We believe every conversation is a chance to make a difference in someone’s life.
Our mission is to show as many people as possible how to empower others to discover their true potential. To give people the knowledge, network, and tools to change the world one conversation at a time.
Canada Coach Academy was founded to create a safe place for people to learn a new way of being, challenge paradigms, and sit in discomfort as they create awareness. People from all walks of life come to us to learn the skill of coaching to help others live their best lives. Leaders of large companies, department managers, team leads, helping professionals, HR professionals, non-profit organizations, bankers, scientists, PhDs, yoga instructors, dancers, teachers, moms and dads all come to us to learn how to make a difference.
Tell us about yourself?
I was introduced to coaching in the late 90s by one of my first mentors. After graduating from McGill University with a BA, I went to work for a man who I would describe as a game changer. He was always ahead of the trends. In my first few months working with him, he enrolled me in a program called Strategic Coach based in Toronto. For the next four years, I travelled from Montreal to Toronto once a quarter to be coached.
That experience shaped what would become my life’s work.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Business is business, not personal. I think it’s the hardest lesson any founder learns. When you create something from scratch, and you nurture it, watch it grow, and start to trust others to help you nurture it – the vulnerability factor grows with it. So looking back now, I would definitely tell myself to grab a shield, have unwavering faith in who you are and your mission, and always be in service to that mission – no matter what.
What problem does your business solve?
We exist to multiply the impact of coaching in the world by mentoring world-class coaches so that together we can have transformational conversations that unlock the genius in others and change lives.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Inspiration came from a joint vision my partner and I had to give leaders the tools, strategies, and techniques to empower others in the workplace. That vision expanded to all areas of life when we saw the impact of learning coaching skills on seasoned professionals. High-level directors, managers, and department heads all said the same thing after completing a certification course: “I wish I had these skills 30 years ago.” Coaching is a human skill; it’s not industry specific.
What is your magic sauce?
I like to think of our Academy as the Ivy League of Coaching schools. Our facilitation team is like the dream team of coaches, and I know our programs are setting the standard in a very competitive industry. If I had to point to one thing that sets us apart, it’s the passion our team has for continuous learning, growth, and building community around coaching.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
I’m currently in the dissertation phase of a Masters’s degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on Psychology at Harvard University. My thesis is on Teacher As Coach, and my vision is to give all teachers the tools to master social and emotional skills so that all students enjoy safe spaces for learning, and for schools graduate better humans, not just better students. The vision is to make every teacher a coach to reimagine what is possible in education. It’s my life’s work and what drives me and the company.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The challenge is always finding ways to communicate the power of coaching and, more importantly, the difference coaching makes compared to other helping professions. A lot of people confuse coaching with mentoring. In fact, most students who come to our programs are surprised to learn what coaching is and is not.
How can people get involved?
Join our tribe on Instagram (@nathalieblais.ceo and @canada.coach.academy) and on LinkedIn (Nathalie Blais, MCC and Canada Coach Academy Page) or reach out to us on our website: www.canadacoachacademy.com