Why I need an executive coach
Coaching changed the game
Introduction
For most of my career, I prided myself on being self-motivated. I set goals, built businesses, and pushed through challenges. But like many leaders, I eventually hit an invisible barrier — what I’ve come to now know to call my intuitive fence. It’s that point where you can’t see past your own instincts, habits, and assumptions.
That’s when I began working with Seth Schmidt, first during his time with Novus Global, and now through his own coaching practice, Fortiv.co. What I discovered in that journey wasn’t just new strategies for business, but a new way of approaching life.
Accountability that Drives Growth
The first thing I noticed in working with Seth was his unwavering commitment to accountability. Not the shallow kind where someone checks if you’ve completed a task — but the kind that holds you to the vision you say you want for your life.
Every conversation was a reminder that my words, choices, and actions needed to line up. That kind of accountability was uncomfortable at first — but it was the exact push I needed.
Beyond the Intuitive Fence
Left to myself, I tended to make decisions based on gut instinct and experience. That worked — until it didn’t. Seth helped me see that the very instincts that had carried me this far could also be the same instincts holding me back.
Through our coaching sessions, I learned how to:
- Challenge assumptions I thought were immovable.
- Ask “what else might be true?” when I felt stuck.
- See opportunities beyond the immediate horizon.
It was like discovering a new layer of vision — one that let me see beyond my own fence.
Integrity as the Foundation of Performance
One of the biggest lessons that stuck with me from this coaching journey is the concept of integrity. Not in the moralistic sense of “good vs. bad,” but in the way Michael Jensen defines it:
- Integrity is wholeness and workability. Just like gravity, it’s not good or bad — it just is. When something is whole and complete, it works. When it’s broken or inconsistent, performance suffers.
- Your word is your wholeness. You maintain integrity not only by keeping your word, but also by honoring it — which means acknowledging when you can’t keep it, cleaning up the mess, and restoring trust.
- Without integrity, nothing works. Whether in a business system, a leadership team, or your own life, being out of integrity creates breakdowns that ripple everywhere.
Seth held me to this standard. Coaching with him wasn’t just about what I did with my time or how I ran my business — it was about whether I was whole and complete with my word. Was I doing what I said? Was I honoring my commitments to myself, my family, my clients? That distinction changed the way I lead.
Read Michael Jenson's work here
Building a Life, Not Just a Business
Perhaps the most important outcome of working with Seth wasn’t in my business, but in my family. He helped me clarify what kind of husband, father, and leader I wanted to be.
For me, success isn’t just revenue numbers or client growth. It’s creating a lifestyle where I’m fully present for my wife and kids, while still building a thriving business. Coaching gave me the tools and clarity to pursue both — without compromise.
What I Learned (and Why It Matters)
Working with Seth reinforced some core truths I carry forward:
- Accountability is a gift, not a burden. Having someone hold you to your highest standard is how you grow.
- Your instincts aren’t always enough. The same thinking that got you here won’t get you there.
- Coaching is about wholeness. The best leadership isn’t compartmentalized — it integrates business, family, and personal vision.
Conclusion
Looking back, the investment I made in coaching with Seth Schmidt has paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined — not only in revenue and business clarity, but in the life I’m building with my family.
I’m grateful for what I learned through Novus Global, and even more for how Seth continues to expand that work through Fortiv.co.
If you’ve ever felt like you’ve hit your own “intuitive fence,” I can’t recommend strongly enough the value of a coach who will push you beyond it. It’s not just about achieving more — it’s about becoming the person you were meant to be.