Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Avant-Brown.
Hi Leslie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Fifteen years ago I was working as a Program Manager for a mid-size Capacity Building firm in the Bay Area. My work consisted of supporting small nonprofits to move from surviving to thriving by supporting them to build their infrastructure. What I witnessed in this work was that so many great leaders were striving to do it all, which eventually led to their burnout. Which unfortunately became the same for me as I tried to meet all of their ever growing needs. This was compacted by work in an organization steeped with white supremacy culture that only valued what we produced as staff.
So in 2011, I began receiving coaching to support me to find more balance in my life and to support me to get on track. I found so much benefit from this experience that I sought out a coach training program to learn to facilitate this amazing strategy for others. Which lead to me developing my own coaching firm in 2013 to provide coaching and coach training for Changemakers those who sought to leave the world better than they found it. Since that time my firm has grown to a team of 20 who provide Healing Centered Coaching and Training for Changemakers around the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a road of many lessons where I have been able to discover much about myself and the world. As a Black Woman-owned coaching firm, I found that I had little to no support on how to develop a thriving coaching firm. Which meant that I had to run and business and learn to build it at the same time. I also was challenged by many of my peers within the world of coaching when I decided to center “Healing” within my coaching approach. In the past, healing was kept separate from the coaching world as they saw it as a therapeutic approach. However, what I found was that in the BIPOC and social change communities I support, it was what was needed and welcomed.
Also, as an International Coach Federation accredited training partner, I faced questions about our use of somatic practices within our coaching model. Which lead to numerous conversations and teachable moments that allowed my coaching firm to serve as an expert in the integration of somatics within coaching.
We’ve been impressed with Blooming Willow Coaching, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Blooming Willow Coaching is the healing-centered coaching community nurturing the journey of Changemakers in pursuit of liberation.
Our community stands as an unwavering ally with those who aspire to impact a world that radiates positivity. Through interactive coaching and programs, we empower individuals to pause, directing their focus toward personal growth and profound, holistic healing to collectively foster a future of well-being.
Our vision at Blooming Willow Coaching is to ascend as global leaders for one of the world’s premier safe spaces for culturally relevant, healing-centered coaching. We’re creating spaces that are illuminated by understanding and empathy, threading together a tapestry of empowerment, growth, and harmony.
Blooming Willow Coaching was formed in 2013 after noticing a gap in culturally relevant coaching for communities. To address this need, Blooming Willow began offering one-on-one coaching and training that took a more holistic approach, providing support for Change Makers to look at the multiple layers of their lives. This is because our core belief is that every person has something special to offer, and when they are in true alignment, they can fully contribute to society.
Therefore, our goal is simple: to support as many people as possible to discover authentic voices and genuine choices by being partners in their liberation. The way that we achieve this is through our signature Healing Centered Coaching. Healing Center Coaching supports clients to:
Pause. Take time for yourself. In a fast-paced society, stopping is often one of the hardest things to do. You’re encouraged to slow down as you prepare for transformational growth and healing.
Ground – Blooming Willow Healing Centered Coaching Model
Ground. Connect with your higher self and disrupt the disorderly patterns that cause chaos and resistance. Listen to your inner wisdom, seek clarity, and find your center.
Align – Blooming Willow Healing Centered Coaching Model
Align. Create unity with your mind, body, and spirit by tapping into your resourcefulness. Begin to strategize how you’ll navigate options and troubleshoot barriers with our support as you move forward.
Act – Blooming Willow Healing Centered Coaching Model
Act. Once the strategy is clear, put motion behind your goals. Track the progress made as you achieve goals with accountability from a supportive team.
When working with Blooming Willow Coaching, teams can expect to experience:
Enhanced ability to implement the core pillars of Blooming Willow’s Signature Healing Centered Coaching® Model— Pause, Ground, Align, and Act
Increased awareness of the impact of acute, chronic, and complex traumas on goal-setting and leadership development
Enhanced clarity on purpose, values, and beliefs that support decision-making
Increased confidence in identifying opportunities and barriers that impact action
Deepened awareness of the role that culture plays in Authentic Leadership
Enhanced ability to attain resources and supports that catalyze accountability that honors both “Doing” and “Being”
Increased ability to design innovative new tools, structures, and models that support sustainable social change
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice for those starting out is that big dreams require big teams. Meaning that as you grow and gain clarity on your vision you will need to build community to support you manifest your dreams. I think had I known this I would have had less of a struggle of trying to do everything myself. I find this is a common trap amongst new entrepreneurs who feel they have to do it all and make everything happen themselves.
I would also encourage people to spend time sitting with their vision, really gaining clarity about what they want. With so many moving pieces and our fast-paced society, it is sometimes hard to keep up with what you originally dreamed. So the more that folks are able to focus on their vision, the more clarity they have around thinking about the next steps as they move forward.
Finally, I would recommend that everyone have a Coach. There is something so divine about having a partner that can support you to Pause and really focus on yourself and goals. The coaching partnerships that I have had throughout my career have helped me to grow and heal in ways unimaginable.
Pricing:
- One-on-One Coaching – Packages starting at $1800
- Healing-Centered Coaching Workshops for Teams – Starting at $2500
- Healers Nook Resource Center – Free
- Conductors Coach Certification Program – $7000
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bloomingwillow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachleslieavantbrown/, https://www.instagram.com/bloomingwillowcoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloomingWillowCoachingLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blooming-willow-coaching
- SoundCloud: https://www.bloomingwillow.com/podcast
Image Credits
Leo Sage, Nix Avant
