Individual Coaching

Steph Jacobs is a ray of sunshine. She uses her light to help you hold up a mirror in order to find the right path forward. Steph's steady presence and insightful process provide the structure you need to identify and prioritize your values, and then plan for a future where your work life matches those values. The only downside is that Steph will not tell you what to do with your life! -- but she does help you figure that out for yourself."
- Samantha Henningson, Clean Transportation Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

My coaching experience with Steph went above and beyond my expectations. When I began my journey from stay-at-home mom to working part-time, I found it difficult to navigate which career path to choose. Each session, we discussed something new to ultimately figure out the right path to take. Our conversations and exercises empowered and motivated me to start the job search months earlier than initially planned. Steph provided feedback during the hiring process and checked in after to assist with any questions or concerns regarding the new position. I highly recommend Steph if you are looking for a mentor or coach during your journey."
- Bethany Weingart, Operations Associate, Meath Wealth Advisors

I began coaching with Steph as part of my leadership transition from a work experience I was in for over fifteen years. My own change chaos occurred along with the chaos in our society during the pandemic and the racial reckoning that culminated in 2020. Using emergence and living systems as a thread for how change can be harnessed -- letting go of the old ways holding us back and living into our potential as fresh growth occurs -- Steph's presence was an anchor. I was able to traverse my own chaos with support, kindness, and the occasional push from behind that I needed! So much care and skill goes into the experience!"
- Michelle Martin, Senior Director of Learning, Alia

Steph rules! She walked me through an incredible, helpful array of exercises that allowed me to articulate what I was looking for and what was important to me at the next stop in my career. Her guidance provided me with important takeaways that will no doubt remain helpful for many years to come. I can say with confidence that Steph and her support were vital in helping ensure I had a successful career search. I highly recommend working with her - I know I wouldn't hesitate to do so again!
​- Brian Gioielli, Director of Institutional Philanthropy, Minnesota Children's Museum

​Steph has a knack for connecting with you. She is a good listener, enthusiastic and a great mentor. I reached out to her for guidance on making a job transition. I was not finding satisfaction in my job at the moment. She helped me to identify where I was getting “stuck” and helped me to pinpoint what are my values and how to incorporate them in my life, both professionally and personally. In doing so, I have been able to make better choices about how I spend my energy, using my values, as a guiding light. It has helped me to find more satisfaction in my current position and more joy in my personal life. I highly recommend working with Steph. She is amazing! I am so grateful for her."
​- Amy Kusek, Senior Director, Corporate & Foundation Relations, Colorado School of Mines Foundation 

​Steph is an amazing coach and mentor. She helped me in a time of transition from one position to an elevated role at a new organization. Together, through questioning and discussion, we identified my values in a work place and partnered to fulfill those values. From the interview process through the first few weeks at the new position, Steph coached me during the whole journey. We were able to use video calling since I live in Denver and even from across the country, she was one of the strongest support systems I had during the transition. She asked thought provoking questions to get me to see my own potential. Steph definitely has a rare mentor instinct and all of our sessions are motivating and positive. Thanks to Steph I am able to realize my own potential!" 
- April Sramek, Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM)

​I started a new director-level position with more management responsibilities than I was accustomed to. I worked with Steph to visualize the norms and functions of my ideal team, which really helped me to clarify my expectations of staff. She then helped me through the process of creating meeting agendas and 1:1 check-ins with individual staff that supported my greater focus for the team. I found Steph’s input from her years of experience in the nonprofit world to be invaluable as I thought through team dynamics, organizational transition, fundraising talent development and more. I feel confident I’m providing intentional leadership to my team in large part because of Steph’s support."
- Lance Witzig, Director of Advancement, East Side Neighborhood Services

Steph is an excellent listener, motivator, and communicator. I was in a place where I started to question whether I belonged in the legal services industry, and she helped me to reconnect with my passion and focus on my strengths when I was struggling through a career change. Through her sessions, Steph gave me the tools and confidence to name my goals and achieve a position that helps me feel more integrated with my values while providing opportunities for growth and further success. I highly recommend Steph for her integrity and professional interpersonal communication she exudes in her coaching."
​- Vanessa Milbradt, Paralegal, Contreras & Metelska

I was in a professional rut after years of feeling unhappy and unfilled in my work. With Steph’s support, I was able to identify a new goal (starting my own business) and steps to achieving that goal. She is a gifted coach who is able to help clients uncover their passion and then create a map for turning this passion into reality. In our sessions, she used focused discussions – along with worksheets and exercises that really made me think – to help me realize that starting my own business would allow me to capitalize on my skills while accommodating the needs of my family. She mirrored back to me the excitement that I felt about this goal – which only made me more excited and motivated to turn my vision into a reality. Thanks to Steph, I finally feel like I am on a path to professional fulfillment."
- Robin Phinney, President, Rise Research

"What sets Steph apart is her unrelenting belief in people's potential. Stephanie celebrates people's strengths and asks thoughtful questions that help people articulate their passions. She is a natural at creating authentic relationships and nurtures those relationships in ways that challenge and inspire others to grow. The warmth, joy and honesty Steph brings to her work is remarkable."
- Annie Krapek, Chief Executive Officer, Twin Cities Medical Society

Steph is a thoughtful coach who brings reflective listening, empathy and strategy together to ensure you get the most out of your sessions with her. From our sessions, I have rediscovered my passion for what I would like to pursue in my life, and to find renewed energy and ways forward. She also helped me work through a difficult situation in my current job, and in the process we uncovered some limiting beliefs that held me back. I am grateful to be on this coaching journey with her."
​- S. Mo, Independent Consultant

As a first-time, new nonprofit board member I faced a challenge early on and sought out Steph for coaching. Steph was able to form a plan of action with me and then insist I follow through on the plan during a moment of frustration. I executed Steph’s plan and was able to see all of the results I had hoped for when I sought her out for coaching.”
​ - Tim Brackett, board member, streets.mn

Organizational Coaching

Steph was a pleasure to work with! She garnered the full trust of the board and we worked through each ‘step’ of the strategic planning with success and timeliness. She was very open to feedback while maintaining focus on best practices and our identified priorities. I learned a great deal from Steph and believe we have created our best strategic plan!”
- Michelle Ness, Executive Director, PRISM

​We retained Stephanie to help our board formalize a vision of what it needed to look like to effectively represent the members of our financial cooperative. We wanted someone to facilitate our process and understand on the unique character of our organization. Put another way, we didn’t want a cookie-cutter approach. To say that Stephanie exceeded our hopes would be selling her short. She started by getting to know our organization and our board. She built a rapport with our management team and directors that allowed her to break down barriers and have open and frank conversations with us. She listened and coalesced the discussion into a broad vision that she then helped us narrow down. She then helped us develop next steps for acting on this vision. Based her work with us, we developed a focused board skill/talent matrix that we have incorporated into our recruitment process. On top of all this, she’s a joy to work with. I highly recommend her."
- Gregory W. Higgins, SVP – Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, Wings Financial Credit Union