Here at Transformation Academy we are excited to announce our October’s Transformation Academy Rising Star – Shingirai Makosa!
Our goal with this initiative is to recognize and celebrate group membership who demonstrate the heart and service of a coach. Each monthly recipient of this recognition will be selected for a unique reason. Some will be seasoned coaches who serve as valuable mentors within the group. Others may be just starting their coach-training journey and exude a contagious attitude or passion. Others may be actively supporting other group members, whether by providing resources, answering common questions, or providing moral support. Regardless of each of our wonderful group members’ background or experience, we all benefit from the mutual support and varied perspectives offered within this diverse group!
The Rising Star initiative is a way to give a special THANK YOU to those who go above and beyond to share of themselves within this community.
This month we would like to recognize Shingirai Makosa for his determination and quest for continued growth, despite life challenges!
Shingirai has been a group member for 3 years. Since we met him, he has continued to inspire us and his fellow coaches by sharing about his journey, including overcoming injury and disability after a car accident. He lives the message to “turn your pain into purpose!” Shingirai never gives up and continues to not only learn and grow as a person, but help empower others who have been through similar challenges. His quest for knowledge has led him to complete more than a dozen of our life coach certifications, and many, many more! He has been a great example of authentic vulnerability through his willingness to share the truth of his struggles with the group, as well as practicing his videos and seeking honest feedback (which we can all agree is a brave thing to do!). Shingiria is a shining example of grace, resilience, and optimism.
About Shingirai:
Shingirai operates a coaching business under the name Department of Coaching with physical offices based in Summer Greens, Cape Town province of South Africa. He started coaching 3 years ago when he was involved in motor vehicle accident and spent more than one year in hospital and came out with disability from spinal code injury.
With MBA and Psychology training, prior to pivoting in coaching he accumulated wide ranging training experience working with leadership in articulating organizational strategies, visions, missions, and values and helping to identify and crafting strategic initiatives to assist in attainment of short, medium, and long-term objectives of organisations. He is an expert in recruitment and selection and organization development. With certifications from Transformation Academy, he focuses on goals, transformation, and mindset. He has a passion for working with clients regarding their careers and business.
Apart from the coaching business, he also runs a consulting company called Shimak Consultants which specialises in Organisation and Content Development.
Connect with Shingirai at https://abledtransformations.co.za
Below is an interview we conducted with Shingirai.
What is your niche (coaching focus) and how did you choose it?
I use goal success, mindsets and transformation coaching tools to help individuals build true confidence, identifying best options and creating strategy for thriving under challenging circumstances. I have practical tools readily adaptable for people in aspects of careers and businesses which, when properly implemented, a person can rely on in creating hope for success and independence. I work mainly with people living with acquired disabilities from motor vehicle accidents. I believe the best option is entrepreneurship.
Who is your ideal client?
Individuals with acquired disability from motor vehicle accidents, job seekers, small business owners. Because I had stayed with many people who had gone through similar circumstances i thought it would be good to transition into coaching for people same background as mine so i studied and became certified as life coach in this area.
What inspired you to become a life coach?
The story of Joeel and Natalie of Transformation Academy inspired me. How they started and grew their coaching business, how they continued chasing dreams in spite of obstacles, their way of teaching and quality of their courses all inspired me. I started believing that I can still achieve my goals even though I had encountered some setbacks. I also got inspired by other coaches I met through Transformation Academy. I found the tools I was looking for at Transformation Academy at the right time and I was transformed. Their magic worked at a time I had lost hope and confidence.
How long have you been coaching?
3 years.
How did you get your first client?
Advertising on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
How has your coaching journey changed your life?
- Resuscitation of dying and forgotten dreams and hope for life in general.
- Self-discovery and rejuvenation with true confidence and resilience
- Understanding of life meaning, the role obstacles and adversity in strength building
- Becoming able to starting and growing my own businesses.
What is the most challenging part of being a life coach?
Getting paying clients and motivating clients to stay committed.
What is the most fulfilling part of being a life coach?
Becoming a life coach gave me a chance to pivot in life with new tools for hope and success at a time when I was giving up. It is also fulfilling to realise that I can also use the tools to transfer knowledge helping others who also encountered negative life situations like mine.
What has been your most inspirational coaching moment, with a client?
I get inspired when a client starts to understand the real issues at stake, how they are impacting on them and shows that they believe I can assist in in solving the problem. I always refer to my personal life story and experiences. It is inspiring to have clients reaching the stage at which they also start opening, telling their own unique experiences and how they can relate. At first most clients are reluctant to disclose some aspects of their lives and experiences, but when you tell them your own authentic story with empathy, they feel comfortable to open up and narrate theirs in return.
Feedback from non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, body posture and tone of voice can also guide in your assessment of whether your message and story is getting through, clear, and impacting on the client. The client has opened up, you are now at flow, you have succeeded in securing marriage of the minds, and it will now be easy to set goals and parameters together, knowing that you are talking of the same thing.
What is your favorite coaching activity or exercise to do with clients?
Self-awareness coaching tools to help clients understand their personal uniqueness, and that things that apply to themselves may not necessarily apply to others. An understanding of themselves in terms of unique strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats around the wheel of life will make clients understand aspects of their life which needs attention and what to prioritise when setting goals to address identified issues/problems. The mindsets tools will address how the client will navigate from current to desired end. How the client will anticipate and overcome roadblocks through management of emotions, attitudes, and events along the journey. The ABCD model is one of my favourite mindset’s tools.
What has been the most effective strategy for finding clients and/or growing your business?
Storytelling and public speaking. Advertising on social media, email campaigns and opt-in recruitment technology which makes it clear that your audience is the correct one composed of individuals willing to pay attention to what you have to offer rather than from a random and untargeted process. An audience that understands your value proposition and how they can benefit from it. The message must be communicated in such a way which is readily comprehensible by the clients and this includes with respect to the language jargon and relevance.
What advice would you give YOURSELF back when you first dreamed of becoming a coach?
- Continue learning.
- Some things you can control, but not all.
- Connect with like-minded coaches and consultants.
- Speak at every opportunity.
- Attend events, virtualize, go live on Facebook
- Your mind will either make or break you
- Work persistently towards building powerful mindsets
- Live in the moment, let go of the past, don’t wait until something happens.
- Obstacles will make you grow. They provide a chance to pivot in life.
What is the impact you want to make in this world?
My vision is to see a world where all individuals can live with true confidence and happiness. I would like to contribute to creation of a society in which everyone live happily, independently, with hope, faith and self-fulfillment.
Is there anything else you would like to share with Transformation Coaching Magazine readers?
“When you find a writer who really is saying something to you, read everything that writer has written and you will get more education and depth of understanding out of that than reading a scrap here and a scrap there and elsewhere. Then go to people who influenced that writer, or those who were related to him, and your world builds together in an organic way that is really marvelous.” ― Joseph Campbell
Since the year 2000, having studied psychology and business, I worked as a human resources specialist in performance management, recruitment, selection and training. In 2018, I took a pivot into life coaching after going through some negative life situations including relocating from my country of origin due to unforeseen economic downturn, unexpected loss of employment, the untimely passing on of my mother and involvement in motor vehicle accident resulting in disability from spinal code injury. I was feeling out of control and experiencing deep negative emotions, thinking that my world had come to an end.
As I searched for solutions, I came across coaching tools from Transformation Academy and I was healed. I got insights on how to deal with adversity and build resilience for dealing with mental stress. The tools helped me with my personal healing and emotional restoration. Because I had stayed with many people who had gone through similar circumstances, I thought it would help to transition into coaching for people with similar background to mine. So, I studied and became certified as life coach. I completed more than 40 courses for my personal development and to get certifications in business, transformation, goal success and mindsets.
My passion, training and work experience in human resources management led to my focus on careers and businesses. I believe learning without mindsets training component will be inadequate. People also need to work diligently on building proper perspectives and mindsets. Setting goals, transformation, emotional intelligence, visualisation, and meditation are my key focus areas when coaching.
