Coffee House Coaching

Hosted by Gary Nowak

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Episodes

179

Latest episode

Feb 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Coffee House Coaching is an Executive Coaching podcast where I speak with fellow Executive Coaches about their practice, their process and how they help their clients. I also speak with individuals impacted by coaching and how it has improved their lives. My goal is to shine some light on the wonderful world of Executive Coaching and explain what it is and how it works. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and enjoy my conversations about Executive Coaching.

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February 19, 2026Episode 17932 min

Ep 179 Antonia Bartel - Being Uncomfortable (Loves it) / Turn Down Noise - Turn up Self

1️⃣ Best Coaching Advice Received “Your presence is a present.” Presence is active, not passive — it requires intention and effort. Yoga and meditation built her ability to refocus repeatedly. Being fully seen and heard is itself support. 2️⃣ What She’s Still Improving Choosing what thread to follow when clients offer many entry points. Prioritizing the question that creates the greatest impact. Staying deep without chasing every possible avenue. Discipline in focus inside complexity. 3️⃣ Most Courageous Moment Stopped a recorded PCC session mid-way because it felt performative. Recognized she was coaching for assessment rather than authenticity. Restarted the session to return to intuitive presence. Refused to compromise integrity for performance. 4️⃣ What Makes Her Uncomfortable Very little — discomfort energizes her. She thrives when clients go deep. Challenge excites her, especially when clients feel hopeless. Real change happens below the surface. 5️⃣ Advice for New Coaches Learn business skills — coaching skill alone isn’t enough. Be ready to wear marketing, logistics, and operations hats. You need very little to start — just begin. Start before you feel ready. 6️⃣ Something She Had to Conquer Letting go of performance mentality. Learning to trust intuitive coaching. Separating empathy from emotional absorption. Feeling with clients, not for them. 7️⃣ Using AI in Coaching Does not use AI note-takers in sessions — protects presence. Uses AI for idea generation and blog structuring. Believes AI coaching increases accessibility. Human presence and intuition remain irreplaceable. Sees AI as enhancement, not replacement. 8️⃣ What She’s Learned About Herself She can put people at ease quickly. She holds space well, especially in emotional moments. Silence is powerful and intentional. Deep listening changes relationships beyond coaching. 🎉 Fun Stuff Highlights Favorite Yoga Pose: Viparita Karani, held for up to 60 minutes. Working On: Bird of Paradise — almost there. Favorite Movie: Titanic. Full heart. No apologies.

February 12, 2026Episode 17835 min

Ep 178 Jennifer Einolf - Stay in the Moment / Coaching is Brave / Presence beats Performance

1) Best coaching advice you’ve gotten “It doesn’t have to be anything.” Let go of outcomes to make room for discovery. Presence creates space clients rarely experience. Coaching works precisely because nothing is being driven. 2) What are you still trying to improve about your coaching? Communicating the value of coaching in the marketplace. Calling in the right people, not everyone. Refining the “howl” so the wolves answer. Balancing intention with non-attachment. 3) Most outrageous thing you’ve done, tried, or said in a session? Saying the thing politeness says not to say. Naming contradictions clients don’t realize they voiced. Choosing courage over being liked. Trusting that bravery serves the client, not the ego. 4) What still makes you squirm or feel uncomfortable? Realizing you misunderstood where the client was going. Moments of energetic or values mismatch. Knowing a client is thrilled while you’re quietly dreading sessions. Recognizing when it’s not a good fit. 5) Advice for someone new to coaching Get serious about the business side early. Don’t confuse caring with giving it away. Channel generosity intentionally (not randomly). Coaching is a profession, not a hobby with invoices. 6) Something you had to conquer to become a great coach The need to rescue or make things better. Staying in your lane when therapy is needed. Knowing your edges and referring out. Letting clients have their stuff without taking it from them. 7) How are you using AI in your coaching practice? To get to people faster, not replace connection. For thinking partners, not final answers. Designing processes and exploring ideas. Speed to relationship, not content automation. 8) What have you learned about yourself through coaching? Messy you is still a gift. Perfection is optional, presence isn’t. Emotions carry wisdom when welcomed. Sharing beats performing every time. Fun Stuff Question: Favorite meal It’s never about the food alone. Conversation is the real main course. Care, intention, and presence matter more than the menu. A great meal is a shared experience, not a transaction.

February 5, 2026Episode 17736 min

Ep 177 Mike Ettore - 50+ Years in Leadership / Marine to the Core / Sharpen your Listening

Question-by-Question Highlights 1) Best coaching advice you’ve gotten Coaching is more about listening than talking Ask multiple layers of questions before offering insight Let clients uncover their own answers Resist the urge to jump in early 2) What are you still trying to improve about your coaching? Slowing down despite decades of experience Asking more follow-up questions Avoiding knee-jerk solutions Letting the real issue surface naturally 3) Most outrageous thing you’ve done in a coaching session Told a CEO he was the primary problem Ended a lucrative engagement on ethical grounds Refused to be an “ally” to blame-shifting Walked away when accountability was impossible 4) What still makes you uncomfortable? Leaders who blame everyone else Lack of self-awareness and humility Resistance to honest self-reflection Coaching people who won’t look in the mirror 5) Advice for new or aspiring coaches Learn how to truly listen Know what you don’t know Stay in your lane Don’t pretend to be the expert in everything 6) What have you had to conquer to be a great coach? The urge to “fix” too quickly The temptation to impress with answers Walking away when coaching won’t work Accepting that not everyone is coachable 7) How are you using AI in your coaching practice? Content creation and thought leadership Eliminating the blank-page problem Expanding solution options for clients Supporting judgment, not replacing it 8) What have you learned about yourself? Delivery matters as much as insight Experience must be paired with empathy Trust and relationships drive change Coaching is art, not just science Fun Stuff Question Favorite movie: Patton Why: history, leadership, discipline, stoicism Belief: ancient wisdom still applies today Leadership lesson: study history or repeat it

January 29, 2026Episode 17643 min

Ep 176 Angela Falcini - Air Force to Internal Coach / Coaching DNA / "Love Actually"

Question-by-Question Highlights 1) Best coaching advice you’ve gotten Don’t be attached to the client’s outcome Presence improves when control is removed Client commitment matters more than coach frustration Missed actions are data, not failure 2) What are you still trying to improve about your coaching? Leaning more into somatic awareness Asking “where do you feel that?” more often Trusting body signals as much as intellect Slowing down instead of goal-chasing 3) Most outrageous thing you’ve done, tried, or said in a session Told clients they weren’t ready for coaching Paused engagements instead of pushing through Redirected clients to books instead of sessions Prioritized service over revenue (wild, I know) 4) What still makes you squirm or uncomfortable? Ignoring internal discomfort Not asking the question her gut is screaming Leaving insight “on the table” Playing it safe instead of pushing edges 5) Advice for someone new to coaching Learn multiple coaching models Don’t copy other coaches, synthesize them Stay a student of coaching forever Let formulas guide early, not define forever 6) What have you had to conquer to become a great coach? Attachment to doing it “right” Fear of losing clients by being honest The urge to rescue instead of reflect Trusting that readiness can’t be forced 7) How are you using AI in your coaching practice? AI note-taking with client opt-in Using transcripts to deepen recall Exploring tools and exercises with curiosity Letting tech support presence, not replace it 8) What have you learned about yourself through coaching? Imposter syndrome is universal One-on-one depth beats loud rooms Curiosity is her superpower Being heard changes everything Fun Stuff Question Favorite movies: The Princess Bride (classic), Love Actually (Hugh Grant wins) Celebrity look-alikes: Laura Linney, Kirsten Bell (15 pounds ago, allegedly) Strong opinions on names, silence, and Italian pronunciation

January 22, 2026Episode 17537 min

Ep 175 Nina Blackshear - The Year of "No" (Ted Talk) / Lawyer to Coach / NOT being the Guru

1. Best Coaching Advice You’ve Gotten Ask more questions instead of charging in with solutions. Slow down the instinct to “fix”—curiosity beats expertise. Socialize ideas rather than bulldozing with brilliance. 2. What Are You Still Trying to Improve? Reducing compound questions (her version of the coaching filibuster). Releasing the impulse to control the conversation. Allowing clients to answer imperfectly without “rescuing” them. 3. Most Outrageous Thing You’ve Done in a Session Deploying the wildcard question: “What am I not asking you that I should be?” Admitting out loud when a session feels stuck. Handing responsibility back to the client instead of forcing an insight. 4. What Still Makes You Uncomfortable? Knowing when to interrupt clients who go on context marathons. Managing the tension between venting and progress. Timing the interruption like Double Dutch: jump too early and you break an ankle. 5. Advice for Someone Considering Coaching Give yourself to the infinite, unpredictable paths a conversation can take. Let go of steering, engineering, and controlling outcomes. Trust the process even when it feels like you’re floating in space without gravity. 6. Something You’ve Had to Conquer Ego. Full stop. The belief that being the smartest person in the room is the job (it isn’t). Breaking lifelong habits formed as a lawyer and high achiever. 7. How Are You Using AI in Your Coaching Practice? Barely—AI helps run the business, not the coaching room. Protecting the human heart of coaching is a priority. Belief that if you show up like a robot, you’re easier to replace by one. 8. What Have You Learned About Yourself Through Coaching? She’s a lifelong learner who never wants to stop honing her craft. Coaching opened an entire new intellectual landscape she wants to master. Minimalism and presence are more powerful than frameworks and prep. Fun Stuff Question (Bridget Jones, blue crabs, Severance, and a reality-TV confession.) Favorite movie: Bridget Jones’s Diary (and she knows you’re judging her). Favorite meal: backyard Maryland crab feasts—an entire family ritual, not a menu item. Favorite show: Severance , plus a guilty-pleasure detour into Love Is Blind .

January 15, 2026Episode 17431 min

Ep 174 Stephen Burke - Aerospace to Inner Space / Come Empty / Hold Everything Neutral

8 Questions + 1 Fun Stuff Summary 1️⃣ Best Coaching Advice Come empty — show up without your agenda or rucksack of tools. Be nothing for your client; let their story lead. The less you bring, the more emerges. 2️⃣ What You’re Still Improving Deepening the art of listening to understand , not respond. Using somatic awareness — grounding, feeling feet, breath, and body connection. Staying present instead of preparing a response. 3️⃣ Most Outrageous Thing Done Asked a founder, “What if this company isn’t yours to build?” and stayed silent. Invited a high-performing board to consider, “What if your ceiling is your floor?” Held everything neutral — courage through calm curiosity. 4️⃣ What Still Makes You Uncomfortable Taking notes during sessions — breaks connection and presence. Managing the tension between documentation and deep listening. Letting silence hold more value than written words. 5️⃣ Advice for New Coaches Focus equally on your state of being and the business of coaching. Learn to consciously create your internal state before each session. Build awareness of how your presence shapes every client interaction. 6️⃣ What You’ve Had to Conquer Shifting from doing to being — from tools to trust. Letting go of performance mindset from engineering roots. Embracing neutrality and imperfection in the coaching journey. 7️⃣ How You Use AI Uses ChatGPT and Gemini daily for proposals, tone checks, and ideation. Exploring creating custom AI agents for repetitive business tasks. Sees AI as a creative partner, not a threat — a reflection tool, not a replacement. 8️⃣ What You’ve Learned About Yourself Coaching meets him where he is in every season of life. Always keeps a coach — it’s a non-negotiable business expense. Strives to be “the best coach in the world” — not from ego, but from intention. 🎬 Fun Stuff Question — Favorite Movie Amélie — a French film he saw three times in one week. Loves its color, music, and magic. Proof that beauty, like coaching, is found in the small details.

January 8, 2026Episode 7037 min

Ep 70 Rita Hausken - Zone of Excellence & Genius / The "Perfect" client / Going deep, never too late

Highlights: Operating from the Zone of Excellence to the Zone of Genius Memories of her wonderful son Benjamin Working with clients with a big legacy perspective Learning to say no and opening up space for her "perfect" client Tuning in to her clients There is no such thing as impossible Advice on working deeper with clients Can't take anyone deeper than you've gone on yourself The Activity Brain Dump "Hell Yes" / "No, not for now" / "Maybe" The energy audit Never too late to "go deep" with your client Create space for miracles Are you a match to what you are asking for? Coming from the goal NOT to the goal

January 1, 2026Episode 1641 min

Ep 16 Tory Wobber - Pint size insights / Visualizing the future / Being the client

https://www.victoriawobber.com/ Tory Wobber brings so much energy to this podcast and she provides a perspective on her coaching niche and how she became a coach Highlights from my conversation with Tory Moving to and coaching in Mexico / Coaching PHd's looking for jobs in industry (this is what tory did) / Paying it forward, then formalizing / Consulting vs coaching / Grieve the loss of their academic identity / Having lived what she is coaching / Visualizing your future / Who am I if I'm not my job / Pint size insights / Helping clients get "unstuck" / Skills are there, helping with the mindset shift / Asking clients to stand and breathe / Finding the right coaching course / The dip and getting to mastery / PB&J conversation

December 25, 2025Episode 4743 min

EP 47 Jewel Edward Love Jr. - Black Executive Coaching / Puzzle pieces / Buddy system

Highlights: Started coaching at age 5, yea I know Corporate outsider Licensed Psychotherapist Finding his Niche early on www.blackexecutivemen.com Therapy vs coaching Jewels clients see themselves in him Passionate about growth and professional success Clarity and the puzzle pieces, getting them all on the table His Process = Clarity / Decisions / Actions Working with his own coach to get the confidence he needed Creating a Buddy System with his clients Coming from tissues, tears and trauma Daily Newsletter

December 18, 2025Episode 17331 min

Ep 173 Karen Benoy Preston - Values coaching / Breaking yourself open / Being a Rebel

Question Summaries 1️⃣ Best coaching advice you’ve gotten “It doesn’t have to be about who — it can be about what .” Freed her from the pressure to niche by audience; she leaned into values. Shifted her entire perspective on what authentic coaching looks like. 2️⃣ What are you still trying to improve about your coaching? Learning to embrace silence rather than fill it. Recognizing her own “know-it-all” tendencies and stepping back. Seeing pauses as productive — where the client’s best thinking happens. 3️⃣ Most outrageous thing you’ve done, tried, or said in a session Calling BS when clients hide behind surface-level stories. Pushes hard — but only when deep trust exists. Trusts her instincts to dance between mentor, consultant, and coach. 4️⃣ What still makes you squirm or uncomfortable? Talking about money and “selling” her value. Learning to see pricing as respect for her own worth. Embracing “Hell yes or Hell no” as her filter — no “Hell maybes.” 5️⃣ Advice for someone new to coaching “You have to break yourself open to become a great coach.” True learning comes from going inward and unlearning old habits. Coaching is an inside-out profession — not a set of tools. 6️⃣ What have you had to conquer on your path to being a great coach? Releasing the need to fix others (and her kids). Choosing curiosity over control, especially as a parent. Accepting that not everyone wants to grow — and that’s okay. 7️⃣ Are you using AI in your coaching practice? Uses AI as a thought partner to spark creativity and expand thinking. Blends AI with tools like Enneagram and Positive Intelligence for depth. Encourages clients to ask AI, “How should I use a coach?” 8️⃣ What have you learned about yourself through coaching? A lifelong fascination with human consciousness. Rediscovered her teenage love of psychology and helping people grow. Realized her impact comes from curiosity, connection, and consciousness. 🎬 Fun Stuff Question Guilty pleasure: playing with the snarky “Monday” GPT for humor and insight. Loves how it’s both validating and thought-provoking. Proof that self-discovery can come with sarcasm.