“You need to be passionate to be resilient.”
Leah Shmerling of Career Coaching and Training is a specialist in career coaching, corporate training, academic teaching, vocational training, and retirement coaching. As a published writer and with her great deal of experience, Leah started her business after seeing the need for a short course in career development. She began by writing her course and selling it nationally to teachers. Now, Leah has facilitated various training programs for professional associations and has written and produced over 14 online professional and personal development programs to make her courses more easily accessible.
Over the past 35 years, Leah Shmerling has developed and authored numerous accredited courses, books, and articles on career development and retirement planning. She is a recognised authority on education, training, and counselling. Her work has been published in The Age, The Herald Sun, and books that have sold locally and internationally.
Leah holds a Master in Professional Education and Training, Graduate Diploma in Career Development, several Diploma qualifications in Vocational Educational Training, and Certificates in Life Coaching, Mediation Skills, and Psychodrama. She has international accreditation and is Board Certified as a Career Management Fellow with the Institute of Career Certification, a Certified Retirement Coach with Retirement Options, and a professional member of the Career Development Association Australia (CDAA).
Leah enjoys the creativity of thinking outside the box and producing excellent courses. With a positive approach to life, work and people, she has helped people of all ages, from the early days of their career all the way to a happy retirement!
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Stu Maclaren. Stu is insightful and honest and willing to share his experiences, success, failures, relationship stories and what’s happening in his life.
Stu has built up a successful business from scratch and in fact from very small beginnings. I find Stu to be generous and very personable.
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
It made sense! I have a great deal of experience in education and training, and career coaching. As a published writer, my passion is to write. I saw the need for a short course in career development and started writing the course and selling it nationally to teachers. It made sense to continue writing courses. Honestly, on another level, as I get older I thought it would be a good source of passive income.
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
The creativity of thinking outside the box and producing excellent courses. I am the driver of my success.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Business is harder than you think
- You have to rely on others when you don’t have the skills and you are therefore dependent.
- You are always ‘on!’
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
You need to be passionate to be resilient. Starting a business takes a lot of hard work and you do not see the fruit of your labour for many years. In the meantime, you incur expenses and you need to keep going to succeed.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
High level communication skills as you need to communicate with a range of people, and in different ways: writing, presentation, electronically. Everyone you meet is your best friend! Think creatively and laterally. You need to have high level of thinking skills. Be well organised, plan ahead and meet deadlines. The attribute you need is grit!! Also, passion and the ability to be your authentic self.
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
I have multiple business associates to sell the online training progams, and the business is global with 1,000 students. To offer career coaching services. As I write the courses, to have a MD to run the business.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
Monthly insights. Ongoing connection and inspiration.
Learn more about Leah and Career Coaching and Training here.
