Saskia Houwing, an ontological coach and TedX Seattle organizer, talks about stepping into unknowns as she launches her business and how tapping into her curiosity has helped her navigate the challenges in her life. She also discusses the age-old question, “How much can/should I charge?” and the shift she made to help her come up with the answer. Also hear about her latest venture to bring TedX Seattle Youth to the PNW and how you can help!
Originally published Sep 13, 2018
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Saskia Houwing, an ontological coach and TedX Seattle organizer, talks about stepping into unknowns as she launches her business and how tapping into her curiosity has helped her navigate the challenges in her life. She also discusses the age-old question, “How much can/should I charge?” and the shift she made to help her come up with the answer. Also, hear about her latest venture to bring TedX Seattle Youth to the PNW and how you can help!
The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
TedX Seattle Youth email: youth@tedxseattle.com
Janice Lichtenwaldt: [00:00:09] Welcome back to the I Am Virago podcast, where we get real about the struggle. Drop the occasional F-bomb and hear how amazing Virago women imperfectly navigate the world around them.
Saskia Houwing: [00:00:21] Today's guest, Saskia Houwing, is a certified ontological coach, a proud new business owner and co-organizer of TEDx Seattle. Hear how she loves to inspire children through sports and her next big project to bring Tedx youth to Seattle and how you can help. So grab that cup of ambition and let's get started.
Saskia Houwing: [00:00:45] Hi. I am Saskia Houwing. And to pay the bills, I'm a professional and personal development coach and my passion is creating connection and encouraging people to share their selves and their thoughts and their qualities.
JL: [00:01:01] Well, that sounds like a lovely passion. I think so. So can you give our listeners a little bit of a background on who you are and what goes on in your world?
Saskia Houwing: [00:01:12] Yes. So, as I mentioned briefly, I work as a coach, and I- what goes on in my world as I work on multiple projects each week. I'm part of TEDx Seattle, where I'm in the partnerships team. As well as this year starting up the very first TEDx Youth in Seattle, which is very exciting. And when I say this year, we are forming our team right now and we aim to have that TEDx Youth take place in the spring of 2019. So those are examples of how I go through time. And as you can tell, I have a bit of an accent. So I am of Dutch descent. And I moved to the United States three and a half years ago, together with my husband, Eric, and our lovely cat, Casper. And I'm all about starting up in new places and finding ways to spend my time in a meaningful and satisfying way.
JL: [00:02:09] I can hear the joy in your voice about that.
Saskia Houwing: [00:02:13] Yeah, I find myself in a good place.
JL: [00:02:16] Very nice. So this podcast is about highlighting work and how women go through their professions and their personal lives. And you know what the highlights are and some of the struggles that we all face. And so could you describe one recent professional or personal win?
[00:02:36] Yeah. So one recent win for me, it's both professional and personal- is that I am next week graduating an ACTP program. It's an intense twelve-month coaching program, which then has me become a certified professional coach. And it's a huge win because it's a program and work also that's not in my native language. I have not owned a business before. And 14 months ago I did not even think about starting up a coaching practice and I love it. So yeah, I'm thinking about making leaps. Stepping into unknowns. I considered as being a great win. And I'm in a really good place.
JL: [00:03:21] Absolutely. It's a win to start your own business. And 14 months ago, not having a business and not thinking about it. What do you think inspired you to do this?
[00:03:31] So for me, it is my curiosity and connecting to the things that are really dear to me that has led me to seeing new possibility for myself. So after arriving here in Seattle, one of the things I knew was I wanted to understand more about the community here and TEDx Seattle then for me was a great way to get to learn about new ideas surfacing in this region, but also working with professionals who we are so dedicated to the things they love. And I think it's the open-minds that has led me also to wanting to understand more about coaching. I had this idea about coaches being this wise, all-knowing figures, you know, providing you with all the answers, you know, and there might be coaches who are capable of doing that. And for me, I definitely always joked around being, you know, someone who doesn't know. And I always love to say, hey, I don't know the answer, but I sure do know where you can find it because I'm all about exploring.
Saskia Houwing: [00:04:33] I'm curious. I wanted to war. So one step. I, too, was going to program where I got the opportunity to observe a session that was basically 14 months ago. And I there understood that if you coach people it's actually considering them to be resourceful. And that's really creative and whole. And as a client, you know the answers. You know what you really want, what you crave, what you desire. But often where we get stopped is how. So there was I was an example of knowing what I wanted to experience, but not knowing how. And I started exploring and throughout this year, I think coached on a weekly basis myself and therefore have experienced great transformation in many areas of my life.
JL: [00:05:22] And that takes a great amount of courage. So congratulations. Thank you. So I like to take it from the high to the low. So can you describe a recent professional or personal struggle you've been dealing with?
Saskia Houwing: [00:05:37] Yeah. So so there are many, of course, because, you know, when you get out in the unknown, there's lots of fear showing up. And so in my case, connecting this to starting up my own business, is starting to coach. I love to be in conversation with people and I already knew that through conversations so much awareness can arise. So I was really aware that I wanted to support people in their development. I have been teaching and but then starting your own business and actually charging someone for your services? That raise a lot of fear. OK. Am I good enough? And what's my worth actually? What can I charge? And you know, am I not now selling myself. What is it actually I'm charging for? So there was a lot of conflicts in the beginning around making this a profitable business.
JL: [00:06:31] Yes. And how have you approached the struggle? What are you doing to help yourself come to terms with it?
Saskia Houwing: [00:06:40] You know, thinking about am I good enough, and what's my worth? It was really about making a shift of why it is I'm coaching. It's not that I'm selling a car, but just really seeing that I come from a place of genuine concern about how things are going in life. Wanting to see and understand others' desires and see greater possibility for them and standing for them. That's actually where I come from. And then seeing that as a possibility and embracing and trusting myself, but also my clients in seeing that they can come from an empowered place in creating that. So making that shift has been profound for me. And it included also, you know, knowing why it is I'm coaching, help me in asking the bold questions as, So, Are you ready to get started? And will you hire me as your coach?
JL: [00:07:38] Yes. So so what I'm hearing is you had some doubts around your value and what you should value your time at. And to address that, you went back to your original intention. [Yeah.] Mmmm. That's magic right there. So what is one area where you'd really like to improve?
Saskia Houwing: [00:08:02] Oh, yeah. So I think it's it's actually connected to each other. And one of my coaching sessions I noticed that's for me, it's both having a strong foundation as well as being connected with, you know, the-that I gravitate to approach situations from altitudes. And then I can see. But having that foundation in place and with foundation, I mean, taking care of my own well-being, making sure that I'm sufficiently sourced, that I am taking care of my health, that I take breaks regularly and, you know, connect to my friends. And if all the ways that charge me, as well as coming from a place of integrity and creating some really good structures around all the things I want to achieve. So creating project plans and designing them, making them really specific. Right. [Yes.] So having a foundation in place and connected then also to my intention into my highest commitments in life.
JL: [00:09:04] And how do you maintain momentum?
Saskia Houwing: [00:09:07] So I maintain momentum through various ways. I think one big thing is being coached myself on a weekly basis. So having some accountability structures in place and that can be different for anybody. But for me, having someone to bounce off ideas, to exchange thoughts I feel stops, you know, get present to where it is coming from when I'm stopped. Such like, is this what do I need in this moment? That is really powerful in creating possibility, but also philosophy. So that's really helpful. And approaching everything with a growth mindset. So, you know, the example I just gave around a struggle and how do I relate to money is, for example, reading books. As Lynne Twist. She wrote this beautiful book called The Soul of Money and how, you know, what is our relationship to money? If I have a business and I do have income, what is it I want to create with it? What if it's not about the money but what it gives access to? And have my relationship be with it, as is it with air or whether it's there and nothing more than that. But it is there to keep us growing and expanding.
JL: [00:10:20] So, yeah, that is a beautiful approach. So many people struggle with the concept of money. And-and what I'm hearing from you is that it's not money is not the end goal. The money is a tool for you to continue to pursue your passions and keep you [Right] in authenticity within your own life.
Saskia Houwing: [00:10:41] Yes. And facing that. Knowing, understanding. Where I come from and then being able to own that part and see how it can serve me and others as well. So that's why I'm so grateful to also be on this broadcast and share about it.
JL: [00:10:54] I am very glad that you're here. So I want to move in. You are a professional coach now. What is your background before you got into professional coaching?
Saskia Houwing: [00:11:06] Yeah, so I've worn many hats, so my red thread is really being in the space of connecting people and work with them on development. And I have been teaching students how to present themselves. In this case, it was at the faculty of law and how to come up with powerful ways of verbal presentation in the courtroom and focusing on nonverbal and verbal skills that are of importance to law students. And I also worked as a recruiter. I loved being in conversation with potential new employees and seeing when their eyes would light up and also being connected to the company and see what needs they have and really be driven by that need and forming teams. And I worked as a concept developer and manager for a nonprofit Institute of Engineers in the Netherlands, where I organized lots of events, as well as connecting this association with educational institutes and companies and other non-profit bodies. Yes.
JL: [00:12:12] So you've had quite an eclectic experience.
Saskia Houwing: [00:12:16] Yeah. And I'm a sports teacher. I still teach kids us here also in Seattle on a volunteer basis, which I absolutely also love is to use force to influence behavior. To you have kids experience fun and collaboration and find trust and talk about themes of fair play, calling the ball in or out?
JL: [00:12:37] Yeah. Yeah. Well, so what advice would you have for young women just starting out in their careers?
Saskia Houwing: [00:12:43] So what worked really well for me is really to listen to my heart. And then when making decisions, check-in, like, how is this decision tied into my overarching commitments in life and really getting clear on your why? On your life's purpose. When you come from a place of commitments and this is something I share also with my clients, there is no failing. There is no right or wrong. Right. You're committed to have things go in a certain way and to reach something. And then it's really connected to your intention and then be aware of is that's and, I'm borrowing this from Mahatma Gandhi, but if you have your intention, you want to meet your results are they in line with your speaking and your actions? So if you want to achieve a result, be clear in your intention and then make sure that also you're speaking and your actions are in line. Gosh, there's so much...
JL: [00:13:38] Well, let me ask you this. For many young people coming into the workplace, they may not even know how to figure out what their intention is. So what are a few steps they could take to try to land on an intention?
[00:13:53] Looking-You can start by checking in like what are things that are bringing me joy? When do I feel most alive? And if we make decisions there are maybe two big places to come from, it's either from love or from fear. And that's also what I tried to say. Well, listen to your heart. Is this is bringing you joy? Is this you allowing yourself to step into something that's maybe not super tangible, but giving you some form of excitement and connecting to some sense of purpose?
JL: [00:14:27] And given your background that is eclectic. You've done many different things. You sampled different things. And that seems like a way to look at this is to try a lot of different things, to see what really lands for you. You don't need to pick one thing at age 20 and do that for the rest of your life. Go out and explore.
Saskia Houwing: [00:14:46] Exactly right. And so thank you for pointing it out because, yes, you can look at the past and see what's sourced me in the past. What makes my heart sing? Yeah, you can try and when being in motion, in action, and being okay with not having things be perfect? I see it as practice.
JL: [00:15:06] Yes. That is something my yoga teacher says to me often. This is a yoga practice. We don't get perfect. We just practice and you can take that attitude into life that it's just practice and you practice every day.
Saskia Houwing: [00:15:21] Right. I have experienced that many times over the past year. Yeah, it's sometimes just getting out in the unknown, not knowing what the outcome will be. You will be surprised. So also open your heart and be courageous and be ready to be pleasantly surprised.
JL: [00:15:41] Yes. So I know one of the things you are passionate about is TEDx and working with the TEDx organization here in Seattle and launching the new youth version. [Yeah.] Tell me a little more about your experience with TEDx and what it brings to you.
Saskia Houwing: [00:15:57] So, on a personal basis, it was such a great way to get to know new people who are open-minded, who want to learn, who want to connect to ideas that have them look with new eyes to an existing maybe problem or situation. And so it's for me, I really found a great community in being part of TEDx Seattle as an organization. I was part of a TEDx organization in the Netherlands as well. So for me, stepping in, there was as like a bridge and I had some expectation. But then it's provided me with new friendships and also meeting people to start to collaborate. Workshops and have people connect around ideas. Yeah. For me, it's such a great thing to bond with people and knowledge exchange. And it's a yearly conference and like a wonderful space.
JL: [00:17:00] And I know that you are heading up the new TEDx Youth. Yes. So tell me a little more about that.
Saskia Houwing: [00:17:07] Yes. So as a concept that youth is known, however, in Seattle, we did not organize TEDx Youth up till now. And we really love to empower young people to share their ideas for spreading. Throughout time, I met a couple of people who also felt connected with either TEDx or, you know, empowering youth. And I got connected to the Bureau of Fearless Ideas, which is a nonprofit and that's all about supporting young people in expressing themselves through written words and speech. And working with Seattle's Children's Theater and other great partners in organizing. And we want to organize an event that's inclusive that's focusing the first year of middle school and high school students and providing them the opportunity to take the stage. As well as leading up to the conference, organize and fully be responsible for all communication and partnerships and shaping this experience together with a few adult mentors.
JL: [00:18:11] But the kids drive the work, it sounds like, right. What an opportunity.
Saskia Houwing: [00:18:15] Yeah. So that is something we find so important that they really are in charge. They will select our theme and we will be their accountability partners in making this happen. And yeah, this is ready to empower and inspire young people to share ideas worth spreading. Yeah. So looking at the community aspects, we really stand for our community and our stories and the power of voice that's uniting us.
JL: [00:18:40] And we could certainly use some uniting right now. If there are people out there listening who would be interested in getting involved with TEDx Youth or they know a young person that might be a good candidate, how could they get more information?
Saskia Houwing: [00:18:54] Thank you for asking this question. So right now we are forming our core team. So our core team is the group of leaders that will then form their own team. So we are looking for both adult and youth team leaders will head the marketing and communications team, and we are looking for someone to oversee all-volunteer management on the day of, but also now in this moment, really at work with us creating job profiles, et cetera. Someone to oversee our finances. And we can also benefit from a person who has a lot of experience in organizing events to support us. But all logistics sets surfacing over the coming months. And then, of course, we are looking for speakers and our speaker team, which is forming in this very moment.
[00:19:45] And they will announce after the summer how we will be inviting speakers to submit their ideas. So probably we will do that via our web site. We are part of TEDx Seattle so people can reach out to us via our e-mail address which is youth@TEDxSeattle.com and then we will contact you and discuss possibilities. And so I'm sharing now these roles. However, in everything we do, we also really want to know what is this you want to experience? So we look at your background and your experience, but we also want to know what really makes your heart sing. What do you want to see? What do you want to experience? What do you want to create and how can you commit? So then that's the puzzle we are going to complete over the next two months. We hope that by the end of the summer, all the key positions are filled, and then the train moves on with a more solid body. And then there is another thing connected to TEDx Youth, and that is TEDx Seattle, which takes place on the 17th of November at McCaw Hall and I'm part of the partnership scene that wants to support Seattle's ideas worth spreading. So companies who want to create an experience in partnership by supporting our speaker dinner or be our sponsor, our really cool TEDx Seattle t-shirts.
JL: [00:21:08] So anyone who's interested can just go to TEDxSeattle.com and you can find more information, it sounds like. [Yeah.] Perfect. So moving into sort of the genesis of this podcast, you know, Virago, what makes you a virago?
Saskia Houwing: [00:21:25] Hmm. Yeah. So I would say it is my journey on really standing for who I am, being unapologetically me, and seeing possibility in any situation. Being connected. And in full support of other women to show up powerfully, and as their unapologetically, and thus, beautiful selves.
JL: [00:21:49] I love that answer. It just gives me a warm fuzzy. Thank you. Thank you for spending time with us on the I Am Virgo podcast. It's been such a pleasure speaking with you. And I am so impressed with the work that you're doing with TEDx and starting TEDx Youth. You're doing great things for the community and it's really amazing. So thank you very, very much.
Saskia Houwing: [00:22:10] Thank you so much, Janice. I love the work you're doing and I feel honored to have been on your show.
Janice Lichtenwaldt: [00:22:20] Thank you, my Viragos, for listening to the I Am Virago podcast. Check out new episodes every Tuesday. If you have ideas or suggestions of whom you'd like to hear from on this podcast, go to www.Iamvirago.com and leave a message. And remember, you are Virago.