“I have felt stuck in my career for a very long time. I've never received feedback that my work was technically lacking, but I always had difficulty showing that I was "worthy" of a title higher than the one I've been stuck at. Frustrated from downleveling and getting passed over for projects I wanted, I've bounced around from job to job, even though I knew it was hurting me.

From our first coaching call, I could tell that Shine was a very good listener. In our early coaching sessions, she helped me separate the emotions from the work, and at the same time, also helped me see that emotions do have a place at work. But, they need to be handled intelligently. She also encouraged me to take on difficult conversations, build relationships (especially allies), and continually reminded me that the technical skills were rarely ever the problem. My confidence fluctuates based on how well I think a project is going, comparing how fast other people ship their projects, and who gets recognized for speaking up. Shine challenged me to think in different terms: what have I contributed that is important and valuable? I saw that it doesn't help me to sabotage myself, and that I need to figure out how to show the value of my work.

I still have days where I severely doubt myself and my ability to perform at a higher level, but with the frameworks and reflections I've done through Shine's coaching, I am better equipped to pull myself out of the doubt. Instead of, "What's the point? Everyone's smarter than me", I can hear her say, "You have valuable insight and the grit to figure out this problem. Now you need to show your team why it's valuable." That gets me back on my feet for the next day.

If someone were thinking to work with Shine, I would tell them that she is everything a coach should be -- honest, encouraging, challenges you when she knows you can do better. But, you need to be willing to let her challenge your beliefs -- about yourself, your job, your teammates, the industry -- if you want to make good progress in her program. It was a pleasure to work with you, Shine! Thank you for your commitment to helping me with the transformation.”

— Anonymous | Senior Software Engineer