I lead growth at a US-based marketing agency as well help service businesses across North America generate more leads, close more deals, and scale sustainably.

At Optimized Marketing, I began life as a CRO expert and Client Advocate before quickly becoming the person responsible for:

- Driving expansion into new verticals 
- Designing lead gen frameworks that turn traffic into customers 
- Launching scalable CRM infrastructure (both in-house and for clients)
- Representing the agency publicly at major national conferences and vendor events
- Building internal systems that improve follow-up, client success, and brand stickiness
- Identifying 'gaps' and areas for growth - then creating the systems to make growth a reality

Before that, I built my career in high-stakes construction dispute resolution — being part of teams resolving complex, high-pressure claims where strategic thinking and sharp communication were essential. That background trained me to listen deeply, move fast, and keep people aligned when the stakes are high.

I’ve also launched and sold a restaurant brand from scratch in Hong Kong - the world's most competitive F&B market - with no outside funding or safety net. 

That business taught me the hard-earned lessons that only a business owner can understand as I brought to life something that was previously missing from the local market. 

It was lessons learned from growth that pulled me into marketing—and grounded my approach in commercial reality.

What I bring:

- Strategic thinking with a bias for clarity and momentum
- Deep expertise in CRO, lead generation, and system design
- A founder’s mindset—driven by results, not vanity metrics

If you're growing something ambitious and want a strategic partner who gets the whole picture — connect with me.

Rob Barratt

Experiencing a restructure and losing my job - not just once, but twice - was the best thing that happened to me. It forced me to hit the "pause button", reflect, and evaluate. I gained a deeper understanding of what work truly gave me energy, the type of organization I wanted to work for whose values aligned with my own, and what my non-negotiables were so I could ensure they would be honoured by my next employer. I reinvented myself - twice - and at age 46 I finally realized coaching (and owning my own business) was what I wanted to do when I grew up.

My experiences inspired me to write the award-winning, #1 best-selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose. 

As one of Ottawa's Top career coaches in 2024 and 2020, I believe every person deserves to do work that energizes them, for a company that believes what they believe in, and with leaders who will support and motivate them. This is my "why". Both career transition and leadership development uniquely excite and energize me! Because people tend to leave leaders (not jobs), these two topic areas often intersect. 

Are you ready to land a job that energizes you? Or develop your skills to lead a team that thrives?  I can help you:

-  gain clarity on what's important to you, then develop and share your “career story” to transition to new industries or roles

- create a job search strategy involving a mix of online searches, reaching out to recruiters and initiating networking conversations

- confidently prepare for your next interview

- transition from individual contributor to strategic leader

- navigate the challenges of building connection and belonging with hybrid teams

- integrate coaching approaches into your leadership.....

.....and more!

I am an ICF-certified Integral Professional Coach™ and Certified Career Development Professional (CCDP®) who offers coaching virtually or in person, and can facilitate workshops on a broad range of topics.  I have worked with clients at various levels in federal and municipal government, high-tech, not-for-profit, financial services, retail, hospitality and sports.

Clients have said they value my ability to give them hope – to help them find a way out of the fog, and build their confidence and clarity on a path forward. I create a safe and comfortable environment that helps people relax and talk openly, and ask thought-provoking questions to encourage curiosity.

Wondering how I can help? Please visit https://mschafercoaching.ca or email michelle@mschafercoaching.ca to start the conversation.

Michelle Schafer

Yesterday I got the best email a career coach can receive.

“I got the job.”

(Yahooooooo!)

After 8 months of searching, discouragement, rejection, and wondering if it would ever happen, it did. 

At first, my client did what most people do:

She looked, applied, waited - and hoped something would happen.

But it wasn’t working.

She faced rejection after rejection.

Jobs she was qualified for didn’t lead to interviews.

Interviews didn’t lead to offers.

There were dark, discouraging days.

Frustrating days.

Days when she wondered if it would ever happen for her.

But she kept going.  Even when it was hard.

Here's what that looked like. 

Over time, she:

➡️  practiced interviews and refined her answers through feedback

➡️  used AI to anticipate potential interview questions and prepared specific examples in advance

➡️  customized her resume for each job and strengthened her achievement statements

➡️  expanded where she searched for jobs, adding new boards like GoogleJobs

She also shifted her approach beyond just applying.  She:

✅  built relationships with recruiters and followed up

✅  asked people to help get her resume into the right hands

✅  expanded her networking and began reaching out on LinkedIn

✅  registered with free community employment services and worked with an employment consultant

And she invested in herself along the way.  She:

☀️  developed techniques to calm her nerves and build confidence before interviews

☀️  created coping strategies for the discouraging days

☀️  established a consistent job search routine (and made space for herself, too)

☀️  upskilled and took a French course to strengthen her marketability

☀️  built a bank of examples so she could speak confidently about her experience

Most importantly, she worked on her mindset.

She learned to separate fact from narrative.

The fact was: she didn’t have a job....yet.

The narrative was: maybe I’m not employable.

That shift mattered.

Because this job search was never meant to be her forever place.

And today it isn’t.

She found the right opportunity.

The offer came.

And she is starting a new chapter.

(I'm beyond happy for her!!!)

If you’re in the middle of a job search right now and it feels long or discouraging, please remember:

This may be where you are today.

But this isn't the end of the road.

Keep going. Your opportunity is ahead.

Photo credit: Todd Kent (Unsplash)
_________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

I’m not here to scare you. 

But if these numbers make you nervous, then - good.

Especially if they prompt you to prepare.

Yesterday, Statistics Canada shared that Canada lost:

📉 84,000 net jobs in February (many were full-time private sector jobs)

📉 25,000 net jobs in January

And - the unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 6.7 (7.6 in Ontario).

The majority of job loss is fallout from tariffs and the U.S. trade war. 

(The full article may be found below.) 

These aren’t just stats. They’re signals.

And the best time to prepare for a job loss... is before it happens.

Waiting for change to happen is not a strategy. 

With experience supporting clients across all industry sectors, I can help you navigate the challenges and uncover the opportunities.

Here's how I can help you clear the fog and gain clarity on your next steps:

➡️ Reflect: Determine your transferrable skills, work that energizes you, the profile of the "right" company for you and your non-negotiables, so you can target a specific role or path. 

➡️ Create a tailored job search strategy: A plan that fits your career goals and incorporates various activities, such as online job boards, recruiters and networking/outreach.

➡️ Refine your resume: Feedback to help you craft an impactful resume full of results and achievements that align with your chosen path.

➡️ Prepare for interviews: Boost your confidence and present yourself as the ideal candidate by clearly articulating your value and sharing your career stories.

➡️ Network strategically: Connect with representatives and hiring managers in companies of interest. I can help you identify key people to contact, request introductions, and build relationships to support your job search.

➡️ Develop your brand: Learn how to market your strengths and tell your career story effectively, increasing your visibility on professional platforms like LinkedIn.

If you’re feeling uncertain about what’s next, let’s connect.

You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gJpQcv74
__________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

Looking for work can mess with your head.

Doubt creeps in.

Confidence drops.

And it can start to feel like you’ll be stuck in a search forever.

Here’s the truth:

Being in a job search is not your forever place.

(And if you've ever worked with me, you've heard this before).

I recently talked about this on the Personal Development Mastery podcast with Agi Keramidas, where we unpacked:

✅  The emotional traps people fall into during career change

✅  Why applying to hundreds of jobs isn’t the strategy people think it is

✅  How relationships open doors that job boards never will

✅  How to keep momentum even when the process feels discouraging

If you’re navigating a career transition right now, this conversation is for you.

You can listen to the full episode here:
https://lnkd.in/gSJQjkAj

Thank you for having me on your show, Agi!
_________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

Last week in LA, I expected to see music history at the Grammy Museum.

What I didn’t expect was a career lesson.

I took my son there while I was in town recording an episode for the podcast The Art of Charm with AJ Harbinger. 

Among Michael Jackson’s sequined jackets, his iconic glove, Taylor Swift’s very first Grammy, and incredible photography of musicians through the decades, there was one room that really caught my attention.

It was dedicated to careers in music.

The display showed all the different ways someone can work in the industry:
production, business development, songwriting, photography, sound engineering, marketing, and of course, performing.

It was a reminder that for every artist on stage or in the recording studio, there are dozens of careers behind the scenes making the music happen.

When people feel stuck or at a crossroads in their career, they often think their options are limited.

"I don't know what to do next" is a response I've heard often. 

But clues to our next career step are all around us.

In conversations.

In places we visit.

In work we respect, maybe even admire.

In problems we notice and feel driven to solve.

The key is staying curious enough to notice these signs.

If you’re feeling stuck in your career right now, try this:

➡️  Pay attention to the work that catches your interest 

➡️  Ask people about the paths that led them to their current roles

➡️  Notice the skills behind work that energizes you

➡️  Explore roles that support the work - not just the most visible ones

Sometimes the next step in your career isn’t something you’ve seen before.

It’s something you discover along the way.

What’s something you’ve experienced recently that sparked a new career idea for you?
________________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

One of the biggest challenges in transitioning from military to civilian work isn’t capability. It’s translation.

How do you explain the leadership, decision-making, and operational experience gained in the military in a way civilian employers understand?

That’s exactly what Tyler P. and I talked about on the Coming Home Well podcast.

In this episode, we explore practical strategies to help veterans and service members translate their military experience into civilian careers, including:

➡️  identifying and communicating transferrable skills

➡️  building resumes and LinkedIn profiles that resonate with civilian employers

➡️  understanding why referrals often lead to jobs before they’re even posted

➡️  networking through conversations rather than self-promotion

➡️  using reflection questions to clarify what comes next in your career

Thank you for welcoming me to your show, Tyler!

While our conversation focuses on the military-to-civilian transition, many of the strategies we discuss apply to anyone navigating a career change.

👇 In this short clip, I break down what “transferrable skills” actually means - and how to help employers see the value of your experience.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/ee2zQYuV

Veterans (or anyone supporting veterans in their career transition) - What’s one skill from your experience that employers might not immediately recognize, yet adds real value?
________________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

You might be wasting the final 5 minutes of your interview. 

A client was preparing for a final interview, and wondered: “What should I ask when they say, ‘Do you have any questions for us?’”

It’s a great question, because that moment isn’t just a formality. 

It’s your opportunity to assess whether the company is the right fit for you. 

(As I like to say - is it an organization that believes what you believe?)

The problem? Many candidates ask questions that are too general.

 ❌ “What’s your leadership style?”

 ❌ “What’s the culture like?”

General questions breed general answers. And general answers don’t give you helpful insight. 

You want to give some thought to questions to ask that align with what's important to you in the next company you work for. 

Here’s how you can reframe the questions to ask at the end:

✅ Instead of “What’s your leadership style?”
 👉 “Can you share an example of a time you supported an employee’s professional growth?”

✅ Instead of “What’s the culture like?”
 👉 “What's one thing your organization prioritizes outside of day-to-day work that reinforces its culture?”

✅ Instead of “What do you like about working here?”
 👉 “What’s one thing that has surprised you about working here?”

✅ Instead of “What’s the team dynamic?”
 👉 “How does the team handle setbacks or challenges?”

Specific questions lead to specific answers - and the information you gain will help you decide if this is the right place for you.

(Chapter 8 - Nail the Interview - in my #1 best selling book gives you more food for thought as you prepare for your next interview)

What’s your favourite question to ask in those last 5 minutes? 
__________________
🤝 I can help you figure out what lights you up and give you a game plan so you can land energizing work.

💪 I've had to do this myself - several times!

🔔 Want to see more job search tips? Follow me, visit my profile & ring the bell!

📚 Check out my award-winning #1 Best Selling book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose: https://lnkd.in/e56A8X97

🔍 My Career Focus Framework can connect you with the clarity you need: https://lnkd.in/gnnTbPnt

taplio

The Battle

Rob Barratt

Michelle Schafer

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMichelle Schafer's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Rob Barratt

Michelle Schafer

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Michelle Schafer's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMichelle Schafer's LinkedIn Performance