Key4Women^® Offers Unique Coaching Opportunity to Business Women in Hudson Valley

The ‘this’ was a six-session business coaching opportunity with Ivy Slater of Slater Success Coaching, sponsored by the Hudson Valley/Metro NY chapter of Key4Women.

While they differed from one another in terms of their industries, experience, and job roles, all of the women who participated in this exclusive Key4Women roundtable had two things in common: they were business clients of KeyBank, and they each had a desire to move their careers forward and achieve their goals.

A Transformational Experience

From May to October, the group met monthly with Ivy, an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and professionally certified business coach dedicated to helping women achieve success on their own terms – by creating the life they want to live alongside a business or career that supports that life. The sessions were nurturing, insightful, and participant-driven. Said one client: "This was the first time in my entire life that I have actually sat with women who talked about things that they were not afraid to say – like, ‘I have a problem with this’ or ‘I can’t do that.’"

In the end, each woman described the experience as transformational. One client talked about how she learned to stop procrastinating. "You know you need help in certain places, and Ivy is someone that pulls it out of you." Another said it helped her take accountability for her goals. "I would have accomplished everything I needed to, but I did it faster and [with] more determination." A third participant talked about how the program helped her take charge of her career. "I came into the program with the mindset of ‘this happened to me’ and left saying ‘I own this.’"

Now that’s transformation.

Key4Women Q&A with Michele Babcock

Occasionally, Key4Women turns the spotlight on members to highlight the work they are doing and how they have benefited from Key4Women membership. Most recently, we talked with KeyBank client and Key4Women member Michele Babcock who attended the business coaching sessions.

Michele Babcock is Managing Partner of Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, a full-service law firm serving the Hudson Valley for more than 50 years. J&G is one of the largest law firms in the region with more than 20 attorneys practicing in more than 35 areas of law.

Q: Why did you accept the invitation from KeyBank to join this program, and what did you hope to gain from it?

Babcock: I did not join this program with any expectations. However, after our first meeting, I was excited for the opportunity to gain insight on establishing an action plan for meeting my goals and setting the plan in motion. This group allowed me the opportunity to seek feedback from other business women and to discuss mission implementation and strategy in a nurturing setting.

Q: Any "aha" moments for you?

Babcock: Despite the fact that we were a diverse group of women, we discovered that everyone faced similar challenges in our daily work and personal lives. One common theme was that we ourselves may be the thing standing in our own way. Ivy was able to provide insight on how establishing a written list of our goals can help create focus and a foundation to achieve success. This program also allowed us to develop connections to other successful women who serve as future resources and to expand our networking opportunities.

Q: How has this experience helped you grow your business?

Babcock: I have been given the tools to create meaningful, measurable goals and learned the importance of celebrating each success along the way. The positive impact on my business is the ability to focus my vision and planning into well-defined strategies to target business growth and sustainability. Thank you to KeyBank and Ivy Slater for this amazing opportunity.