Even though I don’t speak of it a great deal here at my personal site, I am very proudly the Founder of the Beautiful You Coaching Academy. Training and supporting divine and heart centred people to become life coaches is one of my greatest joys and I don’t imagine that changing any time soon. And I should add that my work with the Divine Feminine has greatly impacted that course even though many people may not realise it. It always has, before I even became more attuned to my spiritual nature. It’s just that now I choose to speak of it more. The time is right.
From its inception and for many years now I have been known as the CEO & Founder, Beautiful You Coaching Academy. It was a title I gave myself because it seemed to ‘fit’ best at the time we launched. A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is by definition the ‘highest ranking person in a company, ultimately responsible for making managerial decisions.’ Is this what I do at the Academy with our three staff members and multiple contractors? Yes it is. But no it’s not.
The truth is that I chose the title because of past programming and experiences about what I thought would garner me the most respect as a woman in charge of a global business. Afraid of launching a feminine and heart centred business that was trying to play in the same arena as large corporate training schools, I wanted to be taken seriously and not seen as a lightweight or that I didn’t know what I was doing. And having previously worked for charitable organisations lead by incredible women who had given themselves that title for I suspect the same reason – it felt natural to me at the time. I had witnessed how hard these women had to work to be taken seriously when dealing with the business sector, especially when trying to get them to understand, support and donate to their cause. Anything – and I mean anything within reason – that would help ‘the suits’ see them as the real deal, one of them, and not a flake, helped get those donations through. That is a strong message indeed about title and what it can make people believe and feel about you.
With the evolving of consciousness that is happening to so many now and the embracing of the Divine Feminine inherent in all of us, it may seem strange to you to think that I would of had such feelings for a business that is only just in its fifth year. Believe me when I tell you that a great deal has shifted and changed on both a global scale and at an individual level within so many people within those five years, and what could (or would) have been absolutely rejected or even ridiculed such a short time ago, is now accepted and even embraced. More and more coaches and consultants are openly claiming they are led by their intuition with clients. Further still are saying they are spiritual. Daily sacred rituals, living by the moon cycle, setting manifestation intentions and embracing the power of the Goddess is (blessedly I believe) becoming common place. And hence the sort of business that the Beautiful You Coaching Academy is – warm, open, heart centred, feminine, nurturing – is also being embraced and enjoying enormous success as well.
And so it’s been for some time now that the title of CEO has not been sitting well with me. And I only have to look at the definition of the title and the words that make that up to quickly learn why.
The word ‘Chief’ is a masculine word and traditionally refers to a man. It also signifies someone who is at the top of a hierarchy as opposed to someone who works in a team or collectively.
The word ‘Executive’ is a corporate word. It is also a word that (to me) is very black and white and also final. It is not a word that signifies openness to gentle process, care and nuance.
The word ‘Officer’ has its origins in the military. A ranked male serviceman. Enough said.
And so when I both looked at this on paper, but more importantly, looked deep into my heart, I knew as we began another year, that the title of CEO was no longer for me. It felt overwhelmingly patriarchal and not in alignment with who I am. While it may describe what I am to most people or even help some take me and what I do seriously, it feels constricting, dominant and hard, whereas most who know me well and work with me know that I am inclusive, open and warm.
For now I am simply the Founder of the Beautiful You Coaching Academy. The person who bought her into the world. Who knows what other name may come to me – if any – in the future. For now a heavy masculine weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I already feel a great deal more cosy and comfortable with a much lighter title. This is especially the case because in all honesty the Academy is not, nor has it ever been, mine. She came through me but is not for me.
She belongs to the now more than 400 (and rapidly growing) Beautiful You Coaches from all over the world. She was never meant to ‘be mine’ or belong only to one or me. She was meant to be shared, seep out, travel, grow, explore, adventure and find her own feminine way in the world through the hearts and work of many.
She needs no CEO. She is who she is because of the people who believe in and love her. And I know in my heart that is many more people than just me.
Julie, thank you for being the woman and the leader you are.
What a beautiful thing to say and share with me Sabrina. Thank YOU.
Perfect insight, and permission to be a leader AND be feminine! It’s time! Love this Julie!
Thank you Christine. It feels really right and good too.
To ‘find’ something as beautiful as the BYCA and bring her into the world is the most special achievement and position of all. Founder sounds just perfect, Julie!
Thank you so much Kate. It’s feeling pretty much perfect now to me too.
Yes, yes, yes, I absolutely LOVE this Julie and I can feel the lightness in the change too. It’s subtle on the surface but so deep in the difference it makes. Let’s go Ms Parker. Let’s go 🙂
It may seem subtle for sure Micala but you’re right – it’s actually a very deep and powerful change on a lot of levels including for me personally.
I just adore you and everything you are about Julie! Thank you for being a bringer of light, a priestess on path and a courageous leader for so many xx
Thank you Bec – that’s so beautiful. Appreciate you so much.
Powerfully insightful Julie! I appreciate you lifting the “veil” on the origins of the meaning behind a title mostly recognized as being one of influence. There are so many more ways we can honour our work without needing to take on old paradigms or roles that don’t fit.
Beautiful!
Yes Phoenix! I absolutely agree and when I looked deeper at the title I just knew it was no longer for me.
I can’t thank you enough for creating this wonderful community. Founder doesn’t seem enough to me for what you have birthed and continue to grow in the beautiful you coaching academy. Never before have I felt more a part of such a strong tribe. Thank you and bless you for everything xxx
Thank YOU for being such a special part of our community and sisterhood Emily. Every person makes us a whole and believe me when I tell you that you are just as important in that whole as I am. Even just one person different makes us less of who we are right now.
I love this too. You are so right about the harsh, masculine associations with the C.E.O title and it doesn’t suit you at all. I honour you as the founder of BYCA, as an amazing teacher and as the creator of a truly unique growth experience.
Thank you Julie xx
Thank you Catherine. I appreciate that so much.
I love love loved this post Julie and I just love the way you feel within and share so open heartedly. You are such an inspiration the way you continue to explore deeply on a number of levels and share these experiences with us all. You’re shining brightly lighting the path to inspire others to follow safely lighting their lives up for themselves.
I found myself smiling all the way through reading it. Although at first I was a little worried though that you were going to leave your involvement with BYA, so I’m relieved it wasn’t that at all!! I’ve often thought about your title when I’ve seen it in all your emails and posts and social media when it’s appeared and wondered why it was there as to me it just didn’t fit with who you are essentially as a being and a soul, as a facilitator and also with the beautiful inspiring coaching business that you created, it didn’t fit alongside that either. I just assumed it was the mandatory thing to do when you create a business to the high calibre that BYA is. So your post answered all these questions and more. Just beautiful!
Well I think Liza that it ‘seemed’ very much like the mandatory thing to do when I started the Academy but that really is an old story or paradigm that I and think many other women (maybe even men) are telling themselves. So it feels good to bring this to more of a soul level. Thank you for your beautiful compliments.
I love what you have written so much, I feel like I can relate to it a lot even though I don’t have my own business yet! I can’t wait to study at the BYCA this February, I had been looking at studying to be a coach for about a year and nothing had resonated with me and I had thought that maybe I didn’t want to be a coach after all, then I saw the BYCA website; the women, the femininity, the heart-based soul alignment coaching and I signed up within 5 minutes! It had been what I’d always been looking for and finally found! You are so inspiring to me, thank you.
Well that is really beautiful Hayley – I’m so glad you have found us and WE have now found you too.
Beautiful reflection thank you Julie
You’re so welcome Kirsten. Thank you for reading.
Thank you for this post Julie. I so agree with you. I’ve been calling myself a Founder too, really not feeling the whole CEO thing anymore… so happy to read your words, it now makes so much more sense to my why I’ve been feeling this way.
Thank you there Founder! Nice to be that with you together.
Oh my. What a beautifully powerful feminine declaration.Thank you. I am so humbled to be a member of this tribe. Love we are acknowledging our spiritual pathways publicly. <3
Thank you Jody. I am loving that too.
This is what leadership looks like 🙂
Your words, and the sentiment behind them, remind me of that fabulous Rumi poem:
Conventional knowledge is death
To our souls, and it is not really ours.
We must become ignorant
Of what we’ve been taught,
And be, instead, bewildered.
Run from what’s profitable and comfortable.
If you drink those liqueurs, you’ll spill
The spring water of your real life.
Forget safety.
Live where you fear to live.
Destroy your reputation.
Be notorious.
I have tried prudent planning
Long enough. From now on,
I’ll be mad.
– Rumi
Ahh Rumi. Thank you Sas. That poem is just beautiful – as are you my friend!
THank you for this beautiful post Julie. I’ve often wondered for myself is ‘founder’ quite right for Shine From Within but CEO felt so foreign to me. Thank you for constantly inspiring me. Mandy moo xxx
You’re so welcome Mandy. A change of title sounds like it may be coming for you too!
Such insight to read your thoughts and considerations Julie. Even on something I thought was a small detail – yet I know the power of it too!
I remember at the beginnings of this journey I’m on I had put both CEO and Founder as my title. Both for my & others assurance that I have power and worth.
Now that I just embrace working under my name – the title Artist feels both simple and wholistic. There was power in it too! It felt so huge, the shoes I wanted to wear. But it fits me better now. 🙂
I trust yours fit you better too!
The title of Artist is simply divine and perfect for you Brenda!
Julie, I love the perspectives you share here.
I hadn’t thought about the CEO title this way before, but over the last couple of years I have been increasingly embracing my feminine energy (so grateful for the evolving of consciousness that you spoke of, both on a global scale and at the individual level). Your thoughtful reflections in this post resonate strongly with me.
Thank you for showing us a different way is possible.
Enjoy the new wave and ride Jade. It’s a beautiful one.
Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and feelings around this Julie – It’s nice to know that not only are the way coaches are normalising feminine practises changing, the way we describe females in leadership is too.
Sending love, Hayley
Yes Hayley! I am SO happy for these developments in the industry.