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

Linda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

As a young girl growing up in Louisiana, I was always told I had an “old soul”. I thought that meant I was old-fashioned but grew to realize that it meant I was wise for my age. Although I enjoyed dodge ball and kickball as much as the other kids, I spent a great deal of time sitting on front porches of elderly neighbors talking about whatever came to mind. They were mostly single females, and they never once turned me away and told me to go play with the other children. They talked to me like I was their friend and made me feel my opinions mattered. I later realized this was a pattern. Friends and family would often call and ask for my opinion on things. Co-workers would seek my advice not just about work-related matters, but personal matters as well. Knowing that I was a person of faith, if they were going through a challenging time, they felt comfortable with sharing and asking me to pray.

When I retired at age 49 after 27 years of federal government service, I wasn’t entirely sure of my next step but knew I no longer wanted to pursue a 9 to 5 job. I always felt that I was created for more – no matter how much the salary, the annual bonuses, great benefits, training and travel. They no longer fulfilled me as there was a part of me that remained void. After being retired for several months, I enrolled in an online business program and started getting clarity around my purpose in life and what I really wanted that made me happy. I chose to be reflective, ask hard questions, and garner feedback from those around me. When everyone’s responses came back the same, it literally gave me chills. It was apparent that I wanted to help others become the best version of themselves by doing what ignited passion within and identifying those innate natural gifts to help lead the way. That led me to becoming a life coach; more specifically, a Purpose-Passion Coach. I help women discover their purpose by trading fear for faith, confusion for clarity and doubt for confidence so that they can live a successful, more joyous, meaningful and fulfilled life. That time spent on my neighbor’s porch and 27 years in the federal workplace was my training ground.

I knew that if I was seeking clarity around my life’s purpose, that I couldn’t be the only one. As a person that journals, I spent 7 years writing about my desire for more in life and when I reflect back, I realized I was unwittingly on a purpose quest. It was there on the pages hiding in plain sight and yet I was missing it because I was too distracted with life. After experiencing a devastating breast cancer diagnosis in 2014, I was writing to get my feelings on paper but never considered that my writing gave me clarity and insight into an area of deep exploration. This enlightening moment gave me the confirmation needed to stand in my purpose as a life coach knowing that purpose is the catalyst that fuels motivation, defines goals and creates an intentional path towards achievement. Our purpose isn’t lost, it isn’t hiding; therefore, you don’t have to chase it down, but it does require you to be intentional about uncovering it and deciding whether you want to align with it.

Research shows that purpose is a worthy pursuit. According to a 2021 study by Nashville-based Lifeway Research, 57% of Americans wonder about how they can find more meaning and purpose in life. Ask yourself what makes you spring out of bed in the morning? What puts the wind in your sails; moves the rudder to your boat and fuels the gas in your tank? That thing that ignites your soul and passion within. Yes, that just may be your purpose calling!

My purpose is to help others discover their purpose. As a person of Christian faith, to discover your purpose, is to embrace that although you are unique and there’s no other person on the planet like you, we’re all a part of a much bigger plan. I believe faith breeds hope and the world needs that right now. I’m excited that I get to share my faith and use my gifts and experiences to help make the greatest impact in the lives of others.

Linda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m the CEO and Founder of Garner Coaching. I call myself The Purpose-Passion Coach because I help women have a better understanding and awareness of who they are on a spiritual level by helping them discover purpose, understand their identity in God and operate in their natural gifts to live a successful, more joyous, meaningful and fulfilled life. My desire is for you to start with purpose and see the possibilities of living a whole life – as it relates to a life of meaning.

I’m also a mom to two amazing young men and a fur-mom to a mild-mannered, affectionate little Maltese mix. I reside in big, bold beautiful Texas. I’m a graduate of Grambling State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. As a parent, business owner, motivational speaker and breast cancer survivor, I understand that in today’s fast-paced, multi-tasked, tech-driven world, where everyone is pulled in so many directions, it can make discovering purpose seem eluding, unachievable and downright daunting.

I have spent most of my life as a public servant. I hold the ability to have served my country in the highest esteem. Never losing sight of the importance of serving and caring for people fulfilling the mission, and the reasons for which I was entrusted to lead, anchored me more in my purpose. I utilize this same approach in my coaching business because for me serving with purpose is a lifestyle. People are the most valuable asset to any business, and I believe people are filled with intrinsic value and limitless worth even if they don’t see it or believe it for themselves. God created us in His image; therefore, not understanding your purpose for being here, not recognizing your natural gifts and not doing anything about it, is living below where you should be. This can cause you to feel stuck, stressed, anxious, frustrated and confused. Such feelings are distractions that keep you bound to a vicious cycle of mediocrity and can fuel a scarcity mindset and cause you to doubt yourself and your abilities.

Take sports coaches for instance, they inspire, encourage, provide strategies and insight; however, it is still up to the athlete to listen and run the play. The same is true of a life coach. I provide the tools and information, but it is up to the client to listen and do the work. Garner Coaching was created to help people find their north star. I’m convinced that people don’t need someone to tell them what to do, they need someone to help them gain clarity around what they want and hold them accountable to do what they innately know they need to do. What sets me apart is my ability to connect with people, listen to what they’re saying and also what they’re not saying, asking the right probing questions to quickly get to the crux of a particular problem or situation – that’s my superpower.

In my Life Takes Strategy Sessions, I use a framework that helps clients with mindset, confidence and gaining the clarity needed. Mindset can give new perspective and just one shift can literally change your life; therefore, recognizing any mental saboteurs is vital to personal and professional development. The wrong mindset causes you to forfeit growth and the ability to create. Confidence is vital because if people can detect a lack of confidence in you thus, they will have a lack of trust. If you’re not confident about what you’re doing and why you are doing it, then why should anyone else? Clarity around purpose and identifying your natural gifts increases the chances of success exponentially because it is what fuels your motivation to achieve. Implementation of the various steps, tools and discoveries helps you manifest and create the life you desire.

After all, it’s never just about us but the people that love and depend on us, look up to us, and those that are secretly watching us. You just may be the one that changes the narrative for your family and generations to come and as a coach, that gets me excited! My biggest win is when I see client’s mindset and behaviors change from ways that no longer serve their purpose to that of confidence, clarity, honesty and intentionality – this is what I call a true transformational experience. I want that for you and would consider it an honor to become your Purpose-Passion Coach.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivoting can make the difference in whether a business, sinks or swims. No matter where you are on your journey in life or business a pivot has either occurred, it’s occurring or it’s coming. Retiring in 2021 and starting a business in 2022 was a huge transition that brought about lots of pivots. Not only did my behavior change but my mindset around what I was doing changed as well. Showing up at the office, working the traditional job with a boss telling you what to do, measuring your performance and determining whether or not you can get the time off for vacation and doctor’s appointments are long gone. Now, I’m the boss and I may have more flexibility to choose when I want to take time-off, but I also decide all the things from how to establish and grow a sustainable business to setting the goals and assessing the data.

I found in order to effectively run a business I needed to act like a business. Working from the comforts of home is such a different environment than what I was use to and I found myself getting distracted and not being as efficient with my time. When I start my day, I have core work hours and it is up to me to hold myself accountable to do the work and manage my time wisely. I invest in myself with training and setting up systems and services needed to operate my business. Listening to and understanding the needs of my clients and managing expectations is equally as important. Striking that balance with it all takes time, discipline, and being willing to learn, grow and of course, being willing to pivot is par for the course.

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

This may sound harsh, and I can’t believe I’m writing this but I’m keeping it real. When starting a business, don’t automatically expect family, friends and co-workers to be your customers or clients. The reality is it hasn’t been for me. I had to unlearn that just because I invested in various programs to increase my skills and knowledge around my business and because I built a website and created a social media presence, doesn’t guarantee instant sales. There are so many factors that go into growing and scaling a business and being consistent is one of them.

The entrepreneurial journey isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes perseverance even when no one is celebrating you. It takes discipline when no one is watching. You have to remember your “why” when sales are slow, and processes seem daunting. Never be ashamed of your humble beginnings, everyone starts somewhere the key is to just start. I have learned that you have to be ok with being uncomfortable with not knowing everything. It is ok to ask for help and take time to rest so that you can tap into your creative realm for those genius ideas and amazing content that promotes your business, grows your targeted audience and serves your specific customers and clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.garnercoaching.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/garnercoaching
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/garnercoaching
• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lindapgriffin
• Other: [email protected] (940) 268-5882