By Corinne Lestch Contributing Writer
David Fisher is an average guy with an extraordinary job.
While not a licensed therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist or motivational speaker, he coaches people on how to improve their personal and professional lives.
His business, RockStar Consulting, is a resource for people who know they have potential but are unsure of how to bring it out.
It wasn't the normal path for many of his classmates, said Fisher, Weinberg '98.
Originally from Milwaukee, Fisher worked as Chicago District Manager for Vector Marketing, where he trained sales representatives. His 10-year career as a salesman helped him transition into his present career of coaching other professionals, giving him the opportunity to "sell people on their own lives," according to his Web site.
Fisher works with clients both one-on-one and in small groups.
"The bigger the group, I feel the less impact it can have, so I really like working one-on-one," Fisher said. His coaching is usually done over the phone at a specified time each week, but his clients - many of whom live out of state - can contact him anytime.
Fisher worked with a coach when he was 25, an experience that helped him get through many of the obstacles he was facing, he said. Now 30, Fisher employs many of the skills that his coach used with him.
"I don't have all the answers, but I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out tools to help you," Fisher said.
He has developed a "whole-person approach," a semi-philosophical concept that calls for Fisher and his client to look at both business and personal issues.
"The way you help somebody accomplish what they want is (by looking) at all aspects," he said.
The "accountability factor" is what lies at the core of Fisher's whole-person approach.
He makes his clients hold themselves personally accountable by assigning them different projects, such as taking a yoga class or reading an inspirational novel, and calls them later in the week to find out how the task was helpful.
John Noyes, a mortgage broker for Capital Funding Mortgage Company in the Chicago Loop, first heard Fisher speak at a networking meeting of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. After meeting with him briefly a second time, Noyes decided to use Fisher's services.
"I was at a point in my career where I had been successful, but I felt a bit disconnected from where I wanted to be," Noyes said.
Noyes has been a mortgage broker for five years and felt that he had great ideas but wasn't reaching his full professional potential, he said.
"Before, I was working with my nose to the grindstone and wasn't looking up to see the big picture," he said. "Now I can see where I'm going."
Noyes speaks to Fisher once a week for an hour and initially signed up for the 12-week program. He said he anticipates using RockStar on and off for three of the 12 weeks.
Fisher said he loves his life and that his line of work is very satisfying. He has received much support from the city of Evanston.
"My mission is not to convince everyone that my way is the right way," Fisher said.
While he feels there is no way to quantify happiness, Fisher said he uses his personal and sales skills to help his clients through a process, to help them get just a little more out of life.
Reach Corinne Lestch at c-lestch@northwestern.edu.
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