During her partnership with the Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier
Diversity, Wendy (Dickinson) has conducted relevant workshops and contributed valuable
information at conferences held annually for the growth and development of small
businesses in Virginia.
She comes highly credentialed through her training and experience as a small business
owner herself. Wendy has the heart of a leader and a coach and is committed to enhancing
the opportunities for small business owners in their entrepreneurial aspirations and goals.
She is thoughtful and informative while bringing innovative ideas valuable for many of the
areas of business development to those attending her workshops. Her instruction and
guidance is needed to add to the tool kit of any aspiring entrepreneur. ~ Courtney Cash Mustin, Business Services Manager, Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity
I thoroughly enjoyed Tuesday's Chamber Zoom Meeting. As a small business owner celebrating ten years in business, the timing of the meeting was perfect! Luckily, I was able to take advantage of all the financial resources provided by Federal and local financial institutions which saved my business and prevented staff lay-offs, but I was thinking "how do I plan for the next major crisis?”
The educational tips Wendy provided were exactly what I needed to create a simple but smart action plan. I have already opened a separate savings account with the goal of setting aside enough funds to cover at least 5 months of expenses and am working my local bank to open a line of credit.
These are very easy steps to follow and something all businesses can do immediately. Thank you Wendy! ~Michelle Walters
Owner, Island Glow Sunless Studio
Based on my recent experience in working with Wendy Dickinson of Ascend Coaching Solutions, LLC, I can say unequivocally that she provides tremendous value to my personal and professional performance.
Wendy’s unique mix of skills, including her knowledge of psychology, particularly as it applies in a workplace setting, positions her to provide anyone with valuable insight into how to interact with fellow team members in the most productive way possible. Her coaching in this regard will improve communication within any organization, facilitate goal setting and reduce conflict.
Without reservation I would recommend hiring Wendy and Ascend Coaching to anyone wishing to improve all functions of their organization and/or to improve their own personal productivity and work life enjoyment. ~Christopher L. Nelson, Vice President, BON SECOUR FISHERIES, INC.
I invited Wendy Dickinson to speak to seasoned entrepreneurs in my NEW VIRGINIA: SCALING4GROWTH last spring. She spoke to building value within their businesses to create options for viable exit strategies. She discussed case studies of common myths and pitfalls for owners hoping to sell their businesses. Wendy offers tools, tips and information to give business owners the ability to begin a viable exit strategy. Wendy possesses a unique combination of skills which allow business owners to understand the perspective of the buyer, seller, strategic partner, as well as the psychology of transition. She gives attendees the chance to consider mindset, awareness, readiness and resilience in creating sustainability within their organization. Wendy is very knowledgeable and easily engages with her audience. I will bring her back. ~Rita
I would like make a testimonial about Wendy Dickerson with Ascend Couching Solutions. We recently had the privilege of Wendy speaking to our Partners in a Healthcare members at a Johnston Willis Hospital (pre-Covid). There were 100 people in attendance. Wendy spoke to the group about working together internally as a team and gave some excellent examples of ways to do that effectively. She was engaging, clear, concise, great power point and hand outs. Many questions were generated. Wendy has an amazing skill of understanding, guidance, problem solving, and confidence. Wendy has experience working with many different industries and cultures. She was able to immediately hone in on healthcare providers issues and concerns. She provides solid solutions for owners of companies and employees to navigate through challenges with easy to understand and implement ideas. I highly recommend Wendy to company owners who are overwhelmed with the chaos of employee moral and uncertainty. She can create a positive and integrated approach for success. You will not be disappointed when you see your numbers, outcomes, and productivity increase.
~Debra Willis, President, Partners in HealthCare
Wendy gave a Zoom workshop to job seekers at the Jobs Assistance Ministry. She showed them how to identify their “value proposition,” what makes them special. Recognizing how critical it is for job seekers to stand out in the job market, she helped them identify and focus on their unique skills and experiences that are valuable to any business in recovery mode. Thanks to Wendy’s engaging and motivational workshop, job seekers are now better equipped to market themselves effectively. The feedback was enthusiastic and appreciative.
~Ed Landry
Founder & Leader
Jobs Assistance Ministry (JAM)
I had the opportunity to meet Wendy at the International Business Brokers Association national conference. I have been a student of exit planning for most of my career and very few people talk about the emotional dynamics of a successful exit. I was delighted to attend that they had that session and even more pleased after I attended. I found Wendy to be exceptionally engaging and the session she facilitated was active-not just someone speaking from a podium. I found her depth of knowledge and her delivery to be excellent. I enjoyed her session so much that I asked her to be a guest on my podcast, Defenders of Business Value, shortly after that. Her episode is in the top 10 of my catalog. The emotional aspects of selling a business are as important as personal financial and business readiness. Wendy can provide that bridge to see how all of the components work together.
~ Ed Mysogland, CVA, CEPA, CVA, CMEA
Managing Partner, Indiana Business Advisors
Host, Defenders of Business Value Podcast
Wendy Dickinson is uniquely skilled as a coach in both the psychological aspects of leadership/business management and in the very granular details of business operations. Rare to find those skills in any two consultants much less one person who can apply her skills brilliantly in both areas. ~Chris Nelson, BSF, AL
Letter of Recommendation
LaToya Sebree
Recreation Specialist I, Out-Of-School Time Programs Unit
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation
LaToya Sebree
Recreation Specialist I, Out-Of-School Time Programs Unit
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation
Going into this process I really didn’t think I was going to get as much out of it, as I did. I now have developed skills that will help me to not only better me as a leader, but as a person. ~C.B.
“YES! YES! YES!!! You have reignited a fire under me that I haven’t had since I was getting this up and running! You have no idea what you’ve done. lol
Thank you for the article too...not taking selling off the table down the road, but here’s the shocker...you’ve made me think outside of the box that I had built myself into...so I want to try something different, but have NO idea how to proceed. That means I am exceptionally grateful to have you in my life for more reasons than I can count! ~K.G.
Wendy has been an immeasurable help as I transition a manager into one of my businesses, so that I may do more with another business- which is my passion. She has guided me through emotions and practical business steps such as interviewing candidates, creating job descriptions & much more. Wendy comes with a wealth of experience, not only because of her training, but also as a former business owner herself. I would highly recommend her to any business owner! I only wish I had begun sooner with her coaching. ~T.D.
You won't find a better coach than Wendy; to help you reach your goals I highly recommend Wendy! I was stuck. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't able to get out of my not-so-great-fit job. Wendy quickly helped me develop my values-focused approach to identifying actions that are leading me toward a much happier life. Wendy was very kind, caring, focused, professional, encouraging, and tough when she needed to be. Wendy was open to sharing some of her own personal and relevant experiences, which in turn, helped me open up about things I wasn't sharing because I thought they were trivial.... they weren't! I am forever grateful that I was able to work with Wendy to first help me to overcome the internal struggles that I didn't realize were there, and then to help me make career decisions that were aligned with my values and experiences. It's funny how so many things align, I now feel much freer and energetic since I worked with Wendy. And, my career choices have been wonderful as well! ~M.E.
Prior to my coaching experience with Wendy, I spent my days listening to the negative self-talk I had perfected over the years. I believed I was “stupid” and “worthless” and was unable to complete any project I started. I woke up every day angry. I used sarcasm as a vent for my anger. I isolated myself from family and friends. With Wendy’s help, I learned how to stop the negative voice which helped me gain confidence in my abilities. How? I quit listening by locking that ogre in the closet. I learned how to use the SiBerian North RailRoad (SBNRR) method of interacting with others. I Stopped, I Breathed, I Noticed if I was carrying expectations or if the issue was mine, I Reflected as to whether my response was correct and I chose how I wanted to Respond. My quick sarcastic retorts were gone. How could I judge everyone when that job was God’s alone? I learned that the authentic Helene can show up in every situation without anger or shame. My life had been rather dark since my mom died in 2012. I hid and became an angry scared little girl. Today, I am still mourning the loss of my mom and best friend, but I am able to face each day without so much fear. The voice inside that was constantly berating me is locked away. The real me is here now. In THIS moment. Life will never be an easy journey, but learning how to navigate life with a purpose that is God’s will can bring joy and glory to God. Peace can be achieved. I would definitely recommend this process to anyone who needs a gentle hand to guide them through the changes that they want in their lives. Wendy has helped me to restart my journey to become the person Jesus wants me to be. ~ H.D.
Wendy’s coaching transformed the way I think about looking for a job. I sought her help because at the age of 49 I decided to change my career path. I had spent 25 years in the same career and felt lost as to how to begin searching for a new career. At first I was hesitant, because I don’t easily share my personal feelings with others. Wendy was patient, kind and very empathetic. This put me at ease with sharing personal experiences that were potentially holding me back. The reflective thinking done through discussion and activities helped me to become more consciously aware of my talents and personal goals. We then used this knowledge to develop a tool. through which. I could explore new career opportunities. I now feel better prepared to find a career that will give me fulfillment. I am very grateful for her insight and coaching skills. ~M.C.
