Minor Arias is a Costa Rican coach and entrepreneur and the author of two forthcoming books: VIVE por DISEÑO (LIVING by DESIGN) and Ya soy Coach, ¿y ahora qué? (I’m a coach, now what?). After 17 years working, managing and leading in multinational corporations, Minor became the first Hewlett Packard employee to receive coaching training in Costa Rica and set off on a journey into the world of coaching. It wasn’t all plain sailing, though: at the end of his first year as an entrepreneur he had made less than he would have in a month at Hewlett Packard and was on the edge of bankruptcy. Then a chance encounter via Toastmasters set him off on a journey to the thriving coaching business he runs today.

In this episode, we talk about:

- How Minor didn’t find coaching, coaching found him.

- Why he chose to focus his work around coaching and not two other things he loves: speaking and training.

- The simple calendar tool that his first coach taught him which led to turning his failing coaching practice around.

- The origins of his new company, Vive Por Diseno (Living By Design).

- What Minor has learned from founding that company: three key ideas for designing your own life.

Plus, listen out for my incredibly shaky Spanish and Minor’s beautiful English and wonderful accent.

For more information about Minor, visit www.lideresdeterminados.com or find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/minorarias/

For full show notes, an extended biography of Minor and more about the podcast’s host, Robbie Swale, The Coach’s Journey podcast as a whole and The Coach’s Journey group programme, visit www.thecoachsjourney.com.

For information about Robbie’s wider work and writing, visit www.robbieswalecoaching.com.

Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQg

Things and people we mentioned (that you might be interested in):

~22 - John Maxwell Team and Certification: https://johnmaxwellteam.com

~24 – The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell

~28 – Toastmasters: https://www.toastmasters.org/

~45 – Toastmasters Costa Rica: https://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/05159852-toastmasters-costa-rica

~51 – Jason Leonard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%E2%98%85jason-leon-l-i-o-n-9k-followers-%E2%98%85-33594a32

~60 – The Prosperous Coach by Rich Litvin and Steve Chandler

~60 – The other podcast guest I mentioned, who read the Prosperous Coach and was relieved to find she was already doing it, was Katie Harvey. Listen to the full interview with Katie here: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-1-katie-harvey-14000-hours-of-coaching-being-part-of-the-uk-coaching-vanguard-and-being-a-generalist-coach