Hi!
Welcome to Risk Takers Dream Makers: a collection of passionate, purposeful women inspiring others to take risks and live their dream
Welcome to Risk Takers Dream Makers: a collection of passionate, purposeful women inspiring others to take risks and live their dream
Learn more about The Risk Takers Dream Makers Co-Founders
Anne Clinard Barwick, Founder and Principal of A Strong U & RTDM Co-Founder:
It’s safe to say that from the very beginning I have loved helping people reach their full potential. I began my career in training and social services before receiving my Master's Degree in Recreation Therapy to work as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). I spent many rewarding years working with adolescents and adults in behavioral health before returning to my roots as a Trainer and Performance Consultant, and realized my passion for Organizational Development (OD) which expanded my ability to affect teams holistically. I loved working with the proven processes that harnessed organizations most effective and productive potential.
Eventually I returned to my mother’s company, Effectiveness Training and Consulting (ETC), as Director of Training. My mother (the late Helen Hall Clinard) wrote a book Winning Ways to Succeed with People: 7 Powerful Skills which profoundly influenced my personal and professional path. Our travels and work with organizations in the US and UK hold extremely fond memories and invaluable learning experiences for me. I felt on purpose as I guided and inspired companies to enhance their knowledge of interpersonal skills.
While taking a break from the professional world to raise my two wonderful and energetic daughters in their early years, I weaved in bits of time to read and dream about my passion for leadership at both the individual and organizational level. A Strong U was formulating in my mind through various ideas and mission statements, and it was becoming harder to hold back as my daughters were becoming more self-sufficient.
In 2013 A Strong U became official and I enjoyed partnering with organizations to develop their leadership, ultimately aligning their professional and personal goals with their overall values.
I later added a Professional Coach Certification (CPC) and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) to my areas of expertise and fell deeply in love with coaching around people’s passion and purpose.
It was during this time that Andrea and I dreamed up Risk Takers Dream Makers (RTDM) in a mission to champion amazing women while also creating a platform of hope and inspiration for other women wanting to put a sense of flow and purpose back into their lives.
Through my current work I feel the passionate determination as I did in my 20’s and 30’s. My 5th decade is upon me, and I am more than happy to show my daughters that there is no age limit to the feeling of purpose. I get so excited about sharing my STRONG Coaching Approach to my clients while watching them make incredible leaps and bounds around their goals. Yay!
Andrea Garrett Kiessling, Owner, Andrea Kiessling Success Coaching & RTDM Co-Founder:
I’m an entrepreneur committed to a life of purposefulness and fulfillment. Mom to Jack & Marlo, wife to my husband & business partner of 9 years, 3x business launcher and success coach. I’ve always been curious about people, purpose and potential. As a success coach, combining them is exactly what I do- and it’s a dream come true.
Not so long ago, I struggled immensely figuring out my purpose. It drove me crazy and stressed me out. I bounced from job to job becoming licensed or certified in nearly every field/industry along the way- absolutely bent on figuring it out as fast as possible. Finally, after a lot of soul searching, prayer and research I discovered coaching and knew that was exactly my purpose. Learning peoples’ stories, helping them discover their highest purpose, reach the potential they were designed for and getting to witness the whole process...what could be better?!
My personal mission is lifting women from a not-so-inspiring trajectory to their highest and best purpose. It’s an incredible privilege and great responsibility.
While dreaming up RTDM with Anne, I became fascinated with the idea of offering a platform to women living the best version of their lives, the stories they tell that always include overcoming (risks, fear, doubts,etc.) and the determination they hold to tightly to make their dream happen despite of what’s placed in their way. It’s an honor to capture their stories in the RTDM collection.
I live in Charlotte, NC but was raised in Spencer, WV. Outside of my coaching practice and the RTDM project, I am pretty passionate about my family, people helping people, Mountaineer football, personal development, crossing items off my checklist, eating clean, Forest Hill Church, organizing, carbs, start-ups, a pair of jeans that fit just right and solving problems.