Testimonials – Molly K. West

“Molly’s unique combination of deep, senior-level business expertise and soul-based wisdom has helped me take my company and my personal evolution as a leader to the next level.”

Molly’s unique combination of deep, senior-level business expertise and soul-based wisdom has helped me take my company and my personal evolution as a leader to the next level. Since working with Molly I was nominated for a global thought-leadership distinction and am raising funds to scale my business. I could not have done this without Molly guiding and encouraging me to not only think bigger but take the right actions to make the vision for my life happen. –Nationally-recognized author, entrepreneur and business strategist

“She always encouraged me to think big and set goals for myself, which ultimately helped me land my first job. “

When I started working with Molly, I was transitioning from one career to another. I had ideas in my head about what field I wanted to get into but did not know exactly what I wanted to do. From our very first conversation until now, she instilled in me to look deeper into my strengths and weaknesses, in addition to paying close attention to job requirements and skill sets for certain jobs.

Molly and I started working together in July of 2017. I recently retired from playing professional baseball with the Minnesota Twins Organization. Before we started working together, I thought I knew what I wanted to do. She would send me home with worksheets to research in the industries that I thought I wanted to get into. Each week we would spend time talking about what connections I had made that week, and if I learned anything more about the fields I was looking into. She opened my eyes to potential opportunities that I didn’t even consider at first.

One of my favorite exercises that we did together was the I AM exercise. While going through the interview process, and narrowing the job opportunities that I was researching, I would find myself down and discouraged. I would use the I AM exercise to remind myself that I am successful, I am a rockstar, and I am a great presenter. This helped me to stay positive and motivated in my job search. It also helped me recognize what my true strengths were as I was embarking on the next chapter of my life.

We worked together for roughly six months, and each week I would present to her a new idea of mine, and why I thought it would be a good fit for me. She always listened to me., and we talked through each example and how they could potentially be a good fit. After six months of coaching from Molly, I accepted a job as a Real Estate Investment Broker. Because of Molly, I learned about the world of commercial real estate, and found that with my skill set and competitive background, I would be a perfect fit for this type of environment.

Molly was a great listener, and genuinely cared about my career (and still does!). She always encouraged me to think big and set goals for myself, which ultimately helped me land my first job. She taught me that even though I had no corporate experience or “Real World” experience, that my baseball experience was still valuable, and the traits I already had could set me apart in the interview process.

Not only was Molly a great Coach and helped me tremendously through my transition, Molly became a great resource and friend for me. I would look forward to my phone calls each week. Molly is a rockstar, and I would recommend her coaching to anyone who is transitioning into the working world, or looking for overall career guidance.

—Corey Williams

“Step by step, I am building a new and more rewarding career path.”

As a marketing executive with more than 2 decades of work in corporate America, charting a more fulfilling career was a daunting task. Working with Molly provided me an outlet and trusted resource to freely brainstorm and articulate the new direction I am looking to create. Step by step, I am building a new and more rewarding career path. — Kim M.

“She has a true gift of listening”

I first met Molly through our work at ESPN about 10 years ago. Molly and I both reported to the same manager and we were tasked with planning a development program for the employees in our division. Neither of us had the expertise in learning and development, but we were both equally passionate about personal development and growth in the work place. We immediately connected and through trial and error, built an amazing program called Cornerstones of Leadership. Together, we listened to what the employees needed and wanted from the program and through feedback, built on what worked and changed what didn’t. We lead five amazing years of Cornerstones of Leadership and today, the 60+ employees that completed the program still thank us for the career growth and personal gratification they gained from COL. Molly was the true leader here, pushing us both out of comfort zone and embracing change (even when it was hard). She has a true gift of listening…..a way of hearing – and interpreting what she’s heard – so that she can offer sound, valuable advice. Molly has found her calling in leading people. Her skilled leadership, diplomacy and collaboration make her a natural fit for executive coaching. Molly has become not only a trusted advisor, but an amazing friend. Anyone who is blessed to work with her will find the same leadership, compassion and friendship. — Susan Clancy Gesell

“…she shaped who I am today”

I met Molly my second semester into Junior year. She was giving a talk for the Big Red Leadership Institute, Cornell’s student-athlete leadership development program. I had received an e-mail the night before that included a small bio on who Molly was and what she would be speaking about. But, being the typical college student that I was, I really had no intention of stopping by the meeting. Long story short, God had other plans for me, and the next day I found myself sitting off to the left listening intently to every word she was saying. “You’re always on,” she began, “the moment you walk out of the privacy of your own home, you’re on stage.” Her words electrified all of us. She spoke about topics like team culture, sacrifice, tangible deliverables, and the law of diminishing returns. After her talk I sat there for a moment and thought to myself, “I really need to get to know this woman.” Once I mustered up the courage, I marched right up to her and I introduced myself. That night I sent her a follow-up e-mail. Everything about her spoke to me. Her body language, her tone of voice, her confidence and sense of empathy that just radiated off of her. She was one of the most impressive people I had ever met and I had only been in a room with her for an hour. I knew I wanted and needed her to become my mentor. Not only did she graduate from Cornell, but she too was also the captain of the field hockey team. We were similar in those two regards except I was the captain of the equestrian team. She was the model standard for who I wanted to be when I grew up, and I knew that having her in my corner would be invaluable. So over that initial e-mail I asked if she would be my mentor and advise me on all things from struggles with my team and coach, to my life as an adult post-college that was looming closer. Without hesitations she agreed, and from that day on, we spoke regularly. She evolved from this impressive stranger, to one of my deepest confidants. Without even knowing it, she shaped who I am today. Not only did she give me all of her time (there were some occasions where we spent hours discussing a problem I had on the phone), but she gave me everything she had. She has numerous responsibilities on her plate, and still to this day she makes me feel like her number one priority. Molly did nothing short of save my life. She coached me, listened to me, was there for me and has always had a solution for me. She is truly an incredible human being. I would thank God if I grew up to be even half the women she is. —Chelsea Huss