Coaching FAQs

About Coaching: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a coach, and how is it different from other professions, such as counseling?

A life coach is someone professionally trained to help you maximize your full potential and reach your desired results. Different from what some people assume, coaches do not tell you what to do. They are a partner on your growth journey, and ask you empowering questions to help you discover your potential, make decisions, and achieve success. While coaches may inquire about your past to get to know you a bit better, they try not to spend too much time there because they are focused on helping you get to the root of your challenges and creating a path forward.

According to the International Coach Federation (ICF), “The powerful difference between a regular conversation and a coaching conversation is that a coaching conversation has an outcome. The coach partners with his or her clients to establish a meaningful outcome for each session that helps them to make progress towards their overachieving goal for the coaching engagement (Source: iPEC Coaching).”

Who are Margie’s coaching clients?

The Thirlby Company is proud to serve a diverse group of coaching clients, including men and women of different ages and professions. What Margie’s clients have in common is a desire to grow, gain confidence, get unstuck, and live their lives with intention. They are kind, compassionate, fun, intelligent, and caring people who care about making a positive impact in the community.

What makes Margie and The Thirlby Company different from other coaches and businesses?

As a value-driven business, Thirlby Company believes in doing things differently. We have zero desire to engage in transactional business relationships, and believe that the relationships we build with our clients are the foundation to their success and wellbeing. Here are a few things that are unique about Margie and the approach of The Thirlby Co.:

  1. Certified - Many coaches in the current market are not certified and do not have any formal training. Margie is a certified professional coach (CPC) trained by iPEC, a top-ranked and ICF accredited program that requires more coaching hours than any other ICF certification.

  2. Experience - Margie has over 12 years of executive leadership experience, managing large teams and working with corporations, cities, nonprofits, and other community organizations. Margie has first-hand experienced the challenges that her clients bring to the table, and knows what it takes to be a successful leader.

  3. Relationship-Centered - Margie’s clients repeatedly say that working with Margie is like working with a best friend. She is authentic, relatable, compassionate, and fun. Her clients build an immediate rapport with her that allows them to build trust and make progress at a faster rate. Margie an her clients keep in touch after coaching has wrapped up.

  4. Research & Learning - The Thirlby Company believes in using research and evidence-based practices to inform our approach with clients. In addition to offering two signature learning tools and our own core values assessment, we are always providing our clients with professional resources that they can use to supplement their learning experience.

  5. Quality - Many coaching programs are limited to just coaching sessions, with limited (or no) access to the coach outside of sessions. The Thirlby Company believes that what happens in between sessions is just as important as during sessions. In addition to a meaningful onboarding experience with feedback throughout the program, we offer our coaching clients regular access to Margie outside of sessions.

What do clients say about working with Margie?

In post-program surveys, Margie receives very consistent feedback from her clients on what stands out about her compared to other coaches and professionals. Top reasons include psychological safety, active listening, compassion, credibility, and relatability. You can read detailed coaching testimonials here.

What can I expect during and in between my coaching sessions?

Most coaching sessions are 50-minutes long, and held virtually (over Zoom). During the session, you’ll spend about 10 minutes catching up with Margie and then dive into your session based on your program goals and the topics you want to explore. After your session, you’ll receive custom coaching notes and homework assignments from Margie in your coaching folder. This ensures you make progress in between your sessions and get a lot out of the program. You can also reach out to Margie for any questions or support in between your sessions.

How much does coaching cost?

Coaching is an incredible way to invest in yourself and your happiness - which is hard to put a price on! The cost of coaching depends on the program you choose. Margie’s pricing is updated regularly based on Margie’s experience, credentials, and the current market. To learn more about current pricing, please complete our individual interest form.

Thank you for your interest in exploring coaching with The Thirlby Company! We hope to support you on your journey.