Spotlight feature: Jayne Huhtanen

1st

You made the transition from a long standing career in the corporate field to getting into the coaching and speaking field.  What did you learn along the way?

There are a couple of key messages: doing what you love and building a support network around yourself. I had a wonderful, long career at a large, global company and when I decided to go out on my own, the biggest thing for me was deciding what my values were in my life and career, what I enjoyed doing the most and was really good at, and then finding a way to do that on my own. 

It can be hard slogging at times, especially at the beginning, so loving what you do every day makes all the difference in the world. The other key for me was creating a support network; I have a coach, accountability partners and mentors that I can lean on when needed, and, more importantly, who give me a push when needed. In the corporate world, there is a built-in support network, but when you are an entrepreneur, you need to build it on your own. 

Without loving what I do, and without my team behind me, entrepreneurship would be much more difficult.

2nd

Can you share some strategies and tips on the power of having goals and how to achieve them?

It’s simple, but not easy. Research shows that people who have clear written goals are ten times more likely to achieve them than those who do not. Five simple steps you can take are: i) decide what you want (write out 10 goals for career and life), ii) make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Aligned with your values, Realistic, Timebounded), iii) write them out every single day, iv) develop a plan (a chronological list of the steps you need to take to achieve each goal) and then v) do at least one thing every single day that is on that list, to move you towards accomplishment of your goals. 

This takes time and effort, however every minute spent planning can save up to ten minutes in execution, because you know exactly what to do to get where you want to go. You don’t head out to a new destination without looking at a map. Similarly, you can’t achieve your goals if you don’t know the steps you need to take to get there. 

 Invest time now, and the results will come.

Bio:

Jayne Huhtanen has been coaching and training others to help them grow and meet their professional and personal goals for over 25 years. She is a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and Trainer, helping Business Owners and Professionals achieve their goals, and has been a guest speaker at RBC Small Business Advice events, Youth Innovators conference and Toronto Public Library. She previously spent over 25 years at Procter & Gamble, contributing to both business and organizational development. She can be reached at jhuhtanen@focalpointcoaching.com. Check her out on LinkedIn at Jayne Huhtanen or Coaching