Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Berry.
Hi Becky, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have unknowingly been on a journey to becoming an executive career coach since I started working at Jack’s Hamburgers in Roswell when I was 16. Since then, I’ve had countless jobs and at least six careers.
My jobs include working in the Animal & Dairy Science department at UGA, receiving bull semen for the school’s breeding program, at a scrap yard in downtown Atlanta, for a recruiting company in Buckhead, for a lobbying group at the capital, at an executive secretarial company, for several non-profits, as a special education teacher, at several software startups, as an executive career coach, and as a mom.
In those jobs, I’ve been a magazine publisher, software entrepreneur, stay-at-home mom (12 years), special ed teacher (6 years), social entrepreneur, and co-working space owner.
I fell into career coaching after I decided to leave teaching. My husband had died, and I needed a less stressful work environment. People kept asking me what I was going to do to make a living, and my answer every time was, “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.”
And I did, with a little help from a friend. My girlfriend, Christina, and I were getting in our 10,000 steps one day and talking about what was next for me. My adult children had weighed in that I should have my own startup. As soon as I shared that with Christina, she exclaimed: “Yes, that’s it. You should become a career coach.”
I had never heard of career coaching, but it immediately felt right. That was in March 2014. I started coaching in June 2014 and have never looked back.
Christina realized that my love of people, coupled with my extremely varied work experiences, made me an ideal coach for women who want to create rich, meaningful work and lives on their own terms.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
You know, I’ve faced several challenges as I’ve grown my business. I’m privileged to have people who coach me up and help me find my way to the next level of growth.
My biggest challenge, then and now, is understanding and owning the value of my coaching. Which is funny because I spend my days coaching women as they learn to understand and own the value of their work.
As women, we’re taught to devalue our work both in subtle (“You’re not special. Anyone can do that work.”) and very obvious ways – equal pay, anyone? I’m no different.
It’s particularly hard to own your value in careers that are built on soft skills – listening, empathizing, collaborating, leading, and solving problems. Until recently, many companies (and business books and business schools) have devalued those skills.
So, I’ve taught myself and my clients to use different metrics to establish our value. For me, it’s the value of helping women understand the value and impact of their work so they can command more money as they continue to grow their careers.
For clients, it’s understanding how things like their ability to solve problems and create inclusive environments have directly impacted results for their teams, departments, and companies. For example, I had a client who was so divorced from her value that she didn’t understand she was running Billions of Dollars through the max’d out Excel spreadsheet she’d created. When I asked her the value of the transactions, and she responded, “billions of dollars,” I made her say it three more times until she owned the power of that statement.
I continue to learn this lesson: When we own our value and our impact, we’re more comfortable asking for compensation that reflects that value and impact – and we get it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I coach women who are determined to have maximum impact through their work. These women also come to me to rid themselves of the noise from a society that robs them of their impact by showing that women should work harder but be smaller to succeed.
The engine of my success? I love people – all kinds, shapes, backgrounds. I’d rather be around people than do almost anything – notice I’m rarely alone in my photos! I love learning about people, hearing their stories, honoring their struggles, and championing them (sometimes I champion them to themselves).
My particular gift is understanding people quickly and equally quickly, recognizing the power they no longer see. My talent is in witnessing that power, validating it, and helping clients reclaim it.
In coaching engagements, I provide something that goes beyond support – I provide a framework and a safe space for women to finally claim the potential they’re afraid to admit they have.
I know you know what I mean.
Another hallmark of my coaching is fiercely standing by clients as they come back to themselves. I witness and validate their struggles and the harm that resulted.
We honor the massive will and power they used to keep going. Then, I accompany them as they claim their right to stand in their truth and to own their power at work and in their own lives.
I remind clients that this work is hard and deep. It’s not for the faint of heart.
They begin to realize that they’re done with the nagging feeling that they’re not enough and ready to step into the knowledge that they’re worth more and they’re ready to figure out that value.
I offer one-on-one coaching engagements (in person and virtual) and a new in-person workshop called “Use Your Words: Know Your Value.”
I also offer special professional development packages.
I send out semi-regular newsletters containing my blog posts to my email list. You can find the signup page on my website, beckyberrycoach.com.
I also produce and cohost two podcasts, Uniquely Brilliant and She’s Not Done Yet: Conversations with Women Over 50, available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I attribute my success to understanding deeply what aligns with my mission as a coach: I exist to help people reach the potential they’re afraid to admit they have. Everything I do flows from this statement. From volunteerism with Helping Mamas and free résumé review for Georgia State University alumni to conversations with other people, I let people know I see them, I appreciate them, and they have value.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beckyberrycoach.com
- Instagram: @beckyberrycoach
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beckyberrycoach
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach
- Other: https://beckyberrycoach.com/newsletter
