Kevin Stafford 0:00
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the coffee with coaches podcast. I hope you can hear the smile in my voice because I have been chatting with Suzanne Taylor King and she is delightful. Let me tell you a little bit about her before we get started. Since 2009, Suzanne has been supported entrepreneurs practice owners and leaders to grow personally and professionally. She’s a tech wizard and a master certified coach. That’s 10,000 plus hours, with a unique coaching background and a genuine interest in seeing others succeed. The genuineness comes through. Suzanne, thank you so much for talking with me today.
Suzanne Taylor-King 0:35
Thank you so much. It’s been so fun already. I don’t know where we’re gonna go. But this will be fun.
Kevin Stafford 0:41
Well, let’s we’ll go back. And I know we talked about this a little bit already. But let’s talk about your beat and your sort of superhero coach origin story. How did you? And again, we kind of talked about this too. How did you discover that you already were a coach in practice? And how did you moved from there to starting a coaching business? Well, I was a dental hygienist for 25 years, and I got exposed to health and wellness through that.
Suzanne Taylor-King 1:08
The mind body connection, you know, food and sugar and helping patients quit smoking was a huge passion of mine, because both my parents smoked and had disease issues from that. And I think my first coaching client, numerous were in the chair, you know, cleaning teeth, and the beautiful thing was as a dental hygienist. You could talk as much as you wanted, and get your point across and people really can’t respond. So it was definitely a captive audience. Like they’re not going anywhere. I had that going for me. And around 2004 My mom got very sick and passed away. And one of the things that because she was young, I think I decided at that point, I’m not going to waste any more time I was unmarried. Just our dating, my husband did not have any children. At that point. I was like, What am I doing? Like I, I want to have more effect on people’s health well being. I want people to feel resilient and gritty like I do to be able to handle life and just give a more positive impact to the world. I don’t know what that’s called. But I went on a journey to figure out what that was called, and what it would look like to actually affect change. Change of the human experience for people. And I didn’t know the word coach. I stumbled upon it years later. And I was like, Huh, that’s kind of what I do. I could go with that. So I stuck with that for a little bit. I definitely dabbled with mentor, I dabbled with guide. Sometimes I call myself a Eudaimonologist, which is a Greek word that means your inner best version of yourself. And I like to think of myself as somebody who pulls out that best version of people that I know they’re capable of that maybe they don’t see yet.
Kevin Stafford 3:28
I like that word a lot. I mean, I’m an entomology geek anyway, but that’s you often. I mean, obviously English is a very robust and agile language. But there’s also all sorts of cul de sacs and like you know, where it’s like you’re a coach but you do like what you You call yourself a coach, but you do mentor you do guide like there’s these verbs that you do you execute in the process of being a coach, this English is so funny, and I love reaching back into a different language being like, oh, it’s and he read the definition. And it’s this poetic, beautiful statement that completely encapsulates Germans a little bit like that, too. Sometimes. You’re just like, oh, that’s, that’s the thing I didn’t have a word for until now. And I like that coach is kind of beginning to gather that meaning and I like Well, how’s that pronounced again, Eudaimonologist.
Suzanne Taylor-King 4:09
Eudaimonologist. So, Eudaimonia is an ancient Greek term. For the ultimate goal. The the goal of human existence is to pursue Eudaimonia modern terms, it’s human flourishing. So that place where health well being happiness, and satisfaction and fulfillment all collide, and you feel like the best version of yourself
Kevin Stafford 4:47
Awesome. Let’s let’s let’s dive in a little bit to your you Dymo angiology how you how you practice it. workshopping. I want to keep saying the word so I can get the pronunciation now.
Suzanne Taylor-King 4:59
Well, Somebody told me the other day that because I have it on my LinkedIn profile, that I should have the pronunciation, like after it. And I’m just like, how would I do that in a funny way. So I’m working on that I’m working on a phonetic pronunciation of it. That maybe is a little funny because I love humor. So if you helped me with that, I will be awesome.
Kevin Stafford 5:29
To workshop that later I was my little my little human brain is starting to turn a little bit. Okay. But let’s talk about let’s talk about the nuts and bolts. And I’ve been playing with different ways to ask this question. I think I like I’ve stumbled on one of them really like, Who do you coach? And how do you coach them, the who obviously being like, not just who they are, but like in what, what area of their life that they’re at, whether it’s entrepreneurs, professionals, personal life, relationships, family, etc, etc, Twitter, and then the how being one to one small group mastermind key like keynote, speeches, books, all of the above, you know, all that jazz?
Suzanne Taylor-King 6:04
Well, I love entrepreneurs. More specifically, I love entrepreneurs that call their business a practice. And my little cheeky term is I help take your practice and help it turn pro. stop practicing turn pro. So doctors, dentists, other coaches, even attorneys, I’ve worked with a couple architectural firms. And to me, it’s all about the leader, it comes from the leader of the company down. So I’ve worked with some network marketing professionals, even who have large teams of people. So the transformation A to B, for me, is really about becoming the best version of yourself. So does that look like overcoming procrastination? Does it look like overcoming some other sort of self sabotage? Most likely, but I would say my greatest accomplishment is helping someone be more confident with what they’re doing. And that’s really the difference between practicing and turning pro. You know, if your business if you’re calling your business, a practice just internally, it’s like, oh, you’re still practicing. You haven’t quite gotten there yet. So just that play on words, to help somebody switch that, like, I don’t have a coaching practice. I’m a professional coach, and what is the difference between how that sounds and how that feels to your subconscious? It’s, it’s huge, actually. So helping people realize that helps them step into their worth and their value, they end up working less, charging more, being more fulfilled, but they also have a calendar that meditation time blocked off. Eating right time blocked off. Fun Time, blocked off.
Kevin Stafford 8:14
Yes. And of course, little bit sleep time.
Suzanne Taylor-King 8:20
That’s number one. For me, anyway.
Kevin Stafford 8:22
Yeah, me too. That’s one of the one of the best things I did for myself in my 40s. What I’ve done so far for myself in my 40s, is to make sleep a priority. And just be like, Look, I know it’s going to be tough. Sometimes you’re gonna have to leave things for yourself tomorrow. That’s fine. Practice that, work on that. And then make sure you get make sure you block off the right amount of time to sleep, you might you won’t always have the best night’s sleep. Sometimes you’ll be a little stressed. Sometimes maybe you worked a little too hard. Sometimes maybe you ate a little bit later than you should have. But make sure you give yourself the time and make sure that you prioritize it. It’s like it really sounds so simple. Because it is it’s just practicing it is.
Suzanne Taylor-King 8:56
So I think that’s one of the things that once you and this is what I typically ask of my clients, just try my way for few weeks, like just try a shorter eating window. Just try turning off electronics an hour before bed. Just try setting that boundary of that time block for yourself in the morning. And just try not checking email before you do your meditation. And tell me after you try it one day, one week, whatever. Tell me how it feels. Tell me what awarenesses come from having that space between this and this.
Kevin Stafford 9:54
I was like a heart. It was like a horror movie moment. When you brought the phone onto the screen. I almost jumped back I was like oh
Suzanne Taylor-King 10:00
Oh, it’s usually not even on my desk. But because I was running in today, it’s it’s sitting here which
Kevin Stafford 10:07
you mean something as simple as just like when I set my phone down, I instinctively put it down face down. Yes. Just it’s just, it’s just something I was like, let me let me try this out and see if I can just, you know, it just helps. And it just be it’s become second nature. Now it’s just it’s facedown, anytime I put it down anywhere. It’s like it, it made a difference. It made a difference in mediums, like first day, and then it just keeps paying dividends down the road. It’s just like, yes, it really does seem like that’s the core of your of your of your professional practice. If I can use both words the same.
Suzanne Taylor-King 10:36
Yeah, I read. I read a book about Cal Newport digital minimalism. And it struck me deeply. And I will say I was kind of, ooh, check email once a day. What would that look like? That would look amazing. Not have my phone on the table when I’m having coffee with somebody. That would be even more amazing. Not taking my phone, either home office have for six years I’ve worked from home. What would it look like if my phone charger was here in my office on my desk? And when I left my office to go out in my house? If the phone stayed here. Wow.
Kevin Stafford 11:30
And you people listening? How do you how do you feel in your chest? When you hear someone say that? How do you feel in your stomach? When you when you hear when you hear that? Because I feel a little certain kind of way in my in my stomach when I was like, What do you mean leave it?
Suzanne Taylor-King 11:44
Yeah. And I I can remember the decision. My coach at the time, we were exploring these things. And he said, Well, are you going to put your your work your words where your mouth is
Kevin Stafford 12:00
something? Your money where your mouth is? Money Where Your Mouth?
Suzanne Taylor-King 12:03
And I said, Well, what do you mean? He said, Well, you’re going on vacation next week? How about you don’t take your phone? And then I thought about it. And I thought, Okay, I’m going on a cruise with my husband and my son, who am I going to need to call nobody? Like my clients all no going away. And I have nothing on my calendar. I don’t need my phone except for it to be a camera. How would that feel? And so I did it. And there was definitely some anxiety on the car ride from South Jersey to New York to grab the ship. And, you know, I had that default where, you know, my husband’s on his phone, my son’s on his phone or like
Kevin Stafford 13:00
looking out the window.
Suzanne Taylor-King 13:03
And I thought, okay, I can do this. I can really do this. And I will say the first two days, I was constantly looking for the thing. I look in the purse. I would look. Is it on the count? No. Didn’t bring it. Oh, yeah. Don’t have it. And it was like this. Oh, yeah, I don’t have it. Oh, yeah. I don’t need it. Oh, yeah, I didn’t bring it with me. Okay. And about day three, there was this magical moment, sitting by the pool, having a cocktail. My son walks over to me and he was seven at the time. And he said, Mom, aren’t you working this vacation? And I was like, Oh my God, what do you mean? He’s like, Well, you’re always. And he said, I haven’t seen you with your phone. And I hugged him. And I felt like crying. And I felt like, wow, I’ve actually made him feel like, I’m not with him. Because even when I’m not working, I’m on my phone. And there was a core shift in me from that. And ever since then, it’s if I’m making dinner for my family. The phone is in here. Like I don’t want to be working when I’m trying to be present with my family or my friends or even my dog a dog walk used to involve listening to something talking to someone and I don’t even do that anymore and it’s mental freedom. Honestly,
Kevin Stafford 14:54
it feels it feels even just talking about it like it feels so much lighter, you know, just not quite weightless. But just like you’re like floating just a little bit off the ground, you know, I want to, I want to keep talking to you for an hour. So I’m gonna say that well, first of all you are, you’re very well spoken, you’re really excellent at communicating these like really like complex emotional states very simply telling powerful stories. Also, we just greedily I just kinda want to chat with you for like a couple a couple hours. But I should end this podcast, this recording, tell people where they can find you tell people where they can learn more about you tell people where they can connect with you and chat with you. Where can where can people get more of this?
Suzanne Taylor-King 15:32
SuzanneTaylorKing.com. And I have an incredible community. That’s actually, it’s been on social media for the past four years. It’s called the IDEA Lab for entrepreneurs, you see my dog’s tail in the background there, sorry. And that community next week, is launching on its own platform, its own website off of social media. And it’s a vetted community, with networking, and rooms and conversations happening, like like we’re having right now. And I get to make private introductions in that community, which is super fun for me. And that is called the IDEA Lab for entrepreneurs. And you can find out all about it all on Monday on my website, so make sure to check in on Monday.
Kevin Stafford 16:25
It’ll be probably air so today is when we’re recording today is May 26. This will probably release in like a couple of weeks. So Oh, perfect. Memorial Day, so the 30/30 of May this will be live. So by the time you hear this, just go just just type it in Don’t you know just type Suzanne Taylor king.com Real easy. And I assume people can find you on like LinkedIn if they want to just like strike. Oh, yes. They can connect. It’s like it’s yeah, we talk a little bit about that beforehand, how it’s just like, oh, yeah, I just met this awesome person on LinkedIn. And I just met this awesome person on LinkedIn. And all of a sudden, I’ve got this bevy of awesome people that I know purely from just you know, doing stuff on LinkedIn, connecting with people seeing how people are doing. Okay, I should let you go. Thank you so so, so much for talking to me today on the podcast. This has been really fun and really like lightning. So thank you for listening. Find Suzanne connect with her. She’s a absolute delight, and hopefully you enjoyed my presence as well.
Suzanne Taylor-King 17:26
Thank you so much.
