TLDR; We went on the REAL Eyes Realize podcast and told the story of how JourneyLoop started. The short version: Michael had a decade of coaching success, then had a realization: Every coach has blind spots. The best ones go looking for them.
We recently sat down with leadership coach Christina Enneking to tell our story. Why we built JourneyLoop. What drives us. Where we're headed.
Somewhere in the middle of that conversation, Michael talked about the moment he turned AI loose on his own coaching sessions - after ten years of building a successful executive coaching practice. He wasn't struggling. His clients were getting results. He had every reason to believe he was at the top of his game.
When the analysis came back, he found patterns he'd never noticed. Moments where he talked too much. Questions he rushed through. Opportunities he consistently missed.
Coaching - The Loneliest Profession in the World
You help clients see their blind spots every day. You notice patterns they can't see. You reflect back what they miss. You hold up mirrors for a living.
The question is: who holds up the mirror for you?
Most coaches practice in complete isolation after certification. No observation. No systematic feedback. No external eyes on their actual work. Client results become the only feedback. Intuition goes unquestioned. More experience gets mistaken for more skill.
Michael assumed the same thing. He was wrong - and finding out was the best thing that happened to his practice.
An Industry at a Crossroads
When he started reviewing his sessions systematically - not just the difficult ones, but regular everyday coaching - patterns emerged that surprised him. Leading questions he didn't realize he was asking. Moments of brilliance he was too humble to recognize. Consistent strengths he could intentionally build on.
That discovery is why we do what we do today. Even the best coaches have things they can't see while they're in the middle of a conversation. And until now, there was no practical way to get that kind of feedback on every session.
Teachers Are Learners First
The martial arts philosophy Michael and I have practiced together for eight years teaches this: when you think you've arrived, you start declining. We trained together on the mat long before we built anything together. That practice of continuous observation and improvement is the foundation of everything we do.
We talk about all of this on the podcast - where the idea came from, what Michael's discovery meant for us, and where we're taking it. Christina asked great questions and gave us space to be honest about the journey.
If you coach for a living, we think you'll recognize yourself in this conversation.
If you're a coach committed to continuous improvement and curious about AI in your practice - I'd love to hear from you. Share your questions, challenges, or insights at [email protected]. And if you want to see how reflective practice can deepen your coaching work, visit journeyloop.ai to learn more about JourneyLoop