In this transformative episode of "I Need A Coach," join host Adam Packard as he sits down with Onno Koelman, the executive coach behind the company Dynamic Leader Development. Discover how Onno’s journey from engineering to vice president of sales paved the way for a flourishing coaching practice that empowers CEOs and founders to scale new heights. Dive into the essentials of expert coaching, the art of mastering sales through genuine connection, and why starting without a niche can lead to success. Onno's story is a masterclass in leveraging life experiences to shape a career in coaching—no cold calls, just pure strategy and growth. Tune in now!

Onno has spent the past 10+ years developing leaders to increase their impact by creating high-performing teams and cultures. He has worked with leaders at a variety of levels across diverse industries to become more strategic instead of reactive, more positively influential, and more powerfully authentic. Onno is a natural coach and facilitator. He brings warmth, positive energy, and an encouraging – yet challenging – style to the groups and individuals he works with. His multicultural background (Dutch, Australian, and now Northern Californian) enables him to bring a unique vantage point to any conversation.

In 2013, Onno co-founded a consultancy dedicated to equipping people with tools to manage the “people” side of work and started his own consultancy dedicated to developing dynamic leaders in 2017. Prior to this third career of his, Onno spent 10 years leading a Bay Area start-up from 3 to 30+ people in the municipal drinking water industry, including several years as design engineer, technical sales lead and finally international Director of sales.

Over the past two decades, Onno has trained at the Coaches Training Institute and Harvard-based Minds at Work, as well as in several other modalities. He has facilitated and coached hundreds of individual leaders and teams at world-renowned brands like Google, Oracle, Adobe, Salesforce, Whole Foods Market, LBNL, Liberty Utilities, GAP, Dropbox, Lam Research, Stanford Health Care, Mosaic Solar and many more both in the USA and internationally.

Onno has been an athlete since his early years, culminating in his Stanford water polo team winning the NCAA Division 1 National Championship his senior year. He now channels his competitive athleticism into USTA league tennis. He has a son and a daughter and secretly hopes they will also be into sports as much as he was!

Topics Discussed:

• Surge in coaching industry post-Covid
• Transition from sales to mindset coaching
• Building networks with CEOs and founders
• Sales techniques and client relationship building
• Personal development through coaching practices

Timestamps:

06:13 Providing leadership training and self-awareness workshops.

09:45 Coaching with relevant life experience and skills, emphasizing authenticity and expertise.

13:43 From broad audience to niche, seeking connections.

15:11 Building relationships through coaching leads to referrals.

19:19 Recognizing the importance of practicing sales techniques and seeking feedback.

23:00 Having more opportunities breeds confidence and success.

26:46 Understanding the client's goals, background, and philosophy.

31:46 Transition from eager worker to self-assured leader.

35:11 Emphasizes asking for referrals and helping clients with personal growth.

Episode Resources:

Dynamic Leader Development | Website

Dynamic Leader Development | LinkedIn

Onno Koelman | LinkedIn