We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Denise Walsh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Denise, appreciate you joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?
I choose the field of psychology after being a camp counselor for several summers. The first two summers I worked with a home repair ministry in Asheville, NC, and the following two summers I worked with New York City foster kids at a camp in Port Jervis, NY.
It was here my spark was lit. These kids came to camp with their heads down and their guard up, and throughout the summer, I got to see them start to blossom. Throughout these months I knew that this is what I was supposed to do, see people 3 steps ahead of where they see themselves and support their journey of growth to get there.
After I got my masters in Clinical Psychology, I couldn’t wait to get my first job as I perceived I was “off to change the world!”
As you can imagine, as with most helping professions, I found myself working with clients that didn’t really want help in a situation that couldn’t really help them.
I felt stuck.
I then had some choices to make, do I stay where I am even if I don’t like it because at least I know the paperwork? Or do I follow my spark and find something I love again?
Needless to say, entrepreneurship found me, and since 2007, my husband and I have been building online coaching businesses that support people who want growth and change with a program that can actually help them.
I will be forever grateful that my spark was lit. That I knew what it felt like to love what I was doing, so then when my spark started to dim, I knew what that felt like too.
Change is never easy, especially when we are unsure of the outcome. But taking a risk to follow my spark has always proven to be fruitful.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
After working with people for the past 20 years, I found that most people don’t do what they say they are going to do. In fact, I hear from countless people daily who say to me, “I don’t really know what I want, I just know that I don’t want to be HERE anymore.”
And then, even when given the chance to make a change, they revert to old patterns and habits that keep them stuck again.
This is why, instead of teaching a marketing strategy or specific skill, I work with clients on overcoming self-sabotaging behaviors, thought patterns, and belief systems so that success becomes their normal.
I have a 3-month program called 90-Day U-Turn that gives people a roadmap to follow as they gain clarity for what they want next and overcome self-sabotaging behaviors that often keep them stuck.
The transformations are powerful when given a roadmap, accountability, and a space to learn and grow.
I now certify in my modality so they can teach and train this powerful content too!
Have you ever had to pivot?
After 15 years in my industry, I started feeling restless again. I knew I was ready for a change, But again, just like in my previous pivot, it was scary and uncomfortable.
Should I stay where I am even though I am feeling restless? Or should I follow my heart and pivot?
From what I learned in my previous pivot, going from Clinical Psychologist to network marketing leader, I knew that following my spark was the only answer.
But that didn’t mean it was easy.
To be honest, I thought that I could go from mountain top to mountain top. At the height of my career, I thought that I could simply build my own brand and programs and it would be smooth sailing.
I had a lot to learn.
As I slowly started to step down from leadership and grow my own programs, I now had to learn to be a CEO of a coaching company, rather than simply a coach myself.
I had to learn how to hire. I learned copywriting. I learned how to host a podcast. I learned how to outsource and get help when I need it so I can stay in my zone of genius.
I had a lot to learn.
However, I feel like if we are not growing, we are slowly dying and learning was my only option!
So each year, I gained skills and am becoming the CEO that my company needs to thrive!
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Not only are wisdom and experience an important piece of being successful in a given field, but I have also learned over the years that it is about giving people a path to follow, a specific system with a specific result, and an easy way for people to self-identify as an ideal client and say YES!
For a few years, I felt like I had a lot of value to offer and could support clients in a multitude of ways. Are you depressed? I’ll help you! Do you have anxiety? I can help! Do you want to write a book? I got you there too!
What I found is that this is very tricky to market. And in reality, I need to have a proven system that people follow that has one specific outcome and an easy way to join!
Now that I have that proven system that overcomes self-sabotage, I am able to shout it from the rooftops and ask my ideal client to join.
So in essence, belief in your product is key.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DeniseWalsh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedenisewalsh/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedenisewalsh
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DeniseWalsh1
Image Credits:
https://www.facebook.com/