Velocity Radio show, where we celebrate top performers producing better results in less time. Stone Payton here with you this morning. Please join me in welcoming to the broadcast with Focal Point Coaching. Rob Wise. How are you man?

Rob Wise: I’m great. Good to be here. Thank you for having me.

Stone Payton: Let’s start with the mission. Purpose. What are you really out there trying to do for folks, man?

Rob Wise: So I find that, um, in my own life and working with leaders, uh, many of them feel isolated. And they feel unsettled as they try to live their lives based on perceived expectations, either their own things that they put on themselves or perceptions of others that they feel responsibility for, but without the guidance of trusted individuals in my life. A real, honest look at myself. I really wouldn’t have the same deep relationships with my wife and children, have true lasting friendships, or be that leader that others deserve. So I really believe that leaders, those who understand themselves and the teams that they work with, have the ability to inspire connection, build trust, and create a legacy of growth that resonates far beyond their immediate impact.

Stone Payton: What got you into this line of work?

Rob Wise: I have a pretty diverse set of experiences. I initially came from the entertainment industry. I majored in theater design and production and stage management, and worked in live music entertainment from when I was 18 until my early 20s, I was a stage manager, and through stage management, I actually found a job here in Houston at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts, where I was a theater teacher, a theater design teacher, and then the theater department chair. So that’s how I got into education. In education, what I found really fed me, gave me purpose, was working with young adults, teenagers also my colleagues, my peers, and helping to develop them, give them a sense of purpose, help them find their pathway. And there was one kid, she was a senior when I got there. So if you’ve ever been a teacher, you know that when you’re new, the kids test you out. And this this particular senior, she tested me every day and she would come into my office and she would have these conversations with me that at the time, I was feeling like she’s just trying to get out of the responsibilities that she has. She’s supposed to be like cleaning the costume shop or building something, doing something, anything else besides talking to me right now. But I listened to her and the next year she had graduated. The next year she came back at the end of the year. So it was almost a full year later, and we were having an end of year kind of celebration for our outgoing seniors that year. And she came up to me and she said, Mr. Weiss, I just want to let you know, I heard this has been a tough year, and I wanted to let you know that when you talk to me last year, you changed my life and you gave me purpose, and I hope you stay where you are.

Rob Wise: And that that opened my eyes to the one on one development that I really enjoy. And I find a lot of purpose in and found that purpose. And and she was the reason that I really focused on developing people and coaching people. And so when I threw the rest of my career, which is, you know, 23 years in education, I, um, that’s that was my main focus is how do I help and develop people. And so about five years ago, I formally got certified as a Cliftonstrengths coach, a global strengths coach, and did coaching one on one, kind of on the side with my job. I’m an administrator, educational administrator. And then really, this past year, I decided I needed more structure and more support. I needed a bigger network of coaches to help, you know, not just develop my the people I was coaching, but to develop myself as a coach. So I signed on with Focalpoint and have gotten that structure, that foundational piece that I was missing and, um, you know, informally started coaching when I was 25 and, um, formally, uh, through my career. And then in 2020, even more formally and now, um, looking at doing this as my full time Position because it’s just something that feeds my soul. I love seeing other people find themselves and maximize their potential in whatever industry they’re in, or whatever they’re doing at home and find kind of, you know, true happiness in, in their lives.

Stone Payton: So say more about the work, man. Have you kind of gravitated to a certain type of industry or a certain type of individual facing specific challenges? Walk us through the day to day of the the coaching work if you would.

Rob Wise: It’s interesting. My I would say my niche market is, uh, admissions, enrollment development and marketing communication director level positions in independent schools from kindergarten schools through 12th grade schools. And then also I’ve done work in higher education as well as a program coordinator and found myself coaching at that level as well. So that’s that’s my target. That’s who I that’s the those are the industries that I know that I’ve worked in and I know their their pain points. I know what it feels like to be isolated in a directorial role and not have somebody on the outside that I can really rely on, who can give me some objective work and, and objective support. And I know the pressures of those positions. They schools tend to be very steady, except in independent schools. You’re really running a company, this little independent company with the same pressures that any other company would have in fundraising and building enrollment, which is your main revenue stream, and then getting the message, the story of the school out. And those are typically 1 or 2 person offices with lots of expectations and solid deadlines and solid revenue goals. And so so you’ve got this very steady, Study even environment in a school. But then these positions typically have way more stress because they are measured and responsible for funding the school essentially. So so there’s a lot of pressure there. So that’s my niche. But what I’ve found is I actually just did a men’s retreat this past weekend, and I talked about communication styles, and I had several men come up to me and and ask, hey, would you come and do this for my company? Another said would do this for my church. So I end up finding, when I’m presenting a myriad of industries and people that that are seeking guidance and support and coaching, either in an individual or group level. So it goes from my niche to anybody else that that finds it appealing and, and is interested in having me coach. So really I my, my industry is education. But I coach people in all different industries.

Stone Payton: Well, I wanted to ask you about how the whole sales and marketing thing works for a practice like yours. But what I’m hearing, at least partially, is doing good work is a good sales tool, isn’t it?

Rob Wise: In my career, what I found is the best marketing is word of mouth. And and that comes from having really authentic experiences with people listening to what they have to say before, before I say a thing. I love the the old adage, you know, take the cotton wool out of your ears and put it in your mouth, you know. So I, I’ve, I learned that when I was 18 years old and I really valued that. So I really try to listen. And which is, you know, I’m not perfect at it. I’m not any kind of guru because I am a problem solver and I like to give solutions right away. So I really have to check myself and and listen longer and ask the right questions. Um, so when I’ve done that, well, the word of mouth is the most powerful tool. Also, you know, I think, you know, using LinkedIn and making sure that my search engine optimization is is running on my web page so that people can find me when they’re looking for a coach, especially in the Houston area. And, um, and so there’s all those digital tools, and those are great for exposure and getting a broader audience. But really, the the most effective I’ve found and meaningful is that word of mouth. Because there’s already I have a connection with that first person and people that they know and trust them when they mention, hey, I know this guy who’s a coach.

Rob Wise: He might be able to, you know, do a presentation for you or, um, you know, have a conversation with you about your industry and what, what you want to do for yourself and for your team and then also for your personal life and family. Uh, that level of trust that you have in word, in word of mouth is, is really the most powerful form of marketing I found. So that’s I rely on that and I try to build those relationships, and it’s funny how things just kind of materialize as I offer my services sometimes, you know, at a preferred rate, I will end up getting, you know, a whole bunch of clients just from one interaction where it’s it’s a favor, really, for somebody like this past weekend, it was somebody needed to fill an hour for this retreat. And I said, yeah, I would be happy to, to talk. You know, I can talk about communication styles. And they’re like, yeah, that’d be great. And so that’s typically how I market. That’s how I like to market. I use LinkedIn and Google, but I really prefer the human interaction piece of marketing. And then sales is sales should be easy if I’ve if I’ve done the authentic work, if I’ve presented myself in what my strengths are and listened to my potential clients, the sales part should be pretty easy because I can listen to them.

Rob Wise: I can hear what they’re asking for. You know, I’m having trouble with my, uh, my team, my dynamics on my team. Everybody seems to be doing their own thing, you know? Then I can ask more questions there, and I can determine if I have the tools and skills to offer them. And then at some point, I can say, you know, I do a communications assessment and a debrief. Um, maybe we can have a conversation about what that might look like for your team. And so just building that conversation through that process, really it feels very informal. And, um, you know, I don’t like I always thought I didn’t like sales, but I like sales when it’s when it’s done with integrity, when it’s done well, when I have something to offer. And if I don’t have something to offer, the sale is I know somebody who can help you. I know somebody in the industry, a coach who really knows this industry well and help you out. So that’s what I find is the most effective. Um, and the one that feels the best doesn’t feel like I’m making things up or making false promises. It’s really about integrity with myself and for my client.

Stone Payton: Earlier on in the conversation, you touched on the value of structure and a community of practice. But what? Because there are choices. What drew you to Focal Point specifically? Did something stand out about that operation that drew you in?

Rob Wise: Yeah. Um, so I looked at several different, uh, coaching firms and, and on these, honestly, it was at the prompting of my wife. My wife, uh, is my biggest cheerleader and supporter. Um, she also, you know, tells me when I’m, when I’m, I’m missing the mark for myself. And sometimes when, you know, I’m like a bull in a China shop with my, uh, my family. So she’ll she’ll call me out on my stuff, which I, you know, sometimes I don’t like in the moment, but I know I need to listen. So she told me, Rob, you, you need to do your own thing. You’ve got a mindset. That you really like to be independent and make your own choices and to run things, but you also know when you need help. And so that’s I want to see you do your thing. I want to see you own your own, whatever it is. Um, and, uh, what I found with coaching is there were a lot there’s lots of different companies out there that coach, when I looked at them, there were some that were, you know, focused mostly on CEO groups that I didn’t have, that CEO level experience and a company that I felt like I would have been an integrity being running those kinds of sessions. Um, there were others that were, you know, you get this kind of training and then you’re kind of off on your own and they might help you with marketing. But then the the continued education and the ability to contribute to the company just wasn’t there.

Rob Wise: And I kind of stumbled on Focal Point. I don’t even know how I found it. I don’t know if it was on LinkedIn or if it was in, um, a web search. But as I was kind of researching coaching firms, Focalpoint came up and I, I started reading about Focalpoint. Um, and I filled out a little contact form and, and I was called almost immediately and, um, just the the friendliness, the fervor for helping people, uh, really develop themselves to be the best person that they could be and to help with their industry appealed to me. And then as I did some more research and talked to more focalpoint coaches, um, I found that the level of training, the support, the network and, and this absolutely positive attitude that everybody has about whatever you need, like, we want to help you or we want to support you in your journey, whatever that looks like, just as a potential, you know, it’s just kind of feeling things out. Um, and then as I got further, further into it, I found that the support, the training, the ongoing training, the growth mindset that focal point has, and of course, the philosophy behind Focal Point that comes from Brian Tracy was really the most appealing to me. So, um, so I bought a Focal Point franchise and, and jumped in with, with both feet. And that’s why the point. Yeah.

Stone Payton: So what’s the most rewarding about the work these days? What’s the most fun about it for you at this point?

Rob Wise: So it’s been kind of a whirlwind. Plus the information and training from Focal Point. Um, but I would also say it’s really energizing and, you know, building, uh, course work out that’s going to help people in the future. Uh, being able to innovate, being able to develop that structure for myself and for my company has been extremely rewarding. Um, and then I think when I see the light bulb go on, I was actually coaching one of my, um, direct reports. And, you know, we I would just kind of ask her questions. She was having some frustration about this publication that we do. And, um, she kept saying, like, you know, I just feel like I don’t have ownership. And I said, tell me what you would like. What what is your ideal? What does this look like for you to feel ownership. And she goes, well, I’d like to I’d like to take all of this. And instead of writing it, I’d like to go interview people and help them to write and then put it together in a common theme and oversee all of that. And I said, great, I think you should do that. And and for her, that light bulb went on and she came back in the next day with this outline. All the people that, you know, listed out what they what she wanted to interview them about. And she was just beaming and, and seeing that, um, that light go on and that, you know, brightness in the eyes and seeing somebody love what they do and have ownership of it. That’s probably the most rewarding thing for me is, um, being able to be that guide to help people figure out one what it is they want and two, how to get it. And, um, and that’s because, you know, she looks fulfilled, uh, in her, in her work. And she’s so excited every time she comes to talk to me and show me what she’s doing. And so my job then is just to coach her and help her figure out kind of the next step and what needs to go on to help her to continue to be successful.

Stone Payton: Hobbies. Passions. Pursuits. Interests outside the scope of the coaching work. What do you do when you’re not coaching, man?

Rob Wise: Everything. Um, I I my wife rolls her eyes at me quite a bit because I’ve got lots of hobbies. Um, my. I’m a bagpiper. I play the great Highland bagpipes, the Scottish bagpipe. So I like to do that when I have time. Um, I’ve got a couple annual gigs, so I play for the city of Friendswood. Memorial day ceremony every year. I’ve been doing that for, gosh, probably 12 years now. Um, wow. So that’s really rewarding that I get to honor our, our military veterans, men and women. So that’s one thing. And then I love hiking and camping with my family. We we go up to Colorado or West Texas. Um, we’re going up, uh, to Ohio to visit my parents this summer. So we’ll stop through Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky and do a couple of days in each spot. Uh, that’s something that that’s probably one of my biggest joys is, is camping. So those are my those are two of my hobbies, but I’ve got many others.

Stone Payton: Well, I’m so glad that I asked. And I just personally and I know so many of our listeners probably feel the same. I just love hearing the bagpipes and you just never know. That’s fantastic.

Rob Wise: I’m glad to hear that you love them because. Because sometimes, uh, I’m very conscious about how loud they are and know their practice. You don’t have to go out in the middle of nowhere and practice.

Stone Payton: I think it’s great.

Stone Payton: Before we wrap, let’s leave our listeners with a couple of pro tips. And I’m thinking in your case particularly because it is still a little fresh, maybe a pro tip or two around getting your coaching practice off the ground. You know, some things to think about to read. Do don’t do.

Rob Wise: Yeah. Um, I’m kind of in the middle of that now. So I would say the, the do. Um, one of the things that’s really helped me, that focal point is very expert in is do one thing. You know, what’s the what’s the one thing that I’m going to do today? Um, because we can get overwhelmed with thinking we have to do all the things today or this week. So I have to prioritize and go, what’s the one thing that I’m going to do right now? And I and I do that thing, and then that thing is done. And the next day I find another thing and I do that thing. So taking off those kind of bite sized pieces as you’re getting started to make it manageable, um, is important. And to be patient and to know that if I’m doing the right things each day, I will find success. And and I have found that to be absolutely true. Just just mentioning that I’m a focal point coach and that, you know, I can do a communications assessment. I was able to do, you know, an hour seminar and and get clients, you know, just out of that organically. So, um, just doing the right thing one step at a time. Uh, the other is, um, I believe in acting with integrity and being honest with myself.

Rob Wise: So if I’m honest with myself, I know what my limitations are. I know where I need to stop, I need to take a break. I need to spend time with my family, and I make sure that I honor that and take that time. Um, and that for us is, you know, a spiritual experience. You know, we’re, uh, we’re Greek Orthodox Christians. And so making sure that the church is in our home and in our lives and that we sit down together, we eat together, um, and we really listen to each other is a big part of our, our spiritual life and our family. And that gives me what I need to the energy that I need later in, in my work. Um, so if I’m honest with myself, I can see, okay, here. I’m I’m hitting my wall. I need to I need to slow down. I need to focus on my family. Um, because that’s the part that really feeds me. And then, um, the other is, you know, talk to your network. I like talking to people. I’m, I’m fairly extroverted, so making making calls and letting people know, hey, I’m a focal point coach, um, has been huge for just building awareness. Um, even if I’m not coaching them or I don’t.

Rob Wise: I don’t see any leads right away. Um, just letting people know that what I’m doing, one has been extremely helpful in just building my network out. But also it’s been really great because people have given me the feedback like, oh my gosh, Rob, you’re going to be such a great coach. I’m so glad you’re doing that. So it just reinforces that I made the right decision. So I, you know, we do not operate in a vacuum. We do not live our lives alone. We live our lives with other people. And I think it was, uh, Abraham Lincoln who said the better part of one’s life is his friendships. And that’s absolutely true, that I lean on people. I depend on people. Uh, I know that I can’t do it myself. And so I think that’s another thing I would tell somebody starting off in coaching or really any industry is, you know, lean on the people who know, lean on the people who you think might be able to help you, because a lot of times they’re going to help you in ways that you didn’t, you didn’t think about. You might call them for one thing, but they may actually give you something else that you weren’t anticipating.

Stone Payton: So what’s the best way for our listeners to tap into your work and stay connected, man?

Rob Wise: One is, you know, you can just go to my website. Um, it’s Rob wise, dot Focalpoint Coaching.com. Um, and so they can go to my website, they can connect with me there. There’s a contact form. There’s also a little assessment there to, to determine kind of where they are in their work and what they want. Um, so a little free assessment that kicks out right away gives them some results. They can follow me on LinkedIn. Always message me on LinkedIn if anybody has questions, if anybody just wants to chat. Um, I love, you know, talking. It’d be great to meet over coffee in Houston. I know a couple really good, uh, coffee shops here, and I’m a big coffee buff, so I’m always like, an in person conversation, too. So, um, those are the ways to get connected with me. And, um, and then, you know, hopefully I’ll be back on your show again and I can give you an update in the future.

Stone Payton: Well, I sure hope you will, man. Thank you so much for sharing your story, your experience and your your your passion for serving people in this way. You’re doing important work, man, and we sure appreciate you.

Rob Wise: Well, I appreciate you having me. It’s been it’s been a great experience. Thank you.

Stone Payton: Absolutely. My pleasure. All right. Until next time. This is Stone Payton for our guest today, Rob wise with Focalpoint Coaching and everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying we’ll see you in the fast lane.