Testimonials

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" The experience of working with Steven was really transformational. We worked together while I was undergoing a significant professional change, which I was finding rather stressful. He helped me make sense of it, build healthy mental skills, and develop strategies to enable me to get the most learning out of the whole experience. This was extremely valuable to me, and I would have struggled without this critical help. I also thoroughly enjoyed the process, as he made it both interesting and fun. I highly recommend Steve as a coach, and I am sure I will work with him again in the future when I next need some help. "

Dave Schofield

VP of Operations

Vibrantz Technologies

"When I went looking for a coach I really didn’t know what I was looking for or where to even begin. So after fumbling around a bit and chatting with a few different people I connected with Steven. Instantly I KNEW I had found exactly the coach I was looking for but more importantly the coach I needed. Steven has a way of helping YOU connect with YOU! His approach, style, and genuine interest in my success helped me get out of my own way and tap into a side of me I was too scared to acknowledge was there. Steven has helped me find my voice and the confidence to showcase my abilities. Taking the leap to hire Steven as my coach was without a doubt the best investment I have ever made. Even a year later, I am still receiving dividends from this investment in myself!!!! "

Gina Cano

Senior Executive Technology Operations

Dell Inc

"Steve is a fantastic coach and mentor. From our time working together at Samsung years ago, I knew Steve as someone instantly approachable, always willing to listen, and with a positive outlook on life. When I learned that Steve had become a professional coach, I was intrigued. I had never considered signing up for coaching before, but knowing Steve, I wanted to give it a try.  What followed was an incredible experience that has significantly improved the way I approach problems and manage stress. Steve helped me tackle and resolve every issue, professional or personal, I brought to him, and provided me the tools, knowledge, and perspective to succeed going forward. More than anything, Steve showed me just how much control I have over my own path, and helped me stop worrying about the rest.  The strongest proof of the value of Steve’s coaching came from close family member who noticed the changes in me and said, “Whatever Steve is doing, please tell him thank you!”  So, thank you Steve, for everything! "

Ranjan Radhamohan

Post-Silicon Debug and Validation Engineer

Advanced Micro Devices

"What a journey! I worked with Steven as my coach and it has changed my life. I was an introvert that had lost my voice, confidence and direction. I knew I needed something and that something was Steven’s coaching. With his experience and knowledge, he helped me break down some serious mental road blocks and negative self talk. I now walk into meetings and conversations with more confidence than ever. I’m Kim 2.0 - I’m transitioning into a more lucrative role at work and have started working on a passion project of mine, whereas before, it was just a dream. I highly recommend Steven if you’re looking to improve any area of your life through one-on-one coaching.  Steve is a wealth of knowledge and recently has touted a book and (new to me) term, Positive Intelligence. I was intrigued so I bought the book and then decided to jump into a program Steve offers to further engage in the learning and process of gaining more Positive Intelligence in my life. The book itself is a game-changer, especially for those that may have imposter syndrome, self-doubt, anxiety, etc. But the program took it to another level. It allowed me to get vulnerable with myself and I was able to work closely with a few others where I felt safe to open up. More importantly, I was able to put the skills I learned in the program to immediate use. I am already seeing higher confidence, lower anxiety, and what I initially wanted, better sales performance! "

Kimberly Breckon Rose

Listing Specialist

Kenmore Team LLC

"I want to give credit where credit is due here- I met Steven through a mutual friend and decided to become a client of his. After working with him, several things changed in several areas of my life:  1. I received a promotion and a raise in my full time job for the first time in 2 years 2. I pulled the trigger on starting a passion project in my spare time, and I'm well on my way to making it profitable 3. I went from struggling on 1:1 meetings with my manager to being the "example" of what works well 4. My relationships with friends, family, coworkers, and my significant other all improved significantly 5. I committed to learning new skills I would need to be successful in both my day job and my passion project, and have since been PAID to learn and put those skills to work  Really there's more to it than that, those are simply the tangible results of the internal changes that Steven helped me see and realize for myself. If anyone is looking for coaching and on the fence - I say take the plunge and never look back. You won't regret it! "

Brandon Flowers

Enablement Professional

NetSuite

" I hired Steven as my coach when I came to the conclusion it was time to move to a new career and invest in myself by strengthening my executive skills and tackling my emotional growth. I had a small amount of experience with coaches when one was assigned to me through work during a merger but decided it was time to invest in myself on goals I thought were most important to achieve. When I reached out to Steven I realized the price was more than I expected but soon after our first meeting realized it was well worth the cost. The focused attention and patience Steven showed me was beyond what I paid for. Trust was found quickly and value was provided immediately. Thanks to him I was able to land my dream job and enter the situation as a new me. "

Mike Townson

Group Design Manager at Blizzard Entertainment

" ***** As I was preparing to apply for post-graduate residency in pediatric dentistry, I became nervous about my interviewing skills. One of my friends recommended working with Steven. Initially, I was hoping for a quick fix and some interview tips. Steven started digging deep to identify the source of the problems and guided me to tackle them. He keeps pushing you into your uncomfortable zone until you become comfortable. He is very knowledgeable and resourceful. Most of the changes in me were just instant, and some needed time. Be patient and take your time with Steven because he will dedicate the time and be patient with you. My interviewing style became confident, natural, and showed the best version of me. I have achieved what I haven't achieved in years of trying. Totally worth the money; I would go for it again! P.S: Be ready; this will improve your personal life as much as your career. "

Hayffa Jamal

Dentist at Palmview Pediatric Dentistry

" Steven is thoughtful and insightful. Within 2 weeks of working with Steven he helped me come up with a logical process to allow me to handle a difficult personnel situation objectively and without too much emotional bias.  He helped me recognize the power of No and I have been able to reduce distractions and prioritize projects for myself and my company.  Through our work together I was also able to more clearly define roles and organizational structure allowing me to identify the right people for the right roles.  The coaching was very transformational for me. Allowing me to see what I need and want to be for my company and how the team I was building did not align with that. Turns out this juxtaposition was the source of so much of my daily struggle. "

James Scherer

Owner at Austin Pallet Company

" I was nervous about having a coach, but working with Steven felt genuine from the very beginning. Steven is the kind of listener than hears what you’re saying when you’re not even sure what you’re trying to say. I was astonished how quickly we were able to unpack years of my feeling “lost at sea”. Effectively, he helped me find an anchor. After the anchor came a compass, then a new sail, and even the wind to help me drive towards what I looking for all along, in a way that felt honest and heartfelt. What separates Steven from others is that he works from the bottom of his heart. He was there for support in times of crisis, and there to cheer to me on through my successes – a true coach. In short, Steven is: dedicated, grounded, down-to-earth, inspiring, and a blessing. I've never felt more awake about my career and my life. "

Maria Markel

Facilities Engineer at Samsung Austin Semiconductor

" I had the good fortune to know Steve from a previous job and have been working with him the past month in career coaching. His interview preparation pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me stand out with confidence during my job search. He was invaluable in asking the right questions and providing accountability so I was sure to reach my goals. He made himself available readily and was more than willing to help me through the entire process. I am happy to report that thanks to his natural passion and ability to help others I was able to successfully negotiate an offer that was thousands of dollars higher than I expected! I look forward to working with him during the first 90 days of my new role to ensure I find success by focusing and organizing my efforts from the start. I am really grateful for Steve and his outstanding coaching program! "

Daniel R. Kaminske, EE, MBA, CSM

Senior IT Project Manager at HP

"We had worked with Steven in a Coaching capacity, and when it came up that we were having a meeting in December 2019 where our leadership would be in Austin, we thought it would be a great opportunity to do staff development. Steven offered an Effective Presentation Skills class that really brought tremendous value to our staff. Everyone raved about his energy, course delivery and the excellent coaching each person received during the session. His method of combining very short lecture with video recording, and review really helped the participants see and hear their own steady improvement throughout the day. I would highly recommend anyone looking to improve their public speaking and communication effectiveness to work with Steven. "

Fred Maysonet

General Manager - Texas Region - James Edwards and Companies

"I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Steve as my career coach for almost 3 months now. I was stuck in a position that wasn’t fulfilling and as a serial entrepreneur I needed help across the board in terms of finding my next move. Steve has been an invaluable resource by holding me accountable, asking all the right questions, providing structure and resources, and giving me the motivation and direction I needed to find my path. He helped me define what’s important to me again and move out of my comfort zone (which is already pretty wide). Steve has a genuine passion to help others and his consistency, ability to help you view things through a different lens, and willingness to help you between sessions separates him from his peers. It’s not just the sessions where you get value! I often get texts, videos, emails, and introductions throughout the week. He’s always thinking of his client and makes your success a priority. If you aren’t working with Steve YOU SHOULD BE. "

Grant Sadowski

Sales, Marketing and Business Development Leader

"The BlackLocus team greatly benefited from having Steven come work on presentation skills with us. Steven's course was interesting and effective and his feedback was insightful and actionable. He tailored the program to our specific needs. Every participant left the room confident that they'll be better prepared for their next presentation (and some of us are even looking forward to our next one!).  Personally, I learned how to play to my strengths and I feel that my most recent presentation after the course was one of my best."

Sarah Cox

Manager, Business Operations at BlackLocus - Innovation Lab of Home Depot

 "Steve has been a great coach for me over the last decade. Unofficially back in mid 2000s starting up a factory with Samsung. His positive attitude and willingness to listen impressed me enough to change my own attitude at work. Officially over the last several months he coached me through some personal development decisions in my life. He has a keen ability to ask the right question at the right time to get your mind “unstuck” on a topic so that you can move forward with an action or decision. I highly recommend Steve as a coach in a professional or personal development capacity"

Tyler Hedegard

Data Scientist/Samsung Austin Semiconductor

"It's very rare that you come across people whereby after sitting and talking with them for a few minutes you find an instant personal, uplifting and inspirational connection. I had the privilege of working with and being coached by Steven for the 6 months I was contracted as a PM at Cirrus Logic. Having witnessed and been affected by Steven’s tenacious enthusiasm and relentless passion for motivating others to be a better version of themselves, not to mention his dependable professionalism inside and out, it’s no wonder he is an effective speaker and leader as Cirrus’ Toastmasters President. I know he will achieve success with any endeavor he pursues."

Peter Philips  

Project Manager, Dell/EMC

"I greatly benefitted from working with Steven over the course of several months. I initially worked with Steven to focus on interview prep and through his help landed two job offers in a matter of weeks. However, during my time away from the corporate world, I had started developing a business and felt compelled to continue this journey. Steven was there weekly to help me rationalize business and life choices and set clear priorities. As a result, I was able to deliver on my initial 90 day goals in the first 30 days. I felt he sized things up really well and provided actionable feedback to develop some weak points and set a forward direction. There's no mumbo jumbo. Steven's approach and background are big differentiators. Send him a note now, sorry I waited so long "

Jake Swartz

Marketing Manager and Leader

"I approached Steve to talk through how I can prepare myself for the next stage in my career. Steve gave me incredible guidance stemming from his own experiences and with a deep understanding of the challenges I'm facing. He gave me great perspective on these challenges (personal and professional) and really gave me the tools to thoughtfully seek solutions, maintain a positive mindset, and gain energy. I would highly recommend Steve for his strong ability to listen, connect, encourage, and coach for so many personal and professional scenarios, big or small. "

Eric Vaughan

Senior Director of Process Architecture, Optum

..... and many more - check LinkedIn!