"As a first time executive team member at a technology start-up company, I was faced with many challenges. In addition, I was committed to maintaining work/life balance for my family and myself. Being coached by Valerie has been the single most important factor contributing to my success over these last ten months."Debbie Zaleschuk
Manager,
Custom Solutions
Center for Creative Leadership
"There were a number of people who shared the same sentiment about your session — they felt it was the best on the program. I love it when I hear about participants who apply the skills or use the take-aways from the training program. I say to myself, "He gets it, he really gets it." It's so rewarding. You must feel good about the feedback... you should."
Bev Stevens
Private Client Division
Citigroup
"I often pull from our past coaching sessions to help me through the wide variety of issues that I encounter in my professional and personal life. The specific examples are too many to list. I have accomplished the balance of the goals we established — and more! In fact, I am now implementing some of Valerie's coaching techniques with my trainees."
Tina Monaghan
Assistant Branch Manager
Smith Barney
Meet Valerie
Looking back over my career and life, I’ve always been all about results. Whether it was making the Honor Roll all those years ago (could the $.50 for every “A” I brought home have influenced me?) or being named to the President’s Club in my corporate years, I have always been compelled to produce results. So it’s no surprise that I’ve come full-circle to a place where my focus is on helping others create business breakthroughs.
I've been an entrepreneur three times and spent a fair amount of time in the corporate world where my career included sales, client management, consulting and training. A former top producer at American Express where I managed a national account team responsible for $350 million in revenues, I know firsthand what it takes to achieve results.
In the mid-90’s, I worked for a sales consulting and training firm where I coached sales people one-on-one and delivered sales training workshops. That work made me realize how much pleasure I derive from helping others accelerate their business success. In 1998 I started my own business to help individuals, teams, and organizations achieve new levels of performance. My clients have included corporate executives, teams at Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, and CEOs of small businesses.
I use proven, practical techniques to leverage my clients’ strengths. My work with my clients is rooted in my personal experience as a corporate manager and entrepreneur along with my training as a human development professional.
My professional certifications include individual and organizational coaching from the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara, Certified Behaviors Analyst for DISC, and Situational Leadership® certification as part of the coaching team for the American Management Association. I am a program leader and coach of the highly regarded individual and team planning and implementation program, Best Year Yet®, which is the foundation of much of my work.
Most of the year I live in Florida with my husband, Adam, and our two Ragdoll cats, Remy and Hugo. We spend summers in a tiny lakeside cottage in beautiful Sunapee, New Hampshire. Golf has become a passion. Working out, cooking, and vacationing all have an important place in my life.
About Valerie's Clients
I work with teams in the business and corporate world, as well as entrepreneurs. From corporate employee to small business owners, my clients have traits in common: they are willing to question the status quo and seek creative results. They are not just interested making changes, but committed to setting and achieving new standards and goals. They are ready to work hard to accomplish their goals and accelerate their business success.
Partial Client List
Career Resources
Smith Barney
Business and Professional Women's Association
National Starch & Chemical Company
Financial Women International
Schick & Wilkinson Sword
American Management Association
Connecticut Jaycees
American Express
Entrepreneurial Woman's Network