A Podcast About Coaching, Business and other Interesting Stuff.
A Podcast About Coaching, Business and other Interesting Stuff.
In this enlightening episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with publishing veteran Karen Strauss, founder of Hybrid Global Publishing. With decades of experience in traditional and independent publishing, Karen shares how writing a book can be one of the most powerful tools for amplifying your voice, building credibility, and creating lasting impact.
Karen recounts her personal journey from the traditional publishing giants to launching her own company with a mission to help underrepresented voices be heard. She emphasizes that a book is more than a product—it's a platform that provides gravitas, visibility, and opportunity, especially for coaches, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.
Listeners will gain practical insight into the three publishing paths—traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid—and learn what happens after the manuscript is complete. Karen also breaks down how to build a book launch team, why purpose must drive your writing, and the critical role marketing plays in a book’s success. The discussion even touches on AI’s role in the publishing process and the surprising resilience of print books in the digital age.
Whether you're contemplating your first book or want to improve your publishing strategy, this episode delivers essential wisdom, clarity, and inspiration.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/how-publishing-a-book-can-transform-your-life-and-business/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with Laura West, founder of Joyful Business, to explore what it takes to build a flourishing coaching practice in a low-trust, high-uncertainty world. Laura shares her journey from corporate VP through burnout to 25 years as a coach, and why longevity demands constant evolution—of your niche, your offer, and yourself. She unpacks the current “trust recession,” the surge of self-described coaches, and the growing sophistication of clients, making a compelling case for leading with authentic philosophy, visible thought leadership, and community.
Laura introduces her three-part Venn (Soul Work + Who You Help + What’s Urgent Now), the role of intuition (including Quantum Human Design) in decision-making, and why tracking both internal and external client results matters. Most of all, she reframes joy as a creativity and magnetism hack that powers sustainable marketing and presence. Expect practical insight on claiming your brilliance without bragging, creating safe containers for real authenticity, and becoming the “mayor” of an ecosystem where clients flourish—even as we prepare to create with a future we can’t yet predict.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-burnout-to-joyful-business-laura-west-on-trust-intuition-and-evolving-as-a-coach/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with Stephen Hodgson, an ADHD coach and tech veteran from the San Francisco Bay Area. Stephen shares his late-in-life ADHD diagnosis (2020), the rocky start with medication, and the pivotal role of education, coaching, and self-compassion in reshaping his life. He reframes ADHD as “A Damn Healthy Dose” of strengths—creativity, spontaneity, and hyperfocus—rather than a label of limitation.
We explore how Stephen prepares to coach (micro-rituals, breathwork, “client first” focus), what 1,300+ one-to-one sessions have taught him, and how lived experience fuels empathy without turning sessions into advice-giving.
On the business side, Stephen unpacks his transition from tech sales to entrepreneurship: leveraging podcast ads, speaking in former workplaces, and consistent outreach.
Finally, he reflects on AI—its promise as a tool and the importance of preserving human connection and critical thinking—before introducing DOSE, his MVP app designed to support ADHD-friendly habits: SPARK (strategic thinking), WAVE (emotional regulation), Popcorn (idea capture), and an RSD meter (rejection sensitivity).
Listeners will leave with practical coaching habits, a humane lens on ADHD, and fresh ideas for building a values-led coaching business.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-diagnosis-to-design-steev-hodgson-on-adhd-coaching-and-the-dose-app/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs welcome Anne Gordon, founder of Whale Wisdom Retreats, animal behaviorist, and retreat leader who pioneered the whale-watching industry in Panama. What began as a childhood fascination with orcas evolved into a life dedicated to deep spiritual connection with dolphins, whales, and ultimately, with self.
Anne shares her extraordinary journey from Hollywood animal trainer to zookeeper, and then to starting a tourism industry in a country that didn’t even realize it had whales. Throughout the conversation, she opens up about the emotional courage needed to follow your passion, face “no” with resilience, and let nature—not a PowerPoint—guide transformation.
She discusses how her retreats harness the conscious intelligence of whales and dolphins to help clients reconnect to joy, abundance, and purpose. You'll also hear deeply insightful metaphors about how whales teach us to thrive during emotional storms and how we can create our own abundance by simply being who we are.
Coaches, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking for a non-traditional but deeply profound approach to growth will find inspiration in Anne’s philosophy of going with the flow, even when it's uncomfortable—and creating success by following joy.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/how-dolphins-whales-and-one-womans-vision-built-a-coaching-movement-rooted-in-nature/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with Suzi Pomerantz, MCC and CEO of Innovative Leadership International, to unpack her 32-year entrepreneurial journey—from launching her firm in 1993 to coaching senior leaders across industries and continents. Suzi shares how she turned early ignorance into an asset with the help of a coach, reframed debt as tuition, and learned the disciplines of sales, systems, and client retention.
Her core message: “Hope is not a strategy.” Treat coaching as a business—especially if you serve leaders inside organizations—by taking consistent, intentional action and being ready to pivot. Suzi introduces her practical “hats method” for role clarity (CEO, coach, CFO, sales, even “janitor”) and time allocation. The conversation explores AI’s promise and pitfalls: why it offers cognitive empathy but can’t replace the human presence, heart, and soul that create coaching “magic.” Suzi also stresses integrity in the profession: coaches need coaches, too.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-hope-to-strategy-suzi-pomerantz-on-treating-coaching-like-a-business/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with Daniela Dragomir—former Big Four consultant, actor, and now executive coach—to explore the Energy Leadership framework that helped her transform a decades-long rift with her mother and reshape how leaders show up at work. Daniela maps the journey from fear and survival (Levels 1–2) to compassion and co-creation (Levels 4–5), explains the awareness → acceptance → choice sequence, and shows why practices like fitness and meditation only truly serve us when they come from an integrated sense of being, not compensation.
A standout twist: Daniela brings puppets to leadership coaching—“Alvin” for Level 1 and “Vic” for Level 5—making heavy emotions visible, memorable, and safe to work with. The conversation dives into navigating toxic cultures, holding your state when rooms run on conflict, and inviting others to entrain to higher energy by modeling it, not controlling it.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-survival-to-choice-daniela-dragomirs-energy-leadership-with-puppets/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with executive coach and author Sabina Nawaz to explore why leadership fails under strain—and how to fix it. Drawing on 12,000+ pages of verbatim 360° feedback and her new book You’re the Boss (Simon & Schuster, 2025), Sabina argues that pressure—not power—corrupts leaders. She introduces two deceptively simple antidotes: Blank Space (scheduled time to do “nothing” so insight can surface) and micro habits (behaviors so small they’re almost laughable—think one mindful breath a day). The conversation ranges from C-suite structure and pre-game rituals to practicing calm under low stakes so it’s available when it counts. Practical, contrarian, and deeply humane.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/its-not-power-that-corruptsits-pressure-sabina-nawaz-on-micro-habits-and-blank-space/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with former theatre educator turned executive coach Travia Steward. After 24 years teaching high school theatre—and a life-redefining cancer diagnosis—Travia discovered coaching as the arena where her passions for performance, psychology, and personal transformation converge. Drawing on the craft of method acting, she shows clients how to embody their future selves now—closing the gap between aspiration and action.
Travia unpacks her BECOME framework: start with your Baseline (the operating system you’re running), Embody the identity you’re aiming for (artifacts, posture, environment), Clarify values and vision, Own your power (stop handing your “thermostat” to others), practice the Method daily (on-stage reps in real life), and Execute consistently to make identity-backed habits stick. Along the way, she introduces vivid metaphors—your invisible “soundtrack” and the overstuffed “suitcase” of old meanings—to help leaders rewrite unhelpful scripts, show up with presence, and turn values into behavior.
Whether you’re pursuing a promotion, leading teams, or rebuilding confidence, Travia’s message is simple and empowering: identity before outcome—become the person who creates the result.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/method-acting-your-future-self-travia-stewards-become-framework-for-leaders/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, MCC coach Merci Miglino traces her journey from political burnout to coaching mastery—and how teaching Level 1 & 2 coaches in China (via real-time translation!) sharpened her philosophy of radical simplicity. She argues that the leap from PCC to MCC is less about technique and more about confidence: the courage to ask direct questions, release attachment to outcomes, and work in the energizing space of not knowing.
Merci spotlights fear as the hidden driver beneath indecision and “stuckness,” reframing the coach’s role as a synthesizer who surfaces the misconception creating the client’s current reality. She champions direct communication (as distinct from evoking awareness), shares powerful frames—“So what?” and “What’s the misconception here?”—and describes intuition as unconscious competence that coaches must dare to voice. We also touch on legacy, lightness vs. significance in decisions, and how confidence and intuition intertwine.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/courage-over-comfort-merci-miglino-on-mastery-misconceptions-and-fearless-coaching/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with prolific author and creativity coach Eric Maisel to explore what really powers a creative life. From his winding path—writer, psychotherapist, and pioneer of creativity coaching—to launching a new international association for creative and performing artists, Maisel shares candid, practical wisdom.
Key themes include:
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/eric-maisel-on-rekindling-creative-love-daily-practice-praise-and-permission-to-err/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave welcome Lisa Bloom, founder of Story Coach and author of The Story Advantage. Lisa shares her journey from learning and development into coaching, initially skeptical but later deeply inspired by the transformative impact of coaching and storytelling,
Lisa reveals how stories shape our identities, influence our choices, and often keep us trapped in limiting beliefs. She explains how reframing these stories can unlock growth and possibility—whether in personal transformation, professional coaching, or business development. Beyond helping clients shift perspective, Lisa emphasizes that coaches and business leaders themselves need compelling stories to connect with audiences, attract clients, and authentically communicate their value.
From practical techniques on weaving stories into coaching conversations, to handling stage fright and discovering the “gift” of storytelling, Lisa provides powerful insights for anyone looking to deepen their impact. The conversation highlights storytelling not as self-indulgence, but as a meaningful gift for the listener—helping them see new possibilities for their own lives.
Whether you’re a coach, leader, or entrepreneur, this episode shows why stories matter, how to use them wisely, and how reframing the stories we tell can transform not only our coaching, but our lives.
Watch the full episode: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/how-storytelling-transforms-coaching-and-business-with-lisa-bloom/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr Steve Jeffs sit down with Dr Nat Green, a clinical and health psychologist turned trauma breakthrough coach, to explore the science and practice of moving from trauma to post-traumatic growth. Drawing on over 35 years of experience, Dr Green shares how frustration with traditional long-term trauma therapy led her to embrace coaching, positive psychology, and innovative techniques for faster, deeper healing.
She introduces her Seven Archetypes of Transformation, a framework that helps individuals understand their innate coping styles and challenges, and discusses the “three brains” model — head, heart, and gut — as a powerful tool for restoring integration and resilience after adversity. Dr Green also shines a light on vicarious trauma in helping professions, offering strategies for burnout prevention and self-care, while underscoring the importance of nervous system regulation in recovery.
Listeners will leave with a new perspective on trauma — not as a life sentence, but as a potential catalyst for strength, self-awareness, and growth.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-trauma-to-transformation-dr-nat-greens-path-to-lasting-growth/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with coaching innovator Marcy Nelson-Garrison of Pink Paradigm to explore the intersection of psychology, art, and coaching. Marcy shares her journey from art therapy and call-center counseling to becoming a pioneer in coaching tools and product creation. She dives into the power of creative stimulus—from evocative images to card decks—and how blending seemingly unrelated elements sparks innovation. Listeners will discover practical exercises like “Image Prompts” and “Bridge Belief” that coaches can seamlessly integrate into virtual and in-person sessions to unlock deeper insights, overcome resistance, and foster transformative breakthroughs. Whether you’re a seasoned coach or a leader seeking fresh approaches, Marcy’s insights will inspire you to give yourself permission to play, experiment, and elevate your coaching practice.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/unleashing-innovation-how-marcy-nelson-garrison-empowers-coaches-through-creative-tools/
On this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave welcome book coach and thought-leadership pioneer Mindy Gibbins-Klein. A native New Yorker turned UK entrepreneur, Mindy has authored and co-authored over 15 books and built a global coaching practice with her signature “Book Midwife” approach—helping experts birth the books that showcase their expertise. She shares her hybrid-publishing philosophy, the importance of owning your ideas (no AI ghostwriting!), and why a truly thoughtful leader blends deep reflection with genuine care for others. Whether you’re wrestling with imposter syndrome, time scarcity, or financial doubts, Mindy’s blend of mindset work and practical structure makes the book-writing journey feel not only possible but transformative.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/midwife-for-your-ideas-mindy-gibbins-klein-on-evolving-your-flagship-book/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs and Erwin de Grave sit down with transformational trainer and coach Lisa Kalmin—whose four-decade career spans corporate finance to pioneering transformational seminars—to explore how mindset, energy, and deep self-awareness reshape our relationship with money. Lisa shares personal stories—from earning as much as her hard-working retail-manager father by age 28 to using affirmations and “lofty questions” to break unconscious money blocks. She defines transformation as a shift in worldview and breakthrough as a change in how you show up, emphasizing that awareness alone isn’t enough without action.
Lisa also highlights how our ancestors’ tangible exchanges (furs, coins, cash) have evolved into invisible, energy-based transactions—credit cards, mobile palm-scans, even cryptocurrency—and how this intangibility demands a new vibrational alignment if we want money to flow. She offers concrete tools: identify and name your unconscious beliefs, use spoken affirmations or questions to reset your “money thermostat,” and foster resilience and creative thinking in the next generation so they can navigate an AI-driven, information-saturated world.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/transform-your-relationship-with-money-lessons-from-lisa-kalmin/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, co-hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with certified ADHD and Christian life coach Heidi Fishbein to explore her unique journey from coaching client to coach educator. Heidi shares how a life-changing referral to an ADHD coach in 2018 set her on a path to fuse her faith with evidence-based coaching practices. Listeners gain insight into her approach—holding space with intentional curiosity, leveraging ADHD strengths, and guiding clients to discover their own answers rather than offering prescriptions. Heidi also opens up about the challenges and triumphs of running a coaching business as an entrepreneur with ADHD, underscoring the importance of systems, teamwork, and continuous learning. Whether you’re an aspiring coach or someone navigating ADHD, Heidi’s blend of authenticity, compassion, and strategic mindset offers invaluable lessons for personal growth and professional success.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/integrating-adhd-and-faith-coaching-insights-with-heidi-fishbein/
In this edition of The Coaching Edge Podcast, cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Irena O’Brien unpacks the latest research on how our brains create lasting behavior change. Drawing on Richard Boyatzis’ work, she explains why coaches (and leaders) should spend roughly two-thirds of every conversation in the default-mode network—the space of vision, imagination, and the Positive Emotional Attractor—before shifting to the task-focused central-executive network.
Listeners will learn practical ways to toggle between these networks, including heart-rate-variability breathing, self-compassion practices, and bringing personal values to the forefront. The result? More creativity, energy, and sustainable change—for clients and coaches alike.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/coaching-through-the-brain-how-positive-emotional-attractors-drive-real-change/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Dr. Steve Jeffs sit down with Emma-Louise Elsey, founder of The Coaching Tools Company and creator of Fierce Kindness. Emma-Louise shares how her transition from corporate project manager—working for NatWest Bank and Ford Motor Company—led her to discover coaching as a career that truly values people over processes. Now with over 150 coaching tools and tens of thousands of newsletter subscribers, her mission is to help individuals tap into kindness as a powerful, courageous force.
The conversation dives into why self-kindness often feels elusive in our VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world, and how cultural norms, guilt, and shame stand in the way. Emma-Louise reframes kindness as “Fierce”—not a passive niceness but a bold, strength-based practice that enables better boundary-setting, imposter‐syndrome management, and authentic self-care. She even outlines her PACT process—Pause, Ask, Choose, Time—so listeners can systematically tune into their needs and honor themselves.
Rounding out the discussion, the trio explores work-life boundaries in a remote-first era, the future of coaching amid AI pressures, and the ripple effect of kindness: starting with self and flowing out to teams, families, and communities. Emma-Louise’s insights offer both inspiration and practical tools for coaches and anyone seeking to thrive by being kinder to themselves first.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/fierce-kindness-emma-louise-elseys-guide-to-courageous-self-compassion/
In this episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Erwin de Grave and Steve Jeffs sit down with coaching veteran Wendy Buckingham, whose career spans more than 25 years. Wendy shares her journey from journalist and business owner to one of Australia’s first trained life coaches, offering a compelling look into the early days of the profession and how it has evolved.
Wendy speaks candidly about the dilution of coaching’s core essence, the risks of over-niching, and the overwhelming complexity that new coaches often face. She champions the fundamentals of life coaching—listening, questioning, and facilitating client growth—while expressing concerns over the commodification and saturation of the industry.
She also explains why phone coaching can be more intimate than face-to-face sessions, the importance of training and certification, and how her communication skills and writing background helped her educate and empower through her popular website, Life Coaching Professionally.
Listeners will appreciate Wendy’s clarity, humility, and commitment to preserving coaching integrity while supporting the next generation of coaches.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/the-quiet-power-of-simplicity-in-coaching-wendy-buckinghams-25-year-journey/
In this spirited episode of The Coaching Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Steve Jeffs, and Erwin de Grave sit down with master coach, author, social-preneur, and media trail-blazer Frankie Picasso. Branded the “Unstoppable Coach,” Frankie shares how she “rents her belief” to clients, holding their boldest visions until they can hold them themselves.
Key talking points include:
Whether you’re coaching, leading, or chasing your own “impossible,” Frankie’s stories illustrate that flexibility, persistence, and vision trump fear every time.
Watch the full episode here: https://thecoachingedgepodcast.com/from-vision-to-action-how-frankie-picasso-champions-change-and-makes-the-impossible-possible/
