Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kathryne Imabayashi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Kathryne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Embracing Passion Over Comfort: My Journey into Entrepreneurship
After retiring from a long career in education, specializing in early education and the inner world of boys, I found myself at a crossroads. The conventional and safer path would have been to supplement my retirement income through familiar means—teaching English, tutoring, or part-time teaching. Instead, I decided to put all of my time and energy into continuing to follow the passion that has been a driving force in my life for almost thirty years. I wanted to support the world of boys and those people that are in it in a much deeper, focused way. I was going to start a business and help parents understand the world their sons are living in and guide them to have deeper connections and better communication with them.
The Backstory
For decades, I had dedicated my life to understanding and nurturing boys’ emotional development and sharing that knowledge with parents and colleagues. I saw firsthand the struggles boys faced in expressing their emotions and the societal pressures that often stifled their true selves. My work had always been deeply fulfilling, but I felt that now I had a perfect opportunity to reach more boys and their caregivers.
The idea of starting an online business began to take shape. This business would offer comprehensive support through private coaching, online courses, and a membership community, all designed to equip parents and caregivers with the tools they needed to understand the challenges boys face and how best to support them. Although I felt very confident and competent about working with parents and educators, starting a business was like jumping out of an airplane with no parachute.
Taking the Leap
With a clear vision but lacking technical know-how, I embarked on this new journey. The first step was to educate myself. I dove into learning about website development, online marketing strategies, social media management, and course creation. Each day was a mix of excitement and frustration as I navigated the steep learning curve. I often found myself totally absorbed in the mission at hand, watching tutorials, reading articles, and experimenting with different tools and platforms.
Building the business from the ground up was no small feat. There were moments when the challenges seemed insurmountable, and the temptation to give up was the hungry wolf at the door. Yet, I knew that giving up was not an option. The work I was doing was too important, and the potential impact too significant, to abandon the mission.
The Outcome
Today, my business setup is complete. I have a fully functional website (thanks mostly to a very supportive and tech-talented son), a suite of online courses, a membership program, an active social media presence, a parenting book, and private coaching services—all designed to support boys’ emotional well-being and provide their caregivers with practical guidance. While the business is ready, the journey is far from over. The next challenge is getting the word out to people who really need my expertise and guidance.
Reflecting on this journey, I realize how much I have grown personally and professionally. The risk I took was not just about starting a business; it was about committing to a cause I deeply believe in and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone to make a real difference. The process has been tough and demands relentless effort, but the rewards—both in terms of personal fulfillment and the potential to change lives—are immeasurable.
Taking this risk has reaffirmed my belief that true growth often lies outside our comfort zones. It would have been easy to take a familiar path after retirement, but easy paths seldom lead to extraordinary outcomes. Parents and caregivers of boys need someone who understands their challenges and can provide them with the support they need. I am proud to be that person, and I look forward to the continued journey of making a positive impact on boys’ lives.
This experience has not only enriched my life but also reinforced a vital lesson: when you follow your passion and commit to your mission, no challenge is too great to overcome.
Kathryne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Born into a family of eight, predominantly female, I grew up as a member of the baby boomer generation. From an early age, I envisioned and created a series of life adventures, often inspired by a feeling or intuition sparked by a book. Little did I know that reading Shogun by James Clavell would propel me into an international journey and nomadic lifestyle, starting in Japan and taking me through six very distinct countries and cultures.
My career in education spans over four decades, with a deep commitment to the youngest of children. Most of my teaching years were spent in Early Years Education, but I also possess expertise in guiding and nurturing children throughout their elementary years. I taught in both national and international schools, founded my own preschool in Japan, and, for the last decade of my career, took on leadership roles, leading teachers and supporting families. Whether as a teacher, coordinator, vice principal, or principal, every decision I made was guided by the question, “Is this in the best interest of the child?”
The birth of my son ignited a deeper understanding of the inner emotional world of boys. I began to challenge how our society often does a disservice to boys and males in general. Today, I continue to advocate for boys and support their parents and teachers in raising boys to become remarkable men. I work with families and schools, sharing my knowledge and providing strategies to create an environment where boys are better understood and respected for their uniqueness.
My journey took a pivotal turn when my son was around four years old. After this incident, my view about society’s role in shaping how women relate to the male species altered drastically. And I slowly entered the inner world of what it really means to be a male.
It was a Saturday.
My son and I went fishing along a serene river, just down a quiet, country lane.
The sun was shining in a picturesque blue sky and
a warm breeze rustled the branches of the trees arching down the pathway.
It was a perfect day for a mom and her son.
After we had been there for a while, I looked up to see ‘a gang of five or six boys’ making their way towards us.
My heart stopped.
Something so guttural and instinctive spread panic through me. ‘Oh my god – a gang is coming and they probably will hurt us both. What am I going to do to protect us?’
It turned out this ‘gang’ was a group of upper elementary boys, the same age group I was teaching at the time.
I should have known better than to react solely on their size and their gender.
We were in no danger at all.
Quite the contrary.
My reaction disturbed me greatly.
I later reflected on my instinctive reaction in the moment and attempted to understand the logic, or lack of it, behind the intensity of the experience. But then came an image that became the catalyst for my future direction.
My heart broke to think that someone, someday, might see MY boy walk down a path, or down a street, or in the park and that fear would be the feeling that overwhelmed them. Not from anything he actually did, but simply because he was born a male.
That image of some stranger being fearful of my little guy, my compassionate and empathic child, motivated me to action. I began a crusade to learn and then teach why this societal reaction, my reaction, was outdated and unacceptable. I started to learn everything I could about boys’ development and those widely-held expectations that provide fertile ground for assumptions and prejudices. And once I was on the path of educating myself, I became committed to also educating others. It became my mission!
While still working in education I held parent workshops and teacher training to share what I was learning. With retirement I can completely devote myself to this mission.
This mission evolved into a business focused on supporting the inner emotional world of boys. I offer a range of services, including private coaching, online courses, a membership community, and a parenting book. These resources are designed to equip parents and caregivers with the tools they need to understand the challenges boys face and how best to support them.
What sets me apart is my deep, personal experience and commitment to this cause. Over the years I have been privileged to influence hundreds of boys in my classes, and help their parents understand them better. My son, who has become a remarkable man, has been a great source of inspiration and strength. Through him, I’ve gained profound insights into boys’ emotional worlds and how parents can best support them. I believe that as parents, our influence is profound, surpassing our comprehension. We have an incredible opportunity, and responsibility, to impact our boys’ perspectives on the world and how they live in it.
Sonhood Coaching is deeply rooted in passion and purpose. I am committed to making a real difference in the lives of boys and their families. When you engage with my work, you are not just getting services or products; you are joining a mission to understand and nurture the inner emotional world of boys.
Together, we can create a world where boys are more understood, respected, and given the opportunity to become remarkable men.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the most profound lessons I had to unlearn was my own unconscious gender bias and how it was impacting my parenting. But before I could unlearn it, I needed to become aware of it. This awareness is the most challenging aspect of what I do—you don’t know what you don’t know. If you remain unaware of these unconscious biases, they will continue to negatively impact your relationships with males.
This deep exploration wasn’t easy. It required humility, openness, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. I often felt overwhelmed with compassion and empathy, realizing the challenges our boys face daily. But it was necessary to uncover these areas in order for me to become a better parent and advocate for boys. I learned to see my son, and boys in general, through a new lens – one that recognized their unique emotional landscapes and challenges.
It’s like when you decide to buy a red jeep and suddenly begin to see them everywhere. Uncovering our unconscious biases is like that. Once you open that door, you see it everywhere. You notice your friend treating your son differently than your daughter. You become aware of the language people use around boys, but not girls, and visa versa. You start to put brakes on your automatic reactions, stopping to think: ‘Would I be reacting this way if this was my daughter and not my son?’ Everything changes once you become aware.
Unlearning my unconscious gender bias and being intentional about my thinking and reactions transformed my approach to parenting and teaching. It allowed me to support my son’s emotional well-being more effectively and advocate for boys on a broader and deeper scale. This transformation may not have happened without the fishing incident and then my reflection on it. I am very grateful that I had the chance to discover and uncover these biases, enabling me to be a better champion of boys and a support system for the people in their world.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience may be one of my superpowers! Most people kick back and relax in retirement, enjoying a well deserved rest from a usually hectic pace of life. I am not most people.
When I first started this journey, I faced considerable obstacles. Many people are not ready to confront the deep-seated biases and societal norms that affect boys. My efforts to raise awareness and drive change often met with resistance, which was disheartening. But, I never gave up. Every time I saw the light go back on in a little boy’s eyes, or saw the relief in a parent’s body language that their home life was becoming less chaotic that was the fuel I needed to keep going.
All things technology, marketing and social media required incredible determination to not give up. I had no prior experience in these areas and had to learn everything from scratch—website development, social media marketing, course design, and more. It was overwhelming at times, and the setbacks were frequent. Yet, I pushed through, driven by the belief that my work was necessary and that it would eventually find its audience.
When things were particularly trying, I would take a deep breath and think, ‘trust and surrender’ which has become my mantra. I trusted that I was on the right path, even when progress seemed slow. I surrendered to the process, understanding that every challenge was an opportunity to learn and grow. This mindset kept me resilient and focused.
Through all these experiences, I have learned that for me resilience is not just about pushing through difficulties. It’s about trusting the journey, surrendering to the process, and believing that all is well, even when the path is uncertain. This philosophy has allowed me to stay committed to my mission, continually adapt, and ultimately make a difference in the lives of boys and their families.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sonhoodcoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonhoodcoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonhoodcoaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryne-imabayashi/
