Guiding Change: How Local Coaches Help the Cazenovia Community Thrive

Cazenovians can obtain countless goods and services from trusted local providers who are Caz Life members. For a full list of our members, go to: www.cazenovia.com/our-members. One of the services that may be unfamiliar to some is Coaching. To learn more we asked four local experts to share details about their business and the services they offer. Nancy Mitchell, Lisa Baker, Sheryl Davis and Kurt Wheeler provide a complementary array of coaching and mentoring services to our community.

Nancy Mitchell, founder of Bold Beginnings Coaching LLC, works with children and their families to develop confidence, emotional resilience, and practical life skills. Nancy shared, “Coaching children is foundational. Teaching them skills they can use to navigate challenges in childhood and carry forward into adulthood is a game changer.” With over 25 years as an educator and the last 9 as a certified master life coach, Nancy leads girls’ empowerment groups in her studio at the Atwell Mill in Cazenovia, partners with local programs to offer kids’ empowerment groups, and works with children individually. Her work provides a supportive space where clients feel safe and heard while learning tools to manage anxiety and stress and how to navigate emotional and social challenges at home and school. Nancy combines her extensive background in education and coaching with a creative, strengths-based approach that meets each child and family where they are while helping them build essential life skills that carry into everyday life. You can learn more about Nancy and Bold Beginnings coaching at www.boldbeginningscoaching.com

Lisa Baker is an executive coach, speaker, and facilitator who loves calling Cazenovia home. She works with local leaders, organizations around the world, as well as U.S. military and government agencies. Lisa shared, “My mission is to help leaders be well and lead well, because that’s when magic happens. That’s when the most creative and inspiring leadership happens.” She works with individuals and teams to build confidence, clarity, and practical leadership skills they can use every day, and to develop the mindset and mental habits that support high performance and well-being. She uses brain science to help leaders understand how their minds and bodies influence how they think, feel, and lead. Coaching combines thoughtful conversations, reflection, and real-world practice that means leaders feel clearer, calmer, and more effective. Her coaching provides a confidential space to think, reflect, and grow, with practical tools leaders can apply immediately at work and in life. Lisa added, “If you’re curious about coaching for yourself or someone you know, come say hello, I’m your neighbor and always happy to chat.” With over ten years and 5,000+ hours of coaching experience, Lisa is a Master Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation (https://coachingfederation.org/), the global gold standard for coaching credentials. She offers speaking and workshops on topics such as The Science of Mindfulness, Peace isn’t Political it’s Biological and Mindfulness for Psychological Safety and Productivity. You can learn more about Lisa and her work at https://simplified-coaching.com.

Lisa Baker

Sheryl Davis, founder of Wellness in a Chaotic World, helps individuals create sustainable, meaningful changes in their health and well-being. Sheryl said, “So many people know what they want to change to feel healthier and more alive but feel stuck or overwhelmed by how to actually make it stick—and I’ve been there myself. My work is about partnering with people to help them reconnect to their own agency, leverage their strengths, and build systems of support that work in real life.” Sheryl works 1:1 with clients virtually, emphasizing collaboration, practical experimentation, and realistic goal setting, helping them connect with their motivation, clarify their values, and recognize their own inner authority. Sheryl is also the host of the Wellness in a Chaotic World podcast, sharing real stories, honest conversations, and coaching reflections that provide practical insights for building healthy habits through self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-advocacy. You can learn more about Sheryl and her coaching services at https://www.wellnessinachaoticworld.com.

Sheryl Davis

Kurt Wheeler, Founder of Wheeler Leadership Solutions, LLC added that coaching is something that even the most effective individuals and organizations can benefit from.  Our motto is, “Even Olympians need coaches,” Wheeler noted. “If you think about it, the highest performing individuals and teams in the world all employ an array of coaches. Having someone who is solely focused on improving your performance is especially important if you don’t have that function organic to your operation. That input can be particularly valuable for executives when it comes from someone outside their ‘chain of command.’” Wheeler added that his background has proven especially helpful to his clients, because it often provides a point of view that complements organizations’ internal leadership.” Kurt uses his countless experiences over 30 years of leadership roles in the military, education and public service to look at challenges in new ways. You can learn more about his business at https://wheelerleadershipsolutions.com/.

Cazenovia is fortunate to have such a talented group of coaches in our local area. Contact any of them directly to learn more about how they can help you achieve your full potential as an individual, business or organization.

Kurt Wheeler