Mackenzie Brown
Q What do you do?
“I am a career and life direction coach helping people answer the question, “What am I doing with my life?””
I work with a lot of creatives, and for many of those clients, our work is also about figuring out how to balance a creative practice with financial security, what role they want art to play in their lives (right now), and connecting with their own intuition and inner knowing. The vast majority of my work with clients touches on some of the following themes:
Life Direction and Purpose
Confidence
Accountability and Action
Creativity
Navigating Workplace Challenges
Job Search Strategy
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
My background is in leadership development, education, and social-emotional learning. I've spent time spent in a variety of industries and contexts, most recently a fun and wild ride in the startup world. I have wanted to become a coach for years, but it was only after my company essentially imploded while I was 8 months pregnant that I felt ready to try. In 2022, I enrolled in a full coach training program and am now certified by the ICF (industry-standard coach credentialing body). I launched a private practice last year, and am now coaching full-time. I haven't looked back!
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I am simultaneously very creative and intuitive, and ALSO extremely practical and down-to-earth.
Q What are you working on right now?
1:1 coaching with people trying to figure out what they're doing with their life. I am also about to start two significant 2-3 year training programs: Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi (another somatic mindfulness modality).
Q What’s your style?
I think the best way to get a sense of that is through my website: mackenziebrowncoaching.com. I would describe my style as playful, in that I am inclined to entertain lots of different kinds of ideas, but holding them all lightly.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I am also a writer and avid reader. Since I became a parent, I wish I had more time for both!
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I sometimes feel like I should have more of a “niche” than I do. Also, running a private practice can be a little lonely. I do sometimes wish I had co-workers or a stronger community of people doing the same work.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Grocery shop and meal prep. I have a toddler and the mundane house chores are seemingly endless...I end up eating what feels like almost exclusively quesadillas and protein shakes.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
At 23, I had the strong sense that my life was ending not beginning, failure was inevitable, etc. I think I just was feeling the endless possibilities of youth starting to close off. Of course, something WAS ending, and something else was beginning, but I just couldn't see it yet. I wish I had been less hard on myself at the time. Just because I didn’t feel like I was living the life I wanted to at 23 doesn’t mean it was impossible.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I have always been very interested in the question: what does it mean to live a good life? To me this at once a philosophical, financial, political and spiritual question. If I had endless time and money, I would want to continue learning more about how different traditions / systems approach this answer. The approach I'm most interested in right now is somatics, or how to use the body as an entry point to gain access to a deeper sense of clarity.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
1:1 coaching clients
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal client is someone who is in a rut, feeling stuck, or at a crossroads. I tend to focus on career direction but want to get away from strict job search coaching (I find it a little tedious, but happy to have that as part of the whole process). My ideal client is trying to figure out “what they’re doing with their lives” and needs some support around that process of introspection. I put a lot of thought into articulating my services, or themes I tend to work on with clients. You can see on my website, but it’s also copied below:
Life Direction and Purpose:
Coming to terms with the grief of unlived lives that’s inherent in making choices Identifying your authentic goals, beyond societal norms Figuring out how ambitious to be
Confidence:
Managing imposter syndrome Stepping into your own power Knowing and being able to talk about your strengths
Accountability and Action:
Defining what you want to accomplish Overcoming procrastination Having a sounding board and thought partner who’s fully invested in your journey alongside you
Creativity:
Getting in touch with own creativity and creative practice Determining what role art plays in your life (right now) Balancing financial security with creative ambitions Navigating
Workplace Turbulence:
Unhooking from any toxicity that exists in your current job Recovering from a bad work situation, and using it as fuel to pull forth your best self Developing confidence in addressing interpersonal issues at work
Job Search:
Visioning and clarifying what you want in your next job Job search strategy Resume and LinkedIn profile reviews, cover letter writing, interview coaching, etc.
Q What is your rate?
I offer a free 50-minute session to all clients interested in working with me. Beyond the first session, my rate is $125 for a “therapy hour” (50 minutes). A six-session package is $600. I tend to work with most clients for somewhere between 6-24 sessions.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Sign up for a free discovery session on my website
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Liza Birnbaum — She’s a writer, teacher, and manuscript consultant. She’s AMAZING.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Understand: every dream has its own timeline
This member profile was originally published in March 2024