Celebrating 10 Years of Expansive Leadership Coaching - October 1, 2025

Ten years ago, I took a huge leap. I left behind the security of a corporate paycheck and decided to bet on myself. On October 1, 2015, Expansive Leadership Coaching was born. Today, as I celebrate a decade, I’m filled with gratitude—for my clients, partners, family, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Gratitude

To my clients: A heartfelt thank you for trusting me with your biggest questions, your hardest seasons, and your boldest dreams.

To my partners and collaborators: Thank you for reminding me that meaningful work is even more powerful in community. A special acknowledgment to Cascade Leadership Partners.

To my family and friends: Thank you for believing in me from the start and holding me steady when the hill felt steep.

As I look back on the last ten years and ahead to the next, here are ten lessons I’ve learned that continue to shape how I lead, coach, and live.

Lesson 1: Energy is the Real Currency. Burnout taught me this lesson the hard way. Now I protect and replenish my energy daily, and coach others to do the same. Whatever it looks like for you—time with friends, cooking, yoga—make time to restore. You must replenish yourself first to take care of others.

Lesson 2: The Impact of Presence is Immeasurable. As a coach, my number one responsibility is what we call 'self-management.' No matter what’s happening around me, I must manage my own emotions so I can be fully present. When I am present, the impact multiplies—whether with a client, my son, or a colleague. Presence is one of the greatest gifts we can give.

Lesson 3: Trust Opens Doors. As Brené Brown reminds us, 'There’s zero research that shows leading with fear works.' Fear and control may deliver short-term compliance, but they don’t motivate or inspire. I’ve seen firsthand how empathy, transparency, and building people up transform teams. Trust unlocks potential in ways fear never can.

Lesson 4: Find the Next Right Step. Big goals can feel overwhelming. Early in my business, I compared myself to others years ahead of me. What helped was focusing only on the next right step. Confidence and courage are built by taking those next steps.

Lesson 5: Asking for Help is a Strength. We aren’t meant to do it all alone. Asking for help, whether tangible support or encouragement, is powerful. After a recent surgery, I sent an email to friends asking for help. One flew in from Chicago to stay with me for a week. Asking opened the door to generosity and reminded me of the strength in community.

Lesson 6: Give Yourself Space and Grace. When you’re going through a difficult time or navigating something hard, remember to pause, breathe, and allow yourself to be where you are. You don’t need to be anywhere else. Extending grace to ourselves creates resilience and perspective.

Lesson 7: Home and Work are Interconnected. Who we are at home shapes who we are at work, and vice versa.  There’s an intrinsic interconnectivity between the two, and that’s ok. Raising our awareness of this connection is key -- because we can’t truly compartmentalize life, especially when things are tough.

Lesson 8: Practice Resilience. They say, 'what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.' In reality, what doesn’t kill us can flatten us—unless we learn from it. Resilience is not about avoiding hard things; it’s about transforming setbacks into growth and new awareness.

Lesson 9: Community Multiplies Courage. Community has brought me opportunities, encouragement, and courage. It’s picked me up when I stumbled. Life and leadership are richer, easier, and far more fun when shared.

Lesson 10: Choose Your Thoughts Wisely. Our brains flood us with thoughts—often of doubt, scarcity, and fear. Left unchecked, these stories shape what we believe is possible. But we can choose which thoughts to focus on. Thoughts become beliefs, beliefs drive actions, and actions create outcomes. Choose wisely.

Looking Ahead

As I celebrate this milestone, I find myself asking: What does success for Expansive Leadership Coaching look like in the coming years? I don’t know all the answers yet, but I know it will involve community, meaningful work, and people I love and admire.

I invite you to reflect on your own journey: Where do you see yourself in two years? Five years? What would you like to be different? What’s holding you back? What’s the next right step that could move you closer to your vision?

If you’d like help clarifying your vision, I’d love to connect. Reach out to me at Carol@expansiveleadershipcoaching.com.