Meet Emily Pasnak-Lapchick | Life & Career Coach and Social Impact Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Pasnak-Lapchick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?

Coming from a nonprofit background, I knew that I wanted to do business differently. Historically, coaching has mostly been reserved for executive leaders and corporate leaders. It has also been (and still is) expensive! With the goal of making coaching more affordable to people from all different backgrounds and with different levels of access to money and support, my coaching services are offered on a sliding scale. You can think of it as a communal support structure: when people who can afford to pay more pay at the top of the scale, people who currently need the support of our communities are able to access what we all deserve. It’s rooted in economic justice and the recognition that structural inequalities impact people in different ways.

I also partner with nonprofits, social enterprises, and other socially conscious organizations to support them with strategic planning, program design, campaign coordination, facilitation, coaching, and more. I’m currently supporting filmmakers to develop an awareness campaign focused on the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border and I previously worked with a socially conscious event planning team with redesigning their offerings to be more inclusive for their clients.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Chrysalis Exchange is a coaching and consulting business supporting individuals, teams, and organizations who are contributing to social change. After over a decade of working in nonprofits and foundations, I’ve had positions where I’ve felt deeply connected to my work, and I’ve also found myself questioning whether I’m making a difference. I use my experience undergoing organizational restructures, strategic planning, program creation, and my own experience of burnout to influence my work. I coach people around topics like career transitions, stress and burnout, communication, integrating more fun into their lives, and navigating relationships. My consulting work involves support including facilitation, strategic planning, and human-centered design.

After working with a coach myself and experiencing a major personal transformation, I knew I wanted to hold that space for others. Creating a practice that aligned with my values was crucial to me, and adapted profit-driven models to something that would work for me and the clients I serve. That’s how the sliding scale was born, and it’s been incredible to see the reception to it. I have some clients who have said that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford coaching. And others choose me as a coach because they want their investment to contribute to other people’s personal development as well. It’s beautiful to see how the concept has resonated with people. I’m also excited that other coaches have learned about this model and started considering what they can borrow for their own businesses, which means even more people are able to work with coaches!

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout this journey is that self-compassion isn’t selfish, it’s actually essential to serve others. In order to show up fully as a coach and consultant, I have to ensure that I’ve taken care of my own needs as well. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially – I have to extend the same compassion I give to others to myself. That’s been the hardest part and has also given me the most growth.

The beauty of this is it’s a really common topic I work with my clients on as well. Since most of the people I coach are in social impact spaces, it’s not unusual for them to feel pressure (external or self-induced) to pour themselves into their work and not prioritize all the other aspects of life. I’ve had clients who have taken up dancing and poetry as creative outlets, and others who have wanted to set more boundaries at work so they can focus more on their family. So supporting them to cultivate self-compassion creates more capacity for them to have compassion for others. My coach recently told me “You are part of the community you want to support”, and that is something I remind myself of often.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The beach is my favorite place in the world, so most of our time would revolve around that! I am also vegan so I love trying all the restaurants and pop ups with great vegan food. When friends come to visit I usually create a list of all the places I want to take them based on what they like – art, food, nature, relaxation, drinks!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes to my partner, Andrés, and my parents. My parents both worked in human rights issues and their influence shaped the person I’ve become. Together, they demonstrated through their actions how to show up for others. They have always been and continue to be two of my biggest supporters and sources of inspiration. They’ve shown me how to love deeply, act on issues I care about, and enjoy life.

Andrés is my rock. He’s believed in every wild idea and aspiration I’ve had, and enthusiastically supported me even when he knew it might be hard. He compassionately holds space for me when I’m struggling, challenges me when I need it, and celebrates the big and small wins with me. We also have fun doing just about anything together. He’s all around the best human I’ve ever met. I definitely would not be where I am today without his love and partnership.

x

Website: https://chrysalis-exchange.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrysalis_exchange/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilypasnaklapchick/