Clarify, Choose, Change.

Living by this approach is how I founded Becuz I Matter© Leadership Coaching. I have helped hundreds of people overcome life’s hurdles, personally and professionally.

I'm here to help YOU take the next step in your journey.

Sunflower in a field of flowers on a sunny day

Welcome to Becuz I Matter

Personal & Leadership Coaching

My name is Ann Fogolin, and I am a certified Personal Coach. Finding out how and why people do what they do is what drives me. I specialize in helping people be curious about the way things are, determining where improvements are possible, and creating a link between your current and better self.

Getting over hurdles, whether situational or self-imposed, is complicated. Figuring out how to clarify a challenge, evaluating the choices, making sure those choices are true to who you are, implementing a change and learning from the experience can be overwhelming. No matter what we “do” understanding how we “are” helps increase the impact of our choices, and leads to lasting change.

If you are an open-minded, open-hearted person who is looking for the right resources to accomplish your goals and desires... well, you've come to the right place. Thank you for visiting - I'm so glad that you're here!

Ann Fogolin Becuz I Matter headshot female leadership coach

This Website is for You

Person camper holding coffee mug that has The Adventure Begins embossed beautiful canadian forest

For my whole career, my goal has been to work with people to maximize their potential. Yes, I am passionate about my own continuous learning and personal growth, too, but I got into this business so that I could share this education and these strategies with the wonderful people I work with. My work (and this site) is devoted to sharing ideas, tools and resources that are aimed at helping you create a better you.

Are you...

  • Experiencing a major life/career change?
  • Stuck in a self-destructive habit loop?
  • Struggling to overcome a new hurdle, either personal or career-related?
  • Feeling stuck in a rut - paralyzed by fear of failure?
  • Need someone to help you stay on track, and provide honest, productive feedback?

I can help.

I've been an accredited Coach for almost two decades, and I've been fascinated by learning, working, and growing with people my entire life. Today, I work by using a coaching method I have curated, integrating the techniques, experiences, skills, and values I have gained over my career.

I provide a number of services, from 1-on-1 Coaching to Team Workshops to Coach Mentoring and Accreditation - I'd love to talk to you and figure out how I can be of service in your journey to a better you.

Person camper holding coffee mug that has The Adventure Begins embossed beautiful canadian forest
Woman near the ocean walking through a maze made of large rocks

Life is Full of Choices

We make good choices and we make not-so-good choices but rarely is there a missed learning opportunity. Learning about ourselves should be fun but we often forget to remember that with a great challenge comes a great opportunity. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is a helpful skill to rely on when it is time to navigate a life choice. Honing that skill isn’t always easy - but I can help.

man standing on top of a large rock face with hands outstretched towards a colourful bright evening sky

It All Starts With You

man standing on top of a large rock face with hands outstretched towards a colourful bright evening sky

Coaching is a powerful process, and every client gets out of the process what they put in. Results vary depending on the client and their commitment to themselves and their forward movement. Rest assured that you have my commitment to support you fully as a member of your success team.

Someone Who Helps You...

  • Align your professional life with your personal values
  • Clarify roadblocks and help identify choices to move past them
  • Create change to improve the circumstance
  • Achieve better balance with things that compete for your attention

My business is built on countless hours spent learning how to help you make better choices, overcome adversity, be a better communicator, team member, leader. My practice includes clients from a wide variety of backgrounds at all levels of professional seniority and has a designed focus on increasing personal development, managing career development and honing leadership skills. All three areas arise as part of one’s professional capacity and I believe a cohesive approach works best to insure my clients are best equipped to assess and make choices that will be of most benefit.

I don't just listen to the words you say, but I also listen for the feelings and energy behind them. In doing so I am able to ask you thoughtful questions, offer insight and give observations that support you in creating new awareness and ultimately options for positive change. Whether you’re starting or growing your business or looking to make a big change in your personal life, I’m here to help you reach the highest levels of your creative potential and tap into the deepest wisdom within you.

Sounds pretty great, right? That’s what a coach does. That’s what I have built my life’s work on - helping people align their values to be their best selves.

About Ann's Approach

"I was fortunate enough to work with Ann as my mentor coach in preparation for my PCC accreditation. Ann went above and beyond to mentor me with grace and skilled guidance. She shared her wisdom and insights with authenticity and kept me on the path to develop my coaching skills and become a better coach. Our time together was transformative and enriching."

- Michelle McEwing
Sydney, AUS

"I had the pleasure of working with Ann to meet my mentor-coaching hours requirement. To say she was amazing to partner with is an understatement. She was Awesome! Her no pressure, transparent communication style was an exact match and positioned me to grow tremendously as a coach and person. She was masterful at leveraging her listening skills to zero in on challenges I was experiencing. She believed in me even when I expressed uncertainty and encouraged me to pursue my coaching journey with courage and confidence. When you partner with Ann, you can expect her to consistently deliver on her commitments and she will certainly hold you accountable for your role in the partnership. Ann was super supportive, flexible, and always 100% present during our sessions. The time I spent with Ann was consistently positive and productive. Anyone making the decision to partner with Ann will not regret the investment!"

- Rhoda J.

“Ann has an uncanny ability to generate and deliver laser sharp insights. While her competence is clear, what I find most refreshing is her style. Her direct delivery is infused with wisdom, levity, and compassion. She is a master of creating gentle, safe spaces needed for honest introspection while providing firm accountabilities. If you are serious about growing, either as a coach or as a human being, you’d be hard pressed to find a better guide. My coaching skills have progressed quickly under her tutelage.”

Leadership Coach at the Federal Aviation Administration

“I have loved working with Ann! She is a wonderfully supportive and encouraging coach, and has helped me to greatly improve my coaching skills, and further develop in the ICF competencies. She has a great sense of humor and brings a lot of levity to the coaching environment, making it fun and engaging, as well as educational. I have felt well cared for on my coaching journey with Ann!”

- Sarah Mann
Spark Solutions

"Ann holds an ever present and wonderful curiosity in all of her interactions, and her use of insightful questioning and her keen ability to support the inherent flow and artistry that masterful coaching requires, is truly inspiring to behold. Her genuine and positive approach to developing relationships with her students establishes a unique and safe space for more extensive expansion in the learning process. She has this way of making people feel very important in her presence, and thus inspired to let go of inhibitions, they reach further, and dance in the moment – embracing the true nature of coaching."

- Emily Kushvaliev
Vice President of Procurement - Technology Services at Re:Sources USA

“Ann Fogolin is a masterful trainer. She has a unique teaching style which engages and stretches her students in a safe environment. She transformed what might have been a ‘ dry' course into a 'juicy' and practical one. I usually don't give high scores across the board. Ann Fogolin's mastery of coaching is inspirational. In addition, she is unusually gifted as a teacher. She has extraordinary presence. I will seek her out.”

- Doris Mugrditchian
Villeneuve, Switzerland

“Ann is a wonderful coach and instructor. I have taken several of her classes and I am enjoying them even more as I go. She is kind and patient, but she doesn't let you off the hook. She will help you through a concept until you get it. She gently pokes and prods, when appropriate, to get the most out of her students. I truly appreciate her style and her caring. It is why I enjoy her classes and learn so much from her. Not only that, I think the way she coaches is the best I've ever seen. She ALWAYS covers all of the bases!”

- Kathie A.
Leadership and Management Coach

On Building Your Toolbox

"I had the pleasure of working with Ann to fulfill my mentor-coaching hours, and it was an amazing experience. Her direct and transparent communication style helped me greatly grow as a coach, and she always believed in me, encouraging me to pursue my coaching journey with confidence. I cherished every moment with Ann. Her feedback was incredibly helpful and inspiring, leading me to review our session recordings and take notes for continuous learning. Ann taught me the importance of both the science and the art of coaching.
'Don't be a checkmark coach, but get to the Who of your client while staying with the Core Competencies' is now my mantra on my coaching journey to reach the next level. I'm truly grateful for Ann's mentorship, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a supportive and transformative mentor coach!"

- Ruriko Fujino
Japan

“I sought out working with Ann to help improve my performance at work - to better understand and appreciate differences in communication styles, to build leadership qualities, and to create tools to help resolve conflict and foster collaboration. Ann’s guidance helped me to align my core values, recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and develop strategies to carefully listen and communicate – all of which have impacted and improved not only my work environment, but nearly every relationship and every aspect of my life.”

- B. Douglas Smith, M.D.
Professor, Oncology

“Ann’s approach to mentoring is one of a true partnership. She demonstrates a true passion for making her mentees be the best coach they can possibly be. She starts from a place of understanding the goals, style preferences, and what the mentee really wants to get most out of the partner. She creates a safe learning environment for practice, providing specific, tangible feedback that sets the stage for ongoing growth and development. I have learned more from Ann than I ever expected from a mentor! She has expanded my ability to ask powerful questions and build partnerships with those that I coach. I have the greatest admiration for Ann”.

- Dawn Sevy

"My work with Ann moved me from valuing my own expertise and giving advice to pure focus on the client and inviting whatever the client may bring. Ann patiently and expertly supported me as I shifted my mindset from consulting to pure coaching, which privately I wasn’t sure was possible. I not only have several new coaching tools but I’m able to confidently move to the next level of ICF certification. Thank you Ann!"

- Anne Quiello
MS, PCC

On Ann as a Coach

“As Ann was by far the best instructor in my certified coach training, I was confident she would make a fantastic mentor coach. I was not disappointed. Not only did she guide me to my next level of best as a coach, but she coached me to be my next level of best as a person. She helped me see that real coaching is not transactional process of fixing problems, but a transformational journey of personal discovery. And for that, I am forever grateful."

- Ronald M. Stohler
Director of Leadership Development, CHORUS, Inc.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to recommend Ann Fogolin as a mentor coach. In my journey of personal and professional development, her guidance has been nothing short of transformative. From the moment I began working with her, I realized that I had found a true gem in the coaching world. What sets Ann apart is her graceful way of teaching. In her presence, learning becomes an effortless and enriching experience. I found myself soaking up her wisdom without feeling like I was being taught. Her ability to convey coaching concepts with simplicity is truly remarkable."
"No question or concern is ever too trivial for her to address. She listens attentively, without judgement, and provides insightful responses. Her unwavering support has instilled in me a sense of confidence and belief in my own abilities. Kindness radiates from her in every interaction. Whether through words of encouragement or gentle gestures, she creates a nurturing environment that encourages vulnerability and growth. Through Ann, I have gained invaluable insights, developed new skills, and have become a better coach. I am forever grateful to have crossed paths with such a remarkable person. I wholeheartedly recommend Ann to anyone seeking a transformative coaching experience."

- Patty Crabtree
President, Crabtree Group LLC

“I’ve been fortunate to work with Ann as both my mentor and my coach. I value her as trusted partner in my growth and development, a voice of reason and reassurance when I question myself, an instigator when I need to grow and step outside my comfort zone, and a ready and willing accomplice to laughing and having fun as we work. I walk away from each encounter with Ann having discovered something of value and realizing how much more I have to learn. Ann is a consummate professional driven by her belief in continuous improvement to remain a master of her craft. In short, I am better because of my work with Ann. I look forward to learning from her, and growing with her, for a long time to come.”

- Patricia Browning
Leadership & Management Coach, Certified Professional Facilitator

“Ann is AWESOME. I learned more in the first session of this class than I have in entire courses with other instructors. Her encyclopedic knowledge of the competencies and the various ways to bring them to your coaching just blows me away, but I'm also struck by how kind, open, and fun her classes are. I’m definitely going to be looking for another Ann class to sign up for in the future!”

- Lisa Ingall

“This is my 3rd class with Ann and I'm constantly learning something new from her. She models what an ideal coach should be, she is affirming to all the students and yet, she gently pushes us to be better coaches by challenging us to expand our boundaries. It has been a wonderful learning journey and I look forward to attending more of Ann’s classes. 2 thumbs up!!”

- Sharon Woo
Singapore

“Working with Ann has helped me create a rock solid personal foundation which has translated into, among other things, an acceptance of my own success and how that is defined – something I avoided for years. She is warm, insightful, candid and spot on with her observations, especially the ones I haven’t quite yet realized for myself.”

- Serena Miller
Management/Leadership Development Strategist and Coach

“I have learned so much about myself and the influence I have on people, change, and organizational behavior because of the coaching I have received over the past three years from Ann. She has helped me understand that coaching is about discovery, awareness and choice. Ann has guided me from just “doing” my work to “being” in my work. Ann has transformed my coaching perspective, deepened my conversations and support of my clients. I’m a better coach because of Ann!”

- John S. Griego
Encore Leadership Consulting, LLC

“Ann served as my mentor coach for 6 months through my application process for my ACC. I highly recommend Ann’s partnership to exponentially grow your coaching competence and confidence, which is what she did for me. Her mentoring and teaching style included a mix of learning methods that all brought different value and development for me. She provided me great clarity on my strengths and development areas through her feedback. Best of all, Ann creates a fun learning environment!”

- Anna Luedecking
Ph.D. Principal Partner & Coach at Avenue Leadership Consulting

“I had the great pleasure of working with Ann as my mentor coach for a year while preparing for my PCC level certification. Ann was a tremendous pleasure to work with. Her experience and insight led to many 'aha' moments during our sessions. She shared her observations in a way that was direct (which I requested) as well as helpful and supportive. I became a better coach under her mentorship and my clients will be the better for it. Thank you, Ann!"

- Robin Elledge

Becuz I Matter Workshop Experiences

“Ann is a great coach and facilitator. She explains the materials in a manner that is easy to understand and apply in real life. Leveraging the participants to demonstrate each of the styles was great and impactful, I enjoyed the discussion.”

- T.P.
Executive and Management Coach

“Ann is an extra-ordinary teleclass facilitator. She brings a lovely high level of enthusiasm and energy that is inclusive of everyone's active participation. I hadn't expected to enjoy this class given that it covers landscape I've already jogged on many times, but Ann made it totally engaging for the three of us veteran faculty members who were in attendance. All in all a great experience with an outstanding facilitator.”

- Jan Austin, Ph.D, MCC, BC
CoachInc Faculty Member

“Ann's leadership of this course made it the best course ever that I've taken at Coach U. She modeled coaching mastery and made the concepts, which are simple to read, come to life and multi-dimensional.”

- Diane Kinsella
Family Life Center Director

“Ann led this course remarkably. The content was rich, and Ann further enriched it by drawing out and drawing on the students' experiences. Ann gifts students most with her humility and unwavering presence. This was by far one of the top courses I’ve taken at CoachU. Ann is truly skilled and students are lucky to benefit from her coaching skill. She is a walking example of a fantastic, masterful coach and educator!”

- Diane Dean
Owner at Epiphany! Counseling & Wellness Center

On Ann's Personality

“Ann is a remarkable individual who has the capacity to create immediate and powerful connections with others, establishing an authentic and safe environment that fosters exploration and deep personal growth. Warm, genuine, and always supportive, Ann lights up the class with her infectious enthusiasm and true passion for coaching, inviting her students to shine beside her in their own unique ways. [...] I am incredibly grateful for Ann’s wisdom, guidance, and passion; she has been an inspiring presence in so many ways for me along my amazing coaching journey.”

- Emily Kushvaliev
Vice President of Procurement - Technology Services at Re:Sources USA

“Ann is in a class by herself, both as a coach and as a human. She is passionate about her work and fully devoted to her clients, cheering for them from the sidelines as they perform and reach their goals. Thanks to her profound listening skills, she understands her clients, thus knowing when and where to gently probe so that they grow. I came to Ann with a wish to do more and she enabled me to BE more. For this, I will be eternally grateful. Ann is an artist of her trade.”

- Sarah Kartalia
Toulouse, France

Becuz I Matter© Services

Coaching

We can all use a little help defining and honing our strengths and identifying areas for improvement. Working with someone dedicated to your development: a confidant, an open and fair sounding board, a trusted advisor and resource, a continuous source of support with your best interest in mind.

Learn More

Workshops

Becuz I Matter© Workshops can help enhance your personal or professional development, often by the time the session ends. As a basis for group training, Becuz I Matter© Workshops are organized into topics such as "The Unsticking", "Positive Mindsets", "F.E.A.R. - Overcoming Fear & Limiting Beliefs" and many more. Each topic provides substantive knowledge, an opportunity to have fun with your colleagues and a chance to grow your development portfolio.

Learn More

More to Explore

Ann has a Podcast!

The path to mastery in coaching is a balanced act between polishing our skills and deepening our own self-awareness. Everyday, our challenge is to find the equilibrium between form and flow. Bottom line, coaching is a human-to-human experience and it is when we embrace this ongoing exercise of BECOMING that we can find our authentic place in the coaching process.

You can listen to the podcast by creating an account with Coach U for free!

Listen Here