Change is good.
It’s also really hard.
A job change, potential promotion, layoff, or retirement can be daunting. I help established leaders prepare for and navigate change. I believe thoughtful transition planning can result in less stress and more joy.
Coaching is an intentional process that identifies behaviors that may hold you back from your goal, allowing you to shift your mindset and change what isn't working for you. I guide clients through deep reflection, as they define their ideal life and barriers to realizing it. I balance support with accountability, to help clients achieve real and lasting personal and professional growth.
Services
For established leaders seeking increased executive presence and those undergoing or preparing for a transition, such as a promotion, job loss or change, or retirement.
A 360 survey of direct reports, peers, your manager and other leaders frames your current leadership approach. In 10-12 meetings over 6 months, clients review and explore their results, and take a deep dive to identify behaviors and approaches that hold them back. They establish transformative goals to elevate their leadership, and position themselves to live their best life, both professionally and personally.
Corporate engagements include 3 additional sessions (beginning, middle and end) with your manager and business sponsor.
For leaders preparing for a higher level roles and leaders in new roles.
The results of a 360 review frame your leadership approach. In three 1-hour sessions clients review and explore their results, identify opportunities to strengthen selected skills and establish goals to elevate their leadership presence.
For leaders with a challenge or concern seeking clarity or an approach to a solution.
In a 90-minute session, clients share their challenge and explore possible solutions. They leave with a sense of preparedness and confidence. Spot coaching often focuses on difficult, awkward or challenging conversations as well as giving and receiving feedback.
About Me
Julia Furtaw is passionate about leadership development and specializes in coaching leaders through transitions—whether into new roles, new careers, or retirement. After three decades in Publishing and Educational Technology, in Editorial, Product Management and Leadership roles, Julia discovered that she is happiest when helping others explore their lives, professional and personal, helping them identify behaviors and mindsets keeping them from their full potential, and discover their unique keys to living their best lives. Her goal is to help others make a strong, positive impact on those around them.
Julia is a transformational coach known for her thoughtful, curious, and deeply respectful approach. Rather than offering quick fixes or prescriptive advice, Julia guides clients through a powerful inquiry process that uncovers root issues, shifts limiting mindsets, and unlocks lasting growth. Drawing from a blend of research, lived experience, and intuitive listening, she helps individuals see themselves and their challenges more clearly—then supports them in building practical, actionable strategies to move forward with confidence.
Clients describe Julia as both grounding and energizing—someone who creates a safe space for reflection, yet consistently challenges them to dig deeper, think differently, and step fully into their potential. Whether navigating a career transition, strengthening leadership skills, or overcoming internal blockers like self-doubt or fear of failure, she equips clients with tools and perspectives that are replicable, empowering, and transferable across all areas of life.
The results are tangible: stronger communication, clearer leadership presence, renewed confidence, and a mindset that supports sustainable success. Julia’s coaching is ideal for individuals ready to grow into a new title or role, who have recently left a job, or who are planning for retirement. Her approach isn’t just about the change, but in how they show up, lead, and thrive.
Julia earned a BA from James Madison College at Michigan State University and an MBA from Wayne State University. She is a certified Hudson Coach and holds the ACC credential from the International Coaching Federation. She is also a certified Leadership Circle Profile practitioner.
What Clients Are Saying
“Working with Julia was a pivotal experience in my career growth. She helped me uncover and shift behaviors and mindsets that were limiting my progress, while providing practical strategies I could immediately put into practice. Julia has a unique ability to balance accountability with support, creating a space where real insights emerge and lasting growth happens. In a relatively short time, I experienced measurable progress that continues to influence how I lead and grow today. I highly recommend her to anyone ready to take their career to the next level.”
— CS, General Manager
“I’ve worked with other career coaches before, but Julia is as real as they come. She listens, gets it, and cuts right to the point. I came to her during a career transition when I knew I had outgrown my current path and was trying to sort through all my capabilities to figure out what was next. Julia helped me step back, see clearly what I do best, and gave me insights that really shaped my thinking. She made the whole process feel both practical and encouraging—exactly what I needed.”
— GK, Vice President
“I had the opportunity to work with Julia during a particularly difficult time in my career. I was struggling to find my voice, be more assertive, and feel confident in my role. Despite generally seeing myself as a confident person, I often felt paralyzed by the fear of failing and the fear of how others might perceive my work. I didn’t always feel that my voice was heard, and it impacted my confidence in ways I didn’t understand. Working with Julia changed that. She helped me refocus my attention and approach situations with a healthier perspective. Instead of giving me the answers, she asked thoughtful questions that pushed me to reflect, do the work, and discover my own path. Through our conversations, I learned to hear and trust my own voice—and to share it without fear. Over time, others began noticing the change as well. I realized that not everything is as intentional or critical as it may seem in your own head, and I learned how not to be my own worst enemy in evaluating my professional journey. It was truly a pleasure to work with Julia, and I’m grateful for the growth she helped me achieve.”
— AD, Vice President
“Julia is a thoughtful listener who shares insightful perspective based on her research and experience. She is skilled at guiding an individual through an inquiry process to discover root issues involved in any conflict. She can help anyone identify and practice multiple methods for reaching a desired outcome. If daily jobs were only about the task flow, we’d all likely do fine – but it’s all about relationships and psychology, which come with their own baggage. Using a respectful approach based in curiosity, Julia helps leaders be more aware of established belief systems that stunt success. These steps are replicable at any level of an organization and transferable from professional to personal life.”
— BS, Senior Manager
Contact Me
Interested in working together? Share your contact information and I’ll be in touch shortly. I look forward to hearing from you!