A Q&A with Mikaela Schaefer, Business Coach

Q: What inspired you to become a business coach?

A: When I graduated from Iowa State University, I knew I wanted my life to be marked by positively influencing others, so I decided to forgo my marketing degree and spent 7 years in full-time ministry. During that time, I realized my love for coaching and seeing individuals grow through their struggles and step into their ah-ha moments!

I moved from Iowa to England to work in the church. I then followed my family to South Carolina, where I ventured out and started my own business, specifically coaching individuals and teams to find their purpose, get unstuck in life, and grow their potential.

Q: What does business coaching entail, and how does it benefit individuals or organizations?

A: We don’t grow and improve in a vacuum, so I often coach individuals alongside group training with their teams. This allows the leader to dive deep into their personal struggles and dialogue with the team on how they might show up in a more beneficial way. The balance of one-on-one coaching and group discussion allows for the ultimate growth of a team.

Q: What specific areas of business do you focus on (e.g., leadership, team building, strategy)?

A: One of the most requested topics for team training is communication. It’s no surprise that with so many personalities in the room, it can be hard to navigate effective conversations. However, I do train on many topics, such as personality assessments, personal mastery, employee engagement, team morale, building trust, and conflict resolution…just to name a few! It depends on the team’s goals, and I then tailor my training to their needs. 

Q: Why do you believe a healthy and stable work environment is critical for business success?

A: Great teams aren’t hired, and they aren’t built in a day. Greatness takes time and consistent investment. Without establishing key foundations such as trust, communication, and true accountability, a thriving team is never possible.

With these foundations, a highly efficient, effective, and engaged team is possible. Without it, you are left with members who aren’t connected, don’t feel aligned, and eventually, your great people leave. You only need to spend one day with an unhealthy team to know the importance of investing in your team.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about helping businesses and their leaders grow?

A: There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing leaders and teams move towards growth and change that leads to greater success.  When you see a leader start to communicate more effectively with their team or a team start to have hard conversations and work through conflict, it means I’ve done my job to bring growth and unity to the team.

As I meet with individuals and see them gain clarity of vision, confidence in their abilities, and courage to have hard conversations, I get to share in the victory.  The change they want to see in their team and relationships starts first in themselves, and it feels good to take that step together!

Q: What is the best way for someone to reach out and schedule a consultation with you? How do you typically structure a consultation, and what should a potential client expect? Are there particular industries or types of businesses you specialize in working with?

A: I’ve had the privilege of working in the manufacturing and retail industry, the financial and legal sector, start-up businesses, and with various independent sales teams, to name a few.

If you are looking to grow your people’s potential or work through your people’s problems, please don’t hesitate to reach out at releasingyourvoice@gmail.com or check out my website at www.mikaelakate.com. I would love the opportunity to work with you individually or as an entire team!