THERESE SKELLY
Your Small-Business Success Coach

Passionate About People, Business, and Karaoke

I’ve always been a “people person.” I began my career working in the correctional system and then switched to the mental health field for a number of years . . . until I couldn’t take it any longer and started my own business. Seems that entrepreneurial spirit has been with me for most of my adult life — working inside organizations that didn’t run very well made me nuts!

I guess that one of my greatest gifts has been my ability to see exactly what was broken within a company and discerning ways to improve it — both of which can be a blessing and a curse when you are just an employee within the under-functioning company.

After my last son was a bit older, I decided to devote my time to re-careering and earned my Coaching certification from the Coach for Life school in San Diego. This, coupled with my Master’s degree and years of training as a psychotherapist, give me a unique perspective few other coaches possess. I am an absolute expert on human behavior and personality dynamics.

And rounding out my training is the hours and hours I’ve spent learning marketing, sales, business building strategies, and all the other components of the ‘outer game’ of running the business.  I’ve been blessed to have had awesome coaches and mentors along the way, so I’ve totally enjoyed learning all these components as well.

Mary Pat Kavanaugh www.QueenOfMarketing.com "Therese is an awesome business coach. In our work together, she helped me achieve the confidence in myself to success, she helped me get out of my own way by identifying some key environmental and mindset issues and she empowered me to believe that I could be successful in my endeavors! "I highly recommend Therese's services to business owners who are looking for out-of-the-box, creative marketing strategies to achieve wild success at a record pace! "Thanks, Therese, for empowering me to achieve my goals and maintain my passions!"

Running a Business Is an Inside Job

How does my expertise in human behavior help you, the small-business owner? Well, my entire premise is that having a super-successful business is truly an inner game. You could have the perfect business and marketing plan - but if you don’t have your head in the right place . . . the business will suffer. That’s why I coach you, the owner. I find that in coaching the owner, the whole business benefits. If the focus is on the business alone, the results are much less powerful.

It’s kind of like those parents who drop their kid off in a therapist’s office, saying “Fix him.” While I’ve never experienced this situation with my boys, I sure used to wish someone would take my wacky dogs away for a week and return them in better shape than when they left. But as we all know, change starts from the inside, and moves outward. In the case of my behaviorally challenged canines, the only solution was for me - their owner, and leader of the “pack” - to get some training about how to better respond to the dogs. The same is true for your business . . . except without the fur.

The Personal Details . . .

I live in Arizona and yes it's a dry heat!  I am divorced after 18 years, and my ex and I are doing well at keeping a great friendship and raising our two boys, Danny and John. Yes, every mom thinks her kids are the brightest, cutest, and best behaved. OK, I admit we’re not always qualified for the “best behaved” award, but my little guys are very cool. Danny, the eldest, in middle school, going on about 27. He loves to shower me with daily doses of sports and music trivia and is now into fashion and girls.  (Heaven help me!)  John, the younger one, got an early start being quite the handful, but has now morphed into being just the light of our lives.  He works hard to keep up with his brother, and I think he’s about two days away from being able to!

My goal is to be a 'cool' mom, and since I had my kids later in life, I think that just may be the case!

Here’s a photo taken a couple of years ago when I could still get them to pose for pictures!  Now they are much taller and not happy to have their pics snapped with mom…

To recharge and refresh, my most favorite thing to do is to go to Mexico with the kids.  We usually stay in nice condos and spend lots of time on the beach.

Here’s me enjoying breakfast...

Our family shares lots of fun and laughter in our time together, but between the boys and all their friends, I feel like I'm surrounded by a bit too much testosterone! After my ex moved out, we got Kailee, who is a pit bull mix. (Can anyone relate to that...lose the ex and get a dog!) Kailee and I hold down the "estrogen" fort, but suffice it to say, there's lots going on in my house. Here's a pic of Kailee...

Over the last year, I have discovered karaoke!  That may sound totally dorky, but for me it’s been a huge ‘workshop’ about how I show up in life.  Starting out with the mic being quite tentative, doubting my ability, playing small….

Now you should see me!  Melissa Etheridge, watch out!  Someday I want to start a ‘Karaoke Coaching Program’ because it’s a total metaphor about expanding, taking risks, and showing up to play bigger.  Here’s a pic with me doing karaoke…..

My Other Passion

In my “spare” time, I run the Phoenix chapter of Shared Vision Network, a group which specializes in providing professional business development to local small business owners.

My chapter of Shared Vision Network hosts monthly luncheons and networking events that offer business owners many opportunities to grow themselves and their businesses. I love this part of my life! I’ve built an amazing Leadership Team, the members of which allow me to really express my values of community, giving back, and support.. All socially aware, prosperity-conscious, brilliant professionals, we mastermind and support each other’s dreams as we also assist the chapter’s members to break their boundaries and achieve their own limitless successes.

Here’s a photo of my wonderful Leadership Team:

Therese with Todd Smith, Anna Weber, Laura Orsini (front row)
Michele "PW" Pariza Wacek, Jim Gordon, Anna "Banana" Kruchten

Supporting and coaching individuals to create the lives they truly desire and deserve is one of my greatest joys. I feel so blessed to do this work and help my clients get powerful results that truly make a difference in the world.

For more information on my services, click here!