New Name, New Logo
10 years ago, we launched Coracle Marketing. Today we are renaming our business to Coracle Coaching and Consulting.
A History of Coracle Marketing
When we first started Coracle Marketing, our vision was to help small businesses grow in meaningful ways. Through the last 10 years we’ve had the privilege of working with over 100 businesses and non-profits, helping them with branding, websites, and marketing campaigns.
We’ve gone from having just enough work those first few years to having too much work in the last few years. We’ve journeyed with entrepreneurs who have started, scaled up, scaled down, sold, or closed their businesses. Along the way, we have worked with some really amazing, genuine, smart, and caring individuals who viewed their work and business as a way to better their communities.
A Time of Reflection
In 2021 in the middle of the pandemic, I turned 40 years old. It was a natural time to do some life reflection. Olive had recently made the jump to pursue her passion and start an art business (Olive Chan Art), which meant that she was doing less work with Coracle Marketing. I was feeling unsettled so I started spending more time listening, reflecting, and writing.
What I discovered was that the most joyful parts of my work were meeting with entrepreneurs to discuss new ideas and how to move forward. The least favourite parts of my work were sitting in front of the computer working on the marketing campaigns and projects. I asked myself, “How can I spend more time doing the work that is life-giving to me, and less time doing the work that is life-draining for me?”
The Journey to Coaching
Coaching had been on my radar as something I wanted to do in the future, but I had always told myself that I didn’t have enough experience and that I would do it later. However, that year I had a health scare which made me wonder how many more productive working years of health I had. The silver lining with the health issues was that I was prompted to take the risk of pivoting the business sooner rather than later; to follow the joy in my work now.
Last year I enrolled in a 18-month coaching certification program with the International Coaching Federation to become a certified coach. This June, I completed the certification. In the past two years I’ve had the privilege of coaching over 200 sessions with 35 individuals. I’ve put in the work and my skill as a coach has significantly improved. Coaching has been the most life-giving, joyful, and fulfilling work I’ve done to date. It brings me deep satisfaction to see the positive impact it’s making on those I’m coaching as they gain clarity, solid plans, and courage to move forward towards more thriving in their work and life.
Our New Name and Logo
Today, on the 10th anniversary of starting our business, we’re rebranding it to Coracle Coaching and Consulting. We have a new name, a new logo, and an updated website. I’ve even changed the style of glasses I’m wearing as a fun way to celebrate (this is a big deal for me, as I’ve worn the same black frame style of glasses for 20 years). Our new name and logo reflect our desire and work of journeying alongside people as they find clarity and navigate the path forward toward thriving and hope.
Many people have asked us over the years, “What is the meaning behind the name?” A coracle is a small round boat, propelled with a paddle. One of my favourite series of books as a child was the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In the fourth book of the series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Reepicheep leaves the safety of the ship and makes his own personal journey to Aslan’s Country in a coracle. In many ways this journey reminds me of the journey of an entrepreneur, who leaves the safety of his or her previous work and takes a risk to move towards a better way of working and living.
The character of Reepicheep always fascinated me and reflects the character of many entrepreneurs I meet. Reepicheep is a Talking Mouse, smaller than all the other animals, yet is deeply courageous and wonderfully courteous. I love working with small business owners because they are the underdogs, with smaller teams and smaller budgets than the corporations they compete against. Yet, they have so much heart and courage. I am inspired every time I work with small business owners.
The logo is an image of a sunrise above the water, representing the journey of a coracle on the water. The light blue section of the logo is also shaped like a path, reflecting that our work is to help entrepreneurs find their way forward.
The name change allows me to grow my business coaching, leadership coaching, and team building services under the Coracle brand. At the same time, it allows me to continue serving a select group of clients with the marketing services that our team is very experienced at doing.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. We are full of gratitude for all that has brought us here. We move forward with excitement, anticipation, and a healthy dose of trepidation.