Deborah Brown-Volkman

I am the President of Surpass Your Dreams™, Inc., a successful career and mentor coaching company that has been delivering a message of motivation, success, and personal fulfillment since 1998. We specialize in three areas: 1) Career coaching for Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are out of work or overworked. 2) Start-up, marketing, and practice building for those who want to make coaching their next career. 3) Public relations consulting and coaching for those who want to be famous in their career.

Current and former clients include individuals from: JPMorganChase, Oracle Corporation, Lucent Technologies, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Ziff Davis, IBM, American Express, EDS, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann-Erickson Worldgroup, Columbia University, New York University, Chief Executive Magazine, MSNBC, & BMW.

I am a Published Writer and my articles on how to be successful in your career can be found on more than 100 web-sites over the Internet. I am the Author of three books titled Coach Yourself To A New Career (A Guide For Discovering Your Ultimate Profession), Four Steps To Building A Profitable Coaching Practice (A Complete Marketing Resource Book For Coaches) and Four Steps To Building A Profitable Business (A Marketing Start-Up Guide For Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, And Professionals) and Co-Author of The Essential Coaching Book (Secrets to a Winning Life from the Professional and Personal Coaches of the United Coaching Associates, Inc.) I also write a e-mail newsletter and weekly tips titled: Surpass Your Dreams that offers you practical advice and steps so Monday can be the best day of your week.

I have been featured as a career expert for WABC-TV New York Eyewitness News, CNN, News 12, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Smart Money Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and New York Newsday. I was also a featured guest on BBC, Radio Scotland when they came to New York City to find out how people were coping in their careers since the September 11th attacks.

I am a Graduate of Coach University's Coaches Program, which is an accredited program for Business & Personal Coaching, enrolled in CoachVille’s Graduate School of Coaching, and a 2004 recipient of CoachVille’s Annual Thomas Leonard “T” award for contributing to the success and evolution of coaching, which gives you a coach who is knowledgeable, experienced, and well-trained; President of the United Coaching Associates, which is a Long Island affiliate of both Coach University and CoachVille, that gives you a coach with a strong network; a Founding Member of Coachville.com which is a coaches training portal created by the founder of Coach University; a Member of the International Association of Coaches, New York City Midtown Coaching Center, and 24/7 Coach, that gives you a coach who uses the latest and cutting-edge coaching techniques; a Member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), which is the most well-known and respected coaching organization in the world, that gives you a coach who is has numerous resources to provide; and a Member of the Moriches Chamber of Commerce, Moriches Rotary of New York, a career expert for LongIsland.com, and a Charter Member of the ICF-New York City Speakers Bureau, that gives you a coach who is active and prominent in her community.

Before becoming a coach, my background included Twelve Years Running Sales & Marketing Programs for Fortune 500 companies and dot.coms. I received an AAS degree in Data Processing from Queensborough Community College, a BA in Marketing from Hofstra University, and a Certificate in Financial Planning from New York University. This gives you a coach with a strong business background.

I live with my husband in Long Island, NY. www.surpassyourdreams.com

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Where did you grow up and who were your earliest influences and why?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: I GREW UP IN THE BRONX, NY WITH MY MOM, DAD, AND SISTER. I MOVED TO QUEENS, NY WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD. MY EARLIER INFLUENCE WAS A 3RD GRADE TEACHER WHO BELIEVED IN ME AND TOOK TIME TO SEE MY EXCEL. I NEVER FORGET HER OR THAT FEELING OF BEING UNCONDITIONALLY SUPPORTED. I BELIEVE I DECIDED THEN I WOULD HELP OTHERS IN THE SAME WAY SHE HELPED ME.

 

 

PageOneLit.com: You are a Professional Career Advisor with years of experience - Talk a little about your background and clients you have worked for and with. In your opinion why do some people find themselves unhappy with their career? Should the paycheck not be the first reason for choosing a job?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: MY BIO IS ON MY HOME PAGE TO SEE MY CREDENTIALS AND HOW I HAVE BUILT THE BUSINESS OVER THE YEARS.

PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES UNHAPPY IN THEIR CAREER BECAUSE THE ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEMSELVES. THEY CHOSE A CAREER BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE THEM LOOK BETTER OR WOULD GIVE THEM MONEY. OVER TIME, MONEY DOES NOT BUY INNER HAPPINESS OR SATISFACTION. THEN, THEY BECOME AFRAID TO MOVE TOWARDS WHAT THEY WANT BECAUSE THERE ARE BILLS TO PAY. BUT STILL THE URGE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE,
SOMETHING THAT IS CLOSER TO WHO THEY REALLY ARE AND THEIR TRUE VALUES DOES NOT GO AWAY.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS. WE ALL HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE REAL. BUT, IF YOU COMPROMISE, ONE DAY IT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: In your book "Coach Yourself To A New Career" you discuss " How fear can be used to your advantage" --- Please explain.

Deborah Brown-Volkman: FEAR IS NORMAL. WE TRY TO RUN AWAY FROM FEAR OR HOPE IT WILL GO AWAY. IT WILL NOT. YOU DO NOT WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND HAVE FEAR REMOVED FROM YOUR LIFE. YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH IT. IF YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE AFRAID, THEN YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD AFRAID. YOU CAN USE THE FEELINGS FROM FEAR TO MOTIVATE YOU BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY WILL LESSON OVER TIME AS LONG AS YOU ARE IN ACTION.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: How much of a role do you feel "Passion" plays for a typical work or entrepreneur? What is you personal definition of "Passion"? Can one be to passionate about their career? How does one turn it off and on? I personally find myself waking up thinking about work and going to sleep thinking about work -- Is this good or bad?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: PASSION IS KEY TO CAREER HAPPINESS. WITHOUT THIS, YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS. WHEN YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CAREER, THE WORRY GOES AWAY. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT CONSTANTLY. THIS PIECE OF YOUR LIFE IS HANDLED AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. THEN, YOU CAN CONCENTRATE ON OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE, MAKING YOU A WHOLE PERSON. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH PASSION. THERE IS NO LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF POSITIVE-NESS YOU CAN HAVE IN YOUR LIFE.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Your book "Four Steps To Building A Profitable Coaching Practice" is a book that will show you how to build and market a profitable coaching practice in four easy steps --- What personalities and professionals make the best coaches? Can anyone be a coach? What advice do you have for anyone who is thinking of being a personal coach?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: COACHING IS SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM WITHIN. YOU READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT COACHING. OR, YOU WORK WITH A COACH. OR, SOMEONE TELLS YOU ABOUT COACHING AND IT FEELS RIGHT TO YOU. YOU GET THIS FEELING IN YOUR GUT AND YOU WANT TO BE A COACH. THIS FEELING IS THE PLACE TO START.

IF YOU ARE A GOOD LISTENER, LIKE TO GIVE ADVICE, AND WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, COACHING IS A GREAT PROFESSION TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT’S A PROFESSION THAT GIVES YOU FREEDOM AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS AND YOU CAN BUILD IT FROM HOME. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: You have written a lot of articles and books --- What has been your
feedback from readers?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: AMAZING AND I AM GRATEFUL. MY NICHE HAS BEEN COURAGE, MOTIVATION, AND FOCUS. I HELP READERS BELIEVE THEY CAN DO IT WITH CONCRETE TIPS HOW. I GET A LOT OF THANK YOU’S AND THAT’S WHY I CONTINUE TO WRITE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: What's next?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: I WILL BE WORKING ON MY 5TH BOOK. I LOVE THE IDEA OF HELPING PEOPLE IN THEIR CAREER IN A BIG WAY. WE ALL LOVE BOOKS BECAUSE THEY MAKE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT IN OUR LIVES.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: What was the last book you read?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: BOOKS WRITTEN BY JOYCE MEYER. AMAZING WOMAN. SHE HELPS ME STACK ON TRACK AND BELIEVE THAT I AM LIVING MY LIFE’S PURPOSE. I ALSO GET CALM AND CERTAINTY IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD.

 

 

 

PageOneLit.com: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing?

Deborah Brown-Volkman: I EXERCISE EVERYDAY. EXERCISING GIVES ME FOCUS AND PEACE. GREAT IDEAS COME TO ME WHEN I AM IN THIS STATE. EXERCISE ALSO GIVES ME ENERGY WHICH I GIVE BACK TO MY READERS AND CLIENTS.