Testimonials

I worked with Darien when I was considering making a significant career change. I was burned out at work, but wasn’t sure what to do next. Darien helped me understand my strengths and explore other types of jobs, including connecting me with many of her personal contacts in all sorts of fields. But more importantly, she gave me the courage to trust my gut – even when I first floated the idea of starting my own arts business! At the same time, she also provided realistic and actionable feedback and held me accountable for my progress. After every conversation, I had a clearly defined next step and the confidence to take it. I can’t recommend Darien enough and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work with her.

I had the opportunity to work with Darien as I considered a major career change. I was switching fields entirely and wasn’t sure how to translate my experiences and background into another sector.

Darien is a gifted coach in so many ways. She has a unique ability to both listen intently in a warm and empathetic way while also being able to provide realistic and critical feedback on opportunities for growth. She has the ability to synthesize your many messages and make meaning of what you’re yearning for. In many ways, she leaves *you* feeling like you’re the one with the answers, while she has skillfully led you to find them.

I believe that my conversations with Darien pivoted my perspective at a time when I really needed it. I was able to get down to the “why” behind my search, and ultimately ended up in a position that has been an incredible fit. I recommend her highly, and am so grateful that I had the chance to work with her.

My work with Darien began at a time of major life transition when I was leaving a job of 11+ years. I was overwhelmed with how to figure out what was next in my career but also how to manage the impact this professional change would have on my personal life.

Darien was incredibly easy to talk to from day one. I felt so comfortable sharing details – and she was amazing in offering advice and tools to help me navigate this change all around. She guided me to help figure out what was important to me for the next steps of my career, which kept my networking and search targeted and ultimately helped me find a new job that checked the boxes of everything I wanted. In parallel, her coaching helped me to keep things in my personal life, also full of change, going smoothly.

Overall, she helped make this big transition feel really seamless. Beyond that, Darien gave me so many awesome tools that continue to help me in making decisions ongoing. The exercises we did around core values and strength finder are among my favorites that I go back to all the time! I’m so grateful that I met Darien, for her genuine, vested interest in my personal growth and for all of the work we did together.

Darien’s coaching is a treasure. What sets Darien apart is not just the incredible amount of knowledge she has, or even the powerful and professional approach she takes toward guiding and coaching one through breaking down barriers — what sets Darien apart is her life’s calling to coaching. She approaches the craft with passion and dedication. And it is obvious. You will see, hear, and feel that she is in her element from your first meeting to your last. That is what makes Darien truly unique and truly invaluable as a coach — she teaches you how to align yourself with your life calling with the same passion and dedication she brings to her own work.

I am so thankful for her expertise. She has helped me find my strengths, rediscover my purpose, and move forward. I can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Darien.

Darien has been my coach for over six months, and I have known her for even longer. I had just graduated from Law School and was re-entering the workforce when we began our coaching sessions.

I wasn’t sure about my next steps as I began a new phase of my life. Darien helped me identify what I wanted to achieve, offered herself as a source for accountability, and provided me with tools and techniques I could use for efficient, quality growth.

Most importantly, she coaches with an authenticity and passion that builds me up and inspires me to work harder. I am very lucky to have found her.

“Nothing is impossible.” Before I met Darien, I had labored to internalize the meaning of those words. I began working with Darien during a challenging time of my life. I was struggling to land my first job after investing a great deal of time and resources into completing an advanced degree, and a string of disappointing failures had left me discouraged, overwhelmed, and unsure of my next steps.

I was extremely fortunate to receive the opportunity to work with Darien. I approached her with a very specific goal: improve my interpersonal skills and ace my next interview. She not only helped me achieve this objective, but, in doing so, taught me important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life – lead with authenticity; appreciate my successes, no matter how small they seem; and, above all, never apologize for who I am.

Throughout our coaching relationship, Darien was attentive, thoughtful, and open-minded. She challenged me to push through my boundaries, but always while showing the utmost respect for the trust that I was placing in her. Best of all, I could tell that she was truly invested in my growth and happiness.  I recommend Darien without reservation.”

After 16 years of fighting my way up the corporate ladder, I was bored, looking for what was next. Problem was, I couldn’t decide. Long walks and talking to friends just wasn’t giving me the professional clarity I needed.

It was Darien that provided the breakthrough. Her tough, no-nonsense feedback jarred me into action and a new way of thinking. She’s an intelligent listener who can connect dots you didn’t know were there; providing the perspective to make intuitive leaps you just are too close to the problem to see.

If you want a hug, look elsewhere.
If you want results, call Darien Fleming.

Darien did a StrengthsFinder training session for the AWAKE (Alliance of Women Achieving Knowledge & Excellence) board during a time of big changes.

We had transitioned off over half of our founding board and brought on quite a few new people. We needed to come together as a group, and Darien’s training really helped us do that. She kicked off our bi-annual retreat with a very insightful and inspiring session on strengths and communication. She helped the board understand how to best work together, and following her training, we were able to have much more productive discussions regarding important logistical decisions.

Darien’s training got our new board off to a great start. I would highly recommend her to any group looking to improve their organizational cohesion and efficiency.

Darien did a great job of getting our group of potentially cynical lawyers to open up to a discussion about their strengths. Darien did the work ahead of time to make sure she understood our team and the potential dynamics among the team members, based on the strengths assessment. The strengths discussion resonated with many of the team members, who have begun to shape their performance discussions through the lens of their strengths.

I think the greatest skill that I would say that I learned during my time working with Darien is to take time to consider many perspectives when facing a difficult decision or situation. Darien’s coaching helped me to hone in on and develop that skill into something I use almost every day now.

Darien’s open-minded perspective made it easy to bring up any difficulties I was facing in my work or personal life, knowing that she would help me work through the situations with an open mind. She is full of enthusiasm, energy, and excitement for the opportunity to help people make personal changes.

She was such a great cheerleader and helped me recognize and celebrate my personal victories – something which I didn’t make time for before but do now and it has brought me so much happiness. Finally, Darien helped me to become a better advocate for myself in all areas of my life – asking for what I truly need at work, standing up for myself with difficult people, and ensuring I make time for myself personally.