The Life Coach at Zappos.com
Are you familiar with Zappos.com?
Zappos.com is the world’s largest online shoe store – I’m a huge fan.
This amazing company has achieved great success (including being bought by Amazon.com for $1.2 billion) by focusing on superior customer service and company culture/core values.
Well, last week I was in Las Vegas attending the awesome JV Networking Summit and as part of the event we took the Zappos Tour at their corporate headquarters.
The tour was fascinating. I highly recommend it the next time you’re in Vegas. It’s super fun, interesting and free.
Anyway, one of the fun facts we learned is that Zappos has a full-time life coach on staff whose purpose is to coach employees to achieve whatever 30-day goal they want.
How cool is that?!
The goal doesn’t have to be related to work. There are no restrictions or a reporting structure. The employee simply signs up to work with the coach and when a slot becomes available they get started.
Want to know the top 3 things the Zappos employees want coaching on?
#1 – Career Development
#2 – Weight Loss
#3 – Management of Personal Finances / Budgeting
I wanted to share this with you because…
A. I think it’s awesome that Zappos.com offers free life coaching as an employee perk and I like to pass along fun coach-related stories.
B. More important, I wanted to plant a seed for life coaches who want to coach within a company or organization.
Why couldn’t you go out and find companies in your area who you could partner with to offer life coaching as an employee benefit?
I bet you could do it if you set the intention and then took inspired action.
What do you think?
COMMENT:
Thanks for sharing this great story.
I have been doing coaching for the last three years in my organization and the employees feel that it has been very helpful.
Hi Michelle,
I have been a subscriber of yours for a few years. I can see how much you have changed your format for the better. You always were content rich but perhaps now I am more ready to really to put something into action. This seems absolutely doable and obtainable according to what I feel I am capable of doing right now. I will write you for more info. By the way, I lived in the Bay Area from 1972-1995 and now live in Atlanta and really miss the Bay Area.
Ricardo
Thank you Michelle, The information you provided is a validation that this approach can be successful. My Background is Employee Benefit sales and this would be a great way to present coaching to potential clients.
Thanks again!
Cherri
Michelle,
Thank you so much for this, your message was very well timed. I'm looking for more coaching contracts, and had decided to approach companies that I'd love to work for, on spec. You have provided me with a boost in confidence that this is something that people have achieved already, and some evidence to share with prospective clients here in the UK. Thank you.
Melissa Mehta
Wow! love seeing all the energy, plans and strategies around this idea. Please keep me posted as you take action on this!
Michelle,
It's my belief that relationships and the health of them are at the heart of living a balanced life of quality. Life coaching within big corporations seems to be a natural extension for those companies embracing a culture which revolves around core values and whose main focus is internal and external customer service.
Internal life coaches could also help with how men and women buy/sell differently too to help with sales. I would guess that employees would be interested in how this applies to them. After all you said one of the top 3 reasons people in-house are using coaches for personal reasons is for budgeting/financial. I look forward to hearing about more such life coach/company partnerships.
Dr. Bijan Zayer said there are many companies doing this–wow, who are they? If anyone knows of any others, I'd love to hear about it for motivation for other coaches who are interested in pursuing this "dream job."
Lyndsay Katauskas, MEd
Mars Venus Coaching
Corporate Media Relations
Thanks for sharing this idea. Life coaching is a great achievement. Keep it up!
Hi Michelle,
This is a great idea! I currently work part time within a company and am offering my coaching services within HR and they are very open to what I have planned. This has already opened doors to more coaching within the company. :)
I love it! This is a glimpse of the future of coaching; people are starting to get the value and it's cropping up as part of corporate culture.
My hat is off to those who recognize that boosting individual and biz environment not only adds better results, fun, more ease but seriously adds to the bottom line!
Thank you for posting!
Leslie Harris
Strategic Business Coach
Leslie@BusinessBreakthruSecrets.com
I had this same seed of an idea planted in my mind awhile ago after reading the book Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly. It's a great story and an easy read. I have been looking for a similar job to add to my clientele since. Thanks for the additional ideas.
Thank you for sharing, as you know many companies have a in house coach, unfortunately, they are not as effective as Zappos. I believe, our service can be adjunct and perhaps, help them come out of the company and look in with a magnifying glass, and go back in and help. I love and share your enthusiasm about Zappos, only if we can get the company leaders to become selfless leaders. Bijan Zayer,Ph.D.LeadersExcelling.
Michelle, this is a great piece of info to pass on. Thank you! I was speaking with a client earlier who is an organizing consultant, and when I read your post, I thought, "Wow — imagine if every company had someone on staff to do THAT, too. Someone who understood right-brain and left-brain productivity."
I used to be an employee benefits consultant — and adding a life coach to the list of usual benefits makes SO much sense. Thanks for sharing this concept.
Beth Grant
Marketing Strategist
http://www.cashalignment.com
Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for sharing this information. Until now, I only thought of informing companies of how valuable my services would be for their employees and that I would be glad to offer a free seminar or workshop, but I never thought of suggesting this.
What a great firm! And, what a nice gift for you to share the information with us all!!
Please feel free to check my sites or post on my blogs as well! Go to http://www.divorcesupportplus.ca
Zappos is an innovative company. I have read Tony Hsieh book and love his philosophies. I am a business coach and give workshops to leaders called "Vision to Decision" Great post!
I think this is a great idea! i was wondering if you could possibly help me with a simple proposal outline to begin perhaps we could connect either by phone?
the universe is speaking to me and i need help putting things on paper if you will?
nooksmallea@aol.com
Denise Mallea
214-868-0698
This is EXACTLY the type of work I want to do…and ironically, I've recently started a search for an organization that offers (or wants to offer) access to a life/management/leadership coach! I'm in the Los Angeles area…if anyone has any insights…please let me know!
Camille McKinney
In Flow Coaching
camille@inflowcoaching.net
What a fantastic post. Yes, I am familiar with Zappos.com. I just purchased a pair of Earth walking shoes from their website last month. Thank you for planting the seed to reach out to businesses and companies to offer my coaching services as part of their employee health and wellness perks.
ChristineEliane
The Frontier FemiKnowlogist
Now that is great. And you know what? That might well be a dream job, and now I am going to start thinking about how I might create that. Bring it on!
Andrew Poretz
http://www.myfuturecoach.com
http://www.twitter.com/coachandrew
I think that is so cool. I worked for a company in the early 80's that had a full time massage therapist on staff and a rooftop hot tub. I've never been more mellow since :)
Michelle,
Thank You! Thank you for attending the Vegas show and modeling growth. Thank you for seeing a big picture and the possibilities for all. And most importantly Thank you for sharing! This is really valuable. And if I haven;t said it enough. Thank YOU!
Rick Wargo
Portland Oregon
Seriously Fun Living