Change is a powerful force that shapes our lives, often emerging from the most unexpected circumstances. Whether it’s a career shift, personal transformation, or decision to pursue a long-held dream, the ability to embrace and navigate change is crucial for personal and professional growth. Becky Thalmann, founder of Vivica Partners, embodies the essence of transformative change. Her journey from a successful corporate career at Google to creating her own coaching business was catalyzed by a life-altering experience: a cancer diagnosis.
This profound event not only reshaped her career but also ignited a passion for helping others navigate their own transformations. Becky's story illustrates the power of behavioral change, showing how a shift in mindset and the implementation of actionable strategies can lead to meaningful, lasting success in both business and life.
The Catalyst for Change
As the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs, Becky saw firsthand how to operate a successful business. When her father arrived in the United States from Yugoslavia, he knew no English, finding work at his brother’s printing business and working his way to co-owner and graphic designer. On the other side of the family, her maternal grandfather owned a successful publishing company for industry magazines. Both men were influential role models in business and work ethic. Despite this, Becky did not initially follow in their footsteps.
While she had always admired the entrepreneurial spirit that ran through her family, she found herself following a more traditional path. Before her life took an unexpected turn, Becky was navigating a demanding career at Google as part of their sales partnership team. However, it wasn't until she faced a personal crisis that she felt compelled to make a significant change.
At the age of 35, Becky’s world was upended by a cancer diagnosis. The months that followed were filled with intense treatments. This challenging period brought her life into sharp focus, sparking a newfound sense of urgency and pushing her to reevaluate her priorities and goals.
Returning to work after many months off for treatment, Becky found herself a different person. The drive to spend her time meaningfully became her guiding force. She asked herself, “What am I waiting for?” realizing that if the cancer returned, she would regret not pursuing her true passions. This pivotal moment was the catalyst for her decision to pursue the entrepreneurial life she didn’t think possible. Determined to live a life of purpose and impact, Becky set out to turn her vision into reality.
The Creation of Vivica Partners
While working at Google, Becky earned her coaching certificate, learning how to guide and assist people in implementing change management. Following her return to the office, Becky stepped into a new job-share role focused heavily on leadership enablement which allowed her to put her newfound mindset and tactical skills into practice, as well as allot time and space for the growth of her own business.
During her off time in the new role, Becky grew her coaching business and acquired clients. She soon realized working part-time on her new business wouldn't allow her to achieve the level of impact she aspired to make. Taking a bet on herself, Becky left the corporate world completely and dove headfirst into creating Vivica Partners, a life and business strategy coaching partnership. Becky saw the power of a change from mental transformation and aims to help others reach it without facing tragedy.
How to Create Sustainable Change
Diving into the realm of behavioral change was key for Becky to transform her life after the cancer diagnosis. Behavioral change isn't just about making different choices; it's fundamentally shifting how one thinks and acts. This process begins by identifying what you want from your work and life, and understanding how these desires fuel your actions.
Inner Work: Mindset, Personal Beliefs, and Emotions
Inner work involves introspection and self-awareness, examining your mindset, personal beliefs, and emotions. These elements form the foundation of how you perceive yourself and the world around you. This inner work is like rewiring your mental and emotional framework to support your aspirations.
Becky realized that her mindset needed a significant shift to align with her new goals. She understood her beliefs about what she was capable of and what she deserved had to change.
Outer Work: Action-Based Strategies for Implementing Change
While inner work sets the stage, outer work puts plans into motion. Outer work involves creating and executing strategies that provide tangible changes. For Becky, this meant taking actionable steps towards her entrepreneurial dreams. It wasn’t enough to just feel different; she had to act differently. Faced with the challenge of splitting her time between two jobs, Becky decided to trust herself, cashed out her remaining vacation time, and went all in on developing Vivica Partners.
The Importance of Behavior Change in Business and Life
Becky firmly believes a continuous commitment to changing your behavior can transform your life. Sustainable change is not a one-time decision but a repetition of actions and thoughts that develop into new beliefs and principles. Through her studies and personal experiences, Becky learned how powerful it is to implement change not only in business but in life as well.
Changing behavior is a skill not regularly taught, because it is not easily done. Change itself brings challenges, push-back, and emotions. Often, change is viewed as a short-term event rather than a sustainable process, lacking the effective mentality to make a difference. Creating a lasting change requires more than just acquiring knowledge; it necessitates action.
Bridging the Gap: From Knowledge to Action
Knowing is only half the battle when it comes to creating sustainable change.
The real struggle lies in implementing that information. The first question to ask is what to do with the information. The second question to ask is how to activate it, using the new knowledge to generate a different, more positive outcome. This is the crossroad where Becky excels, weaving together the inner work of self-discovery with practical measures that drive change.
The implementation of these actionable steps isn’t just for business application, such as introducing a new software or changing a business model. It’s about taking a new mindset and deciding to improve life overall. It’s for the entrepreneur who has dismantled the limiting belief she cannot succeed and uses her newfound courage to launch a long-held business idea. It’s for the founder who wants to change the workplace culture to create a physically and psychologically safe environment for everyone, starting by feeling safe himself.
Embracing Change for Lasting Impact
Becky’s journey underscores the transformative power of behavioral change. Her story, from navigating a personal crisis to founding Vivica Partners, illustrates that meaningful change requires more than just intention; it demands a blend of self-reflection and decisive action. Becky’s approach offers a valuable blueprint: starting with inner work to shift your mindset and beliefs, then moving to outer work to implement practical strategies. By continuously committing to these changes, you can create a profound impact not only on your businesses but also on your personal life. As Becky's experience shows, the key to sustainable success lies in the willingness to bridge the gap between knowledge and action, turning insights into impactful, tangible results. Embracing the journey of change can lead to new heights and unexpected endeavors.
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Meet Becky Thalmann, founder of Vivica Partners
Becky Thalmann’s 20+ year career is dedicated to partnering with leaders, teams, and companies to maximize impact. She founded Vivica Partners to power servant leaders and founders who want to change the world through their businesses.
Becky spent almost 10 years at Google in a variety of roles leading global partnerships, fostering team effectiveness and building high performing leaders. Most recently, she was Head of Leadership Enablement at Google for people leaders that drive customer success and $135B in Alphabet revenue. She led the design of "The Google Way of Coaching" - a highly acclaimed program that builds leaders’ coaching skills and drives culture change.
Becky is a Certified Professional Coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPec). She is an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner and earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and entrepreneurship from the University of Dayton.
She is a sister, wife, mother, cancer survivor, friend, and relentless supporter for all the people in her life’s orbit. She loves to laugh (always), enjoy margaritas (occasionally), organizing virtually anything (anytime), and traveling near or far (any chance she gets).
To learn more, visit the Vivica Partners website, or contact Becky via email at becky@vivicapartners.com.
About the Author:
Em is the co-founder of L2Business and Director of Communication. Her prior work as a reporter and editor sparked the idea to interview entrepreneurs and highlight their real-world entrepreneurial insights with new and aspiring business builders. When she's not busy with the business, you can find her yelling at the TV watching her alma mater Texas Tech or any hockey game she can find. Let's connect on Facebook!
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