Activating the best of you!

3 Considerations for a mid life career change

Dear Coach Joan, I recently turned 50 and feel like it’s now or never for a mid life career change. I’ve disliked my profession for several years now and have a number of career directions I think would be much more satisfying. But I go around and around in my head with possibilities, then get […]

Career Focus: She knows how to thrive as an artist in Sonoma County

    Dear Readers,   Many of us have creative pursuits and get a lot of satisfaction out of the expressive arts. Some of us wonder if those talents can be translated into a meaningful career. Can one make a living through art? I am meeting with Sherrie Lovler, a local artist, who does make […]

Career focus: How to run a successful yoga studio in Santa Rosa

Dear Readers,Many of us enjoy yoga. But what does it take to build and run a yoga studio? Let’s find out.  I was introduced to Lisa Ellisen (in photo above), owner of Soul Yoga Studio in Santa Rosa, and here’s her career story: Lisa, what do you do? How do you describe your work? I […]

Career focus: ‘How I became a local celebrity chef’

Dear Readers, Laurie Figone, a lifelong Sonoma/Marin resident has a career that’s taken her to Scotland where she won a Porridge Championship, to appearances on major TV talk shows and reality shows, to winning a cook-off show in LA. Our local Laurie has worked with: Giada, Emerill, and Ray Lampe, Dr. Barbeque. I met Laurie […]

Career focus: ‘How I became a winemaker in Sonoma County’

Dean Katzung, a Healdsburg-based winemaker says, “There’s true magic in winemaking. Each year we create something that didn’t exist before, and each harvest year is different. There’s both art and science in winemaking, and many decisions to make along the way. Winemaking is my occupation and recreation.” Dear Readers, I thought you’d find it interesting […]

You can have it all. Just not all at once.

Dear Readers, Clients often come to me with many aspirations. They want to have a challenging and satisfying career. They want to have a positive impact on the world. They want to help others, and they want to make a good income. They want to have career and life balance. They want professional growth and […]

Should I apply to a job without having all the qualifications?

Dear Readers, You may be  reluctant to apply for jobs where you don’t have all of the qualifications listed. Should you apply anyway?  Great question.  The answer requires an understanding of how job descriptions are written and the expectations of the hiring team. Let’s take a closer look:  How job descriptions are written: Typically, the […]

Millennial vs Baby Boomer speed in the workplace

Dear Joan, I guess you could call me an ambitious millennial, but I am super hardworking, ambitious and having made key contributions to my company in the first few months of employment, I expect to be rewarded.  Yet, I am expected to wait a full year before getting a promotion or a salary increase. Why […]

Long term unemployed?

Dear Coach Joan, Am I the only laid off person in my late 50s still job hunting after a two year search? It is really disheartening. I had made it up to a mid manager level but was laid off during a merger. I keep reading articles about ageism, and how difficult it is to […]

3 tips for new college grads

Dear Joan, I know that as a career coach you’ve helped many young people launch from college to career. What are some of the best strategies to help make that transition a success? I’ll be graduating next month and really want to line up a great first job. Thanks, Kelly Dear Kelly, Good question! And […]