Services
What Types Of Coaching Do I Offer?
I help clients who are seeking new opportunities but know they need better storytelling and communication skills to succeed. I provide many kinds of support to help my clients reach their goals faster. You can mix and match my services to create a custom package that meets your needs.
- Portfolio: stand out by telling the unique story of your projects
- Presentation: hold the attention of your audience
- Interview: feel more empowered on your next call
- Resume/Cover Letter: move beyond keywords and templates
- School Application: create a clear structure with all your materials
Looking for another kind of support? Email me to find a solution together.
How Will Communication Coaching Benefit You?
Job offers, praise from coworkers, more successful meetings, and increased confidence are all benefits reported by my past clients. Don’t get passed over for your next job opportunity or promotion. Stop procrastinating and overcome your imposter syndrome!
Better Storytelling
Learn to tell your story so you can feel seen, connect with your audience, and show your unique value.
Greater Confidence
Gain the confidence to interview, apply for a new opportunity, or present your work with less stress.
Supportive Feedback
Receive clear, encouraging feedback that is easy to implement from a coach who understands design.
ESL Help
Get help with intonation, grammar, or understanding U.S. culture as you prepare to share your work.
Document Feedback
Resume/CV/Cover Letter: If you’d like to include more storytelling in your resume or need help deciding what to put in your cover letter, I can help. I’ve also got an eagle eye for proofreading if you want that kind of support.
School Application: Applying to school can be overwhelming – especially telling a clear story across all the materials you have to submit: portfolio, CV, essay, video bio, etc. I can help you get clarity and create a structure for your story so that nothing gets left out or repeated.
Presentation or Interview Prep
Presentations/Pitching: If your speaking skills aren’t what you want them to be, I can share my expertise to help you build your presence and confidence. I’ll teach you how to include more storytelling when you present and how to pitch your ideas clearly. I’ll even share my feedback checklist for you to use on your own.
Interviews: Giving a good interview is a skill, and that means it can be practiced. I’ll help you create a story bank so that you never have to improvise an answer on the spot. I’ll also help you craft a great response for the Tell Me About Yourself question.
Portfolio Storytelling Review
Everyone knows what a portfolio review is, but what I offer is a Portfolio Storytelling Review. I’ll guide you in telling the story of your work throughout your site: the branding statement, about section, and case studies. I don’t give feedback on your design work itself, but I’ll teach you how to describe your work clearly and effectively for your audience.
If you’re struggling to explain your work or don’t know how to get started, I’m here to help. These are the steps I recommend for telling a great portfolio story.
Step 1: Free Zoom Chat
I suggest that all my clients start with a free 30-minute Zoom chat. This allows you to explain your work and goals, and gives you a feel for my coaching style. We can talk about what you need and create a plan together to help you succeed.
Step 2: Portfolio Storytelling Workbook
Once you purchase a coaching session, I’ll share a free copy of my workbook to guide you in preparing your content. I designed this workbook to help my clients overcome the most common storytelling problems in their portfolios. It will help you save time and money so we can focus on more advanced issues in our coaching sessions.
- Contains reflection questions, writing exercises, tips, and checklists
- Helps you to create a personal, unique portfolio story
Step 3: General Feedback Video
If you already have a portfolio site, I’ll also provide a short feedback video similar to my case studies. It’s an overview with big-picture suggestions to guide you as you go through the workbook and update your content. Here’s an example.
Step 4: Detailed Feedback in Hypothesis
Step 1: Free Zoom Chat
I suggest that all my clients start with a free 30-minute Zoom chat. This allows you to explain your work and goals, and gives you a feel for my coaching style. We can talk about what you need and create a plan together to help you succeed.
Step 3: General Feedback Video
If you already have a portfolio site, I’ll also provide a short feedback video similar to my case studies. It’s an overview with big-picture suggestions to guide you as you go through the workbook and update your content. Here’s an example.
Step 2: Portfolio Storytelling Workbook
Once you purchase a coaching session, I’ll share a free copy of my workbook to guide you in preparing your content. I designed this workbook to help my clients overcome the most common storytelling problems in their portfolios. It will help you save time and money so we can focus on more advanced issues in our coaching sessions.
- Contains reflection questions, writing exercises, tips, and checklists
- Helps you to create a personal, unique portfolio story
Step 4: Detailed Feedback in Hypothesis
Jessica did a fantastic job walking through my website and providing an unbiased, outsider’s view on how others might experience my website. She provided clear, actionable feedback on improvements that I might make, all in easy to understand and kind language. I never felt criticized or felt like the efforts I had put into my site were devalued.
— Kristin
Payment Options
Individual Sessions: Individual 1-hour feedback sessions can be purchased in any quantity. You can use your time to meet with me on a Zoom call, request feedback on a document/website, or a combination of the two. Once payment is made, you’ll receive a link to my calendar so you can schedule a call if you wish. It’s your choice!
This option is good for folks who want to get a lot done in a short amount of time.
Ongoing Support: If you prefer ongoing support, you can sign up for my subscription plan and receive coaching time each week. This option is better for folks who need to do a lot of work and have a limited amount of time or a set budget for coaching.
Choose how much time you want to spend each week, and we’ll create a plan together to keep you on track with regular feedback, check-ins, and support.
ESL Services: Advanced writing help on a sentence-by-sentence level is available for clients who want extensive proofreading in addition to my standard feedback. Includes grammar correction and writing guidance for international designers.
Rates
Standard Rate: $97/hour
My standard rate applies to Zoom calls, video exchanges, and written feedback on your website or documents. Only pay for what you need.
Case Study Rate: $77/hour
I offer a special rate for those who would like to join my case study program. In exchange for this discount, you agree to provide a video testimonial or video case study about your experience once you’ve reached your goal.
If you have questions about my rates or you’d like to get a quote for your specific situation, just email me and I’ll give you some options!
My main concern was that I wouldn’t get my money’s worth if I enrolled for virtual coaching. In the end though, I can confidently say that every penny that I spent was worth it.
— Newton
FAQs
What’s Your Availability?
My working hours are from 9am-5pm Pacific time, Monday-Friday. If you cannot meet during those hours, I can always provide feedback asynchronously, through document exchange or video exchange. All my clients also have access to my private Slack workspace, where I can answer questions as they come up.
What If I’m Not Satisfied?
If at any point in the process you feel you are not getting the kind of help you need, you may cancel your remaining sessions and receive a refund.
What If I Need Help With More Than One Thing?
Many of my clients are job hunters who want support with every aspect of their preparation, from resume to portfolio to interview. That’s why I offer custom packages and ongoing support options so you can create a plan that works best for your needs.
What If I’m Not Motivated?
I understand that these tasks can be intimidating, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I’ll help you break your work down into manageable steps, check in often, and encourage you to keep going when you’re feeling stuck.
Can You Give Me An Example Of How This Works?
Client A has a deadline coming up and wants to get her portfolio ready asap. She purchases 5 hours of feedback. Thirty minutes go toward providing her with a feedback video to help her get perspective on her current site. Then she uses the workbook to update all her content. The remaining 4.5 hours are spent providing her with detailed feedback on her site to help her perfect her portfolio storytelling.
Client B is a new grad and is feeling overwhelmed by everything he needs to do to compete in the job market. He signs up for the ongoing plan with one hour of feedback per week. Each week, we set goals together in Slack and he shares his work as he completes it. Some weeks I give him feedback on his resume or portfolio, and some weeks we meet in Zoom to talk about his progress or practice his presentation skills. We’ll keep working together until he feels confident about telling his story.
Client C has a great portfolio but is struggling with her interviews. She books 3 hours and we use it to craft a great Tell Me About Yourself response, and to create a story bank so that she’s prepared for all the behavioral questions. We do mock interview practice and she gets feedback on her responses, as well as her presence and clarity.
Not Sure What To Choose?
I invite everyone interested in coaching to begin with a free 30-minute Zoom chat, so I can answer any questions you may have. I’ll give you a few general suggestions, and you can get a feel for my coaching style. If it seems like a good fit, we can discuss the next steps to get you closer to your goals.
- If you’re tired of feeling shy or ignored, let’s chat!
- If you’re ready to stop procrastinating, let’s chat!
- If you want to become a confident storyteller, let’s chat!
Who Else Have I Helped?
Many international design students learned how to express themselves confidently and describe their work clearly in my classes at the Academy of Art University and the California College of the Arts. I also mentor designers from around the world on ADPList.
Professional designers from companies such as Yelp, Google, and Uber have sought me out for help with their communication skills when writing portfolio stories or preparing for interviews, presentations, and meetings.
I’ve also given storytelling workshops for professional design organizations such as AIGA, Design Buddies, and Women Talk Design.
