About Me

I was about 15 when someone sent me a greeting card with this Emile Zola quote on the front:

“If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to LIVE OUT LOUD.”

I remember thinking excitedly “I want to do THAT.” Over time, as the quote sunk in and became a mandate for me, up rose the question that stayed with me for a long time: “HOW do I do that?”

Thus began a lot of years trying to answer that question.

Living out loud is my mission.

It means leaving the world a bit better by using my innate wisdom and intuition to add value. It means living authentically, through kindness, respect and learning, and striving to make the world better for my having lived. It means leveraging my wisdom and intuition to help lift up, empower and inspire others.

I value learning and connection, difference and authenticity.
I seek to understand.
I listen hard.

As your coach, my job is to help you live out loud.

WHAT I DO:

Here’s what I do:

• I’m a fog-clearer. I give you the tools to help you clear through the fog to get to your inner purpose.
• I’m a map-maker. I help you draw the maps to help you get to where want to be from where you are.
• I’m an adventure guide. I help you whack down the overgrowth that might stand in your way to achieve it.

Truth be told, I didn’t find coaching as much as coaching found me.

MY JOURNEY:

I’ve been a problem solver my whole life.  I’m often told that I “just know” things. My friends tell me I have a combination of wisdom, service and practicality.

So, I set off as an employment lawyer with the intent to solve problems. I spent almost a decade at a large multinational law firm. And I was pretty good at it.

I worked with great people, had challenging work and a prestigious job.

But everyday, a little voice inside me told me I was not living out loud. I had MORE to give and I needed to find the platform to do it.

Plus, I had a great husband and two young girls and I wanted to give them MORE of me.

So I went in search of MORE and moved in-house to the legal department of a growing company. Again, great people, good work, more time for family, and now – the chance to help put policies and practices in place to build a healthy, inclusive workplace to boot. It was very satisfying, but after a while, the voice re-appeared. “MORE, please.”

I was learning quickly that the way to create a great workplace, an engaged workforce and deliver better results was through diversity and inclusion. I was lucky to have an employer that found the same value and gave me a chance to build the Diversity & Inclusion function at my company.

Through this experience, I learned the value of coaching. I learned for real what my gut had told me all along – in most cases, people don’t really need me to solve their problems. I was most successful – and felt the most satisfied — when I gave people the tools to solve their own problems. And — wouldn’t you know it — that’s when I felt the most satisfaction about my contributions.

About this time, I met a friend who told me she was studying to be a life coach. My interest was piqued, and I researched life coaching extensively. I learned that life coaching is the science and art of helping people access the best inside of them. It’s done through listening, asking great questions, and creating accountability and structures that help them along on their own paths.

I enrolled in coach school to hone my skills. I began using these skills in my day job and coaching clients on the side. The inner voice that had been asking for MORE, sighed deeply, and whispered “BINGO.”

My clients see results. 

IF OFFICIAL BIOs ARE MORE YOUR THING, HERE’S MINE:

Lisa Fain is a life coach who believes strongly in the power of connection and community.   Lisa provides one-on-one and group coaching that transforms people’s lives.

Lisa’s passion for diversity and inclusion work is fueled by her strong conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results.

Lisa’s skill set reflects a unique combination of training, coaching and experience. As Senior Director of the Diversity and Inclusion function at a publicly traded company, Lisa has spearheaded the development, establishment and implementation of its diversity initiative. Prior to assuming that position, she worked as the Company’s in-house employment lawyer, where she coached leaders and partnered with Human Resources to establish fair and effective policies and practices that would sustain the organization as it grew in size, revenue and renown.

Lisa is the CEO of Center for Mentoring Excellence (CME), which helps motivate, inspire and grow leaders through mentoring.  Vista Coaching is a division of CME.

A practicing attorney in the Chicago office of a major multinational law firm for almost ten years, Lisa counselled employers on creating inclusive policies and practices. She also functioned as a Master Trainer, training thousands of employees at a variety of companies, large and small, on how to create a better workplace.

Recognizing that the best kind of inclusion comes from understanding others’ needs and interests, Lisa became certified as a mediator through Chicago’s Center for Conflict Resolution, and used her counseling skills to help clients understand and proactively prevent conflict.

A graduate of Northwestern University with a B.S. in Social Policy, she also holds a JD degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Lisa is a Life Coach who received her certification from the International Coach Academy.

A native of Syracuse, NY, Lisa spent 17 years in Chicago and recently moved to Seattle, WA, with her husband and two daughters. She now spends as much time as she can hiking and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.