Client Spotlight: Allie Raynor
When I met Allie, her story rang true to so many of my clients' experiences: she came up as a young professional through toxic work environments with inexperienced managers who taught her to show up to the office with a sinking feeling of fear and dread.
She told me: "I remember one day when I was on my way to work and had to pull over to the side of the road because I was so sick with the thought of going into the office. I kept thinking to myself 'this can’t be all there is to the working world.'"
Allie came to me for coaching because she wanted to make a change, but lacked confidence in her direction. She didn't want to repeat her past work experiences, but she also wasn't sure how to break the cycle—or if she even believed that it could get better. She wondered if she should just resign herself to the fact that work sucks and she needs to toughen up.
I have to laugh when I think about our first meeting, when she told me, "I feel so lost. I have absolutely no idea what I want to be doing for work." For the next hour, we sifted through her past experience, her skills, and interests, and a crystal clear theme emerged. It turned out that she wasn't lost at all; she absolutely did know what she wanted to do—she just needed to get in the driver's seat rather than let fear dictate the way forward.
Allie, what brought you to seek coaching?
When I realized how much I dreaded going to work every day, it was time to seek help. Just like I considered visiting a doctor when I had a cold, or a therapist when I struggled with my mental health, I wanted an outside perspective on my career who could help me identify where the struggles were stemming from and steps forward for actionable change. Enter Carole Ann!
How would you describe the coaching process in the Career Strategy Circle?
The process for me was like coming to a big kitchen table with all the wise, caring female friends and role models in my life and laying out every piece of what I was struggling with in my career. I can’t describe how natural it felt—this is how everyone deserves to sort through career challenges and decision making. I was given a place free of judgment and expectation to discover who I was meant to be. It turned out to be something I never would have imagined, and I wouldn’t have discovered that if I hadn’t been given the space and skills to do so.
What changed for you as a result of our work together?
It’s hard to think of what hasn’t changed since our work together! I had been so scared of everything—my boss, my coworkers, my perceived lack of skill—and I was letting my fears lead my life. Taking a new approach with Carole Ann helped me to find work that lights me up and live a life that is meaningful to me. I’ve since built my own business and am working for myself, something I would never in a million years have predicted for myself. Before, work was 'hard,' and I couldn’t tolerate how hard it became. Now, I'm called to do it, and I thrive in moments that challenge and push me to the next level.
Tell us about your business and how it fits into your career path.
Foster Brand Strategy helps small businesses and entrepreneurs capture and share their unique stories in order to meaningfully connect with their customers. I’m creating my own career path that brings together my background in theater, branding, design, and copywriting and my mission to foster connections through the transformational power of telling great stories.
What was your biggest takeaway that you’d like to share with others who are navigating their career and leadership journeys?
To those who are on the path feeling directionless, frustrated, or even hopeless, I want you to know that there is a way through those feelings, but that path is rarely walked alone. I needed the support of my family and friends, but I also absolutely needed Carole Ann. Carole Ann brought me through my period of discovery and struggle with all the grace and understanding in the world, and I needed that outside observation and guidance in order to fully step into my purpose. Every journey forward needs a team, and every team needs a Carole Ann!
It's truly an honor to be on Allie's team!
