My story as activist entrepreneur
My name is Mo Salomon. I am the founder and Chief Navigator at Korumo Coaching for Transformation.
I started coaching in 2014. It was an unexpected turning point in my career. I am an anthropologist who worked for many years in sustainable agriculture, gender justice, and land rights. As NGO director I had a coach who helped me to grow as a leader. When the opportunity arose for training in coaching skills, my curiosity was tickled. I was amazed at how well coaching suited me as experienced facilitator and OD practitioner. I started to combine my job with coaching one day a week.
In the private sector coaching is recognized as worthwhile investment for high performing leaders and teams. In the non-profit sector, however, coaching is and was not well understood and often overlooked. So I set out to promote coaching as key component in organizational development. I coached a few directors through word of mouth, and started coaching teams to enhance professionalism. By 2017 my clientele had grown so much that I left my salaried job.
In my work, I combine facilitation, training, and coaching to enhance leadership, instill professionalism, and promote wellbeing at work. As certified yoga teacher I also use embodiment, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence to create an organizational culture in which people can thrive. This is critical because of the high levels of trauma in society, and particularly in the LGBTIQ+ sector where many of my organizational clients are.
Korumo exists to inspire leaders to organize for impact and transformative change. If you want to do good, be great! In an increasingly polarized world, people and organizations are called to be warriors with heart. Keep an eye on the future you want, stand strong in what you believe in, be professional and precise in your tactics, and start living the change you want to see.
Lesson 1: Let your day job fuel your motivation to grow your business, before you take the plunge.
Lesson 2: Start with whom you know and what you know, to build credibility, before considering a new sector.
Lesson 3: Educate your market, and appeal to how your service will enhance their success.
Lesson 4: Find a branding consultant who gets you and guides you, as you build your brand one client at a time.
More info: www.korumo.org
Founded: 2015
Home base: Pietermaritzburg in South Africa, works across Africa