50Something! It's Our Turn...

Introducing 

Dr. Joel Martin, President Triad West, Inc. and founder of the Positively Powerful Awards Program

“We think it’s the answer that makes us change. It’s the question.” Joel Martin

Dr. Joel Martin knows a lot about change. Not just in her personal life, but in the lives of the people she coaches and trains. To say Joel is an outstanding 50Something woman is an understatement.  Joel is President of Triad West, Inc. and founder of the Positively Powerful Awards program. She is a recognized international master trainer, keynote speaker and executive coach specializing in diversity, inclusion and transformational leadership development. She is considered “a genuine genius in her approach to personal transformation and one of the best in the nation for delivering breakthrough leadership performance and organizational change.”

In the late 90’s, Joel found herself in the position of many 50Something women. Highly successful and unaware of the change that she was about to create in her life. She was a creative powerhouse and one of America’s first women to own and operate a full-service advertising agency. Under her direction, her company created award winning target market campaigns that won the hearts and minds of consumers. Sounds perfect, right? For Joel, it was not. When she walked into the training room of a transformational leadership organization, little did she know that her life was about to change. To put it in her words, she asked herself, "What do I want to do with the rest of my life, sell another bottle of beer (Anheuser-Busch was a client) or make a difference with a human being?”

In pursuit of her life’s purpose to be a coach and a trainer, Joel went from a six figure income to what she laughingly says was a one figure income and never looked back. Joel’s personal transformation came through a powerful and intense personal development training program. Once she completed that curriculum, she followed it up with coaching. She encourages 50Something women who are looking to transform their life to work with a coach like her with many years of transformational experience.

Here are some of Joel’s thoughts on 50Something-year-old women who are seeking a change. She says the first step in transforming ourselves is finding our true purpose – what we really want to be doing, that thing that fulfills us. Joel says one of the most effective ways to get to the core of what we want to be (when we grow up!) is to think back to our childhood, the beginning when we thought freely about what we wanted out of life. “Spend some quiet time getting in touch with what matters to you. Find that beginning when you still had a vein of greatness that was uninhibited.” Joel says.

“Just think back to when you were a little kid and the visions that came to you naturally. No one said, don’t day dream. In fact, you were encouraged to dream. That’s where I begin when I coach people. Using visualization, I take them back to that place of greatness,” she continues.

Joel suggests that 50Something women, who are looking to move from one profession to another or an existing business to another business, begin with the end in mind. Steven Covey says to create an exit strategy in your developmental plans. Whether that means going back to school or working with a coach or mentor to start a new business. “Go back to school with young people. Something magical happens when you become a part of intergenerational learning, Joel suggested. She did. She enrolled in Sonoma State University to educate herself in the background of training and development. She wanted to know why experiential education was so powerful. As a result she earned an MA in Psychology while discovering new directions of coaching and training. She says she had doubts at first. “Will I get along…will they accept me?” But, for Joel, it was a great experience and she believes that taking the risk in going back to school was an important step in her transformation.

Joel provides another helpful tip for making a change. She says 50Something women should go to the bookstore and see what attracts them. Take notes. Keep a journal of people who are living the life that interests them and then go online and Google them. “Lay the groundwork that will set you on a new venture. Having a website and getting involved in social media is important so check for domain names to see if they are available, then for a minimal amount you can invest in yourself. There is karma when you make that investment in your own self development. It is money well spent,” Joel says.

Joel was not afraid to make the investment when she left her agency. Out of her courage came Triad West, Inc. and now she finds herself more than 15 years later on a new path and living her dreams. She coaches around the world, crossing borders and making a global impact. She has worked with individuals and Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit and entrepreneurial organizations across the U.S. and internationally in China, Russia, Malaysia, The Republic of South Africa, France, the United Kingdom and Norway.

Joel lives and coaches based on the following principle: Focus Out – Learn – Have a Vision – Take Action! She says take one action toward your new path and before you know it, you are on a new path. Although pleased with the global accomplishments of her business, Joel wanted to have a more local impact. So she acted. She created the Positively Powerful Woman Awards program to increase local presence. This award program highlights local women who are making a difference in the community. In 2013, Positively Powerful Woman Awards won the Silver International Stevie Award for Best Event. While it began as a local awards event and transformational training program, 7 years later, it is now an event honoring women across the U.S. and Arizona.

On a personal note, Joel is married to fine artist Bob Martin. They have one daughter Cybel who is a cinematographer. Joel loves to read and believes in giving back to her community. “There is something profound about contributing. When we contribute we focus out. When we are in a slump, in times of uncertainty, change and challenge we tend to focus in. People who focus on others give and make the world a better place,” she says.

If you are looking for a coach to assist you in moving to a new direction, Joel gives this advice. Choose a coach who is an expert in what you are looking for. Joel’s expertise is in coaching clients who want to move from their vision or goal to their desired result in a short period of time. She assists people with creating a belief system of success. She also suggests that you pick someone who speaks your language, authentic and who doesn’t talk down to you. And lastly, don’t pick someone based on how much they charge. If the coach talks from the heart and can assist you in getting the result you want, you will get your monies worth. Joel says be vocal, don’t settle and then call her!*

*Joel will provide a 30 minutes complimentary call to women who contact her from this blog. Contact her at 480-221-5686 or jpmartin@triadwest.com.