Gladys Simen is the founder of My Life Couch in Toronto, Canada. We hope you enjoy this interview!
Coaching focus: I help working moms find meaningful balance between work and life and help them to define life on their own terms.
Location: Toronto, Canada
Connect: You can find Gladys online at her website, as well as on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Tell us about your coaching journey.
For as long as I can remember I’ve always been coaching people—friends, family members. People were always coming to me for advice, to brainstorm, and so on. I was told I was providing a safe place for people to be themselves.
Two years ago, when the pandemic started and work things slowed down, I formally started my coaching business “My Life Couch.” I saw it as a platform to reach more people besides friends and family and share the love, but now I have found a small niche—I’m specializing in helping working moms return to work after maternity leave and find a balance between work and family life. I’ve been formally working as a coach for almost 2.5 years now.
What advice or perspective might you give to a new coach trying to get her first clients? Any advice they should ignore?
Maybe it’s a bit cliché, but it’s what helped me to start my coaching business: Dont wait to leave your dream, live it today. Dont be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, trust the process. Invest in a publicist, at least in the beginning. Never doubt yourself and the path you’ve chosen, keep following your curiosity and your passion.
What are your thoughts on “choosing a niche” as a coach?
Before I didn’t have a niche, but becoming a mom made me more sympathetic to the challenges working moms experience in the workplace. Everyone has something they are passionate about. Choose a niche that is close to your heart, also choose something you can relate to so you can walk in the shoes of your prospects.
What are some books that have significantly influenced your life and why?
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is about following your curiosity, and how letting yourself explore your curiosity can lead you to new adventures.
The Power of “No” by Abbie Headon (and The Power of “Yes” as well) taught me to say”No” but also how to find a balance of saying “No”. Saying no is very important, especially for a working mother to be able to take her life back. Together with The Power of Yes, Abbie Headon taught me to open up the door to let more opportunities in, but not too much because you can get lost in what you are trying to achieve.
What are some of your favorite affirmations or mantras?
- The things that I love are bigger than the things that I fear.
- When things change rapidly our first reaction is fear because we are out of our comfort zone, but we need to trust the process.
Do you have any examples of how a “failure” set you up for later success?
Once when I was a young professional, I applied for a job, but my application was rejected. I was crushed, angry, and overwhelmed, but my mentor told me, “Every time you receive a ‘no’ answer, ask for feedback. Don’t carry that anger and disappointment to the next interview.”
That made me see feedback as a powerful tool to learn and grow. Now I am very comfortable asking for specific feedback, which has led me to be more successful in other areas of my life.
If you could put a message on a huge billboard — getting a message out to millions — what would it say and why?
“Who you are is non-negotiable. If you can’t be who you are where you are, change where you are, not who you are.” – Caroline Wanga
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