A special announcement: I am leaving GuidedPath.

A Vision

A Surprise

Being an entrepreneur was never a path I envisioned for myself.  I saw myself more as a counselor, working with students and families on their educational journey.  I did not have a business background. I had never taken a business class or a marketing class. Yet- I had a dream- a vision - for a tool that would make a difference in the lives of students and the counselors who serve them.

A Challenge

Being a woman in business is not that unique or unusual.  Being a woman in technology, without a technology background, was unique.  I had taken programming in college, and I was married to a database programmer, so I figured, “How hard could it be”? How naive that was.

I learned quickly to communicate, organize and prioritize. I learned to hold my own.  One example is the college search process. I had a vision for what it should be. I was told repeatedly that what I had in mind could not be done. It took five years for technology to catch up with my vision, but eventually we were able to implement the tool in the way it was needed. (Years later ACT did a market search and said the GuidedPath Search was the best on the market.) Communicating with development teams located either in the US or other countries brought cultural differences into the mix. This is where my counseling skills were an asset. The challenges were many, but I led the team to work through them

A Page Turned

Eventually MyCCA.net became GuidedPath. Now, GuidedPath is a product of MaiaLearning. This is the next page, the next progression for the company. It is exciting to be a part of a parent company with more resources and a wider reach than GuidedPath.  Even more importantly, MaiaLearning shared GuidedPath’s strong commitment to customer service. My next page was turned too. In September 2020 I became a consultant for MaiaLearning.

A Blank Page

Working with GuidedPath the past year has been rewarding.  Yet, it has had a different feel and focus, as I have been navigating this chapter alone, without my spouse Lee. My goals, my vision, my purposes in life have shifted. Over the past few months I feel I have been facing a new, blank page in my life. I have been uncertain as to what to write on this blank page.

A New Story Line

I recently returned from a podcast conference and business mentorship program in Scottsdale, AZ (watch for the next blog about it). This experience opened my eyes to many other possibilities. It was an empowering and energizing experience.  I have a renewed hope and am casting my eyes again to the future. There are many opportunities for helping entrepreneurs to grow and flourish. especially those, like me, that have little to no experience in business. I know where you are coming from and  I know how it feels.

Closing a Chapter

After much soul searching and several restless nights, I came to a very hard decision. Over the past year I have been trying to do it all.  After all, isn’t that what we women do?  I have come to the difficult realization that I can't do it all.  And so, I am announcing I am closing the GuidedPath chapter of my life.  As of November 19 2021, I will no longer be a consultant with MaiaLearning (GuidedPath).  I have to close one chapter so that other chapters can open.

Writing a New Chapter

Over the past year I have been coaching new and experienced college counselors. This coaching experience has been very fulfilling, and has reignited my passion for teaching. I know the needs you have as a small business owner. I know how to support you to launch your new college counseling practice or provide guidance and expertise as you grow your business. I am developing a more mindful, inclusive business coaching experience.

I will be launching this in January, 2022.  If you want to know more, join my Interest list, and I will keep you informed.  Feel free to schedule an inquiry call to learn more about Mindful Business Coaching Experiences.

Keep in Touch

Please contact me at cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com.  Use the social media links below to keep in touch.