Kathie Gautille is a global, faith-based coach who works with executives and teams, in corporate, nonprofit and faith-based sectors.
She is an expert at helping leaders discover their passion and purpose. She has held many leadership roles that have given her a depth of knowledge and experience to develop best practices in coaching organizational teams.
Kathie is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has clients both domestic and abroad, which makes her an “in demand” strengths coach.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I began coaching at my church, I did 1:1 coaching and team-building with ministries, councils, organizations.
During one of my coaching sessions, an individual participating in the team workshop asked if I could conduct a team-building session at their business.
This was a ministry for me, a passion, not a career… but the requests came more and more frequent.
I finally decided that I wanted to monetize my coaching practice, so I applied and received my LLC, and hung my shingle out – I was now open for business.
Tell us about your business.
I am a global faith-based strengths coach. I use the instrument (online assessment) Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder with all of my one-on-one clients or teams.
After taking the online assessment you (or team) receives your top 5 (or full 34) talent themes, the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment helps identify the areas where you (or team) have the greatest potential for building strength.
It measures recurring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions. Knowing this information is a starting point. As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, I am then able to help individuals, teams and organizations leverage their Talents, and turn them into sustainable Strengths.
Often in today’s culture, there has been a focus on developing or fixing our weaknesses, the CliftonStrengths tool invites us to focus on what is right and strong about you.
Because of this, I use the CliftonStrengths assessment to help build strong individuals and strong teams and strong Strengths-based culture. It is only from a place of strength that individuals and organizations can have a significant and long-term impact.
My clients are often people in transition, as well as executives for one-to-one coaching. I also conduct dynamic team-building workshops for businesses, nonprofits, churches, organizations. I help team members understand the value they each bring to the team.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
Yes, I am offering 50% off the first coaching session for the first 15 individuals who respond to this interview.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
- Gallup Certified Clifton StrengthsFinder Coach
- Gallup Certified to Lead CliftonStrengths Discovery Course
- Certification in Advanced Biblical Studies from University of Dallas
- Equip to Equip StrengthsFinder Coach
- Nonprofit Management Certificatification from Brookhaven College
- Master Trustee from Leadership Texas Association of School Boards
- President of Board of Trustees for Coppell Independent School Board
- Secretary of North Texas Area Association of School Boards
- VP Marketing & Development for Christian Nonprofit
Award: 2008 Commandant’s Award for Outstanding Blue & Gold Information Officers for United States Naval Academy
Where is your business based? Â
While my business is based in Dallas, I am a global coach, thanks to video platforms, and am willing to travel.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
- Wrote a business and marketing plan, identifying preferred client and vision for my coaching practice.
- Decided on a name and had a logo designed.
- Secured a domain and launched website.
- Networked to get my name out there via social media and coaching platforms.
- Started to receive clients and businesses to work with 1:1 and workshops.
- Just co-authored a book: Turning Talents into Strengths: Stories of Coaching Transformation, which received Best Selling and #1 release on the day of the launch.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
It’s not just one thing… it is a combination of things.
- Coaching social media platforms
- Networking on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook business page
- Just released book launch gave me a great deal of exposure
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
I would like to be more consistent and intentional with my blogging.
How did you overcome these challenges?
- Assembled a list of topics I want to blog about.
- Setting aside time strictly devoted to writing.
- Just do it!
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
- As a faith-based coach, I first and foremost turn to my faith.
- Positivity is my #4 talent theme, I surround myself with people who are uplifting – they are people I will encourage and they too are encouragers for me.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
While I am a Gallup-Certified Coach, there are several ways in which I distinguish myself from others.
- I am a faith-based coach – that doesn’t mean I only work with people of faith, but I do have a concentrated effort to help faith communities.
- I am active on social media sites and offering advice, suggestions, and coaching.
- I post positive, motivational quotes on Instagram, Twitter and my business Facebook page.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Building a business is full of trial and error… get inspired by your successes and learn from your missteps and keep going forward!
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
- Get a coach you can bounce ideas off of and ensure you are using your talents and strengths.
- Get up and keep moving when you fall.
- Be humble with your successes.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
I am in an amazing Global Strengths Mastermind (GSM) – we are made up of Gallup Certified Strengths Coaches all over the world.
We meet up once a month at the same time (2 Thursdays every month). Those who can join in on the Zoom call do and we record the call for those who cannot make it.
But the beautiful thing about this GSM is we typically have about 70% on the call each month.
This is a group of people who trust one another, are honest with each other, share best practices, great ideas and ask for feedback on any article or blog post we may be working on.
When we have issues with clients, we turn to one another for advice or encouragement.
Over the past 3 years, we have really become great friends. Many of us see one another once a year at a Gallup conference.
This year is the first time I met in person one of the coaches from the UK and one from Chicago!
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job by Marshall Goldsmith and Sally Helgesen.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I am honing my niche and slowly trying to move my business to closer align with my desired business clients (to faith-based churches, companies, nonprofit), as opposed to being so concentrated on Career Coaching.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
I plan to launch my series of Strengths-based communication and parenting workshops. I am reaching out to churches and schools for opportunities to present my workshops.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Website www.KathieGautille.com
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/kathiegautille
Instagram @leadwithstrength
Facebook www.facebook.com/kathiegautillestrengthscoaching