We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carolyn Mahboubi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carolyn below.

Carolyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, let’s take a stroll on memory lane, back to when you were an apprentice or intern. What’s a memorable story from that time that you can share with us?

Coaching is an apprentice-based profession. There are good coach certification schools, but nothing beats an apprenticeship with a powerful coach to become an elite coach who makes an extraordinary impact on her clients’ lives.

I owe a significant part of my professional growth to Steve Chandler. He not only taught me how to step out of the mindset of remedial coaching but also how to support highly functional people to become optimal. His influence has been profound and I am deeply grateful for his mentorship.

One conversation in particular stands out in my memory. I had been coaching for about a year, and I asked him to help me craft a “Sharpen the Saw” program for clients who had completed their time with me. He asked how long they generally engaged me. I replied, “three months.” His response was, “And they’ve transformed in three months of work with you? You’re that good?” to which I proudly said, “Yes!”

His quiet provided all the insight I needed. It was humbling to realize how far I had to go. Today, I don’t even offer a three-month option to clients. We either go all the way to sustainable change, or we don’t begin.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I spent almost four decades as a leader in the luxury fashion space, working with brands like Gucci, Hermes, YSL, and Bulgari. In 1982, I brought Versace to the United States by opening his first store on Rodeo Drive.

Becoming a Professional Life and Leadership Coach, which is a career I began building almost a decade ago, is a second career and truly a calling for me.

I work with two separate and unique demographics: young adults and female leaders.

Here is a short list of the typical issues my female leader clients present with:

1. She won’t do what she says she’ll do. She can’t count herself to be her word. She lacks self-trust – which shows up as a lack of confidence.

2. She lacks emotional flexibility and range. So, she makes up for it by being in constant action. This leads to making decisions and setting goals that are not fulfilling even when accomplished.

3. She is a high-achiever who lives in The Gap. So, she always feels behind and not good enough. She is unfulfilled even when she has everything she ever wanted.

4. She is a hard worker and is not looking for easy. But ease eludes her.

5. She is so smart, informed, and knowledgeable. Yet, she finds herself acting in ways that are inconsistent with who she wants to be. Her knowledge does not transfer to wisdom and identity transformation.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

In 2021, I wanted to take my kids on a great Alaska adventure. I typed Alaska, adventure, luxury, the best of…., and what came up was a luxury property called Sheldon Chalet. I knew two things right away: this place was magic, and it was surely way out of my budget.

But I called anyway, and much to my surprise, one of the owners picked up the phone and couldn’t have been more helpful. The more we talked, the guiltier I felt, knowing I wouldn’t become a guest anytime soon. As expected, their prices were way over my budget.

But at some point, my curiosity about their business model, unique challenges, and potential for higher success took over, and I started asking coaching questions. The owner and I fell into a deeper conversation, and I invited her to an actual coaching conversation (for free).

Three gifted conversations later, I offered to coach her and her team for a year and receive my fee only if we achieved the benchmarks we mutually agreed upon at the start of our work. I have always been a stand for creating prosperity through deep service. Although being paid after work is done (or, in this case, not at all) is not how I usually work, I felt sufficiently confident in my belief that these were extraordinary and trustworthy people with a one-of-a-kind product that I could bet a year of my life on.

This summer, my kids and I will be staying at The Sheldon Chalet :)

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I launched my coaching career, I went out of my way to hide my decades-long experience in the luxury fashion space. I had a story in my head that went something like this: “People are gonna say that I’m not a “real” coach. They’re gonna think this is a hobby for me.” I assumed that I’d have to “find” clients who were brand new to me and me to them.

I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

I soon learned that the only thing potential clients care about is:

1. Can you help me?
2. Can I trust you?

In my previous career, I built many relationships with people who witnessed my commitment to service and trustworthiness. Those people were the first to inquire about my coaching. Today, all my clients come through referrals. They are all friends as well as clients. I love and care for them deeply. This is how coaching is different than many other careers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carolynmahboubi.com
• Instagram: carolynmahboubi_coach
• Facebook: carolynmahboubicoach
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mahboubi/

Image Credits

Scott Rokis photography