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Getting to the Heart of Business: Starting from Zero

Corporate Coach Paul Donovan on Leaving His Brilliant Career to Go Solo

This podcast is about a 20 year journey of growth. I have been the Director of The Change Company for that period, and in this podcast, I share some of the lows, the highs, and the breakthrough insights that I have experienced over that time. I also share some practical hints about how to handle tensions and conflict in teams that are trying to get something done.

This podcast was produced by James Parnwell and his team from TheOnlineCo. Their goal is to record interviews with successful business people who will take the listener backstage, and open their heart. I do that in this interview. I share plainly and honestly about some of the failures, about the ongoing personal challenges in running a busy high-end consultancy, and some practical lessons that others can apply in their dream to make teams “hum’, and create a successful business.

I think you will enjoy this one.

Here are a few highlights….

  • 03:17 – Leaving his well-paying job, Paul took a risk and went solo as a consultant. On the day of his farewell, he found out that he’d just lost every single one of his startup clients…
  • 05:52 – Paul describes a unique strategy he used in the early days of his business, to help himself feel positive when phoning prospective clients.
  • 10:32 – 10 years into his business, Paul tried to grow a bigger team… and it didn’t go as planned.
  • 15:28 – Anxiety and stress management … Paul shares the strategies he’s used to manage his anxiety levels.
  • 22:45 – Paul shares about the time he spoke at an event and it turned into a train wreck – and how he used that experience to grow as a person, and as a business.
  • 28:29 – A sneak-peek inside a coaching session, where executives of a large firm are in intense conflict.
  • 32:35 – The strategies Paul uses to help a group in conflict.
  • 37:33 – Psychologically safe workplaces – what are they, and how do we create them?
  • 41:36 – Paul leaves us with a great tip for starting a new business venture
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