Brie Johnson, a seasoned HR professional and mom of three, always knew she had a knack for helping people navigate their careers. When the flexibility of entrepreneurship beckoned, she launched her own career coaching and HR consulting business. Today, Brie is a Classy Career Girl® Certified Career Coach and ready to share how this has boosted her business and her ability to support clients.

A Passion for Helping Others Succeed

I recently interviewed Brie, and her passion for empowering people within their careers is infectious. She explained, “I love those moments where I see clients gain confidence, where they see themselves with fresh enthusiasm for their path forward. I knew a more structured approach would make me a better coach.” This desire for continuous improvement is what ultimately led her to the Classy Career Girl program.

Common Challenges for New Coaches

While Brie had coaching experience and an HR background, she faced challenges common to many new coaches:

• Balancing Work and Family: The transition to entrepreneurship meant juggling coaching, consulting, and being there for her three boys (including a son with a rare medical diagnosis).
• The Importance of Credibility: While Brie’s expertise was clear, she wanted to provide that extra level of assurance to clients, especially corporate partners. She knew a formal certification would add credibility and provide a framework for her services.

How Certification Solved Her Problems

The Classy Career Girl program didn’t just validate Brie’s career coaching skills; it became the backbone of her business success. Here’s how certification helped:

• Structure and Systems: “One of the biggest things for me was gaining a weekly structure,” Brie explains. The program helped her prioritize, set work boundaries, and manage her time – essential when juggling multiple roles.
• Enhanced Credibility: The “Certified Career Coach” title empowered Brie to work with individual clients and corporate partners with confidence, knowing her training was validated by an established program.
• Focused Offerings: The program’s guidance led Brie to streamline her services and niche down, enabling her to better target clients and get them results faster.

Wins and Transformation

Since the program, Brie’s witnessed tangible results:

• Rapid Client Success: A client who’d been searching for 10 months was thrilled with Brie’s resume and LinkedIn updates. This demonstrates the value a structured program brings to your coaching process.
• Strategic Partnerships: Brie now partners with fellow entrepreneurs, her HR expertise helping small business owners build strong teams.
• Giving Back: A special passion project has been mentoring special needs parents, drawing on her own family’s experience to provide guidance and community in what can often feel like an isolating situation.
• The Investment Pays Off: Initially hesitant due to cost and time constraints, Brie now views the program as an investment, saying, “It boosted my confidence, my offerings, and thus made it easy to recoup the cost quickly.”

Here’s How to Connect with Brie

• Instagram: @bcj_insights
• LinkedIn: Brianna Johnson

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Career Coaches

Brie’s journey offers valuable lessons for anyone considering career coaching:

• Certification Matters: Even if already coaching, formal certification brings structure, focus, and authority to your business.
• Clarity Leads to Results: Niching down and streamlining offers gets clients results faster, boosting your reputation and confidence.
• Pursue Your Passions: Use your experiences to expand your services uniquely. Brie’s work with special needs parents shows how personal passions fuel both fulfilling work and business opportunities.

If you’re ready to turn your passion for helping people find career joy into a thriving coaching business, remember that investing in yourself and structured learning is often the key to accelerating your success.

Ready to take the next step?

If any of this resonates, I highly encourage you to apply to my career coach certification program. It’s a fantastic way to develop the skills and mindset to make a real difference in people’s lives (and your business!)