In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Elaine Jacques, an International Coach Federation‑certified coach and medical speech pathologist. The conversation opens with a sponsor plug for Authors Unite, then moves into Elaine’s most memorable life story: while teaching English in southern Taiwan, she witnessed a group of high‑school boys respectfully escort an elderly woman across a dangerous intersection, challenging her American preconceptions and teaching her the power of cultural perspective. Elaine shares her coaching philosophy, emphasizing collaborative growth over individual achievement, and offers her top business advice: always add value before trying to sell. She reflects on advice she would give her younger self—recognize the inherent value of being herself without seeking permission. When asked about happiness, she answers playfully (“be silly”) and seriously (maintain a positive mindset). Her favorite book is Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, from which she learned that purpose, not product, drives attraction. She cites Theodore Roosevelt’s quote, “Do what you can with what you have and where you are,” as a source of optimism. The episode concludes with a call to connect with Elaine on LinkedIn (Elaine Jacques) and a light‑hearted exchange about goofy personalities. Throughout, Elaine’s insights blend personal anecdotes, coaching tactics, and actionable business principles.
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with the support you need to finish your book. Best part is, after you finish your book, they take care of the entire publishing and marketing process 100% for you. So if you want to become a successful author, make sure to check out authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Elaine Jacques with us. She is an International Coach Federation certified coach and a medical speech pathologist. Elaine's coaching focuses on answering what's your big goal and what's one thing you can do today. So welcome to the show.
Awesome. Thank you so much, Tyler. Happy to be here.
Of course. I'm happy to have you on. Really excited for this one. The first one I have for you, Elaine, is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
You ask really fabulous questions, Tyler. So in reaching back into my memory banks here, when I was about 18, I spent almost a year teaching English in a small city in in southern Taiwan, where at the time there were very few foreigners. And about 6 months into my time there, I was chosen, or drew the short straw, depending on your point of view, to teach at an all-boys high school that was across a really big street from the private school where I taught. And at the time, traffic laws were seen as more, say, suggestions, and not rigorously followed, and it made the very large intersection right there a really dangerous place for pedestrians to cross. And actually, people regularly died in that intersection while I was there. And one day when I had finished teaching at the all-boys high school and I was getting ready to risk my life to return to my side of the street, if you will, I was walking up to the intersection and I noticed this elderly woman standing there, you know, obviously trying to decide when she was going to take the plunge and try and cross the street. And she had some shopping bags and I started to pay attention to her more based on a group of guys from the school coming up and they're pushing each other and jostling and all excited because school's over and everything. And in my American mindset, all of a sudden I started to think, oh no, they're gonna push the lady into the street, they're gonna take her bags, they're gonna run off, you know, and this is gonna be horrible and what can I do? So I started walking faster and thinking, okay, how can I tell her in Chinese that I'm here to protect you? I'm going to protect you. It's going to be okay. And the most incredible thing happened that I wasn't expecting. The boys formed this circle around her and they all bowed to her. They took her bags from her and they actually formed this shield of protectiveness and guided her across the street. And then they bowed to her again, they returned her bags to her and walked away going right back to the whole jostling each other and laughing and joking and pushing each other. And I stood there and I'm sure my mouth was hanging wide open. Eyes wide open and just so stunned at the respect and the reverence for elderly that they don't just talk about in their culture, but they actually demonstrate and they show. And in that moment, I realized I had just learned a really pivotal life lesson in shifting from what my mindset had been about being closed-minded and prejudiced and seeing danger, where actually in that situation from their cultural perspective was one of giving me the opportunity to be more open-minded and see safety where I had not seen that before. And to me, that was one of those incredibly important moments where I began to see our world through another person's eyes and through their perspective.
And then, uh, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Okay, well, that would be about coaching and the mindset I think of coaching is one where we can do more together. Individually, we're amazing people and we have great things to offer, but together we can do even more.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily industry specific.
So overall-wise, I would say add value first. Don't come into a new situation with the idea that I'm gonna sell to this person. You need to establish the relationship first, add value first, and then if it's mutually beneficial, move forward from there.
And then if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Well, for starters, don't be terrified of doing podcasts with Tyler. He's awesome. He's amazing. But more specifically than that would be to recognize that I add value just by being my own unique self, and I don't need permission to do that.
And then kind of going down a little bit of a different path, in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
Okay, this is my personality answer first, and then I'll give you my serious answer. My personality answer first is be silly. Just own the fact that you're going to be silly, and that's how you're going to go through life. But no, really, really to have a positive mindset.
And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
I can't stand this question already, Tyler. I have read so many fabulous books, but I'm going to pick one because that's the whole point of this question. I'm going to pick one and I'm going to say Start with Why by Simon Sinek. And the number one thing I learned from it is it's not what you sell that really matters. It's why you do it, your purpose behind it, your greater vision. And that's what attracts people to you.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
So let's see, out of all the quotes that I love, Theodore Roosevelt, "Do what you can with what you have and where you are." And I like it because it's positive, it's hopeful, it says that there's always something that we can do no matter what, even if it's just one tiny thing. We have greater strength and capability than we even realize.
I love that. Well, thank you so much for coming on. And you know, the last thing I ask you before you head out is where is the best place for people to find you online?
Okay, so you can connect with me on LinkedIn at Elaine Jacque. Good luck spelling that last name. It's actually J-A-C-Q-U-E-S. And if you're curious, when you're seeing pictures, I'm the one with the smile and the red hair. That's how you find me.
Awesome, thank you again.
Absolutely, and Tyler, I have to have my turn here. You ask me these great questions, so my favorite question to ask people is, what is one thing about you that I would never guess?
I think the one, well, you might guess this, but I think the one thing that you may not guess is, and I'm gonna tailor this to one of your answers, is that I'm also extremely goofy. So I'm a very goofy guy, but when I like talk on stages, I can be like, like a lot more serious. So I think most people that's most people that see me on stage think I'm like, like serious. But then, you know, so I'm goofy.
Awesome. I love it. Thank you, Tyler. That was fantastic.
Of course. It was great having you on. We'll talk again soon.
Awesome. Thanks, Tyler.
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