Re: cost of career coaching? gift certificates?

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert )]

 > From: Lisa Stotlar <http://www.careergenerations.com/~lisa>
 > Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:39:51 -0800
 >
 > Hi Robert,
 > 
 > I usually talk with people on the phone for a free 20-30 minute
 > consultation.  During that discussion, I get a sense of what the person
 > might need and suggest what the appropriate next steps could be.  People
 > get a good sense of whether I can help them during that talk.
 > 
 > If your partner and I feel it's a good match, then I can give her a sense
 > of what it might take in terms of time, homework, etc. to find a job.
 > It's hard to know what she'll need until I talk with her.  Some people need
 > a place to talk and find equilibrium and confidence over the course of a
 > few weeks and then we get down to strategy/networking etc.  This process,
 > depending on the person, can take a couple of sessions or several.  Again,
 > I'll know better once she and I can talk.
 > 
 > Hope this helps.  I suggest we start with a phone call.  I have time this
 > Friday or Monday at 9am to talk with her.  In terms of billing, after this
 > initial, free talk, you'd be able to pay for sessions online using a credit
 > card.

I wanted to give this as a birthday present/gift, which would be the
beginning of December.

This is going to sound strange, but I feel that she won't be willing to do
this unless I pay for an initial session and she thus feels compelled to
accept the "gift".  She's very discouraged and despondent, and doesn't
think anything will work.

Would it be possible for me to buy a "gift certificate" from you which
would pay for the initial phone screen, which would be "redeemed" by
calling you?

 > Please let me know if you have more questions.
 > 
 > Best,
 > Lisa
 > 
 > On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 9:22 AM, robert b <http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert> wrote:
 > >  > From: Lisa Stotlar <http://www.careergenerations.com/~lisa>
 > >  > Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:19:29 -0800
 > >  >
 > >  > Hi Robert,
 > >  >
 > >  > Thank you for your email.  We charge $150/hour.  We also have some small
 > >  > groups we do such as a 6-week success team (for $125).  Please let me know
 > >  > if you'd like to discuss the options.
 > >
 > > She's extremely discouraged at this point.  I think that she'd need
 > > one-on-one interaction.  She went through Promatch and never successfully
 > > found a job; she attends one success team regularly, but does not find any
 > > inspiration in it.
 > >
 > >  > I'm not sure what you mean by "S.O."
 > >
 > > Significant Other.
 > >
 > >  > So I can perhaps provide more information once I know what her specific
 > >  > needs are.  (Most people need between 4-12 hours.)
 > >
 > > Do you mean between 4 and 12 hours to obtain a job?  Or, 4 and 12 hours to
 > > gain confidence in themselves to eventually find a job?
 > >
 > > In any case, would she know after the first session whether it would be
 > > effective and useful to her?  Or, would it take several sessions before
 > > noticing progress?
 > >
 > >  > And yes, you can share
 > >  > this gift with her however you like.  We're often
 > >  > holiday/birthday/graduation gifts. :)
 > >
 > > Cool.  How can this work?  Would you send the bills to me?  Or, would I
 > > prepay for each session?
 > >
 > > Thanks.
 > >
 > >  > All the best,
 > >  > Lisa
 > 

 > 
 > CareerGenerations <http://www.careergenerations.com>
 > 2225 E. Bayshore Suite 239
 >  94303 (near 101 & Embarcadero)
 > 
 > Directions to our office <http://www.careergenerations.com/contact-us>
 > Linkedin <http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacareercoach>
 > Skype & Google Video Chat