STaR Coach Show

What if your client’s resistance isn’t something to overcome—but valuable information about what they need in order to move forward? As coaches, it can be frustrating when a client says they want change, then suddenly pulls back just as real transformation is within reach. In today’s conversation, Meg sits down with Travis Hahler, author of Rethink Resistance: Embracing Neuroscience to Lead Transformational Change, to explore what is really happening beneath that resistance. Instead of pushing harder, Travis encourages coaches to get curious. Drawing on neuroscience and more than 15 years of guiding organizations through change, Travis explains six neurological barriers that can cause people to resist—even when they genuinely want the outcome on the other side. You’ll learn why high performers can be especially resistant to change, why every change involves some form of loss, and how curiosity, empathy, inclusion, transparency, and trust can help clients move forward. Most importantly, Travis gives coaches a new lens for those moments when a client seems stuck: Rather than asking, “Why won’t they do this?” begin asking, “What is this resistance trying to tell me?” About Travis Hahler Travis Hahler is the author of Rethink Resistance: Embracing Neuroscience to Lead Transformational Change. His unique background includes conducting EEG research in Denmark, studying neuropsychology at Harvard, earning an MBA, and leading transformational work with major organizations including Google and Salesforce. Over the past 15 years, Travis has guided more than 100 companies through change efforts, earning him the nickname “The Resistance Fortune Teller” for his ability to identify where transformation is likely to stall. His work reframes resistance not as a problem to eliminate, but as information that helps leaders and coaches better understand what people need to navigate change successfully. Show Highlights: Why fighting resistance can create an “us versus them” dynamic—and why curiosity is a more effective response How coaches can avoid taking a client’s resistance personally or allowing their own ego to enter the coaching conversation The connection between curiosity, understanding, empathy, and meaningful change Why even positive, desired change involves loss—and why acknowledging that loss matters Why high performers may experience more resistance to change because their established routines have contributed to their success The importance of allowing time for learning, practice, integration, and rest when developing new behaviors The difference between natural resistance and intentionally choosing to resist change Travis’s six neurological barriers to change and how they can help coaches identify what may be keeping a client stuck How routines, energy demands, exclusion, ambiguity, anxiety, and loss can influence a person’s ability to move forward Why inclusion and opportunities for feedback can reduce resistance and create greater ownership How frequent, transparent communication helps reduce ambiguity and build trust Why anxiety and overwhelm can make change especially difficult—and how modeling can help people see that change is safe How understanding an individual’s specific resistance triggers can strengthen connection, psychological safety, and organizational culture Why coaches should replace “Why aren’t you doing it?” with deeper, more curious questions that uncover what is happening beneath the resistance How Travis’s six-barrier framework can become a practical checklist when a client wants change but struggles to take action A Key Takeaway for Coaches Resistance doesn’t automatically mean that your client is unmotivated, unwilling, or not ready for coaching. It may be a signal that a routine feels safer, the learning curve is consuming too much energy, the client feels excluded, the path ahead is too ambiguous, anxiety is taking over, or the change represents a loss they haven’t yet acknowledged. Rather than pushing, parenting, or shaming a client into action, get curious. Identifying the barrier beneath the resistance can open the door to deeper questions that help your client move forward. Resources: Connect with Travis Hahler: Visit Travis Hahler’s website Connect with Travis Hahler on LinkedIn Learn more about Rethink Resistance: Embracing Neuroscience to Lead Transformational Change Connect with Meg: Explore our mentor program! Now enrolling for Fall 2026! Click here for more information! Learn more about the STaR Coach Community. We would love for you to join us! Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com. Mentioned in this episode: From Secret to Sensation Free Masterclass Are you a talented coach who still feels like the best-kept secret in the room? Join Meg Rentschler for her free live masterclass, From Secret to Sensation. In just 60 minutes, you’ll discover why great coaches can struggle to grow their businesses, how to create messaging that attracts the right people, and why trying to do it all alone may be keeping you stuck. ✨ You can’t be a secret and a success at the same time. Save your seat and bring your questions! 👉 Register here: https://www.starcoachshow.com/masterclass

If you’ve spent months building the curiosity muscle, how do you answer when asked, “So, what do you do?” The quiet skills that make you a great coach can work against you when it comes to marketing. Meg Rentschler shares a candid confession about her early years as a coach, when she found herself rambling, hedging, and accidentally coaching people at dinner parties. She introduces the “two rooms” of a coaching career and explains the main struggle that new coaches face. You’ll discover that what looks like a confidence problem is usually a clarity problem, and you’ll learn a doable exercise to use right now. Join us! Show Highlights: Meg’s confession about her early years of coaching What successful marketing requires The two rooms: your coaching room and your marketing room (We can’t bring “room-one” furniture into “room-two.”) Building the curiosity muscle can seem like more of a struggle than building the business-building muscle. What I KNOW to be true about business building It’s NOT a confidence problem; it’s a clarity problem! (The wrong skillset in the wrong room makes it seem like we aren’t “cut out” for this profession.) One small, doable step to take right now: Try this exercise. Finish this sentence: “Here’s something I know to be true about the people I work with . . .” (State the belief plainly, without “coach speak.”) The facts: Curiosity makes a better leader than expertise. Presence beats performance, every time. Your assignment from Meg: Pick one belief you know to be true about the people you serve, say it aloud, and write it down. Say it once publicly this week in some capacity. Resources: Links mentioned in this episode: “What’s Your Value Proposition?” https://www.starcoachshow.com/336 Moira Lethbridge’s interview in Episode 509 - https://www.starcoachshow.com/509 Connect with Meg Learn more about the STaR Coach Community. We would love for you to join us! Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com. Mentioned in this episode: From Secret to Sensation Free Masterclass Are you a talented coach who still feels like the best-kept secret in the room? Join Meg Rentschler for her free live masterclass, From Secret to Sensation. In just 60 minutes, you’ll discover why great coaches can struggle to grow their businesses, how to create messaging that attracts the right people, and why trying to do it all alone may be keeping you stuck. ✨ You can’t be a secret and a success at the same time. Save your seat and bring your questions! 👉 Register here: https://www.starcoachshow.com/masterclass

Today’s guest shares his journey into “fixer” coaching, which later developed into ICF-style curiosity-based coaching. This switch transformed his approach and the performance of Team USA’s Olympic swim coaches as he prepares them for the highest levels of international competition. Our conversation moves from the mechanics of high performance under pressure to the vulnerability of unlearning the “I know what you don’t know” mentality. We land on a message every coach, sports or otherwise, needs to hear: knowing yourself is the prerequisite to building a high-performing team around you. This is a rich conversation about ego, identity, and staying curious, even when you are the most accomplished person in the room. Join us! Brendan Hansen is a six-time USA Olympic medalist and 2008 gold medalist in Beijing. This highly decorated competitive swimmer has transitioned into a new career as an executive/leadership coach. Since retiring from competitive swimming at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Brendan has worked with startups, long-standing businesses, and nonprofit organizations. He currently serves as Director of the National Junior Team at USA Swimming, developing the pipeline of athletes and coaches to compete in the 2028 and 2032 Olympics. Show Highlights: Brendan’s journey: from being a competitive swimmer with Olympic gold medal success to a leadership coach Brendan’s biggest lesson learned from his journey: “Being comfortable is the worst drug on the planet.” “Coaching” in the swimming world is very different from what Brendan does today because he was accustomed to being the “fixer.” (Let go of your “fixer” mindset!) Shifting to a mindset that says, “I don’t have to know the answer.” The #1 question Brendan gets asked: “How do I create an environment for a high-performing team?” The key to creating a high-performing team is knowing who YOU are as a coach. Want to challenge yourself as a coach? Keep showing up in the spaces where you are NOT an expert. What’s next for Brendan? The power of the word WAIT (“Why Am I Talking?”) The value in keeping a curious mindset Resources: Connect with Brendan Hansen: Website Connect with Meg: Explore our mentor program! Now enrolling for Fall 2026! Click here for more information! Learn more about the STaR Coach Community. We would love for you to join us! Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com. Mentioned in this episode: Mentor Program If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten. It's small, personal, and powerful. If you've been waiting for the right time, this is it. So head over to Star Coach Show. That’s https://starcoachshow.com/mentor/ to grab your spot or to learn more. I'd love to work with you. Now, let's get into today's show.

Today’s episode explores a backdoor path to visibility that most coaches overlook. We explore backlinks, guest blogging, and directory listings as low-lift ways to build credibility and domain authority. Our expert guest, a self-styled “joyologist,” helps us reframe the core purpose of marketing: coaches aren’t pitching themselves; they are pitching the coaching profession. Ready to build your “constellation” with a fresh marketing mindset? Join us to learn more! Christine Kutnick, PCC, is a speaker and certified professional coach focused on joy. She founded Coach LinkUp, an ecosystem that connects people to values-driven coaches. Before becoming a coach, she spent over 25 years in nonprofit leadership, fighting for equity in education and healthcare. After years of pouring everything into work and parenting, she realized she had lost sight of herself. With her youngest child off to college and a suitcase packed for Europe, Christine and her husband quit their careers and set off on a journey–one that led her back to a forgotten mission statement: To be a “change agent for joy, harmony, and inner peace.” Today, she helps others reconnect with that same spark. Christine now works with clients, aka “Joyriders,” who are navigating midlife reinvention, career change, and burnout. Her approach is both playful and profound, helping people ditch the stuckness and step into joy. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the proud mom of two bold, thriving adult kids. Show Highlights: ● Christine’s big leap: a massive career transformation (for her husband, too!) ● Turning a personal tragedy into a new mission and purpose ● The journey to create Coach LinkUp ● Helping coaches who feel like marketing takes ALL their time and energy ● A mission to educate the public about coaching and what it offers ● What Coach LinkUp can offer to invite people into the world of coaching ● Being messy and authentic makes you relatable. ● Maximizing a website or social media platform by using backlinks (Think “constellation.”) ● Christine’s best tips for getting started in establishing backlinks: guest blogs, client referrals, get listed on directories, link to prior content in your profile, etc. ● Change your mindset around marketing. Resources: Connect with Christine Kutnick: Website, Website for Coaches, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Christine’s FREE Giveaway. Connect with Meg: Explore our mentor program! Now enrolling for Fall 2026! Click here for more information! Learn more about the STaR Coach Community. We would love for you to join us! Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com. Mentioned in this episode: Mentor Program If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten. It's small, personal, and powerful. If you've been waiting for the right time, this is it. So head over to Star Coach Show. That’s https://starcoachshow.com/mentor/ to grab your spot or to learn more. I'd love to work with you. Now, let's get into today's show.

Today’s guest has focused her life’s work on closing the leadership gap for women. She spent years as a CEO in the corporate world, always trying to make herself fade into the background instead of letting herself shine. She shares what it took to overcome a multitude of limiting beliefs and how she finally realized that her methodology works—100% of the time. She shares a real-client example of applying her approach to flip the script and reap the results. You’ll also learn how she turned client testimonials into a mantra that keeps her going, even when life gets challenging. Join us to learn more! Moira Lethbridge is a speaker, executive and leadership coach, and the creator of The Female Advantage, a unique leadership approach. She is the author of Savvy Woman: Make Time for a Life That Matters and The Gift of Receiving. Moira serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Richmond and is the principal and owner of Lethbridge & Associates. As a former president and CEO, she draws on 25 years of organizational experience and success to help individuals and companies boost productivity and improve performance. She works with business owners, executives, and individuals to help them grow their business, do more of what they enjoy, and balance health, well-being, and achievement. Show Highlights: Moira’s experience: Being a stuck CEO who learned that the same behaviors (from men and women) result in very different outcomes. Listening to “the voice in the room” and learning that “to be successful, I had to be less.” Developing The Female Advantage Turning client testimonials into a useful mantra Finding the courage to “claim your lane” Moira’s revolutionary discovery: “My framework works 100% of the time.” It’s okay for revenue numbers to confirm and validate the work you do. Moira’s advice to leaders about having and showing courage What’s next? Moira shares her exciting next steps. Moira’s key takeaway for leaders: “You are magnificent.” Resources: Connect with Moira Lethbridge: Website, LinkedIn, and Stuck or Overextended? Resource Connect with Meg: Explore our mentor program! Now enrolling for Fall 2026! Click here for more information! Learn more about the STaR Coach Community. We would love for you to join us! Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com. Mentioned in this episode: Mentor Program If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten. It's small, personal, and powerful. If you've been waiting for the right time, this is it. So head over to Star Coach Show. That’s https://starcoachshow.com/mentor/ to grab your spot or to learn more. I'd love to work with you. Now, let's get into today's show.