Coaching is My Side Hustle - for Now

By Mattie Murrey-Tegels, Licensed Speech Therapist & Certified Life Strategist Coach behind Fresh Ideas for Therapy - and Kaptivate Life Coaching client.

It all began with the death of my husband.  We had been living in a small rural community in northern Minnesota when he died suddenly and I found myself raising 5 children ages 15 and under by myself.  I picked up the pieces of my and my childrens’ lives and learned that life does go on and we did ok. Luckily, I had a good education and had been in private practice for 22 years, holding contracts over the years for speech pathology at 2 local hospitals and several local SNFs.  I raised my kids and worked hard at my job.

Several years after his death, I remarried and moved from my small home community to “the cities”.  I thought, “No problem. I’ll easily find a job with all my years of experience, excellent referrals, and the passion I have for my job.”  

Well, it wasn’t so easy.  Not easy at all. Because I moved to a suburb, there were no full time Speech Language Pathology jobs around. I picked up casual jobs, on-call jobs and pieced together 2-3 part time jobs as needed. I worked for a small rural hospital where I was the 8th SLP hired for a job that could have been covered by 3.  I worked at a big university hospital which I loved but had a motorcycle accident and couldn’t keep up the physically demanding pace.  I worked for a SNF/LTC agency and enjoyed that job but the hours were sporadic and I was constantly being told from one day to the next that I had to find and travel all over the place to pick up hours at other facilities so I could meet my obligation for the “Full Time” position they had hired me for.  I drove where ever I needed to or was asked to. Getting vacation was next to impossible.

I interviewed for jobs, only to be told they had hired someone younger and less expensive.  I didn’t seem to have value, despite all my experience and passion (and charming personality).  I felt like a hamster caught in an exercise wheel.

In addition, my salary plummeted from just a little over $100,000 to $58,000.  I was gone for long hours every day and with only one child left at home, I wanted to spend time with her before she left for college.  I struggled like this for 3 years. I finally took a good look at myself and decided I needed to make some changes. I needed to work smarter and not harder.  I took another good, long look at myself and asked some hard questions. I turned to 3 of my very best girlfriends and asked them to be honest with me as I was really trying to understand how to get where I wanted to go.  

First, I finally found a job I love, with a team I respect, a caseload that is manageable and work that is really enjoyable. This is where my stability comes from as I have consistent hours and benefits.  That was one of my first goals.

Trying to figure out what to do next, I was a little unsure of what to do and someone recommended I hire a life coach.  “A way to find clarity on the direction your life is heading and the power and support to do it!” Until then, I the only coaching I knew of was coaches for sports teams or personal trainers.  

Coach Kate Peabody at Kaptivate, LLC came highly recommended so I took the plunge and arranged for her free 30 minute initial consultation and I felt like we connected and she could help.  I soon began the next stage of my journey and reclaiming of the life I had wanted and planned for from the beginning.

I’ve since learned that a coach is different than a counselor as a coach doesn’t counsel me like I need to be fixed.  She focuses on my strengths. She is different than my friends as she isn’t involved in my personal life. She sees the big game plan and is coaching me through all the plays I need to make to win this game called life.  It is far better with her by my side. I am stronger, more confident, more capable. Not because I can’t do it without Kate, but because it is so much better with Kate.

Kate is a creative life, career and business coach who empowered me to identify my strengths and values and capture all my hopes and dreams through her cornerstone program.  She helped me envision the future that I wanted. She helped me identify healthy and unhealthy habits, develop effective rituals, cultivate a positive mindset and manage my inner critic.   If I needed a quick pep talk, she was available. If I’d lost track of what I was supposed to be doing, she’d guide me back on track, giving me tools and resources to manage things more effectively.  Whenever my dreams ran down a rabbit trail, she would remind me to stay focus on one goal at a time. She helped me dream and together, we are turning my dreams into reality.

Because of Coach Kate, I have now successfully launched and am building three different websites to support my personal and business interests - and loving every minute of it!  I have been waking up at 6:00 am on my days off, excited to work on building my sites and write content or blogs - I’ve not only found my voice but am using it with confidence. Sometimes, I work in the evenings. It is so fun dreaming and actually making my dreams come true!

It has been slow.  Sometimes painfully slow.  I feel like a kid waiting for the rest of the family to gather around the Christmas tree so gifts can be opened all together and the joy all shared.  It has taken time though because I have wanted to do things right.

I have learned so much and that is why being a coach for clinicians and professionals is my side hustle…for now. This is still a project in progress and I am not to the stage yet where I can quit my daytime job.  But I am getting there. Step by step and day by day.

If you have dreams, if you want a different life than what you have now – either in a big grandiose way or in smaller, more mindful ways, consider using a coach.  We make a difference in a way that family, friends and counselors don’t.

So that’s my story and that’s why coaching is my side hustle.   I want to empower others, helping them live the life they have always dreamed, like me.  It is possible. You just need to make the decision to start. Things are happening. I am making my own future what I want it to be.  Please join me in this journey!

Behind every strong woman – is a tribe of other strong women who have her back.