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Growing a successful coaching practice is not about chasing every opportunity—it’s about making intentional business decisions grounded in self-awareness, professional integrity, and sustainable growth strategies.
This interactive panel brings together four accomplished coaches with diverse pathways into entrepreneurship—corporate leadership, legal practice, ministry, executive coaching, and education—moderated by Don Knagge, PCC. Together, they offer a candid, experience-driven conversation about what it actually takes to build a sustainable, values-aligned coaching business without compromising coaching integrity.
Participants will explore how seasoned coaches clarified their niche, transitioned from corporate or parallel careers, built trusted relationships, and designed business models that honor both client outcomes and personal purpose. The discussion emphasizes reflective decision-making, ethical growth, and the intentional use of coaching competencies beyond client sessions—into business strategy, partnerships, and long-term practice design.
This session is ideal for coaches at any stage of business growth—launching, scaling, or recalibrating—who want grounded insight, not hype, on how to grow with intention.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Clarify how personal values, lived experience, and coaching presence influence sustainable business decisions
- Identify multiple pathways for growing a coaching practice while maintaining ethical standards and client-centered focus
- Apply reflective practices used by experienced coaches to evaluate opportunities, partnerships, and offerings
- Recognize how core coaching competencies extend beyond sessions into branding, positioning, and relationship-building
ICF Core Competency Alignment
This program aligns with the following ICF Core Competencies:
1. Cultivates Trust and Safety
Panelists share how credibility, consistency, and ethical decision-making shape long-term client relationships and referrals—demonstrating how trust is built not just in sessions, but across the entire coaching ecosystem.
2. Maintains a Coaching Mindset
The discussion highlights curiosity, self-reflection, and continuous learning as essential tools for navigating career transitions, business growth, and evolving client needs—modeling a coaching mindset applied to entrepreneurship.
Who Should Attend
- Coaches building or growing a professional coaching practice
- Coaches transitioning from corporate, ministry, education, or consulting roles
- Experienced coaches reassessing alignment, sustainability, or scale
- Coaches seeking real-world insight grounded in ICF values—not sales tactics
Panel Moderator and Presenters
Don Knagge, PCC — Owner, 7th Evolution Coaching & Consulting
Don Knagge brings more than 35 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to his work as a leadership development and agile transition coach. As Immediate Past President of ICF Central Florida, Don is widely respected for his commitment to coaching excellence and professional standards. His corporate client portfolio includes global organizations such as Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, Siemens, and the Orlando Magic. As moderator, Don guides the conversation with depth, balance, and a systems-level perspective—helping surface practical insights while anchoring the discussion in ICF values and competencies.
Tricia Manning, MBA, PCC — Founder, Tricia Manning Coaching
Tricia Manning has grown a thriving coaching practice by leveraging deep corporate experience and positioning coaching as a strategic leadership solution within organizations. A former C-suite executive and author of Lead with Heart and Leave a Legacy, Tricia’s business growth has been driven largely through corporate engagements, executive contracts, and leadership development partnerships. Her strength lies in translating coaching into enterprise-level impact—demonstrating how credibility, executive presence, and values-based leadership can open doors to sustained, high-value client relationships.
Moira McNabb, JD, ACC — Founder & CEO, Sandpiper Talent Solutions
Missy McNabb is a master connector whose coaching business growth is rooted in strategic networking and relationship-building. Through a 35+ year career spanning law, corporate talent management, and executive coaching, Missy has cultivated an expansive professional network that continues to fuel both her consulting practice and the broader coaching community. Her strength lies in building authentic, trust-based relationships that lead to referrals, collaborations, and long-term client engagement—modeling how community and credibility drive sustainable business growth.
Nanette Randle, ACC — Founder, Divine Dialogue LLC
Nanette Randle represents the power of clarity and alignment in early-stage coaching success. As the founder of Divine Dialogue LLC, Nanette has quickly gained traction by building her practice around a deeply personal area of passion—integrating faith-informed insight, evidence-based coaching, and decades of senior corporate and ministry leadership. Her work demonstrates how new coaches can experience meaningful growth by serving a clearly defined audience with authenticity, purpose, and disciplined focus.
Phildra Swagger, PhD, MBA, PCC — President & CEO, Combined Expertise, Inc.
Dr. Phildra Swagger has grown her coaching and consulting business through intentional community-building, group coaching programs, and long-term partnerships—particularly within nonprofit organizations. As President and CEO of Combined Expertise, Inc., she specializes in working with nonprofit executives and mission-driven leaders to clarify vision, strengthen teams, and increase organizational impact. Her business model emphasizes scalable group programs, cohort-based learning, and trusted community spaces that support both leadership development and sustainable revenue growth.
