Testimonials
It is a privilege to be able to support such amazing people through intense periods of change, and to be a compassionate witness to their transformations. Below is a selection of testimonials from current and previous clients explaining our work together. Deepest gratitude to them for sharing their stories.
Photos of actual humans. Not AI-generated.
Whitney showed up with the boldness, the softness, and the depth that I thrive on.
Chetana Deorah
Auroville, India, and San Francisco, CA
I resisted coaching and struggled to receive support throughout my career. Despite feeling like a misfit in corporate cultures, I reached out to Whitney during a pivotal career moment.
She showed up with the boldness, the softness, and the depth that I happen to thrive on! Whitney used various techniques to understand ‘the what’ and ‘the why’ helping me feel heard before diving into ‘the how’. We explored rituals and exercises to help me practice and feel into what I needed. When she coached me through a complicated negotiation, I was able to courageously connect with what I value and what I need to let go of! We designed intentional steps toward landing roles aligned with my true purpose.
I have since become more comfortable with being a ‘misfit’ and learned to receive for myself.
This was an incredible, positive change for the team. Whitney’s coaching gave me the confidence and support I needed to work with my team towards our own concrete goals and objectives—by asking for what we needed.
Nguyet Vuong
Washington, D.C.
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
When I was promoted from design lead to VP of Design at my startup—managing a design team of three (spanning product design and marketing design) while also being a researcher. I realized I needed support because success was not explicitly defined and there were unclear expectations for growth from leadership. I found myself without boundaries, and being pulled in a lot of directions. I didn’t know what my strengths were, the kind of leader I wanted to be, or how to show up to support my team. At the time, my startup was merging with a bigger company so the ambiguity was overwhelming. There were a lot of strong voices around me but no clear leadership, and no product direction. I couldn’t clearly see the path ahead of me, and I didn’t have the emotional support to empower myself. I had an idea of the problem I wanted to solve, but needed an objective perspective to help flesh out the ideas more.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
My best friend Sarah recommended Whitney after going through the coaching herself. Whitney’s background as a designer and knowing that she uses the design methodology [in her coaching] made me feel confident about her approach. After our first conversation, I immediately felt at ease and became more curious about my growth paths. It was super clear to me after my consultation call that I needed a voice of reason, an empathetic ear, and someone who has a lot of tools and resources to help me through the rough times.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
The moment I noticed doubts [coming in], I’d open up my Miro board and start design thinking with some questions that Whitney posed. For example, my CEO at the time did not set any success criteria or define what success means—I felt blocked and the ambiguity made me feel powerless. Whitney proposed a set of questions to think through long-term, short-term, and how to define success for me. Working through these questions clarifies the path forward for me and empowers me to take steps forward despite leadership’s lack of direction. And I begin to do this every time since. These actionable recommendations help me to feel in control, and take a step back, and look for opportunities for the next steps. Over time, this feels empowering and helps me to realize what I can control, and ask for help in areas I don’t.
The other really helpful thing was the StrengthsFinder [assessment] results showed that an area I was really lacking in is communication. We dug in together and uncovered many impactful insights that I hadn’t noticed before. Now, whenever I start to feel uncomfortable about something at work, I start to write them out and work through them. Eventually, I either feel better or start to share my thoughts. I hope to continue to improve by sharing my thinking earlier and more often with my team.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I learned to empower myself and my product team to set our own objectives, roadmap, and success metrics despite the lack of leadership’s direction. When the then-CEO announced to dissolve my product group, we had enough work and ideas to propose our own direction to the company owner—thus saving our jobs. We were given the opportunity to pursue our own objectives while identifying and removing blockers, like the leaders and success definition. This was an incredible, positive change for the team. Whitney’s coaching gave me the confidence and support I needed to convince and work with my team towards our own concrete goals and objectives by asking for what we needed. A year later, my product team left the company and started our own startup to pursue our mission because we are confident enough after having gone through that. This is the most powerful move I’ve done. I’m truly grateful for Whitney’s words and support.
One of the many things I learned about myself while working with Whitney is a clearer sense of self-awareness and checking in with myself more often. I learned that my insecurities around communication—from public speaking to communicating my vision and ideas—stemmed from my armor to protect my refugee background, to protect my 8-year-old refugee self. Through one of our coaching sessions, Whitney uncovered my need to reconnect with my 8-year-old self—to ask permission to talk about myself and start to meditate and heal. This was a powerful perspective change in how I see myself and how I show up. I’m learning to be more aware of how I share my vulnerabilities, and question moments when I doubt myself to speak up or share my story. I started to make art again, beginning a new series of work to process and embrace this new perspective.
I knew from this moment it would be perhaps the single best investment I make in my career.
Liam Hutchinson
Bangkok, Thailand
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
Two things happened in parallel: a difficult set of professional experiences and cultural mismatches alongside taking on bigger leadership roles. Recent past experiences left me unsure, but the future growth kept me going. I knew I needed support to shift my own mindset, move on from the past, and the guidance to achieve my own ambitions in my new role.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
It was during my introductory call that I realised Whitney was someone I needed to partner with. Whitney clearly understood where I’m coming from, where I wanted to go, and asked questions that from a 30-minute call left me with immense clarity. I knew from this moment if we kept on working together, it would be perhaps the single best investment I make in my career.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
The consistency of our working together over time had huge compounding benefits. I distinctly remember early in the coaching beginning to ask myself, “What would Whitney say?” which was always a great reflection point for me. I thought coaching would take a long time before it would become useful to me, however, I was immensely surprised to see the impact from the first session with small tactical exercises or reflections.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
In the moment Whitney would pick me up, dust me off, and give me the clarity and perspective to keep pushing on. Whitney helped me to differentiate between failing in my career and a mismatch of a role—which helped me find a new role in which I was much more aligned and have loved every day since. Over 1 year after our coaching finished, I still use the lessons from Whitney on a frequent basis for the benefit of myself, and hopefully for my team, to show up as a better leader.
Having worked with countless clients in every scenario imaginable, Whitney’s approach and technique is like having access to a Swiss army knife of design leadership tools.
Julie Regina
Madison, WI
After leveling up through a new job at a startup that transplanted me to a new city, I realized I needed support in navigating some significant transition. Whitney’s coaching was pivotal in helping me get grounded, feel confident in my new role, and set a course for growth.
More than just leadership coaching, Whitney offers her presence, support, and holistic perspective to address what is at the root of the problem or situation at hand. Having worked with countless clients in every scenario imaginable, Whitney’s approach and technique is like having access to a Swiss army knife of design leadership tools.
Over the course of working with Whitney I felt my confidence increase, my stress decrease, and my communication with colleagues improve. I’ve learned how to focus my attention on what matters, and get intentional about the steps I want to take on my path of growth. Whitney is incredibly wise, caring, and talented. She has profoundly impacted my career trajectory and has become my biggest cheerleader. I am forever grateful for her and the work she is doing in the world.
Whitney has become a partner in my career. Working with her helped me frame who I want to be as an executive.
Liz Petoskey
Chicago, IL
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
As a young, first time COO, I knew I would need coaching outside of the company. Having a specified program with individualized sessions was more powerful than just mentorship and networking.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I was drawn to Whitney’s full approach to coaching. She paired together active sessions with books, articles, exercises and assessments to paint a broader picture of where I was and where I wanted to go. It was clear that she would play an active role in helping me shape my broader career, not just specific to my current role. She gave me practical exercises and techniques to use in the workplace. I also wanted to work with someone who understood the dynamics of gender in the boardroom.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Having a greater awareness and ability to pay attention to dynamics. Particularly in getting better at recognizing my own physical response to situations at work. Do I need a break? Should I speak up more here?
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Whitney has become a partner in my career. Working with her helped me frame who I want to be as an executive and I reference that roadmap and principles we created often when assessing career decisions.
The very act of participating in coaching has changed my own approach to how I develop and support team members.
Nate Hylan
Boston, MA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I had been working for ages towards getting my dream job as a product manager at my current company and I finally did! Once I got there though, I felt a bit like I was operating without a plan. All my energy had gone into this huge career achievement and then I didn’t have a “what’s next and why.” I felt rudderless.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
The first time I met with Whitney, I knew she would be able to help. She spent a huge amount of time understanding my goals, where I was currently, and digging into the details of me as a human. She’s amazing at teasing out details that make a huge impact in how you see yourself in relation to the world around you.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
After Whitney and I anchored to a coaching plan, it was almost as if the coaching plan itself freed me from a lot of unhelpful thinking patterns. With a clear plan to achieve outcomes that I LOVED, it was really easy to start racking up little victories. One thing I’m particularly proud of during this time, was letting go of some beliefs about leadership to embrace my natural talents as a leader. I was holding back in how I approached my career and limiting my growth because I believed I couldn’t provide real value as a leader.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I’ve experienced an immense amount of growth since my coaching engagement with Whitney. I’ve gotten amazing feedback from some of the people I support and I’ve been able to create some new opportunities for leadership at my job, which I already loved. Additionally, the very act of participating in coaching has changed my own approach to how I develop and support team members.
Working with Whitney got me more clarity in a few weeks than I had gotten on my own in a few months.
Meg Rye
London, UK
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be the support you needed?
As a career coach for designers myself, I was seeking someone uniquely skilled in both design and coaching. I had followed Whitney for some time from afar and always admired her wholesomeness, spirit of adventure, rooting in research and pragmatism, and excellence. When I decided it was time for a coach for a pivotal point in my own career, her values very much aligned with mine and I was confident she could help.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
I’d say things started changing even before my second session with Whitney. As she crafted a bespoke package for my needs, she asked powerful questions that already had me thinking and eager to get started.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I’ve gained perspective on myself, my career and most importantly, action items for how to move from a place of uncertainty to a place of forward action. Working with Whitney got me more clarity in a few weeks than I had gotten on my own in a few months. Highly recommend her as a coach with high integrity, deep generosity, and skillful technique. Thank you Whitney!
Whitney felt like a mirror in which I was reflected back as more powerful than I ever imagined.
Anita Stubenrauch
Murphys, CA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I knew I needed support in the midst of my very first interaction with Whitney. A series of seemingly random events led me to her website. An email later and we’re on the phone introducing ourselves, ostensibly to learn more about each other’s businesses. By the end of that call, it felt like the Universe had lined up the situation, circumstances, and events to connect us. Before that moment, I’d never considered engaging a coach. Now, I know it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
Whitney’s presence, support, and gentle pushes helped me access what was going on inside my head and showing up in my actions. Whitney felt like a mirror in which I was reflected back as more powerful than I ever imagined.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
By the end of my coaching program I was noticing small, strong changes in my approach to my work and the way I interacted with clients. Cumulatively, those small changes have had a huge payoff.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
When I started my coaching program with Whitney, I was hesitant to own and ask for my value. Now, I’m earning over four figures an hour and closing six-figure deals on the regular. And I’m loving every minute of it.
I learned to better trust my values, instinct, and vision in order to drive my ideas forward with more confidence.
Megan Sanicki
Boise, ID, and Tuscon, AZ
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I needed support during a time when my organization was facing a community crisis. It’s lonely at the top and even lonelier during a storm. Whitney joined me as a partner, helping me think through strategies and generally being a ballast during a stormy time, providing honest feedback, asking hard questions, and offering empathetic support.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I worked with Whitney before when she conducted user research for a community website project. In addition to being an absolute professional, leading a whole community and board through a successful process, I found that Whitney had great integrity, which was important to me. Plus, she has an amazing superhero ability to see the heart of the issue clearly and quickly. She not only helps you see it, but Whitney also helps you come up with strategies to address it.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Weathering a crisis is exhausting. It puts a lot of strain on the limbic system. You work tirelessly to help thousands and there is little energy left for yourself. I noticed that the change in my confidence and ability to move forward with more energy started on day one when Whitney said “I’m here for YOU.” And she was — each step of the way.
My challenge was the need to quickly process the crisis situation and sift through all the incoming advice, demands, and needs. It was hard to find my center and decide which strategy to use to get the best impact while also being true to my own values. Through Whitney’s coaching, I learned to better trust my values, instinct, and vision in order to drive my ideas forward with more confidence. I loved how Whitney would call me out if I shared a thought process that wasn’t authenticity mine. It helped me better see the situation and better form a strategy. I continue to hear her words in my head as I make hard or bold decisions. Building confidence takes time and continuous practice. Whitney gave me the tools to do that.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I learned that authenticity and self-trust is your power source when leading. It can be scary to put yourself out there to drive change especially when you are way out in front of others who don’t recognize the need to change yet. I now have much more confidence and fortitude to drive the change that is needed to make an organization thrive.
Whitney showed me that I already had the toolbox to approach leadership challenges in the same way as design problems.
Sarah Baker Mills
Chapel Hill, NC
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
My company was scaling rapidly and my role was changing faster than I was ready for. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious about letting my team down, I was spinning in circles instead of shaping a vision to go after as a team.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I was talking with design leader friend about work, we are in the same emerging tech industry where UX is a huge challenge. I noticed how much peace my friend seemed to have—confidently going after what she really wanted in her career. I remarked that I would give anything to feel a shred of the calm she had, and she responded by introducing me to Whitney.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
When I started just doing the things that needed to be done, instead of being paralyzed by doubt and second-guessing myself. I was starting to trust my gut and getting out of my own way.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
The biggest difference is that Whitney helped me see that all leadership doesn’t have to look the same. She reframed things that I was seeing as weakness into positive strengths that I have to offer. She helped me get to that place where things felt better, more natural, because I’m wasn’t trying to cram myself into a cookie-cutter of what I thought a design leader should be. I could just be myself, with my own style of leadership, and things became significantly less stressful.
Whitney showed me that I already had the toolbox to approach leadership challenges in the same way as design problems, I just hadn’t realized it. Approaching leadership in a designerly way seems obvious now, but I don’t think I would have gotten there without Whitney’s questions, focus, accountability, frameworks, and encouragement.
Since working with Whitney, my mental resiliency and sense of “what if” has grown.
Zachary Lang
Atlanta, GA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I was attending a personal development conference, and I had a realization that I’d used coaching to grow in so many areas of life (i.e., fitness), but not in career development.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I had seen Whitney speak a few times at SXSW and as a guest of the Atlanta Web Design Group and was struck both times by her intelligence, genuine sincerity, and empathic thinking and expression. I’d known that she’d made a career transition into coaching and honestly that was also a big selling point to me as I had (as yet fully formed) desires to coach in some capacity. Whitney was the first and only coach I reached out to; our connection (and Whitney’s compassion and thoughtful questions) shone through the intro phone call.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
I began to make more of an effort to help define my professional role more at my day job. I took a keen interest in creating a balance between maker and manager time. I openly communicated to my boss and my team my desire to be a better leader. Vulnerability became more of a practice in the workplace than ever before.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
In my day job: My role has shifted more from day-to-day manager to leader; I helped research, craft, oversee a structural transition into a role-based Holacracy at the agency (just went into effect the past few weeks); I attended the Mindful Leader Summit and am helping to implement a company mindfulness practice to promote more stillness and empathy throughout the organization; and through some of my own coaching and conversation, my boss has begun starting meetings with a few minutes of silent mindfulness and reflection!
On the side: I’ve committed myself more to coaching; I’ve completed and received certifications as a Primal Health Coach, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, and CrossFit Level 1 Coach (just in 2019!); I completed a Spartan Trifecta — 3 races, 5, 8, and 15 miles — this year; and I’m currently conducting goal-setting sessions with members of my gym in preparation of the new year.
Since working with Whitney, my mental resiliency and sense of “what if” has grown. I’ve applied for jobs that I never thought I could apply for.
Whitney’s compassionate yet no-bullshit approach is a powerful combination!
Rachel Reynard
San Francisco, CA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I got to a point where I felt I’d developed as much as I could without expert guidance. I’d been considering coaching for a while to understand where I could improve to be a more effective design leader, but I hadn’t identified a leadership coach or class that really appealed to me. I’m motivated to explore the intersections of mindfulness, creativity, ethical business, and design leadership; I had a tough time finding a company that spoke my language.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I knew Whitney by reputation as a UX thought leader, but I wasn’t aware she was a leadership coach until I met her at an event. As the keynote speaker, she described her powerful and humorous journey of self-discovery with honesty and vulnerability. Though she had clarity and didn’t pull any punches, Whitney was compassionate with herself. I appreciated her boundaries, her maturity, and her systematic approach grounded in mindfulness. I trusted I could bring my whole self to the relationship, and I trusted Whitney to be 100% honest with me. Her compassionate yet no-bullshit approach is a powerful combination!
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Pretty much immediately, Whitney helped me see habits and mindsets that were no longer serving me. The experience has been truly transformational & it’s hard to describe how great it’s felt having Whitney in my corner.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I’m in a new design leadership position with greater responsibility, shaping a human-centered design practice that’s 100% aligned to my values. I’m 10x clearer about what I want to do (and not do), how I want to show up, and the kind of culture and practice I’m motivated to build & support.
I now believe that I can achieve whatever I wish to in my career. Period.
Kanchan Majithia
Bangalore, India
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
Getting back to work after a long break wasn’t easy for me; I was unconfident and confused about my career goals. Even though I had worked as a UX practitioner for three years, I was constantly haunted by imposter syndrome. I felt I needed to understand myself better, and wanted the reassurance that I could make it to where I wanted to go.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I am a big fan of Whitney and love her for being able to design her life and live it on her terms. It is inspiring both from the perspective of being a woman and being in the field of design. I had, at that time, been following her blog and podcast very closely. The fact that she is both a design leader and is coaching people was an incredible match for me; I knew she would understand what I was going through and would be the perfect coach that I was looking for.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Whitney helped me push aside all the self-doubt I had about myself and introduced me to tools that would boost my confidence. She broadened my understanding of the field, taught me to assess organisations and their level of UX maturity, dissect and understand job opportunities, and most importantly, network better. I realised that my habits were changing when I was getting picky about the roles that I wanted to take up and my confidence levels were suddenly peaking when I was attending interviews and began receiving more offers than I expected.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
After coaching with Whitney, I now believe that I can achieve whatever I wish to in my career. Period. My approach towards anything that I do is more focussed and with a clear roadmap of how I want to get there. I don’t think I would have been able to develop this mindset without the coaching sessions I had with her. I feel stronger today in whatever I do and know that I can fall back on Whitney whenever I hit a roadblock. All I’d say is: Thank you, Whitney!
A huge confidence boost for me.
Katy Watkins
Pittsburgh, PA
I came to Whitney and Plot Your Course feeling stuck and stressed out, struggling to figure out whether I should stay at my current job or try to move on. She helped me clarify for myself what I needed out of that job in order to stay, and provided a framework for evaluating where I’m trying to go. That’s been a huge confidence boost for me. (And a stress-reliever!) Two years later when the perfect new job opportunity fell in my lap, it was easy to identify and I didn’t have to think twice about taking it.
Whitney always had such confidence in me that eventually I started to have that same confidence in myself again.
Heather O’Neill
Boston, MA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I can’t pinpoint an exact moment, but I knew that something had to change and I didn’t know what it was. I had been struggling with postpartum depression and could see myself getting more and more stuck without the right tools to get unstuck. So I looked for something/someone else who could help me.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I’ve followed Whitney for a long time and communicated a few times over the Internet. Every interaction was always full of caring and support and that really resonated with me. I needed someone who would show up for me, but with grace and compassion, as well as challenging me to move forward. I didn’t have any doubts that Whitney could absolutely be that person.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Whitney blew my mind early on when she looked at my business, looked at me, and said, “What if you restructured your business around what you love doing?” I’d been running a UX design agency for so long over two companies and it hadn’t occurred to me that I should do anything different, even though I don’t love doing UX design. That alone was life changing. And while it didn’t happen overnight (and indeed is still in progress), I’ve shifted to building a business I love.
Most changes came, though, well after we had finished the work. I was coming from a place of postpartum depression, so working with Whitney was more of a slow burn than a quick change, in terms of my habits especially. Just having regular calls with her though — I felt the change coming long before I could see it. And she always had such confidence in me that eventually I started to have that same confidence in myself again. To this day, I still can remember things she said to me and perspectives she helped me change about myself and my relationship to my work and others that really supports and helps me. I expect that will continue pretty much forever (ROI win!)
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
My business is about me now, and what I want to do and what I love to do and what I am good at. And while that’s scary in some ways (no more hiding behind UX design), it’s so freeing. It’s so powerful. I’m more confident in myself, but in a way that feels more measured and wiser than my confidence before the postpartum depression. I’ve let go of a lot of the things I’d been holding on to, and I only expect that to continue. I can’t even recount the small ways in which coaching with Whitney has changed me, my circumstances and my perspectives. I’m forever grateful to her and our work. (And also I’m definitely planning to work with her again.)
I am a better leader, mother, and woman because of my coaching sessions with Whitney.
Colleen Carroll
Chicago, IL
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I realized I needed support when tears came to my eyes the first time Whitney asked me a pointed question. I couldn’t put words to the feeling or challenges I faced and I was overwhelmed. I had learned to separate my emotions from the situation and address things fearlessly.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
About half way through my coaching engagement with Whitney I realized not only was I becoming aware of my habits, but I was also able to slow my impulses and in most cases adjust them on the fly. Prior to coaching with Whitney, I would rely on my instincts to guide decisions and while that served me well for some time, it didn’t scale and didn’t allow me to collaborate with others on strategic issues, unless that person shared my instincts. Three months after coaching sessions started, I began to better articulate my instincts and build the trust of my peers in group discussions. As a result more clearly state expectations helped us meet our desired outcomes.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
With Whitney’s guidance, I was able to become aware of the language, behavior, and habits I had developed both in my career and personal life that blocked me from succeeding.
I am a better leader, mother, and woman because of my coaching sessions with Whitney. Trust and respect for others are the two things that stand out most to me from our sessions. While these values seem obvious, in practice they are not easily achieved or maintained and are the secret to successful outcomes. I learned how to embrace the nuance of these values with my colleagues, friends, and family.
Whitney listened and asked profound questions, whilst also providing some tactical support.
Michelle Zassenhaus
Brooklyn, NY
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
In 2016, a divorce pulled my career goals into sharp relief: how do I ensure as a single woman and mother that I’m financially sound and preparing adequately for my kids, without relying on anyone?
This question spurred a good hard look at my career trajectory, household, goals, and plans. It was holistic in nature and I needed some tools to grapple with it.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I knew of Whitney through the design community, and had followed her path to coaching. Her insight impressed me, and even from afar her dedication was clear. A conversation with her convinced me it was the right move.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
Surprisingly probably only to me, adjusting to this change became about more than career and finances: it affected all areas of my life. Whitney listened and asked profound questions, whilst also providing some tactical support. Thinking through things like the best way to set up my business, and set up certain types of engagements, were useful immediately. Other questions, such as evaluating what type of work I excel at, where I want to take my business, and evaluations of my life, were more of an ongoing reflection.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
I am more aware of my value, pretty much in all areas of my life, but certainly in business. I feel more confident about what I can offer and how to offer it. Much of what she gave me was a frame to hang everything on, which I return to over and over. It took me about a year and a half, but it brought me to the next level, and I’m sure it will pay more dividends moving forward.
Durham, NC
I consider it a moment of true wisdom that I chose Whitney to be my guide on this journey.
At the time I sought out Whitney’s help I wanted to make the most of a recent career opportunity I felt had the potential to be transformative in my life. I was looking for a career coach to help me achieve some very concrete goals. What I received from Whitney was so much more.
I knew Whitney initially from her reputation as a well respected user experience designer and public speaker. Having also recently discovered that she had shifted into career coaching, I thought she might be the person to help me. What I didn’t know before engaging with her is that she is an incredibly insightful, empathetic person. I was continually impressed in my time with Whitney by her astute analysis of my life — how some of my misconceptions were holding me back and how I could best recognize and take advantage of my strengths.
Through some starts and stops and some up and downs, Whitney helped me find my pace. As is often the case, the changes I needed to make were not easy, but I always felt rewarded by our sessions together as being time well spent. Buoying my spirits, they allowed me to carry on and strive once more for my goals.
Now a bit over a year out looking back, I can see how far I’ve come. I have real pride in accomplishing those concrete goals I set forth with Whitney, but even more in the growth I’ve made in myself to get myself to this place. Sometimes in life it’s hard to know if we make good choices, but I consider it a moment of true wisdom that I chose Whitney to be my guide on this journey.
I was a fan of Whitney’s work for years and respected her as a leader so I felt I could trust her as a coach.
Jamie Cavanaugh
Los Angeles, CA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I realized I needed support when I was at a crossroads in my career and didn’t know where to turn. I wanted to make a change but didn’t know what I wanted to do or how to do it. Asking Whitney for help impacted my career and ultimately the direction of my life.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I was a fan of Whitney’s work for years and respected her as a leader so I felt I could trust her as a coach. Also, it was important to me to be coached by an interaction designer, she understood exactly where I was coming from.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
The moment I noticed my habits were changing was when Whitney offered a different perspective to me and I realized how much my limiting beliefs were holding me back. Then it took exploring other perspectives, despite feeling uncomfortable. This was what made all the difference.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Coaching was a big life-changer for me. It helped me understand the importance of asking for help and the value of observing my beliefs and intentions. It took shifting my perspectives to affect change in my habits and behavior. Working with Whitney was the first step towards making the necessary changes to start an entirely new direction in my career. Whitney is great, I highly recommend her!
I became noticeably happier and many aspects of my life improved—not just my work.
John Chan
Vancouver, Canada
For years, I’ve long admired Whitney’s principle-driven approach to user experience design and her advice on developing empathy. So when I first heard that she was offering coaching services, I jumped at the opportunity.
At the time, I didn’t have a sense of direction in my work and I struggled to stay productive. Rather than focusing on the immediate issue, she helped me uncover deeper issues around the habits in my life. We slowly developed routines for self-care, self-awareness and self-adjustment. Shortly after, I became noticeably happier and many aspects of my life improved—not just my work.
Over 12 months, I went from working on a small side project that had no purpose or direction, to leading a small team on a mission to help change people’s work habits. Today, we serve tens of thousands of users around the world. None of this would’ve happened if it wasn’t for Whitney’s guidance.
The future has never looked brighter.
Stacey Billups
Great Barrington, MA, and Brooklyn, NY
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
The moment I realized I needed support happened after a particularly hostile meeting at my corporate job. I was a high-performer, invited to climb the corporate ladder and was making good money, but after that meeting being an employee was no longer of interest to me. It lead me to want to be driving decisions and to create and foster a culture of respect and equality. And I realized I had landed in this position because I had not clearly set my intentions. I wanted to design my future and I wasn’t sure where to start.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I have always seen Whitney as a strong leader. Also, her communication skills have been an inspiration for me for several years. She is a great listener and insightful. Other factors that made me want to work with Whitney are that she has been a successful consultant for the majority of her career and that she had a successful transition from one career path to another
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
I realized habits were changing when I was turning away more opportunities than I was accepting. Those opportunities I started to say yes to, clearly aligned with my goals and those that I turned away did not. Also, I noticed my ability to assess a situation, both personally and professionally, became aligned with my core values, which was incredibly empowering!
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
My circumstances have changed a lot and all for the better. I am aligned with top-tier consultants, working on interesting and challenging projects. Also, I am co-founder in Blockchain startup. I am regularly checking in with my goals and what’s important to me. My communication skills have greatly improved, which is having a positive impact on my professional and personal life. The future has never looked brighter.
Working with Whitney helped me build my confidence, trust myself and stopped me from judging success based on others’ opinions.
Chris Chiusano
Medford, MA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I had been working as an individual contributor throughout my career and had the opportunity to transition into a management role. In this new role I was asked to lead a small team. I knew that what had made me successful as an individual contributor wouldn’t necessarily make me a successful manager. That’s when I knew that in order to succeed in my new role, I would need additional training or support.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
When I began seeking out different training and resources, I found that most management resources were skewed towards sales and marketing. These were helpful but not always relevant to my role as a design manager. I had been a long-time fan / follower of Whitney after seeing her speak at An Event Apart years earlier. Shortly after moving into my role she had launched her coaching business. To me, she had the perfect combination of a successful background in User Experience along with the tools and capabilities to help me grow and move into my new role. I immediately reached out.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
I first noticed that my habits were changing when I began to listen and trust my inner voice. After a few sessions of working with Whitney, I realized that I had been ignoring it for a long time. Working with Whitney helped me build my confidence, trust myself and stopped me from judging success based on others’ opinions. I knew things were changing when we were able to build a plan from where I was to where I wanted to be.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Without a doubt, coaching drastically accelerated my career in a short period of time. Having worked with Whitney for about three years, I was able to leave a job I had been stuck in for too long, increase my salary, grow from maker to manager, and I even began pursuing my own journey as a coach. Before working with Whitney, I used to believe that coaching was something specifically for executives, but now I know it’s for anyone who is willing to put in the work and make a change.
In the truest sense of a partnership, she had heard me and went beyond the limits of where I could see at the time.
Kellie Brownell
Palo Alto, CA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
I realized I needed support the moment I acknowledged that the life had really drained out of my current work as a web developer. At the time, I enjoyed attending a meeting of the designers and UX practitioners at my organization and whenever someone asked what brought me to these meetings, I would say, “your conversations are way more interesting than ours.” One day, I finally heard the hard truth coming out of me in that answer. And committed to working with a coach who could help me decide whether to stay this course or set off in a different direction.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I had seen Whitney facilitate a series of difficult discussions months earlier. I was amazed by her ability to listen and distill the stories, feelings, and confusion of participants into succinct recommendations. Every time she asked, does this represent well what you said? The speaker inevitably said yes. And heaved a sigh of relief, having felt completely heard and understood. On a preliminary call, it sounded like her approach to coaching would go deeper than leadership and career exploration exercises I had been exposed to before. And again, I was impressed by her quality of listening and understanding to the particulars of my situation.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
A turning point in my coaching program came when Whitney offered to send example job descriptions, so we could talk about which ones sparked some kind of response in me. She had asked such incisive questions over our early calls and articulated such a thorough grasp of my background and motivations, that I was excited to see what she’d come back with. Nevertheless, I was completely floored. In the truest sense of a partnership, she had heard me and went beyond the limits of where I could see at the time. And helped me break through to much deeper levels of understanding around what mattered to me and why, as well as how to get from here to there. Having helped me plot a new course that really spoke to me, it became easy to integrate her structured and practical recommendations for stepping into higher levels of influence and leadership.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Whitney’s coaching has not only helped me identify a career path I feel passionate about pursuing, which is extraordinary, but also reinvigorated life back into my current work. Her nuanced and inspiring perspectives on leadership have given me something to work on everyday in the office, in my relationships with colleagues, in the way I talk, reflect, and write about my work. She has also helped me identify role models and schools of leadership that resonated with the qualities I hoped to cultivate over the course of my career. So in terms of circumstances and perspective, it feels like I’m looking farther and higher, than I would have without her coaching, and into a future that enlivens me more than I might have dared to explore on my own.
This has helped build my confidence in work, and all areas of my life.
Kaitlin Maud
Los Angeles, CA, and Austin, TX
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
When I contacted Whitney, I was coming off of a period of intense change and found myself at a point where I was unable to figure out the next steps required to continue moving forward. In particular, I was getting clear on what I didn’t want with my career and with what wasn’t working, but was stuck when it came to figuring out what I did want.
How did you decide Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
When I saw that Whitney was offering coaching, I knew she’d be the perfect fit for my needs. She had already done a lot of what I was hoping to do professionally (grow a successful business, take advantage of speaking and writing opportunities) and her background in UX made me feel confident that she would understand and empathize with some of the challenges I was facing in my work as a Strategist.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
My habits started to change from the very beginning of our engagement together. I started talking about myself and my work differently (more positively! more clearly!). I started scoping projects in ways that better catered to my work style (smaller timelines! less deliverables!). And my habits still continue to change: I have recently started offering coaching to my own clients.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Coaching has helped re-frame my perspective on myself & my skills, and find new excitement in my unique offerings. This has helped build my confidence in work, and really all areas of my life.
Having worked with Whitney first as a team member and then as a client, I can’t say enough about how insightful she is. She has that rare combination of strategic vision and executional strength as well as an ability to quickly work through an issue to find the answer and then communicate that clearly to all parties. As an additional bonus, she’s fun to work with and brings an intellectual curiosity that moves everyone’s thinking forward. Whitney would be one of the first picks for any team I’d assemble.”
— Tanja Omeze
Renaissance woman is probably the best way I can describe Whitney. She’s versatile, intelligent, and talented—all qualities that make her well equipped for the world of interaction design and interactive marketing. Whitney and I worked briefly but intensely on a very innovative project which required us to be flexible and forward thinking. I enjoyed working with her and would recommend her in a heartbeat as she is a valuable asset to any company she works for.”
— David Armano
Whitney’s coaching has literally changed my life.
Aleatha Singleton
Houston, TX
I had been frustrated with the culture at my company for a few years. The constant struggles and battles my team had to go through to get good design out there for the users was exhausting. I felt like I was wasting my energy and passion on designs that never saw the light of day. I was tired of working long, stressful hours with nothing to show for it. I was to the point where I was considering a complete career change because the things that I had once loved about UX Design seemed like vague memories from some dream-filled night years ago.
I shared these feelings with a friend of mine, who then told me about Whitney’s Plot Your Course program. I took a chance and contacted her, thinking that it was a long-shot that she would have the time to take on my challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by her response and willingness to help me.
Whitney’s coaching has literally changed my life. She genuinely cares about her clients and gives them only her best efforts in helping them. She was able to dissuade my doubts about my career choice, worked with me to set clear goals and encouraged me to overcome my fears and take more chances in order to design my own life.
Now, I work for a company that is passionate about User Centered Design and I no longer feel like I’m wasting my time and energy. I’m even doing some exciting projects on the side that will help me gain the experience I need to get even closer to the career dreams I thought were unobtainable before I met her.
I am truly grateful for her guidance and must say that she is well worth the investment. If you invest in her, she will invest in you.
I have only one regret about my coaching with Whitney: that I didn’t engage her sooner.
Tom Kerwin
London, UK
I’d been following Whitney’s work on her excellent blog and through her Designing Yourself podcast. Her insightful, mindfulness-based approach seemed like it would suit me. I’d been considering coaching for a good while, all too aware that coaching is a common factor amongst top performers in every field.
There wasn’t really one single moment that I finally decided to book in with Whitney. It was more a dawning realisation that I was in a tougher environment than I’d anticipated and wasn’t getting the results I wanted. My biggest challenges fell under the leadership topic. With too many tasks and too little time, I was struggling to identify the most important next area and best actions. Even when I did, I was then struggling to persuade my colleagues to prioritise that work. Worst, I feared I was starting to lose the respect of my colleagues because I didn’t have all the answers they expected me to have.
Whitney helped me reframe the way I was looking at the whole situation. After exploring my approach in the role, my epiphany was that the company I was with was quite low on the UX maturity scale and had unrealistic expectations. Most importantly, I saw how I had made a rod for my own back by playing into those expectations from the beginning. Whitney worked with me to plot a better course, opening up exciting career options I hadn’t even considered before.
I have only one regret about my coaching with Whitney: that I didn’t engage her sooner.
Thanks to Whitney’s coaching, I am much more confident in my career.
Colleen Beaton
Boston, MA
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
The moment I knew I needed support was the moment I realized I wasn’t just frustrated with the lack of momentum and, more importantly, the lack of meaning in my career — I was mad. I needed that to change.
How did you decide that Whitney’s coaching could be that support?
I have been a fan of Whitney’s work for a long time. I’m always learning something new from her, either from her blog or social media posts, or watching one of her talks. Because of this, combined with the intensive training she received through her coaching certification process, I knew she was the coach I was looking for.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
I noticed a lot of small improvements right away, but noticed a big change after completing the [redefining your success metrics] activities she suggested and guided me through. These activities helped me to not only pinpoint what I needed to do to better define my career path, but also held me accountable.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
Thanks to Whitney’s coaching, I am much more confident in my career. I have a clear path defined, and solid tools to help me amend that path as I continue to grow and learn.
Rochester, MN
I felt she really listened and understood my problems deeply.
I was at a crossroads in my career, about to graduate from my post-graduate studies in HCI. I needed advice on making a life-changing decision of whether to leave my current job, and if so, where I should go next. I also wanted to move from a Web Developer to a UX Designer. I knew it would not be easy getting into the UX field with my relative inexperience.
Whitney provided clarity when I needed it most. She asked the right questions. I felt she really listened and understood my problems deeply. We came up with an action plan. Over the course of three months, we went over exercises that I could do in my own time that allowed me to reflect on what was most important. I eventually found a job that I thought would offer me the best chance to grow into the UX field. It was with a company ranked very highly in the Fortune 100 top companies to work for. Whitney coached me on the job interview process, and I believe it made a difference.
I am very grateful for her coaching and most definitely would recommend Whitney for the services she provides.
Mountain View, CA
I am happier now, and better able to understand my strengths and how others see me.
What was the moment you realized you needed support?
A manager was inserted between me and the leader of my group, and I was upset. I really really wanted to quit, and realized that this was a repeating pattern with me. I wondered if there was something I was doing to cause these same problems.
What was the moment you noticed your habits were changing?
It slowly happened, but recently was offered what many people might think was a great new opportunity as a director, just under the VP. I turned it down, thinking, I’m not second fiddle, I’m the most valuable player.
How has coaching changed your circumstances or perspective?
It has forced me to evaluate my behaviors and attitudes, and thankfully, has allowed me to make conscious and deliberate decisions about my daily work life and career, rather then purely emotional or circumstantial actions. I am happier now, and better able to understand my strengths and how others see me. I can’t recommend Whitney enough!
New York, NY
I could feel a distinct change in my thinking and energy, thanks to her empathy, encouragement, and patience.
I was at a major crossroad in my personal and professional life, getting ready to move back to New York City and find a new job, all of which was becoming overwhelming. I figured I’d manage to get through it all—I always do. But I also felt I needed help to take confident charge of my new life.
Having seen and been inspired by Whitney’s UX presentations and blog, and seeing that she was turning to coaching, I felt she’d provide just what I needed because she knew my career field and had such a warm, positive energy about her. Indeed, within 2 or 3 sessions, I could feel a distinct change in my thinking and energy, thanks to her empathy, encouragement, and patience to find the right tools to resonate with my needs.
The road to big changes is never smooth, but when I feel myself slipping, I can refer to the work we’ve done together to get myself back on track again.
