Testimonials

"Michele Woodward is a warm, wise, intelligent, skilled coach and leader. Her Circle of 12 program is the perfect blend of a safe space and a “kick in the pants” – just what I needed to forge ahead in my efforts to grow my coaching business. I first met Michele on-line through the Business of Coaching and I’ve observed her over many years as she generously shares herself and her measured thoughts regarding the coaching industry. Michele’s astute observations have helped countless coaches develop and define their own businesses. With Michele’s guidance I have grown to be more calm, grounded and determined as a business owner. She helped me to realize that there are multiple ways to build my client base that have nothing to do with social media. This is a message I welcomed and needed to internalize to confidently move forward. I am one step closer to reaching my business goals thanks to Michele and the Circle of 12. Plus, I now have a whole bunch of new friends and colleagues in the coaching world. Thank you, Michele, for creating an awesome space to learn, grow and share!"

~ Abbe Jacobson Kopf

"Working with Michele is the best thing I’ve ever done for my business and for myself! Circle of 12 was not only wonderful camaraderie, but incredible coaching. The clarity, support, and confidence I gained from working with Michele and joining this group cannot be measured; I am astounded at the life-changing value I’m still experiencing from having been a part of this program!"

~ Darci Daniels Talkington

"Michele Woodward is the real deal. She’s the “Coaches’ Coach.” Whether you’re a surgeon like me, an executive, a coach, a leader, she meets you where you are and truly listens to what you have to say — and, more importantly, to what you’re not saying. Michele is wise, thoughtful, and generous. She is amazingly succinct and cuts to the chase — so important in our busy lives. Life is short: working with Michele can help you get where you want to go!"

~ Starla Fitch, MD

"Working with Michele and in Circle of 12 wasn't just game-changing for my coaching business but for my heart and soul. Michele has an uncanny ability to see the best in people and to bring together people who complement and support each other. Through Michele's skilled facilitation we learned and supported with each other beyond the weekly calls. Michele's keen intuition and intellect are punctuated with laughter and provocative questions that enabled me to ask hard questions and stay accountable to my game plan for change. Advancing my business to the next stage would have been a messy process - that I may have abandoned - without Michele in my corner cheering and nudging me along."

~Lisa Dewey Wells

“Michele addressed senior officials at the Department of Commerce at an unofficial transition meeting in November. She was engaging, creative and provided sound advice on the Presidential Transition. I recommend Michele as a motivational speaker on career transitions.”

~Sarah L. Bonner

"I first went to Michele out of curiosity. I come back for the results! It is amazing how she knows just which questions to ask to generate a new energy and thought process. When I’m stuck, I call Michele. When I want to test an idea and have someone turn it on its ear, I call Michele. There are lots of people with experience but Michele just has that something extra – wisdom and a Zen-like quality – that helps me put it all together!"

~ Susan DeFife Askew,
Founder/Editor at RE:MiamiBeach

"Michele has a forward thinking approach that was would benefit anyone in pursuit of professional growth. Her capabilities as a coach along with her teaching skills are outstanding."

~ James Minichello,
Association Executive

"Michele's wisdom, humor and intellect has allowed me make some very important personal and professional decisions - always supported with a plan of action. Her unique style has carried me through this process more than once, but her grace always keeps the client up front! Since 2005, I have turned to Michele for feedback and advice on what turns out to be the most important decisions of my life. Michele's weekly blog post has been invaluable to me for many, many years. I have saved and shared SO many!"

~ Lori Guittari

"For 2 years, I had been feeling as if I were wandering the highways of life. Not knowing what I wanted to do or even what was the direction I needed to take. There were lots of side streets and wrong turns. Finally, I started to work with Michele. Michele worked one on one with me to help focus the attention on what was causing the stumbling blocks. She has the ability to cut to the core of the issue and help you see where you want to go. If you are struggling with what's next, the where am I question or how do get there from here, this is the coach for you. She is a warm, insightful, experienced coach that can help you attain your goals! You rock, Michele."

~ Mary,
Financial Executive

"When I first came to Michele I was at a personal crossroads. While I loved my marriage and my career and my life in general, I wasn't happy; and had no idea how to get out of the funk. Michele helped me to recognize what was going well in my life, what wasn't going quite so right. She offered perspective that good friends or family couldn't give - because she came to me as an unbiased observer of my life. With her guidance, I began to recognize small triumphs, and how important those little victories are towards greater self-worth. She let me discover and explore my faults and pitfalls in a safe way, and how best to deal with them (and use them to my advantage). I can honestly say that I am better for having known Michele, that she was a positive force in my life."

~ Colin, Business Owner

"If you're lucky enough to get the chance to work with Michele Woodward, grab it! She is warm, and wise, spot-on in her observations and suggestions, and always willing to pose tough questions in the gentlest, most effective way. She's really funny, too! My own acquaintance with Michele was the result of path so circuitous and unlikely that I can only call it providential. I consider her counsel one of my life's great blessings."

~ Elizabeth C., Marketing Executive

"Michele cut through two years of stuck in just two sessions. She identified the real problem almost immediately, and moved me through it all with compassion. My business is now moving forward, growing and I feel confident and hopeful for the first time in a long while. Having a partner like Michele has made building a business a fun and exciting process – I feel secure in my decisions and plans to move forward. I have purchased many courses about building a business, marketing, and the like, but The Club is by far the best investment I have made in my business – it is amazing how much can be accomplished in a 20 minute laser session with Michele. The Club and Michele have taken me from stuck and confused to actively building a business around my passion in just two months. Working with Michele means having a really smart mentor by your side."

~Denise Canellos, Business Owner

"I met Michele Woodward over 20 years ago and was always impressed with her ability to identify an issue, get her hands around it, resolve it and communicate in layman's terms potential resolutions to those of us not previously knowledgeable on the subject. I knew that Michele would be able to listen to my concerns and help me to set priorities and achieve more clarity in what my strengths and weaknesses are – not from her perspective but from mine. Helping me to think through my "issues" without judgement from an outside perspective – but not from an outsider. After administering and walking me through the results of a Meyers Briggs test, we had a clearer picture of how I tick. When a potential promotion to Director of my department became vacant I retained Michele’s services to brainstorm and think through whether seeking that promotion made sense for me. This conversation was very revealing in how I approach work – Michele helped me to focus on what matters and what doesn’t. I learned a lot about myself and my perceptions of others. Because Michele elicits information through well framed, thoughtful questions, I find myself trying the same methodology to achieve better results with my colleagues."

~ Ellen R. Vollrath

"Michele is creative and thoughtful in her problem solving and approach to business. She cares about her clients and is always seeking new solutions to their challenges."

~Karen Sheehan, Managing Director, W2W Ventures

"Michele is both insightful and articulate. She has a wonderful way of giving and imparting her expertise so that both her clients and her audience come away with goals and a real vision of how they are going to make lasting changes that will serve them well at work and at home."

~ Fiona Gathright, hired Michele as a executive coaching and seminar presenter in 2005

"I clearly remember the night that I met Michele Woodward -- I ran into her coaching website while surfing online. That night, I couldn’t reconcile my sleep because I was ruminating about a job that I absolutely hated (but paid so well). I wanted to build my independent private practice in Clinical Psychology, but I was too afraid to make that move. I immediately contacted Michele and we set up our first coaching session. I recall being very impressed by Michele’s intelligence, talent, intuition and compassion. That first hour felt like 10 minutes! I was really amazed at how much we got done in just that first session. The sessions that followed helped me identify the roadblocks that were limiting me and they empowered me to take action and control. Michele introduced me to a way of thinking (Big) that I had never before entertained. Her coaching and the resources she directed me to were the foundation to identifying, setting and achieving my goals. That night was four years ago. Today, I have a successful private practice (and left my other job!) that has branched out into more exciting ventures: Life/Personal Coaching (I owe the inspiration to Michele!) and blogging! Michele has remained an ever-present supporter and mentor over the years. It is reassuring to know that she’s literally an email away, whenever a roadblock comes my way... or whenever I need inspiration to think Big again..."

~ Angelica Perez, Ph.D., Psychologist, Coach-Therapist

"Michele is an experienced professional. She understands her customer needs, she listens, and she is smart, articulate, and practical. Michele is a delightful person and an excellent pro."

~ Senya Rahmil, VP, WW Customer Support, Brocade Communications

"Michele helped me to approach challenges with confidence. Rather than providing answers, she offered perspective and helped me to reframe situations, always empowering me to be in control. With her guidance, I learned new tools for making plans, taking action, and getting results."

~ Erin Yudchitz, Program Director, The Campus Kitchens Project

"The weight of responsibilities as a manager (and as parent) narrows my thinking to the expectations of others, and amplifies that nagging voice of self-deprecation. This unhealthy spin can erode my confidence and paralyze effectiveness, creating an anxious mindset. Michele invites me to get outside my own box and bring a broader view to my work, offering specific exercises to then clarify thinking. Analysis work with her has enabled me to not only grow in areas needing improvement, but to build productively on natural strengths. Our work together has been especially helpful in setting priorities and developing a healthier outlook. I am grateful for the results: affirmed accomplishments, refined professional performance and a more functional work style. Life is a traversing journey, and coaching gives solid tools with which to navigate, learn and grow."

~ Leslie Saum, Director, National Presbyterian Church

"Michele Woodward is my "go-to" coach when I need clarity and focus. Michele's marketing expertise in the Kick Ass Marketing program has been a priceless journey for me as I define and build my coaching practice. Michele's wisdom, knowledge and insight combined with her wit and genuine interest in relationships is a rare formula. Simply stated, Michele is brilliant!"

~ Dana Frost, business owner, Master Certified Coach

"Michele masterfully simplifies complex business concepts into manageable action items and achievable goals. Her thought-provoking essays, often delivered with brilliant humor, are a personal and professional inspiration."

~ Dee Carrell, Executive Coach, President, Top Level Coaching, Inc.

"Michele Woodward is perhaps one of the smartest, funniest, and laser focused people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She has inspired me to become a better coach. In addition, her writing is kick ass. Go buy her book!"

~ Susan Hyatt, hired Michele as a Career Coach in 2007

"Michele Woodward is as smart, funny, perceptive and passionate a life coach as you could hope to meet. Her skills at extracting corporate victims from their cubicles and helping both men and women transcend the confines of their roles makes her an ideal coach for anyone stuck in a too-ordinary life. She will guide you to the adventurous part of your own psyche and cheer you on as you transform your life. Whether you want to become a tycoon, a successful entrepreneur, or something the world has not yet seen, Michele has the innovative perspective and flexibility to stick with you until you succeed. Her clients, past, present, and future, are very lucky people."

~ Martha Beck, "O" Magazine columnist, author of Finding Your Own North Star and The Joy Diet

"Michele is an incredible coach and business consultant, who is constantly seeking to think outside the box to help her clients get the best results. She is continually challenging herself to learn new things that could give her the ability to help her clients move forward in a positive direction. She is very personable and flexible to meet the business needs. I highly recommend her."

~ Lori Follmer, hired Michele as a Executive Coach

"I had heard of coaching through a friend and while a bit skeptical, I searched on line for a "coach" who might help guide me through a stage where I welcomed not only career advice, but life directional advice as well. I came upon Michele's website and was, quite frankly, impressed with her credentials and yet the overall down-to-earth nature which came across in her writing. I found Michele to be not only very approachable, but very wise for (what I think is!) her age. A very good listener, Michele was able to quickly ascertain and summarize for me what my issues or roadblocks seemingly were; to put a voice to the things I intuitively felt were going on, but could not verbalize myself. Together we created goals, both career-wise and other, and followed my progress. Each time we talked I felt there were kernels of wisdom there; things I had not thought of before. A survey of my core values has helped remind me about where I am headed in life and how to change course if necessary. I recommend Michele as a coach for both men and women as she is intuitive, helps one strategize and develop tactics, and as she is someone who can help you see the broader picture of your life when you might be bogged down by the daily details."

~ Barbara Coleman, Manager of Graphic Design at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

"I was struggling with a job search. I contacted Michele who quickly helped me realize that I was wrestling with a broader issue - where did I want to be (geographically). She guided me through a solid decision-making process about relocation and then suggested presenting my current employer with a business case as to the mutual benefit of allowing me to relocate my job as well. I am now happily living and working (same employer) in the DC area!"

~ Lisa, Senior HR Executive

"Working with Michele helped me to take my vision for growing my business to the next level -- reality. Michele asks powerful questions, and answering them has pushed me to get off my butt and create a cohesive action plan that builds on my strengths, has already uncovered new products and services to offer my clients, and balances 'business' with the rest of my life."

~ Sally (business owner)