Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President and CEO of LaCire

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Operations consulting for businesses, nonprofits and government organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting to accomplish?

• More clarity on the future of my business
• Better direction for my role in the business
• Understanding the needs of my employees and team members

SOLUTION

How did you find Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

networking event

Why did you select Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

General executive coaching, with a coaching insight spreadsheet complete with accomplishments, goals, etc. Additionally, I received language to help market and reach out to past and future clients.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Language to reach out to former clients, confidence when making decisions about staffing and projects, strategies to manage org challenges, strategies to manage difficult situations and clients, recommendations for delegation strategies, reflections on business accomplishments, calendar control strategies, development of short and mid-term goals.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

100% and delivered more than expected

What was your primary form of communication with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They held me accountable and allowed me to discuss professional issues in context and work through them effectively. Great discussion and great combination of listening and providing and working through solutions. Overall, wonderful culture and ability to work with me through challenging and dynamic times in my business.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Director, Leadership Development of American College of Cardiology

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Membership organization for physicians and healthcare providers 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting to accomplish?

• Facilitate leadership development workshop

SOLUTION

How did you find Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

Online Search

Why did you select Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Create and facilitate full-day leadership development workshop on DiSC and navigating crucial conversations. 

•    Creating and facilitating a warm-up exercise designed to help participants know each other at a deeper level and to set the stage for open and vulnerable discussions. 
•    Presenting information about DiSC assessments including how to use and not use them, how to make the most of DiSC results, and how to apply information to professional and personal lives.
•    Creating and facilitating exercises using DiSC styles so that participants become more self-aware and knowledgeable of behavioral tendencies. Grouping participants as needed based on the DiSC reports that you provide. 
•    Presenting information about crucial conversations including how to identify when one is needed, how to prepare for, engage in, and follow-up on the conversation. 
•     Creating and facilitating exercises so that participants practice crucial conversations. 
•    Providing a worksheet that participants will refer to during and after the workshop for crucial conversations. 
•    Facilitating a discussion where each person writes and shares one or more commitments based on the workshop content. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Workshop participants demonstrated increased knowledge and understand of their DiSC styles as well as recognizing and working with other styles. Participants opened-up and shared personal experiences and stories. Participants participated and collaborated with others in group and 1:1 exercises. Participants demonstrated increased knowledge and understanding of how to prepare for and engage in a crucial conversation.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They did an excellent job providing deliverables within a timely manner and responded promptly to all inquiries and requests.

What was your primary form of communication with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their responsiveness and ability to research their audience and tailor their content to match were outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting could have done differently?

None that I can think of right now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and founder of an accounting and bookkeeping firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I needed a business coach and support system because I’m a solo owner. Having an outside perspective that understood the founder world was important to me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting provides consulting and coaching services. I’ve signed up for intensive six-month coaching; we meet every week for an hour. Our meetings were longer for the first couple of weeks; we initially went through the things I wanted to discuss, and they led me through how to build my team.

We’ve talked through different situations, and they’ve helped me accelerate processes and make choices on things I never acted on. Also, whenever I have specific questions or interactions with other business owners, they walk me through tactfully to get my point across.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Lisa (Certified Professional Coach).

How did you come to work with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I met Lisa through a random mystery dinner where we had to dine with three strangers. We had many people in common, and her style and vibe fit how I operated. She was very down-to-earth and straightforward, and I wanted someone who understood the struggles that come with being a woman in the entrepreneurial world.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2022, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

As an owner, I used to hold back and not be confident to make decisions. Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting has helped me with my self-confidence. For example, I wanted to hire an employee, and they helped me to create the job description, refine things, and go through it. Overall, I’ve accelerated my progress as a business owner.

How did Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication and project management are seamless, and they’re super responsive. All our meetings are through Zoom, but we also communicate through email and texts if needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great at listening. When I talk, they notice details that I haven’t seen and point them out in a way that I can understand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done an excellent job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend taking advantage of the initial consultation to really get to know her and yourself and see if you’ll be a good fit. Not every coach’s style, personality and methods will appeal to you, make sure it’s a good fit for yourself! For me, Lisa’s down-to-earth and straightforward approach was exactly what I needed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director for a small non-governmental organization, and we’re based at a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I had never directed an organization before. I did coordinate projects, but being an executive director was a level-up for me. As a result, I needed new skills around managing people and interacting at an executive level. I also wanted support as I took on that new high-level role.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lisa (Executive Coach and Business Strategist) from Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting helped me with executive coaching. I would say that we worked together for about one year, and part of that time I was on maternity leave, so it wasn’t all the way through.

At first, we talked about what I wanted to achieve and what I wanted to learn with her. We then met every two weeks and spoke about strategy and if there was anything that came up in the work that I wanted to talk about. She would give me resources like books, and she put me in touch with some experts to talk about anything I was concerned about such as fundraising.

What is the team composition?

I only worked with Lisa.

How did you come to work with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

A friend recommended them.

How much have you invested in them?

I spent $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked together with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting from December 2020–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Working with Lisa gave me the confidence and skills that I needed so that I could handle the new high-level work environment that I was moving into. Overall, Lisa helped me feel confident as an executive.

How did Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Lisa was very good. We used Google Sheets and had Zoom calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lisa’s thought coaching was impressive. She gave me quick and good feedback on things and that was really helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Lisa was really easy to work with, and I had a good experience with her.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to think about what you would like to work on or improve, but Lisa could also provide relevant resources on a number of topics.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a clothing care company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

We hired Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting about helping us with our company’s strategic plans so that we could further expand the business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial call to get to know each other. After that, they walked me through some of the options we could consider, and they asked more questions to get clarity on what we wanted to do for our business. Overall, we had back and forth brainstorming sessions so that we could identify how to successfully expand our business.

What is the team composition?

We only worked with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting’s owner.

How did you come to work with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I found them through a friend of mine. I chose to work with them because they really listened to my needs and took the time to understand where I was coming from. They also asked a lot of good questions that made me a lot more thoughtful.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

After our sessions, I became more confident about what steps I should be taking to ensure that my business would move forward. As of now, I don’t have hard metrics yet, but I expect to see returns when I execute on the things we talked about.

How did Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a really great experience because of their solid project management process. They were always on time, and they were organized. All issues we discussed in the previous sessions were discussed in the future sessions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a great job of honing in on the individual and letting that translate into how a person could take their business to the next level. They were also very high-touch and focused on the person receiving the consultation instead of just figuring out general business problems. In our case, they really figured out how I was connected to my business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind on areas they could improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come with an open mind and do some self-reflection before you start to engage with them. If you do that, it’ll be really helpful once they ask you reflection questions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a sustainable fashion company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I needed someone who could help me address the problems I was having with my former co-founder.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting advised me on how to handle the fact that my former co-founder had a hard time putting work into our business — it was a business consulting effort. They provided me with the correct words to use in our conversations and advised me on what I should offer my partner in terms of our agreements on monetary value for her leaving the company. They gave me the appropriate words and ideas on what to say to make this process run smoothly.

What is the team composition?

We only worked with Lisa (COO), who was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

Lisa was an alumni from my alma mater, and that’s how I met her. I saw on LinkedIn that she specialized in business relationships, and I reached out to her. I chose Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting because they seemed to have a perfect skill set to address the issues that we were having.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–May 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their business advice ended up being successful; the words they recommended me to use allowed the issue-solving process to go smoother than it otherwise would’ve gone. They were also able to encourage me along the way to go forward.

How did Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive throughout the project. In terms of tools, we used email, meetings, and Zoom calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They were understanding and strategic — those are the most outstanding traits about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open with them — that’s the most important thing. That way, they can help you achieve your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and founder of Enlightapp. A Web-based platform that helps teachers engage their students through their passions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

Being a young entrepreneur is hard. I started to work with Ever Better Coaching and consulting as a way for me to learn more about my job as a CEO and work through the emotional challenges that come with the job.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

After consulting many mentors and mentors in the past unsuccessfully, I was turned off from the idea of a career coach or mentor. Then I found Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. There was a great mix of professionalism mixed with personality that made me feel comfortable being my true self.

Being able to have a genuine person to go over the process as well as someone with professional skills who could inform key business decisions was incredibly helpful. Ever better coaching and consulting is still there for me, after our wonderful 2 years of working together.

They continue to help me realize my potential and set realistic goals for my future. I can say that I am truly happy with everything they have done for me.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

I meet with a coach when needed. We usually spend thirty minutes to an hour together going over important business decisions that I make and what's going on in my life that might affect my work. Lisa listens closely, asks thought-provoking questions, and offers very practical suggestions that fit together with what I know will work for me.

Lisa offers a safe place to share one’s deepest values and to elicit the most sensitive emotions.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our main point of contact was Lisa Conners Vogt.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

I have worked with Lisa for over two years now. I have seen my capabilities grow rapidly through the strategies, tools, and techniques that she has taught me. Her coaching has allowed me to build my confidence as a young entrepreneur by helping me to reduce the effects of impostor syndrome that challenges many CEOs.

Through that, I have been able to compete on national level pitch competitions like TechCrunch Battlefield and many more.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our meetings are usually on a recurring schedule. This makes it effortless for me to block off a time off my schedule that can work for everyone. When I am in dire need, I can always reach out and Lisa finds a time for us to meet.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

She is so easy to talk to that it seems like she has known me for years. We have very deep conversations about what decisions I should make in my business and in my personal life, which helps me feel much more confident in the choices I’ve made in both areas.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I wish that we could meet more often.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide an online career development course for working professionals looking to figure out their next move.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

We wanted to intentionally create a business partnership that was effective and optimized. We hired Lisa to help us learn more about ourselves as business owners and as partners in our journey.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We worked with Lisa after meeting her at an event we hosted. She stood out as a thoughtful, smart coach who takes a human-centered approach to work with her clients.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

She provided a combination of 1:1 coaching, and business partner coaching together. She walked us through many exercises highlighting our strengths and offered insight into potential areas of weakness to look out for as we grow our organization.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Lisa (Executive & Leadership Coach).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

Co-Founder agreement which serves as the backbone of our partnership in our business. She also help us set up big picture planning conversations and gave us tools to facilitate the work she did with us on our own.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly communicative and clear!

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

She really took the time to get to know us and understand what makes our business work well. She then applied that in her coaching practice.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not that come to mind

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a freelance marketing strategist, planner and writer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

After working in agencies and with partners, I was back out on my own and needed help creating and maintaining a disciplined business development program.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Lisa and I worked together as mentors in Colgate's Thought into Action program. I was impressed by they way she worked with student ventures and thought she could help me, too.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

I meet with Lisa every 6-8 weeks to review my progress, identify and address challenges and opportunities I've encountered and set out a calendar of action for the next period.

What was the team composition?

I work directly with Lisa (Executive & Leadership Coach), who serves as a personal executive coach to me.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Lisa has helped me to focus my business development work and develop ideas for attracting and closing prospects. Working with her I've won more than a dozen new projects. Most importantly, she's given me the confidence to approach and win business on my own.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Couldn't have been better! Lisa has helped me understand and overcome any challenge.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I feel like Lisa really cares about me and my business success. As a solo professional, she makes me feel like I'm part of a winning team!

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Could at times push me a little harder when I'm clearly slacking off.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of operations at Clutch, a B2B ratings and reviews platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I needed some support and guidance on honing my leadership skills and finding personal development opportunities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ever Better provides leadership coaching and executive engagement. We first set personal and professional benchmarks for me to accomplish. In line with this, they conducted various assessments to help me identify my areas of improvement. We then had a series of formal training sessions.

We then had weekly meetings, and each one had an agenda detailing the things I wanted to work on. The Ever Better team continues to meet with me as needed and provide insight into my leadership activities. A few of my direct reports have also been able to have one-on-one interactions with Lisa.

Additionally, Ever Better has supported my networking efforts by sharing her professional network with me. The team has also helped me map out the best route for a timeline containing specific activities that I wanted to execute within my organization. 

What is the team composition?

I only worked with Lisa (Executive Coach & Business Strategist).

How did you come to work with Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting?

I found them through one of my mentors, who also worked at a high-growth company.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $10,000–$25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in August 2020, and it's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Our partnership started amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, and I've been able to lean on and leverage Lisa for guidance and strategy on managing a workplace during a time of unrest and uncertainty. 

Ever Better's support and guidance have helped our organization successfully navigate a lot of challenges. I've also accomplished my personal and professional goals thanks to their help. 

Lisa's interactions with my direct reports have also helped our internal team establish more robust and open communication. Overall, I've received a lot of positive feedback on my improved leadership style and how I've approached various situations.

How did Ever Better: Coaching and Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Lisa is always very transparent and flexible to my needs from a communication standpoint. Whatever works for me works for her, so we've used various tools like text and email. 

The team has also presented lots of detailed spreadsheets that have been very valuable to me. It's really helped me reflect on each week's conversation and action items.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their services have been beneficial to me — Ever Better has served as a sounding board that's helped me effectively and efficiently communicate my thoughts. I appreciate their flexible approach and desire to adapt their services to each client.

Furthermore, Ever Better is very knowledgeable about the nature of businesses based in Washington, DC. I find their involvement in the local community to be very valuable — they relate to the challenges that come with running a business in our area. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind in terms of what they could do better. They're super flexible and engaging.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend setting priorities and goals and establishing what you want to accomplish with the engagement. Additionally, be clear about what's going on in your company. If you and Ever Better are on the same page, I think you'll have a pretty awesome experience.