Before she was a coach, Taryn Reed worked with high-performing sales enablement teams, rolling out strategies, prepping her team for presentations, and helping colleagues find their edge. What she didn’t know at the time was that she was coaching others well before she focused her career on coaching. In this conversation, Taryn shares how her experience in a fast-paced sales enablement role shaped her approach to coaching, why impostor syndrome shows up more often than you think, and how she helps leaders find clarity through discomfort, reflection, and a little bit of experimentation.
SNP: You found your way to coaching through a corporate leadership role. What sparked the shift?
Taryn: My passion for coaching started before I even knew it was a career path. In my previous role, I led the development of a sales enablement team. What I loved most was preparing my team for presentations and helping them understand where they could grow. That work energized me. When I left that role, I deliberately pivoted toward coaching, completed my International Coaching Federation (ICF) coaching certification, and found my way to SNP.
SNP: As you transitioned out of a sales role, you challenged yourself with some pretty big questions that now influence how you coach others. Tell us about that.
Taryn: One of the biggest lessons was learning to ask myself hard questions—where am I, where do I want to go, and what’s getting in my way? I bring that same mindset to coaching. It’s about inquiry and curiosity. Sometimes people just need someone to ask the question they’ve been avoiding, or to say something out loud for the first time. That moment of articulation can unlock a whole new level of clarity.
SNP: We’ve heard leadership can be lonely – it can be hard to find a trusted advisor. Could a coach help fill a bit of that void?
Taryn: Yes. It can get lonely at the top for leaders. The higher you go, the fewer people are willing to give you honest feedback. Coaches can be that mirror—reflecting what’s working, identifying areas of development, and creating a safe space for vulnerability and growth. Just the act of saying something out loud can demystify it and help someone move forward.
SNP: And when people start saying those things out loud—especially the doubts—imposter syndrome can show up. How do you help leaders navigate that?
Taryn: Imposter syndrome is almost universal, especially when someone is stepping into a new leadership role. I start by grounding them in their strengths and accomplishments and reminding them of the value they already bring. Then we identify the gap between where they are and where they want to be. That gap isn’t a flaw—it’s room to grow. If you’re 100% qualified for a role, you’re probably not going to grow much in it.
SNP: As leaders grow, there’s often a tension between wanting to get it right and needing space to learn. You describe coaching as a “lab environment.” What does that mean?
Taryn: It means creating a safe space to experiment. If you want to try something new as a leader, coaching gives you a chance to plan it, test it, and then reflect. Did it work? How did it feel? What will you do differently next time? Growth doesn’t happen without discomfort. The lab environment helps people get comfortable with that.
Whether Taryn is guiding a new leader through imposter syndrome or encouraging them to experiment with a new skill, she brings a grounded, intentional presence to her coaching. She reminds us that growth doesn’t always come from knowing all the answers—it often starts with asking the right questions.
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