Brenda has been coaching leaders and executives for about 13 years, the vast majority of that time overlapping with her own career as a business leader in the technological services industry. After graduating in 1989, Brenda returned to her birthplace of Washington, D.C. where she began working in the hospitality industry, a field seemingly unrelated to her degree and career aspirations, but her work at a pair of 5-star hotels actually ended up helping her chart the course of her professional journey for the decades to come. “The hotel industry placed a huge emphasis on exceptional customer service and was actually my start into technology. We used point-of-sale systems from this company called Micros. I reached out to them one day, sent my resume and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a technology degree. This is what I’m interested in.’ And they called me. I was excited. I went and interviewed, got the job and started working with Micros Systems. That was the start for me.” After five years at the Columbia, Maryland-based company, Brenda moved on to a Project Manager role at Conquest Systems in which she worked primarily on a contract with the United States Postal Service. It was at Conquest where Brenda’s passion for engaged, effective leadership began to emerge. She describes the company as the first place she worked where mentorship and leadership training were prioritized. Eventually, her experience at Conquest would become the inspiration for Brenda to found her own company. Once Brenda discovered the intersection of her talents and her purpose in coaching, she dove in head first in the growth process and wanted to help more people find the same joy that she had found. John Maxwell’s leadership training methods closely aligned with her own philosophy, so she became certified to teach his methods and began to share them. She has traveled with John Maxwell and the Equip organization to teach values based leadership and serve in countries Guatemala, Paraguay, and Costa Rica. She serves on the Presidents Advisory Council and is an Executive Director. She has since earned prestigious executive coaching certifications from Coach Training Institute and Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute. She also mentors Social entrepreneurs and organizations to help them align Social Impact and Organizational Purpose. She has served on NonProfit Boards as an advisor in Africa and India. She has earned a Social Impact certification from University of Pennsylvania and an Entrepreneurship and Innovation certification from Harvard Business School along with credentials from the International Coaching Federation. Additionally, Brenda joined the Institute of Coaching Harvard Mclean Affiliate as a Fellow, to stay up-to-date on the latest research and its practical applications within the coaching field. “I’ve always been an infinite learner,” Brenda says. “I’m always curious, always, always looking to see, ‘What else?’ You can’t give what you don’t have, so you have to always make sure that you’re pouring into yourself so that you’re in front of how to help and serve others.” Brenda encourages young people she encounters today to take a similar approach — never stop learning, and never put limits on your potential. Brenda Lawrence Vistage Chair CEO Today Executive Coaching Awards 2022 - USA - - 74 - C-SUITE & LEADERSHIP COACH OF THE YEAR
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