Privacy Policy

This privacy policy (this “Privacy Policy”) discloses the privacy practices of whittakercoaching.com (the “Website”) and applies solely to information collected by the Website. We have created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm and continuing commitment to the privacy of personal information provided by those visiting and interacting with the Website. We hold the privacy of your personal information in the highest regard. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for the Website.

We recognize the importance of protecting your privacy and our policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use, and safeguard the personal information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our Website. This policy may be amended from time to time, so please check this policy periodically.

What Information Do We Collect?

When you visit the Website, you may provide us with two types of information: (1) personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and (2) website use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse the Website.

1. Personal Information You Choose to Provide

2. Registration Information

When you register for any of our products, services, or publications, you will provide us information about yourself.

3. Email Information

If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses. We provide the same protections for these electronic communications that we employ in the maintenance of information received by mail and telephone. This also applies when you register for our website, sign up through any of our forms using your email address or make a purchase on this site.

4. Website Use Information

Similar to other commercial websites, the Website utilizes a standard technology called cookies (see explanation below entitled “What Are Cookies?”) and web server log files to collect information about how our website is used. Information gathered through cookies and web server logs may include, but is not limited to, the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent at the Website, and the websites visited just before and just after the Website, as well as your IP address. The information we collect automatically is used for statistical data and will not include any personal information you actively provide to whittakercoaching.com. We use this data to improve the Website and our service offerings.

How and Why We Collect Information

Whittaker Coaching collects your information in order to record and support your participation in the activities you select, as well as to understand how you and other are interacting with the Website. If you, among other things, register to download a book and/or other resources, sign up for a newsletter or other distribution (such books, resources, newsletters and distributions are collectively referred to as “Resources” and each individually a “Resource”)), and/or purchase a product from us, we collect your information. We use this information to track your preferences and to keep you informed about the products and services you have selected to receive and any related products and/or services. As a visitor to the Website, you can engage in most activities without actively providing any personal information. It is only when you seek to download or request Resources and/or register for any services, including but not limited to coaching services, that you are required to provide personal information.

If you opt to receive any Resources, participate in any training programs, register for a webinar or live event or purchase any products sold by Whittaker Coaching, we will only enroll you to receive newsletters or other Resources if you affirmatively consent to it. If, after opting in, you do not wish to continue receiving such Resources, you can unsubscribe at any time. We intend to include an “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of every email we send that includes a Resource. If you ever have trouble unsubscribing from a Resource, you can send an email to [email protected] requesting to unsubscribe from future emails.

How we use Information that you Provide to us

We use personal information for purposes of presenting the Website and its contents to you; providing you with information, offers for products and services, information about your subscriptions and products; carrying out any contract between you and Whittaker Coaching; administering our business activities; providing customer service and making available other products, Resources and services to our customers and prospective customers.

From time to time, we may use the information you provide to us to make offers to you to purchase products and services provided by third parties in exchange for a commission to be paid to us by such third parties. Should you opt to take part in any such a promotion, the applicable third party will receive your information.

Disclosure of Your Information

As a general rule, and other than as described in “How we use Information that you Provide to us” we do not sell, rent, lease or otherwise transfer any information collected, whether automatically or through your voluntary action.

We may disclose your personal information to subsidiaries or affiliates of Whittaker Coaching or to any service providers hired by Whittaker Coaching or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

We may provide your information to any successor in interest in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of the Whittaker Coaching’s assets and/or businesses.

We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so, (i.e., if we believe that any law to which Whittaker Coaching, its subsidiaries or affiliates are subject requires it, or for the protection of our legal rights, or when compelled by a court or governmental entity of competent jurisdiction to do so.

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a very small text document, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a website, that site’s computer asks your computer for permission to store this file in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other websites. Browsers are usually set to accept cookies; however, if you would prefer not to receive cookies, you may wish to alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of the Website will not function as effectively as when viewed when accepting cookies. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive or pass on computer viruses.

How we use Information we Collect from Cookies

As you visit and browse the Website, it uses cookies to differentiate you from other users. In some cases, we may also use cookies to prevent you from having to log in to a secure part of the Website multiple times over a short span of time. Cookies, in conjunction with our web server’s log files, allow us to calculate the aggregate number of people visiting our website and which parts of the site are most popular. This helps us gather feedback to constantly improve the Website and better serve our clients. Cookies do not allow us to gather any personal information about you, and we do not intentionally store any personal information that your browser provided to us in your cookies.

Whittaker Coaching reserves the right to use technological equivalents of cookies, including social media pixels. Such pixels allow social media sites to track visitors to outside websites in order to tailor advertising messages users see while visiting such websites. Whittaker Coaching reserves the right to use such pixels in compliance with the policies of each applicable website.

What are Dynamic Ads?

Dynamic ads are advertisements that are personalized in real time to the user. Unlike static ads, which contain the same content on every impression, dynamic ads enable advertisers to display different advertisements to different users.

IP Addresses

IP addresses are used by your computer every time you are connected to the Internet. Your IP address is a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer. IP addresses are automatically collected by our web server as part of demographic and profile data, known as traffic data, so that data (such as the web pages you request) can be sent to you.

Other Websites Linked to our Website

We are not responsible for the practices employed by any websites that may be linked to or from our website or the information or content contained therein. Any links to other websites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of the Website. Please remember that when you use a link to go from the Website to access another website, this privacy policy will no longer be applicable. Your browsing and interaction on any other website, including websites to which there is a link on the Website, is subject to such website’s rules and policies. Please read over those rules and policies before proceeding.

Your Consent

By using the Website, you consent to our collection and use of your personal and other information, as described in this privacy policy. You acknowledge that we reserve the right to amend this privacy policy at any time with or without notice.

Our Commitment to Data Security

Please note that your information will be stored and processed on our computers in the United States. The laws on holding personal data in the United States may be less stringent than the laws of your country of residence or citizenship. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Choice/Opt-In/Opt-Out

In compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act, in all e-mails sent will clearly state who the e-mail is from and provide clear information on how to contact the sender. In addition, all e-mail messages will also contain concise information on how to remove yourself from our mailing list so that you receive no further e-mail communication from us.

Our emails provide users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us by reading the unsubscribe instructions located at the bottom of any e-mail they receive from us at any time.

Users who no longer wish to receive our newsletter or promotional materials may opt-out of receiving these communications by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. After unsubscribing we will discontinue sending the particular messages as soon as technically feasible.

California Online Privacy Protection Act

We do not honor “Do Not Track” settings and/or signals and as such there will be no difference in how we collect or use data, even if you set your web browser to send a “Do Not Track” signal when you visit the Website.

Surveys & Contests

From time-to-time the Website may request information from users via surveys or contests. Participation in these surveys or contests will be completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose such information. Information requested may include contact information (such as name and shipping address), and demographic information (such as postal code and age). Contact information will be used to notify the winners and award prizes. Survey information will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction of the Website.

A Special Note About Children

Children are not eligible to use our services unsupervised and we ask that children under the age of 13 not submit any personal information. If you are a minor, you can use this service only in conjunction with permission and guidance from your parents or guardians.

The safety and privacy of children online is important to us and we take great care to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). The Website is not to be accessed by children under the age of 13 without the supervision of a parent or guardian. We will never knowingly contact or collect personal information from children under 13. Please contact us at the email address below to notify us if you believe a minor child has provided us with personally identifiable information.

Policy Modifications

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If/when changes are made to this Privacy Policy, we will email users who have given us permission to do so. We will post any changes here, so be sure to check back periodically. However, if the Privacy Policy changes in the future, we will not use the personal information you have submitted to us under this Privacy Policy in a manner that is materially inconsistent with this Privacy Policy, without your prior consent.

Visitors’ GDPR Rights

If you are within the European Union, you are entitled to certain information and have certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

We will retain any information you choose to provide to us until the earlier of: (a) your asking us to delete the information, (b) our decision to cease using our existing data providers, or (c) the we decide that the value in retaining the data is outweighed by the costs of retaining it.

You have the right to request access to your data that we store and the right to either rectify or erase your personal data.

You have the right to seek restrictions on the processing of your data.

You have the right to object to the processing of your data and the right to the portability of your data.

To the extent that you provided consent to our processing of your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based upon consent that occurred prior to your withdrawal of consent.

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority that has jurisdiction over issues related to the General Data Protection Regulation.

We require only the information that is reasonably required to enter into a contract with you. We will not require you to provide consent for any unnecessary processing as a condition of entering into a contract with us.

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Effective as of October 25, 2020

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The Whole Story

I’m from a small town outside of Detroit. Both of my parents worked in assembly plants at General Motors when I was coming up. My mom, one of the smartest people I know, felt like she didn’t have the opportunities to cultivate her raw talent and ability, so she poured her intention and financial resources into making sure I had the best education she could afford.

After my parents’ divorce, and because of the negative effects on my city from GM’s dwindling prospects in the late 90s and early 2000s, things began to look bleak. It was around that time that I was presented with an opportunity to live and study in Singapore. It meant leaving behind my parents and all that I knew. I took a leap of faith and went for it. That choice allowed me to spend two years at an elite boarding school in Southeast Asia learning with and from people from around the world who represented every major religion and every socioeconomic status. That experience changed everything for me, and I will cherish my time there for all of my life.

After high school, I attended the University of Pennsylvania, where I studied Political Science and Japanese. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after graduation, but I somehow ended up in finance, like many of my classmates. UBS sent me to Japan almost immediately, and I was over the moon. I had a meaningful year in Japan during my third year at Penn, and was excited to go back. Things weren’t all roses, though. Due in part to the financial crisis, my career went in a very different direction than what I’d envisioned from the ivory tower. The financial services industry (and UBS in particular) was hard hit, and everyone in the industry felt it.

After three years of fun, excitement, disappointment and growth, I left Japan and moved to London, where I spent two years and had another set of adventures of indelible importance. After my first year there, I felt that my time at UBS was coming to an end, and I considered a number of paths forward, one of which was applying to Harvard Law School. I got in. Being there was an honor, fun and frustrating. I graduated having gained a number of dear friends and more skills than I realized at the time, as well as a job at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. I felt like I’d finally gotten on the path to real success and attainment after so many years of trying. That feeling lasted for about a year.

One night at around 3 a.m. while working from my glass-clad Midtown Manhattan office, I began to question what it was all for. I’d done everything I thought I was supposed to do to have a successful, fulfilled life, but I still wasn’t happy. I spent the next few weeks examining my life. And that’s what led me to coaching.

I spent the next three years learning about coaching. Through the process, I’ve had realizations about myself unlike any since my time in Singapore. The work I’ve done on myself has given me more clarity of purpose and peace at work. That doesn’t mean all days are pure bliss, but I do have a higher recognition of the good things in life and more acceptance of the fact that bad things will happen along the way.

For all of us who have been ambitious, worked hard and achieved hard things, we’ve already got the building blocks to make a profound difference in this world. I want to help people like you step more into yourself—that version of you who acts from a sense of purpose—so that your skills can be used in a way that will have greater meaning and impact. Because if you do that, there’s no telling what you’ll be able to do in your life and the lives of others.

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My Philosophy

You’re in the driver seat. We can talk about whatever’s on your mind. I might suggest that you complete some worksheets prior to a session or that you focus on a certain topic, but don’t feel bound by those things. The coaching sessions are your time to explore whatever you want to. I’m just along to help you sort things out.

Coaching is like working with a personal trainer. The training sessions can be hard work and somewhat painful at times, both during and after. Even the best workouts are for naught if the client doesn’t make proper lifestyle choices between sessions, and ultimately, it’s the client who drives results.

I won’t be doling out a lot of unsolicited advice. You’ll see that you’ve got the answers to most of your questions buried somewhere in your brain already. And if you really don’t know something, most of the time, you will know how to go about finding someone or something that can help you find the answer. That said, I’ll chime in with a resource or a recommendation when I think it’s beneficial or if you ask me to. I’m all about being helpful to you. And that could mean holding back from giving you advice and allowing you to think things out from your perspective in the first instance.

One of my main goals is to help to get you to the place where you can coach yourself. That said, even the best athletes in the world have coaches. If you’re trying to climb a figurative Mt. Everest, it could be a good idea to have some help, even if you’re a seasoned climber. Coaching is the same. There will always be blind spots in our thinking that we may not catch on our own. You can always feel free to reach out for an ad hoc session or two as needed.

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What is Coaching?

Coaching is a tool to help you understand what’s happening in your brain. We’ve all got so many stimuli vying for our attention that it often becomes hard to focus on, or even know, what’s most important. During coaching sessions, I’ll invite you to tune out the outside world and focus on getting clear about what’s most important for you and why.

For most of us, there’s a deeper reason why we want what we want than we spend time thinking about. I’ll invite you to go there—to really look deep into what drives you to do what you do. Once you understand that, what you should do will become a lot clearer. From there, we can work on putting in place a plan to help you get what you want.

One of the central tenants of coaching is that each individual has immense creativity and a set of knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources to address problems, as well as the perseverance to see their plans through. With these attributes, there is little a person cannot create and realize in their lives. Coaches encourage clients to think outside of their limitations and to enter into a space of curiosity, possibility, experimentation, and discovery. It is the coach’s job to challenge clients’ concepts of “impossible.” Coaches help clients achieve their desired outcomes by asking the right questions to get clients thinking about their lives and to reexamine deeply held beliefs that may be limiting potential. Coaches also question commitment to outcomes and help clients devise ways to overcome the self during the process of realizing those outcomes.

Coaches provide wholistic solutions to their clients. While clients may come to a coach for help with addressing a specific question or problem, coaches realize that seemingly unrelated factors in a client’s life might be impacting that question or problem. Coaches will therefore first see if there are any fundamental limiting beliefs that may be holding the client back in various parts of their life. That said, coaches discover along with their clients and do not assume. Coaches operate from a place of humility, and are not concerned with being “right,” but rather with being helpful to the client.

Pure coaching deals mostly in the present and the future. Coaches meet clients where they are and help them design the future they want for themselves. Since the past is immutable, the focus is on what clients are feeling now, and whether those feelings are serving clients in meeting their future goals. Said slightly differently, a coach deals with things that are actionable, rather than trying to help clients overcome pain inflicted on them in the past from the environment or from others. Coaches may touch on the past to understand or highlight things about a client’s present state, but coaches do not tend to dwell on the past.

The coaching process may bring up strong emotions; however, the main goal of the sessions is not to “overcome” those emotions or to make a person “whole.” The main goal is to achieve the objectives of the client and to help the client be at peace with their emotions and understand that there is a place for both happiness and sadness, success and failure. If a client has the ability to address their emotions by reexamining their thoughts and learning to processes negative emotions, the client is likely ready for life coaching. If, however, a client feels helplessly disempowered or restrained by negative emotions or something in their past, the coach might recommend the client speak with a therapist. Once a client has made progress, they may be ready for coaching. It may be possible to run both processes in parallel as well.

Coaches are not necessarily subject matter experts. Instead, coaches are versed in asking the right kinds of questions at the right times to get the client to think. Coaches know that their clients are actually the experts; therefore, clients lead the coaching conversations and come with the majority of the solutions. A coach merely facilitates a conversation based on what the client wants to achieve. That said, coaches may challenge their clients, such as when a coach sees inconsistencies in what a client says they want and how the client is thinking or acting. Coaches can also help keep clients accountable in the short term; however, the focus is on self-accountability in the long run.

Coaches serve a different role than consultants or mentors. Consultants generally carry out an analysis of issues raised by the client and present results for evaluation and action. A mentor may tell the client exactly what steps to take based on the mentor’s professional experience. Coaches, by contrast, help clients figure out what they do not know, and may, for example, help a client realize that they would benefit from a consultant presenting them with proposals. Once the proposals come in, a coach could assist such a client to determine which proposal to accept by helping that client think about the proposals based on their goals and values. Coaches do not make the choices for their clients, and will generally not offer an opinion about which choice to make, in contrast to a mentor, who may strongly recommend a course of action.

It should be noted, however, that a coach may happen to be a subject matter expert or know of resources with respect to certain issues. Depending on the agreement a client has with his or her coach, the coach may practice “blended coaching,” where the coach will give advice based on professional experience, where relevant, while acting as a more traditional coach when addressing areas where the coach is not an expert and lacks relevant outside resources or personal experience to share.

Aside from helping clients achieve their objectives, coaches also aim to help clients get to a stage where they can coach themselves. Since the coaching conversations are generally structured such that clients answer their own questions, over time, clients will be able to ask powerful questions to themselves and keep themselves accountable. That said, there may be times when a client could benefit from additional coaching. Just as professional athletes who have a wealth of experience training in their individual sport still work with trainers to stay in peak performance, clients who wish to remain at their best mentally may benefit from working with a coach periodically, even after they become very good at coaching themselves.

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