Some industries undoubtedly require a minimum of input from one’s life experiences. Product-focussed ventures, where material improvement is key, are unlikely to draw from their CEO’s struggle with mental health or their Head of Operations’ time in the military. But especially in the age of personalization and bespoke services at the click of the button, a growing number of sectors place a high value on the life experience their people can bring to the table. To understand people, one needs to be a person, not a product or an algorithm-based solution. It’s a notion that has been lost in the impersonal necessities of the past couple of years.
Therefore, it should go without saying that the practice of life coaching serves to benefit from its proponents’ understanding of the world around them. In reality, many believe training in modern professions such as coaching can be completed over the internet, and their certificate on the wall might agree. But what results is a generic service for the customer, neglecting relatability and relevance in favor of quick turnaround and easy-to-digest remedies. Jake and Whitney Roehl, owners of @steadfastlifecoaching, may not have originally envisioned their successful partnership. But when one looks to their combined life experience, the outcome feels destined.
Steadfast Life Coaching mixes religion, belief, self-help, and mindset transformation elements to create a unique learning opportunity for willing participants. It’s the kind of melting pot an outsider couldn’t conceive of if they tried and a direct result of the journey Jake and Whitney have been on together. Now in a loving marriage, they openly recognize their imperfections and those of life as a whole, making for a refreshing take on life coaching. One constant that has run through both of their lives despite the ups and downs is a close relationship with Christianity. “Our company culture is based on faith, adventure, fun, and honoring our client’s journey,” the couple outlines. “We are a holy spirit-led business that is pursuing a divine purpose with every decision we make.”
That isn’t to say that the coaching pair embraces all connotations of Christian belief. A critical part of their way of thinking is their opposition to victimhood and idle entitlement to a better life, which they believe can be found among some Christian followers. Notions of servitude are practiced within Steadfast Life Coaching and form part of a wider ideology where individuals are encouraged to liberate themselves from their current way of thinking and appreciate the gifts in front of them. The approach aims to help people see what is possible through a shift of mindset, something the duo had to learn throughout their storied life journeys.
Of the two paths taken to reach Steadfast Life Coaching and the couple’s present marriage, Whitney Roehl’s is the most striking. Much of her childhood was spent insecure about her parents’ financial ability to put food on the table, but Whitney now credits faith with getting her through that difficult period. The struggle of the situation led her to pledge to devote the rest of her life to helping others get through similar times of strife – a noble aspiration considering she had yet to find the light at the end of the tunnel.
For Jake, on the other hand, the light was always there, which meant his journey to realize the possibilities of Steadfast Life Coaching took a more winding route. The variety of experiences he was encouraged by his parents to partake in, such as summiting Mount Whitney and playing division I volleyball for Loyola Marymount University, helped him build the strength he now puts into life coaching. Despite a positive start to life, Jake, too, found himself isolated in his adult years following a divorce. Little did he know, he was perfectly placed to find the marriage and life coaching partnership of his dreams.
Jake and Whitney are keen to establish that together they are much more than the sum of their parts. They call it their ‘1 + 1 = 3’ mentality, which dictates that when united in a common purpose and under a common religious belief, the pair can become something they previously could not conceive of.
When it comes to Steadfast Life Coaching, Whitney’s endurance of some of life’s biggest challenges and Jake’s physical and mental tenacity combine to create a ‘coaching match made in heaven.’ Those against-the-odds experiences make up the most valuable part of the couple’s service to their clients, who they believe can overcome the same if they take control of their way of thinking.
