All New: Enneagram Coaching & Workshops
Discover more from Wonderlust
All New: Enneagram Coaching & Workshops
“What do you do?”
Ah, the dreaded small talk/networking question. I’ve never enjoyed answering it. I’d rather tell people what gets me excited, what I find meaningful – and then ask the same of them in return.
So what gets your juices flowing? What do you love doing above all? (I actually want to know; respond to this email if you’d like.) For me, it’s all about creating. And, increasingly, guiding and teaching.
I love the strategic, verbal and visual parts of branding. I love making books. I adore my bride, my family and my friends. Reading, writing, heavy metal, the great and glorious outdoors. Here for it all.
And now: I love helping others whistle in the dark through Enneagram coaching and teaching.
I first learned about the Enneagram through a business coach in 2012. I was fascinated by its uncanny power as a framework for understanding the stories we’re living in.
My coach’s purpose was to tailor his coaching program and to help me grow in self-awareness. So he brought in a psychologist who asked me a series of questions. Based on my answers, he said I was most likely an Enneagram type One: the Improver, or the Reformer, as some call it. A lot of the type One profile seemed to fit, so I ran with it.
Trouble is, he got it wrong.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. I wasn’t very self-aware in those days. Yes, I was (am) a perfectionist with a sensitive conscience and an internal critic, like Ones. But Ones aren’t the only perfectionistic type on the Enneagram, and I didn’t look deep enough. I didn’t study the other eight types closely enough. I focused too much on behavior and not enough on underlying motivations.
For seven years, I lived with the notion that as a One, my core vice was resentment.
Sure, there was anger. And it can take me a very long time to forgive myself and others. I’ve always been fiery – and there’s a lot to get mad about in this world. But in 2019, I began to realize there was a deeper layer.
That fall, my wife, Leslie, and I were driving to visit family for Thanksgiving. I decided to finally take a real Enneagram test and asked her to help me be accurate and honest.
Type One was indeed near the top of my results. But in pole position was Four, the Individualist or the Romantic. As I sat with the possibility of the Four’s desire to be significant and unique, and to be seen and known in order to have an identity – it hit me. This is my life story. Being significant and original has always felt more important than being good. How the hell did I miss it till now? It affirmed many good qualities and shined a piercing new light on how I’d failed to love others and myself.
I also felt frustrated and embarrassed that I’d spent seven years studying and touting the benefits of the Enneagram while failing to clearly see the kind of story *I* was living in.
Since then, I’ve become passionate about helping others save months or years of reading about the Enneagram, listening to podcasts and misinformed friends – only to mistype themselves and take a wrong turn. Tests can be helpful, but even the best ones aren’t bulletproof.
It takes a guide to help you see the box you’re living in – and the way out.
I’ve wanted to become an Enneagram coach for years. After helping dozens of clients, family and friends discover their type and use that knowledge to grow, I’m finally starting to do it officially. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know the Enneagram is essential to my branding process. Coaching is a natural next step with clients who see its value in the workplace. I’m also offering coaching for individuals and couples.
I’m not stepping away from branding and design; I’m building on it.
For those who care about credentials, I’m not certified yet, though I’ve worked with this material for 11 years. However, I am moving toward certification, and the group I’m studying with suggests starting to coach before certification, at discounted rates, to accelerate the process. More on that below.
Frankly, certification is little more than a digital piece of paper for me at this point. This isn’t an experiment. I’ve spent over 10,000 hours researching, reading, conversing and applying the Enneagram in business and for personal pleasure and growth. I do this because of my deep love for people. I want you to be awake, to be aware, to suck all the marrow out of life, to live fully and deeply.
Know that while I’m a Christian, the Enneagram is not a Christian tool per sé. It’s for people of any or no faith, and I tailor my approach accordingly.
You’ll find packages and pricing below, but first...
Here’s what people say about the coaching experience with me.
“The Enneagram has fascinated me for years, but I’ve always struggled to find how it fits my personality.”
“Sitting down with Matt opened my eyes to nuances that tests and books failed to convey. In a practical sense, Matt understands the Enneagram so fluently that it rolls off his tongue like a first language. He was able to help me crack the code and zero in on my type.”
“You’ll be delighted by his very natural way of relating the Enneagram on a personal level.”
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Matt to better understand the Enneagram types, my own type, and the benefits of utilizing this understanding of how humans interact both in the workplace and in my personal life. Matt has a powerful comprehension of the Enneagram and is simply a delight to engage with.”
“Matt also helped us find the voice and personality of our brand by blending the Enneagram types of our firm’s leaders. The concept of using real human beings as the basis for a brand personality is genius. This process inspired us to continue embracing the Enneagram in our workplace by asking all new team members to take a test and learn about their type. Not only does this help us navigate the various personalities at SWT Design, but it also ensures a well-balanced team.”
“I’ve taken many personality tests over the years. Some were useful, though all of them were diagnostic and static.”
“When Matt introduced me to the Enneagram, I immediately saw that it was a dynamic tool for personal and relational growth. It speaks to why we do what we do, not just how we show up.”
“Learning that the loud critic in my head is unique to type Ones – and that the critic isn’t my real self – was worth the price of admission alone.”
“Matt took the time to help me discern whether I’m a Seven or a One. He cared to get it right, and I’m forever grateful.”
“The Enneagram has been a great help in all of my relationships. It sheds light on the many versions of “normal” that people display. Now, my drive to perfect other people, myself and the world doesn’t run the show quite as much. As a result, I have more compassion toward myself and others and more serenity.”
“Growing up, the story I believed was that it’s not okay to be your real self and show a lot of emotion. Avoiding conflict, being successful and stable under pressure seemed more important than being myself.”
“As a business leader, there’s pressure to be whoever or whatever is needed, especially if you’re the person at the top. And that can come with consequences. If the organization wants you to be someone other than who you really are, it’ll wear on you over time.”
“Matt helped me discover not only my core type as a Three but also how survival instincts come into play. I came away with clarity about how a prevailing self-preservation instinct causes me to look very different from other Threes, despite common motivations.”
“He also offered practical steps I could take right now as I’m seeking new career opportunities. The most helpful question Matt suggested I consider was: Given two or more options, which is the most authentic for me? And then to think more broadly: what does the most authentic version of myself look like? What might it be like to embrace failure and lean into the truth that my worth is not in what I accomplish but who God made me to be?”
“I used to be ambivalent about the Enneagram. Now, the value is clear.”
Coaching Packages
I’m offering standalone typing sessions, coaching packages and business workshops. As I mentioned above, these rates will increase after completing my certification.
Here’s the scoop.
Typing Session: $200
After you take one of two Enneagram tests I recommend we’ll sit down over Zoom (or in person if you’re a Gainesvillain) to dive into the results and determine your type. This initial session takes 90 minutes. Near the end, I’ll share a list of the very best resources for further education. You’ll come away with clarity and insights that will have lifelong benefits.
Couples Typing: $300
Same as the above, but we’ll spend two hours together. After discerning both of your types, we’ll talk about the particular strengths, challenges and blind spots of your type pairing. Again: lifelong value.
Coaching Packages: $625–750 Individual, $875–1,000 Couples
After the typing session, I’ll work with you to build a custom package of 5–6 sessions. We’ll broaden your knowledge of all nine types and identify your subtype. We’ll explore instincts, wings and centers of intelligence, plus vices, virtues, conflict styles and more. In a matter of weeks, you’ll glean wisdom and practical tips for inner and interpersonal work that I’ve gathered in the last 11 years.
Business Workshops: $2,500 or more
This 6–hour workshop is ideal for leadership teams and company retreats with the whole crew. In-person or Zoom. We’ll walk through a presentation covering every facet of the Enneagram, focusing on business culture and team dynamics. You’ll learn ways to improve communication, streamline conflict resolution and boost the entire team’s performance. Business workshops start at $2.5k for teams of up to 10. Email me to inquire about pricing for larger groups.
Are you ready to embrace the true you and become more self-aware and skillful? I’d love to connect with you. Simply respond to this email to schedule a free, no-strings conversation.
May God bless and keep you,
Matt