This month I have the privilege of highlighting Alex Barilec, a high-performance coach located in Ogden, Utah. Alex is a very welcoming individual who is easy to talk to and brings calming energy into a room. Alex has been coaching in different ways for the last 5 years, but he started his own coaching business, called Foundations Life Coaching, just over a year ago. Alex’s work as a high-performance coach aims to help young professionals and leaders create success in all aspects of their life from business to work-life balance. Here is a little back story about Alex and why he does what he does.
Alex grew up in Buffalo, New York, and moved to Utah in the winter of 2017. He loves the outdoors, especially skiing. He lives with his fiancé, Courtney, in Ogden. From a young age, Alex knew that he did not want to work in the corporate world. Growing up he watched as many adults around him, including his mom, were pushed to their limits in unhealthy ways. Alex has a degree in business management and was primed to head into the corporate sector himself, but instead he chose to pivot to the world of education. Working in the high school and higher education sectors for some time Alex too became overworked, and underpaid. Ultimately, he came to realize that he was "living a life that someone chose for [him]." Alex decided to step out of that world and into another. In this new world, Alex gets to choose the life he wants to live, and truly find a balance between work and life. Alex is now helping others find that balance and live a life of authenticity.
Alex helps high performing young professionals and entrepreneurs create a blueprint to leave behind the stress and to reconnect with themselves and live with intention and purpose. He works with the leaders of tomorrow to help them become powerful examples, and he helps them achieve that through one-on-one and group coaching. Alex was professionally trained and certified as a Life Coach by the Coach Training Alliance and he is currently training to add a focus in Positive Intelligence Coaching.
Here are some questions and answers from my interview with Alex that will help you understand where his background and how his business plays a vital role in today's society:
How did your company evolve?
I began coaching high school hockey. Then I spent some time in higher education in student activities and as a career counselor. I helped students build resumes, interview skills, and prepare for life after college. The common theme that developed from this work was that I loved helping these individuals grow and become something more than they are today, and I was good at it too. Just over a year ago I began my own coaching business, Foundations Life Coaching. I’m fortunate that the difficulties of the past year helped propel me into it full-time and now my goal is to make am even bigger impact
What does being authentic mean to you as a business owner?
I think for me, being authentic comes from being genuine, honest and truthful. Authenticity comes from serving the people that I once was. Through my work I seek to serve the people who are living the life that I once lived and ready to take the courageous step to develop their own blueprint, or as I like to say become the CEO of their life.
Why do people want to work with you?
Most of my clients come to me ready to level up their life. They have decided they are ready to take a big next step in their career, life, or make a transition, but don’t know exactly how they will do it. One of my greatest assets is that I can help people maximize their potential. I'm good at recognizing the real potential I see in my clients and drawing that out of them. I'm always learning new things and adopting new approaches. Sometimes I don't have the answer and I don't pretend to be an expert in your life, but I am trained to find solutions that work best for you in your unique circumstances.
What are some things you focus on with your clients?
I help them with healthy habit formation, creating a vision and purpose for 4 key areas of their life, and embodying that. The word embody is key. It’s one thing to want to make a change, and it’s another thing to truly change your identity and live in a completely new way. That is what I do with my clients. And underneath it all, I help people develop a mindset to create lasting transformation. We do that by reframing the things that are holding them back, setting attainable goals and holding them accountable.
What does working with your clients currently look like and what are your goals for 2021?
Currently, everything is virtual. I run a group program that is 8 weeks long. I work with clients one on one, for 3 to 6 months on a weekly basis. My real focus for 2021 is to grow my group program, it's a combination of group coaching, course content, and one-on-one sessions. That is my main focus to help create the best results for my clients.
Last but not least, do you have any advice for someone starting a business for the first time?
Create a network of people that support you and genuinely want to see you do well. Be brave. It's a courageous thing to do - to be an entrepreneur and to share your unique way of seeing the world and sharing that. And don’t do it alone, invest in coaches and mentors to support you along the way!
For those looking to increase their performance, and create a positive, goal-oriented mindset, then Alex is the coach for you! I highly recommend Alex if you are feeling a bit worn out in life and if you need some tools to help you get your feet on the ground. As stated before, Alex is a very generous, welcoming, and friendly person who is easy to talk to and trust. You can learn more about Alex and his coaching by visiting his website here.
