Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erin Coupe. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Erin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?
Generally speaking I am a pioneer. My whole story and the mission behind starting my business is that I launched something that had not been done, at least not in this way, in the past. Many people in my space will get a certification to become a “coach” as a second or even third career, many times after burnout in the corporate world. They’ll do a lot of 1:1 work and shy away from group work, or maybe they’re not interested in serving larger groups in the corporate world. When I first started telling my personal story of growth and transformation, and giving people guidance to do the work on themselves, I was still in an executive role at a Fortune 200 company. I was sharing myself fully and vulnerably because it lit me up to talk about my experiences knowing that it was helping others understand themselves better. I started talking about being your authentic self and mindfulness at a time when no one really talked about it in corporate. I created my business in 2019 on the side and launched full time in February 2020. The timing was interesting to say the least! Since then I have been able to bring my expertise, experiences, and guidance into the corporate world to help leaders and professionals live more enriched lives personally and professionally.
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?
My motto is simple yet perceptive: your well-being is a reflection of your mindset. Our thoughts leak into our reality through moods and behaviors, and we often find ourselves living up to societal expectations rather than our own. This conditioning leads us to seek external validation rather than looking inward to define our worth. However, to discover and be your authentic self requires mental, emotional, physical and spiritual maturity. This journey begins with a deep, soulful shift, followed by the challenging work of unlearning what no longer serves you and practicing new ways of thinking and being.
This profound shift happened for me in 2017, near my 36th birthday. Despite being a successful corporate executive, happily married with two young children, and in excellent health, I felt an inexplicable void. I had achieved everything society told me would bring fulfillment and a sense of peace, yet something essential was missing. One night, with my children asleep and over a glass of wine, I voiced my feelings to my husband: “How can this be it? There must be more to life. It can’t just be this rinse-and-repeat routine. If so, then where’s the meaning?”
To find answers, I looked back at my beginnings. At five years old, my father was diagnosed with terminal lupus, leaving him short-term paralyzed then slowly dying. For the next 13 years, my family endured tremendous hardship. Living in poverty and facing daily struggles, I learned resilience early on. Despite the pain and fear, I held onto a belief that there was something meaningful and powerful in our mere existence as humans.
Determined to change my circumstances, I became the first in my family to attend college. After graduation, I moved to New York City and entered the corporate world. Over 17 years, I worked for global corporations in technology, finance, and real estate, achieving promotions, financial success, and international opportunities. Yet, my career was marked by a constant quest for recognition and validation.
My awakening allowed me to see that I had disconnected from my true self. The pressure to conform and seek external approval had dimmed my inner light, impacting my esteem, authenticity and sense of self. Asking that one simple question began my journey of life-changing personal transformation.
Since then, I have invested deeply in personal development through:
– Regular meditation and mindfulness practices
– Reading extensively on spirituality and self-development
– Completing courses such as the Intuition Development at 1440 Multiversity and obtaining a Master Reiki Healer Certification
– Engaging in transformational breathwork and energy healing techniques
– Studying Neuroscience for Business at MIT Sloan Executive Management
– Attending master classes in various fields, including spirituality, quantum mechanics, and energy dynamics
– Participating in leadership summits and retreats worldwide
These experiences have allowed me to unravel years of conditioning, heal and gain clarity so I can lead my life from my heart. My external reality transformed as well, with more fulfilling relationships and a renewed sense of purpose. Channeling my growth into writing and speaking, I discovered my true calling. Before launching my business, blog posts resonated with readers and led to corporate speaking engagements, where I felt a powerful connection to my purpose. This assurance affirmed that I had found the meaning I had been searching for – which was simply to let my soul shine through.
Through my journey, I have come to appreciate the resilience and strength gained from every challenge. Sharing my story has become my passion, helping others see beyond their past and connect with their authentic selves. This realization led me to leave my corporate career and start Authentically EC.
As the founder of Authentically EC, my mission is to enrich the human experience in work and life by guiding and lifting individuals and companies to a better version of themselves. My work has established me as a sought after international speaker, development and leadership partner to top executives in the Fortune 500 and beyond, and thought leader in personal growth and authentic leadership.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Having spent many years in client facing and revenue producing roles in corporate prior to launching my business, I had a standout reputation in all the roles I played (Finance at Goldman Sachs and Commercial Real Estate at CBRE). In those roles I always looked at serving clients as an opportunity to build deeper relationships, and I did just that. Well before people started saying “your network is your net worth” I was operating in that mindset. I wanted to know people for who they were not just to make a deal or land a client. I will always live by this principle and it permeates in my business. People know that what they get with me is a truly authentic (the cornerstone of my offerings) person who genuinely and enthusiastically shows up whole and in service to them and their people. I also believe in over delivering and consistently do that with my clients. Having great client references and hundreds of testimonials is also a testament to the reputation that’s been built.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Hands down it’s referrals, because we are a service based business. Not that if we were selling products referrals wouldn’t be a major source of new clients, but in service it’s even more crucial. With services people want to know details about the experience that someone they trust had with you. They want to know any nuances and what they can do to steer the engagement in the most effective manner for their audience or participants. For example, if you’re a Chief People or HR Officer and you want to bring me in to work with a specific group of leaders at your company, you’re putting your neck out there to say to your leadership “I have conviction in the work this business can do and I trust Erin Coupe to be our facilitator of growth.” That’s a lot of pressure and most people are not going to do that unless they know me first. That initial connection / introduction to someone is key and I’m grateful that it’s a gift that keeps on giving. I also believe strongly in making connections for others and consistently do this each and every week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://erincoupe.com
- Instagram: @authenticallyEC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-coupe
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@erincoupe?si=FNSpCF49PXiFgk6F
Image Credits
Chloe Camille Photography