#102: Ellie Scarf – Our Stories and Scars Can Be Points of Connection

Jun 5, 2025

01:50:15

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How do we keep working when tragedy shakes our lives? If seismic events disrupt our foundations, is it possible to build something new with confidence?

For Ellie Scarf, suffering a heartbreaking loss led to profound changes that have moved her from her zone of excellence into her zone of genius, where she draws upon her experiences to offer her coaching clients an approach and a service that is uniquely her own.

In this episode of The Coach’s Journey Podcast, Ellie recounts the steps that took her from working as a lawyer in top tier legal firms to becoming a national sales coach for a billion dollar company. She describes how her coaching work was in the midst of a booming resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic when tragedy struck.

In conversation with host Ruth Saville, Ellie explains how she integrated her profound emotional experiences into a new way of working, turning her pain into a point of connection that deepened her client relationships.

Now, alongside the client work that brings her joy every day, she also runs the Corporate To Coach Accelerator, building foundations for people on the runway to launching a business, and supporting coaches who are pivoting to leverage their skills in new ways. She is also CEO of Lucent Global coaching consultancy, which supports leaders and companies through significant periods of transition.

She also has her own podcast, The Business of Executive Coaching Podcast, where she is just as inspiring a host as she is a guest in this episode.

In this episode, Ellie and Ruth also talk about:

· A brilliant strategy to solve the problem of building business development into your schedule

· How to meet your clients where they’re at on their particular developmental journey

· What happens when non-directive coaching comes into conflict with a knowledge gap

· How many coaching programmes selling quick pathways to success prey on people’s fears

Ellie also shares one crucial tip for anyone coach who is struggling to bring in business at the moment, offering a tried and tested way to make progress during lean times.

Things and people we mentioned (that you might be interested in):

- Tony Grant https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/news-and-events/news/2020/02/07/vale-professor-anthony-grant.html

- Dr. Suzy Green https://instituteofcoaching.org/suzy-green

- Masters course in Coaching Psychology at the University of Sydney https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/science-pg/coursework/psychology-coaching.html#:~:text=The%20Master%20of%20Science%20in,working%20with%20non%2Dclinical%20populations.

- The Positivity Institute https://thepositivityinstitute.com.au/

- The Positivity Prescription https://thepositivityinstitute.com.au/product/the-positivity-prescription/

- Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter https://instituteofcoaching.org/author/cook-greuter-susanne

- Robert Kegan’s theory of adult development https://aliveandthriving.substack.com/p/kegans-theory-of-development-framework

- Bill Torbert’s development theory https://developingleadership.net/bill-torbert

- The GROW model https://www.performanceconsultants.com/resources/the-grow-model

- The House of Change model https://www.thevirtualtrainingteam.com/articles/change-management-models-the-change-house/

- Dr. Louise Kovacs https://au.linkedin.com/in/louise-kovacs-9ba55a