Hi, I'm Jenn Schmidt, the Founder & CEO of Elysian Coaching + Consulting. I founded Elysian because I have seen first-hand the growth that springs from a meaningful coaching engagement and the benefits that occur from an "outside" perspective.  I believe that if you make a commitment to self-discovery, learning, and hard work (with a dose of levity) then incredible transformation will be achieved. Let me tell you how I got here...

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A couple of years ago I was at a low point. I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin, I didn’t feel like ME any more. I woke up, hustled to get the kids out of the door, slogged to a job I didn’t enjoy, came home to make dinner, clean everybody (and maybe even the counter tops, but probably not), and go to bed. Rinse and repeat. Nothing was “wrong” per se, but I didn’t feel “right” either. One day a colleague stood up during a staff meeting and said she was in the midst of a leadership coaching certification and was ready to take clients if anyone wanted to work with her. I didn’t have a handle on what I was signing up for, but emailed her before she was able to sit back down. My rationale was simple: “I can talk about myself and someone can help me get my shit together? I’m in.”

 

Fast forward six months and there was a noticeable shift in me- I was beginning to understand ME and speak up for ME and I liked ME more and more. I finally felt like I had some forward momentum toward something incredible. Fast forward another six months and after working with my coach I decided that the leadership development and facilitation part of my job needed a boost and I signed up to become a coach myself. I’m still in the same job I didn’t love before but I'm far more engaged, I still get the kids out of the door every morning, and get them clean and in bed (those counter tops can be elusive though), but I don't feel like I'm failing and hustling with no end in sight- everything is different. Nothing and everything has changed, all at once.

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I was never the “let life happen to me” kind of girl, but I’ve relaxed in areas that needed a little more relaxing (my marriage, the *literally* spilled milk, the type A over-control of random issues) and started asserting myself in areas that needed a bit more steering (my long-term career, my health, making room for FUN). The days of “I’ll be happy when (fill in the blank)” don’t really exist for me any more. I’m not going to be happy every moment of every day, because that’s simply not how life works (and I don’t think it should), but instead I am satisfied with the direction I’m headed, no strings attached. There has been a profound shift in my perspective, in my confidence, and in my motivation. 

Since finishing my certified training I’ve opened my own practice, Elysian Coaching + Consulting, which focuses on working mothers and women business owners who are hustling to *do all the things* and are trying to find clarity through it all. I've helped women across the country launch their side hustles, grow their businesses, transition to new careers, step into their power, and negotiate for themselves at work and at home.

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I don't pretend to me an expert in every single area of life because, well, I'm not. My strengths are finding what resonates with you, pushing you, digging deeper, infusing laughter, and encouraging forward momentum. I'm here in service of your growth. When we work together you'll gain a renewed sense of purpose and the confidence to maximize your potential with courage, determination, and grace. 

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Certified with the International Coach Federation, trained with the Coaches Training Institute, I also received my Bachelor’s from Elon University, and my Master's from The George Washington University.

 

In my spare time I enjoy chasing after my three young sons and picking out paint colors while my patient husband renovates our seaside home near Annapolis, Maryland.

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