I met Amandine at a cosy coffee shop in central Edinburgh. I was curious to peek behind the scenes of her coaching sessions. And I wanted to learn about the common barriers her clients face.
Amandine studied art management in Paris and then worked in the art industry. In this creative space, she often missed financial structure. After several years, she chose to work with small businesses to help them with PR. Amandine got more writing requests. And started writing for websites and blogs.
After moving to Berlin, she wrote and designed content. To this day, she loves getting to know people that websites or apps serve. This human-focused research inspired her to help entrepreneurs. Amadine started coaching eight years ago when she moved to Edinburgh. Most of her clients have been professionals who blend their passions with work.
Corporate vs Freelance
Amandine believes that only when we get relevant and timely support can we flourish in teams. In a corporate environment, both employees and employers share responsibilities. Those who run businesses themselves take full accountability.
Many companies lack flexibility. While freelancers often need more structure in their businesses. They have no direct boss to report to. Thus, understanding their own strengths, weaknesses, and preferences becomes that much more important.
Distilling Values
When working with professionals, Amandine starts by figuring out their values. Many people are not even sure about their guiding principles. Often, they come from their family, culture, and religion. The challenge becomes understanding what is true for each person.
To find the core values, Amandine asks her clients questions to notice patterns. When have they felt fulfilled or proud of their work? What conditions or environments made them feel that way? Who were they with, and what role did others play? What kind of challenges or opportunities energised them?
Sustainable Structure
Then, Amandine asks her clients questions about the barriers in their journey. Often, she finds professionals getting stuck in their old ways. Many unhappy situations have benefits that she helps to uncover. Such hidden reasons often stop her clients from changing.
Amandine believes the drive has to come from the person. They have to dare to look inside so they can move on. Many of her clients say they are lazy, but that is rarely helpful. It is better to identify the root belief. For example, through having hard conversations.
Many professionals get stuck at the implementation stage. So, based on the starting principles and problems, Amandine helps build a vision. To achieve it, her clients often need to build new behavioural habits.
Learn more about Amandine on linkedin.com/in/amandinekirion or amandinekirion.com