Welcome to Coffee House Coaching, where great conversations are brewed one powerful question at a time. I’m your host, Gary Nowak, and each episode is caffeinated by 8 thought-provoking, no-fluff questions designed to tap into the Coaches insight, impact and inner work of their practice.

Today’s guest is Steph Balzer “From Journalism to Coaching: Finding Voice, Holding Space, and Staying Human.”

• Steph B. brings her diverse background as a poet, journalist, and nonprofit leader into her dynamic coaching style.
• She works primarily with clients from mission-driven sectors such as higher education, fundraising, and the arts.
• Her approach is rooted in metaphor and language, helping clients explore deeper emotional insights.
• Steph navigates the delicate balance between encouraging client growth and respecting their readiness.
• She emphasizes the importance of sitting with discomfort—both her own and her clients'—to foster deeper connections.
• A key takeaway: “When calling someone out, call yourself in,” emphasizing humility and shared human experience.
• Through coaching, Steph has reclaimed her voice, especially in traditionally hierarchical professional settings.

Welcome to Coffee House Coaching, where great conversations are brewed one powerful question at a time. I’m your host, Gary Nowak, and each episode is caffeinated by 8 thought-provoking, no-fluff questions designed to tap into the Coaches insight, impact and inner work of their practice.

Today’s guest is John Schuster where he described a philosophical conversation with a client on epistemology (a.k.a. “How do we know what we know?”).

"Presence, Poetry, and the Power of Stillness — Coaching with John Schuster."

📝 7 Summary Bullet Points:

• Presence is 50% of coaching—and worth 100% of your inner work.
• John blends coaching, mentoring, and consulting based on what the client truly needs.
• His journey through Jungian psychology and spiritual development deepened his coaching presence.
• He’s still refining how to love his clients more deeply while doing less “doing.”
• Not afraid to get philosophical, he once explored epistemology mid-session.
• Uses humor and tone as core tools—“Ha-ha, Aha, and Ahhh” are all welcome.
• Closed the show by singing Dylan’s Forever Young—a reminder that coaching, like life, is a beautiful ongoing journey.

Welcome to Coffee House Coaching, where great conversations are brewed one powerful question at a time. I’m your host, Gary Nowak, and each episode is caffeinated by 8 thought-provoking, no-fluff questions designed to tap into the Coaches insight, impact and inner work of their practice.

Today’s guest is Lola Gershfeld where she likes to slow down, tune in and dance through coaching.

Episode Highlights

• 🧠 Best advice? “Stop thinking about the next step—just feel the music.” Coaching and tango collide in a powerful metaphor for presence.
• 🪞 Deep self-work: Lola uses her own tools (like the Reconnection Form) to identify raw spots, fears, and triggers—starting with herself before guiding others.
• 🫀 Emotions are the play: her greatest joy is leading multi-person bonding conversations and watching teams heal and connect in real time.
• 🧰 Most “outrageous” move? Asking team members to emotionally reconnect face-to-face—even after years of not speaking.
• 💻 AI as emotional co-pilot: helps soften emails, polish writing, and create clearer communication (especially when speed trumps tone).
• 🧬 Coaching + family: co-hosting a podcast with her daughter strengthened both their emotional vocabularies and their bond.
• 🌪️ From overwhelmed to attuned: she slows herself down by shifting focus from self to client—and always centers on connection.
• 💃 Her dream? Never stop working. But also—more dancing. Always more Argentine tango.