Stacey and PLucK! Coaching

Most of you know me, but there's been some new followers lately (yea!) and so I feel the need to reintroduce you all to me and PLucK! Coaching.

I am Stacey Otterstrom, the quirky wierdo boss lady behind PLucK! Coaching. I help my clients navigate a world of high-achievement while continuing to find ways to upgrade!

What is coaching?

Coaching is a mix of guided inquiry, accountability and support available to individuals and groups who desire change in their lives. And real change, not that new haircut (though that helps) or new clothes change. But the introspective, new habits, live the life you've only dreamt of kind of change. It's not easy, like a personal trainer, you still have to show up and put in the effort on your end, but coaching can help you fine tune, identify shortcuts and be your cheerleader when you're in the thick of it all! There's no silver bullet fix, but if you commit, I commit back and we roll up our sleeves to make the meaningful change that can change lives!

What led me here?

I started studying politics in high school and actually enjoyed trips to Helena. I went to college during high school, dual enrollment way back in 2001,Blue Ponies!) well before it was normal and schools were set up for it. With the head start I transferred to MSU Bozeman and finished in 3.5 years, again, almost unheard of in my generation. But I didn't want to dilly dally, I had job offers after all! In the midst of college I got accepted to do a study abroad in South Africa and in the same week had an offer to intern for this farmer legislator guy from near my hometown, Jon Tester. If you know me, you know which one I chose, but it wasn't an easy choice. I've promised myself Africa is still on the bucketlist! I spent the next six years working for the farmer turned U.S. Senator, then jumped into the 2012 campaigns with the plan to take some time for myself afterwards, and sort out next steps. Luckily, we worked hard enough that year and elected Governor Steve Bullock who was in transition himself. Not having anything next on my list, I politely offered to help him and my friends who had a mountain of work to accomplish. I secretly had hoped he wouldn't take me up on it, but he did. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret a minute of it, it's been a chance of a lifetime. And it gave me more opportunity to grow my leadership development skills. See, I am his Boards and Appointments Advisor. I have helped him screen, select and support 2,829 Montanans to hundreds of positions from Cabinet-level Directors, judges and all of Montanas hundreds of boards, councils, and commissions. I have a front row seat helping our agencies support these high achievers who have way too much on their plate already, use their talents in new and exciting ways. It has been perfect.

Why PLucK!?

I chose PLucK! Coaching because I wanted a word that inspired the idea that to live a large life one needs tenacity and courage, and still reflected me and was quirky, because I believe all of these traits are necessary for my fellow high-achievers to really tackle and succeed in the uncharted territories where the magic happens.

Now, all of a sudden, six years has flown by and I'm still with this amazing team working for Montana. Having learned how quick campaigns can bounce a person in this field, about half-way through this time and about the time we started adding two babies to my family, I decided I wanted to be more proactive and thoughtful about my next step. See, I'm totally excited that my job has a completion date. My friends (and husband) all think I'm nuts, but I love the idea of a forced reimagining of my future! So before the deadline showed up, I decided it was worth looking into my options well in advance so I don't just jump on the next available job offer. And this is where PLucK! Coaching comes in.

I started looking into what I might be capable of doing with my skills and background. Political consulting sounded reasonable, but the idea made be want to stab a pencil in my eye (sorry friends who love this work). I did my due diligence, talked to those who went before me and analyzed the need, numbers, profit to be had, etc. But still, BORING! So I started looking elsewhere. I'm really good at organizing and keeping others around me on-track and organized, so I looked at opening a franchise of The Container Store. I was psyched but it seemed like way too much investment and overhead, and while I love storage solutions as much as the next geek, this too, was not lighting my fire. So it was then in this searching that I started looking for a life coach. Maybe a coach could help me sort through the career options out there, organize my thoughts into goals and plans and be strategic about my next step. I started thinking through exactly how they would help me, what I would be willing to pay for the support, what I would like to see included in the process, and how it was going to be just perfect. Now if only I could find someone just like me to help me sort this all out. So I searched, and I interviewed, and I searched, and I interviewed, and one day it dawned on me. Wait, I seriously enjoy this coaching concept, I'm loving everything I'm reading on the subject and I am devouring so many resources as I go, that it's become an obsession. So if I can't find who I'm looking for...(entrepreneurs, help me out here!) I decided, "I will be that coach!"

What's next?

PLucK! Coaching is a firm I intend to grow over the next two years, until my ride with the Guv is over. I am accepting clients now, and will be growing my availability soon. I hope to launch newsletters soon, to include more videos of me and my awesome peeps, and eventually a podcast, book and products to support my clients! (And who knows what else, right?!)

I am a certified life coach with the Coach Training Alliance and well on my way to my full credentialing with the International Coaching Federation. I tap into my background in politics and my Masters of Public Administration degree to support those at high levels. I use my strategic planning, leadership development and organizational skills learned through a lifetime to bring real tangible results for my clients. I work with fellow high-achievers, who like me, just need a little support and help tweaking the little things in life to make it all run smoothly and really take off.

Now for you!

If you can relate to any of this. If you think that with just a little assistance, you can be living your dream life. If you want a plan, a strategy or an itinerary to get you to the next level, let's connect! And then stay engaged. Because it is together that professional coaching can take you further than you ever imagined. And you and I are only just beginning.