Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Casey.
Hi Sophia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I started my journey as a high school intern, working as a teaching assistant for my aunt at the Department of Head Start in South Central Los Angeles, California. It was here that I discovered my passion for education and watched students get excited about learning. Though I was initially a pre-med major, my love for education and learning about how people interact stayed with me, leading me to major in Sociology and Social Psychology at UCLA and in Special Education at Johns Hopkins University. These passions eventually led me to the field of coaching, where I found my calling in supporting people to live their dreams.
I spent almost three decades in the learning, education, training, and development arenas, including a stint as a director of human resources. After completing an intense year-long coach training program, where I deepened my understanding of core competencies and transformational work, I decided to pursue my coach credential and become a full-time coach. Since then, I have never looked back.
Today, I am a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with over 25 years of experience in executive coaching, corporate training, and leadership development. I began my journey as an educator and agent of change in the U.S. Federal government and private sector arenas, eventually serving as head of training organizations and Director of Enterprise-wide Training. My innate ability for excellence, execution, and acceleration has allowed me to support leaders in increasing their resilience and leveraging their strengths to achieve results above and beyond their circumstances.
Throughout my career, I have mentored, trained, and coached thousands of executives, leadership, career, and life coaches. I have worked with more than 60 global retail, health, transportation, and IT organizations, providing executive coaching, DEIA training, strategic planning, and leadership development solutions. My work has been recognized by various media outlets, including Fox News, NBC, CBS, and Success magazine.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It is safe to say that my journey in my career has not been a smooth road. Despite my successes and achievements, including being named a Top Transformational Coach by USA Today, I have faced some of the toughest challenges life can throw at a person. As a Black wife, mother, woman, and coach, I’ve had to navigate difficult situations, such as when my husband was hospitalized for a stroke and brain tumor and I had the new unexpected responsibility of parenting our son while also keeping my business afloat. I am proud to say I have successfully done so with the support of an amazing village of family and friends.
However, growing up around entrepreneurship and seeing my parents run several businesses, I always had a fascination with the industry. When I started my coaching business while still a full-time employee, I learned that magical moments can come about sometimes through adversity. When my husband suffered major medical setbacks I was presented with two options: keep going with my business or be a full-time caregiver and raise my child alone. I made the choice to stop my business for a while. During a very tough time with my husband in the hospital, I increased my mindfulness practice of journaling as a way to cope. This suppprted me so much that I created my own – the Ease and Flow Journal: A 31-Day Journal to Get Clear, Connected, and Courageous About Life, which was published and debuted as an Amazon bestseller two weeks later. First, I created this journal to support myself in placing my thoughts. I’m grateful to know that it continues to support others.
My faith and my coaching work taught me to have grace for myself, prioritize self-love, and ask for support. My outlook on life is that anything is possible if we say so and the hardships I’ve overcome remind me to dwell in possibility. I learned that I had a choice in how I responded to difficult situations. I can acknowledge that a situation is hard, but I also have a choice in how I react to it. I’ve learned that I don’t have to do everything alone, and it’s important to ask for support when needed. Starting a business doesn’t have to be hard; it’s a mindset that can limit possibilities and options. It’s a daily practice to change my mindset and focus on possibilities.
Coaching has traditionally been gatekept as a resource only for the majority population, and credentialed coaches from underrepresented communities remain ridiculously low. That’s why I have made it my mission to ensure that Black people have access to coaches who look like us, understand our plight and challenges, and understand our daily struggles. I have done as much as I can to change this, but I know I cannot do it alone. I need a team to pass the baton to so we can diversify the industry and ensure that more Black experts and leaders can become credentialed coaches. Only then can we pour our wisdom back into our communities and truly advance the ball – the ball called the lives of Black people, our communities.
Through all of this, I have been shaking up the coaching industry with my innovative approach that busts down doors for Black leaders. And despite earning the highest designation in the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the Master Certified Coach (MCC) Credential, I have been called a “square peg trying to fit in a round hole” by people committed to not opening up spaces for Black coaches. I’ve even used that microaggression to deepen my commitment to this work. When you think about it, a square symbolizes order, trust, stability, and being grounded. So if it doesn’t fit in the round hole, it’s because it was never meant to, and I am proud to be that square peg making the coaching industry more accessible to corporations, Black coaches, and leaders.
As you know, we’re big fans of Sophia Casey Enterprises (SCE) and the International Coaching & Leadership Institute (ICLI). For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
One of our corporate clients once described me as “…a kingdom worker, anointed.” This is a testament to the faith, passion, dedication, and authenticity I bring to every coaching engagement, training program, and speaking engagement. It is humbling to receive such feedback and is a reminder of the impact we can have when we align our work with our values and our calling.
At Sophia Casey Enterprises and the International Coaching & Leadership Institute (ICLI), we believe in empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential through inspiration, action, and momentum. That is why I came up with the I AM acronym (Inspiration, Action, Momentum). We strive to inspire our clients to take inspired action toward their goals and create momentum toward sustainable success.
With over 25 years of experience in executive coaching, leadership development, and diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility (DEIBA), we specialize in delivering customized solutions for public and private-sector clients. Our focus on DEIBA allows us to partner with crucial leadership and provide guidance on matters related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We lead the implementation of strategic initiatives to support a DEIBA culture and design programming that aligns with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals.
We are also proud of our expertise in executive coaching, where we provide individual coaching for executives in executive core competency areas, coaching for front-line/senior managers, and individual/group coaching for staff. Our leadership development programs and tools cover a wide range of competencies, from leadership and ownership to accountability and human resources development.
We offer high-performance team training and development, facilitation, and speaking services, and have a proven track record of success. We have implemented enterprise-wide training curriculums for organizations of over 10,000 employees, driven process improvement plans for law enforcement, IT, and educational organizations, and developed processes to improve employee engagement and customer satisfaction ratings for large public-sector organizations.
Our mission is to help individuals and organizations create positive change, foster growth, and achieve their full potential. We take pride in our work and strive to make a lasting impact on those we serve.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I envision a world where our son reaps the benefits of leading organizations and living in communities where coaching is not seen as a luxury and instead is the norm. I believe this will be a reality given improvements in key areas of growth and evolution, including access to more coaches from Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and more coach training schools that include DEI in their curriculum.
I see more thought leaders emerging who champion kindness and compassion in business, and I believe this will only become more important in the years to come as people embrace transformation, enlightenment, and a focus on community collaboration. With the challenges that the world has faced over the past few years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to social unrest, I think there will be greater recognition of the need for empathy, understanding, and support in both personal and professional contexts.
I believe we are witnessing a significant shift in attitudes towards work, with many people rejecting the idea of a “grind” mentality and embracing a more holistic and balanced approach to life. This has been reflected in the so-called “great resignation” that we have seen in many industries, with people leaving jobs that no longer fulfill them or align with their values. I believe the coaching industry has an important role to play in supporting individuals and organizations as they navigate these changes and find ways to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Regarding technological advances, with the help of artificial intelligence, coaches will be able to provide more personalized and effective support to their clients. By coaches using more technology in their business, they’re able to automate some of the administrative tasks associated with coaching. AI can help coaches identify patterns and trends in client data, allowing them to develop more effective coaching strategies over time. I am excited about the ways AI can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of coaching, making it more accessible and impactful for individuals and organizations alike and freeing up time for coaches to do what they love – coach.
I envision a world where coaching is no longer seen as a luxury but instead is the norm, especially for BIPOC communities. This will require a greater emphasis on accessibility and affordability within the industry. Ultimately, I believe that the coaching industry has a vital role to play in creating a more just and equitable world, and I am excited to be a part of that journey.
Pricing:
- Executive Life Coaching: $22,500 / package
- Mentor Coaching & ICF Credentialing Preparation: $5200 / package
- Coaching Foundations Certificate (CFC) Course (30 hours): $1875
- Expert Coach Immersion (ECI) Program (144 hours): $8195
- Corporate training rates are customized based on the needs of the organization.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sophiacasey.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachsophiacasey/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachSophiaCasey1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiacasey/
- Other: https://trainingbyicli.com/schedule/
