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

Hi Marge, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As a woman of faith, I have always been driven to help others discover who they are as a child of God and what he is asking of them. This has become a thread throughout my writing, speaking, and life coaching. I have been through some truly tough times, and each time, God has seen me through it. With prayer and discernment, I have discovered my personal ideal (mission statement) and have leaned heavily on that for all my inspiration and life decisions. I love helping others follow that same route because it has done such great things for me.

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

I started in college as a Journalism Major/Public Relations Minor. I had big dreams of being an investigative journalist interested in covering syndicated crime stories. I gradually realized that straight journalism wasn’t for me – even though I was a straight-A student. So, I added Public Relations. After college, I did some community journalism and lots of PR consulting. But something didn’t seem right about it.

One day at prayer, I had an Epiphany. I loved writing, and I loved promoting good causes and I also loved the Church. From then on, I wrote exclusively for religious outlets and did some PR events for religious organizations. What I wanted most was to open hearts to God, not just report the news (although that can also be helpful). For several years, I wrote a column for a Catholic family magazine and loved it. The editor was a fan of my work, and relentlessly urged me to turn my columns into a book. I laughed at her and told her there was no way I’d ever write a book. But she wouldn’t give up! So, I made a deal with her. I told her I’d form my columns into a book and send the manuscript to a publisher., just to prove I was right. I made a deal with her that, if the publisher turned down the manuscript, then she had to stop bothering me about it. She agreed. I sent the manuscript in and it was immediately accepted. The rest, as they say, is history.

I’ve since gone on to write another 11 books and added public speaking and media appearances to my wheelhouse. Eventually, I earned a certificate in spiritual mentoring and then became trained as a professional life coach. My writing helps me to understand how to better serve my clients, and my clients help me to make my writing better. My books help my readers to more deeply understand the faith and my life coaching helps them to more ardently live that faith. I named my coaching business, “Simply Holy Coaching” because my focus is helping others to discover who they are as a child of God and what he is asking of them. Together we form structures for consistent personal and spiritual growth as well as set and meet positive life goals. While Simply Holy Coaching is faith-based, I coach people from all walks of life and backgrounds, including non-religious people.

What sets my coaching apart from that of other life coaches is my method of using the Personal Ideal (the best version of you) and the Temperaments (in-born tendencies and characteristics that make you, you). Whether within a religious context or not, we all benefit from having a strong understanding of self and purpose. I keep that in mind when I work with clients, paying close attention to who they are, who they’d like to become, where they are now, and where they want to be. Based on feedback from my clients, I think I’m on the right track!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

As a writer and public speaker, I’m known for being down-to-earth, warm, and welcoming. That has transferred into my life coaching, too. Whatever I do or say, it’s genuine and people recognize and appreciate that.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best sources of clients are word-of-mouth and in-person encounters. Social media posts, advertisements, and even my website help, but only to a certain extent. Meeting people one-on-one is most effective for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.margefenelon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margesteinfen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargeSteinhageFenelon
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marge-steinhage-fenelon/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargeSteinFen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGzxRK18HtWD9CXEzAQM1ug