Jan’s many years of experience as a coach and trainer have given her a one-of-a-kind perspective. This point of view, coupled with the personality blend of Oprah (puts anyone at ease and asks great questions), Warren Buffett (quiet strength) and Ellen DeGeneres (off-the-wall humor!) all rolled into one has made her incredibly successful; indeed, sought-after.

Why be a coach? In 2001, she decided to give up her MLM (Masters in Life Manipulation) and live AUTHENTICALLY. She found that her true self, her gift, is to help others “connect the dots”, to listen, to assist. One of her favorite roles now is to help others discover and employ their own gifts to the fullest.

Lest you think this is just something she does because she feels like it (which she does, by the way), know that Jan has many years of education that have all led her up to this point. This includes undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a comprehensive coaching program, leadership development certificates, numerous continuing education courses and life experiences (many times the best teacher!) She has even had her own monthly coaching-themed radio show.

Jan has an amazing sense of adventure! In her free time, she indulges it on biking, travel and sailing trips. In her role as a coach, that same sense of adventure fuels a creative approach to helping clients achieve their goals and strive for what may seem impossible at first.

There is always a story behind a name, and Stone Soup is no different.  I struggled to come up with a name that captured me and what happened as a result of coaching.  I went through several names, yet nothing truly stuck.  A while ago, I was on a personal retreat day.  I wanted to review that year to date and look for a name that reflected my coaching.  I spent hours writing themes I heard from clients, reviewing client evaluations, etc. looking for a connecting thread.  The walls of the room were covered in flip chart paper!  I was standing in the middle reviewing, looking, and thinking when I exclaimed, “this is just like the story “Stone Soup” I read as a child!”  (See story below).  The peasant comes to town and is hungry.  He stops at one house and asks for food, and the people reply, “We only have potatoes”.  He stops at the next house, “we only have carrots.”  The next house he stops at says, “We can’t share because all we have is onions.”  So the man decides “I’ll make my own soup using these stones.”  He starts cooking and everyone comes out and adds their ingredients to make it the best soup ever!  I have realized in my coaching that individuals, executives, and businesses were responding “we can’t do that, because we only have this.”  My style of coaching clients is to work with exactly what you have and make it great!  No more waiting for the latest, greatest theory or management style.  Let’s work with your skills, gifts, talents, business climate and culture and make it great!

 The Stone Soup Story (one version!)

 
Once upon a time, somewhere in Eastern Europe, there was a great famine. People jealously hoarded whatever food they could find, hiding it even from their friends and neighbors. One day a peddler drove his wagon into a village, sold a few of his wares, and began asking questions as if he planned to stay for the night.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "Better keep moving on."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his wagon, filled it with water, and built a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a velvet bag and dropped it into the water.

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come to the square or watched from their windows. As the peddler sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their skepticism.

"Ahh," the peddler said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with CABBAGE -- that's hard to beat."

Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot. "Capital!" cried the peddler. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."

The village butcher managed to find some salt beef...and so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for all. The villagers offered the peddler a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell and traveled on the next day. And from that time on, long after the famine had ended, they reminisced about the finest soup they'd ever had.

Let’s take some “stones”—my experience and insight—and add them to your current situation! Let’s see what happens. I guarantee you’ll love the way our Stone Soup tastes!