"Let me think about it."

If those four words are costing you qualified clients, you're not alone and you're not broken.

I teach female coaches Fortune 500 sales methodology + AI implementation that makes great discovery calls feel natural, not scripted.

MY BACKGROUND:

15 years Fortune 500 sales (ManpowerGroup, Allstate, Carswell, a Thomson Reuters Co.)
$250M+ closed in corporate career
One year: $7M sold against $1M target (700% of quota)
Top 20 Sales Influencer Canada (2025, 2026)

WHY I DO THIS:

Here's what most coaches don't know:

80% of sales are won or lost during discovery calls not during the pitch (Pavilion Research).

That's the gap I fix.

Most coaches spend hours creating presentations, doing admin work, trying to "figure out" what went wrong on calls, when the real problem is they were never taught proper discovery call psychology.

WHAT I TEACH:

The CALM Method™—Fortune 500 discovery call psychology adapted for coaches who refuse to be pushy:

→ Which questions create urgency (and when to ask them)
→ How to handle "I need to think about it" without feeling manipulative
→ When to discuss pricing (hint: not in minute 5)
→ How AI handles prep and analysis so you focus on human connection

I analyzed 1,200+ discovery calls to identify what separates coaches who hear "yes" from those who hear "maybe."

Then I built AI systems that teach you those patterns, without overwhelming you with technology.

WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT:

Most sales training: Teaches frameworks, sends you home to implement alone
Soulful Sellers Academy: Teaches frameworks + trains you to use AI that implements WITH you

You learn the psychology AND how to use AI for:

- Call prep (20 minutes or less instead of hours on presentations)
- Pattern recognition (what's working vs. what's not)
- Objection practice (before you're on a real call)
- Post-call analysis (with ongoing support as you grow)

No technical skills required. If you can send an email, you can use this.

WHO THIS IS FOR:

Female coaches who:
→ Get qualified people on calls but lose them before the close
→ Hear "let me think about it" more than "yes"
→ Feel pushy when trying to close deals
→ Spend hours on admin and presentations instead of actual selling
→ Want to use AI but feel overwhelmed by where to start

NOT for:
→ People who need help getting discovery calls booked (that's marketing, not sales)
→ People who love aggressive tactics (that's not my style)

Ready to stop losing qualified clients on discovery calls?

Clevette Coombs

I'm an HR professional with 12+ years of experience (including Amazon and Head of HR roles) specializing in Quebec/Ontario employment law compliance and manager development.

What I've learned:

Most growing companies hit a wall around 50-100 employees—not because of their product or market, but because their people systems break.

Managers get promoted with zero training.
HR compliance becomes a legal minefield (especially in Quebec).
One undocumented conversation becomes a $45K wrongful dismissal case.
Great people quit because of poor management.

My expertise:

Quebec/Ontario labor law compliance
Manager development and leadership training
Strategic HR guidance for growing organizations
Performance management and organizational effectiveness
Complex employee relations (terminations, accommodations, investigations)

Currently serving as Head of HR for a Quebec-based organization.
I occasionally take on select consulting projects helping SMEs navigate HR challenges.

Let's connect:

If you're dealing with HR compliance issues or manager development challenges, feel free to reach out. 

Always happy to have a conversation!

Mariel CRHA

Stop calling them job hoppers when you're the dead end job.

A VP of Operations called me last week.

They said: I need an Operations Manager who'll stay put. Someone loyal.

Then  sends me the ideal candidate profile:
Logistics Coordinator → Operations Supervisor → Operations Manager in 6 years.

But I need someone who'll stay for 10 years, not bounce every 2-3, he said.

I asked: What are you offering them for years 7-10?

Silence.

Same role? Same responsibilities?

Well, yeah. It's a great position.

Wait.

You want someone who moved every 2-3 years for better opportunities to suddenly stop moving?

These aren't job hoppers. They're people who left for growth.

This is what you're getting wrong and what you're missing:

If you hire ambitious people, you need to feed their ambition.

If you want 10-year retention, then:

→ Build a 10-year growth path. Bigger role, bigger team, bigger pay.
→ Promote them before they start looking elsewhere.
→ Stop expecting loyalty without investment.

You can't hire someone for their drive then wonder why they drive away.

What are you actually building to keep your best people?

Mariel Peralta CRHA

Head of HR | CRHA | Helping Quebec SMEs build compliant people systems

The words "job hopper" hit different when you're the one being labeled.

A hiring manager said it to my face after looking at my three-year work history.

They said: I'm concerned about your stability. These frequent moves suggest you can't commit to anything long-term.

Let me break down what those job changes actually looked like:

Job #1: Stayed for 18 months before realizing there was zero growth path. Same responsibilities. Same salary. Same conversations about "maybe next year."

Job #2: Found an opportunity that actually invested in development, offered real advancement, and paid what I was worth.

That label didn't define me.

Instead, that move taught me:

Sometimes the most stable thing you can do is bet on yourself.

Growth doesn't happen when you wait for permission.
It happens when you move toward opportunity.

Staying where you're undervalued isn't loyalty.
It's fear dressed up as commitment.

Three years taught me:

Your career isn't built by staying safe.
It's built by making moves that scare you a little.

The right companies invest in you from day one.
They don't make you earn development years later.

And your worth isn't determined by how long you stayed.
It's determined by the value you create wherever you are.

What they call job hopping, I call career building.

The path forward isn't always a straight line.
Sometimes you need to move to grow.
Sometimes leaving is the smartest decision you'll make.

If you're stuck in a role that's not investing in you, remember this:

Your resume tells a story.
Make sure it's one of growth, not one of settling.

The only person who needs to believe in your next move is you.

Honest performance reviews feel mean.

Dishonest ones cost $38,000.

A company I know needs to cut costs and reduce headcount by 15%.
One employee gets selected, and she files for wrongful dismissal.

At the tribunal, her lawyer pulls out her performance reviews.
Every single one says "meets expectations."

If she was meeting expectations, why was she selected for layoff?

The company couldn't answer.

Settlement: $38,000.

Here's what makes it worse

The employee WAS actually underperforming.
Everyone in the office knew it.
The decision WAS justified.

But the manager was avoiding conflict.
Gave everyone a Meets expectations, to skip difficult conversations.
Never documented actual performance gaps.
Selected layoff candidates on gut feel with zero data to back it up.

The tribunal saw arbitrary selection.
Arbitrary = discrimination until proven otherwise.

In Quebec (and across Canada), "we all knew she struggled" means nothing.

Only what's documented counts.

Performance reviews aren't annual paperwork.

They're your insurance policy when you need to make hard decisions.

Right now, look at your team's last reviews.

Are you documenting reality or avoiding conflict?

Because when push comes to shove, only one of those protects your business.

HR Is One of Those Things That Looks Simple

Until it costs you $50K

From the outside, HR seems straightforward.
Hire people, fire people when it doesn't work out, done.

But inside your business, 
It's the difference between a thriving company and a legal nightmare.

Think about this:
➟ One undocumented conversation = wrongful dismissal case.
 ➟ One ignored accommodation = tribunal settlement.
 ➟ One untrained manager = your best people quitting.

HR isn't just people stuff.

It's what protects your business.
It's risk management.
It's manager development.
It's culture building.

And here's the thing,
When HR is done right, you don't notice it. Everything just works.

When it's done wrong, It shows up on your P&L.

That's why smart companies bring in HR support before the fire starts.
Not after they're already burned.

What's the HR issue you ignored until it became an expensive problem? 

PS: If you're thinking we're fine without HR support, ask yourself: 
Do your managers know how to document a performance conversation? 

Because if they don't, you're one termination away from a tribunal case.

♻️ Repost if you've learned this lesson the hard way.

Listen.

You don't need a 50-point framework to train good managers.

Most leadership experts overcomplicate this just to sell you their program.

I've been doing HR for 12+ years and honestly, It comes down to 9 things.

You can spend thousands on fancy training or you can spend 60 seconds reading this and actually help your managers today.

It's your choice.

So here it is:

→ Stop avoiding the hard conversations.
 If it feels uncomfortable, it probably needs to be said.

→ Document everything. Like, even the casual chats.
 In Quebec, if it's not written down, it didn't happen.

→ Give feedback weekly, not once a year at review time.
 Waiting for the annual review is how you lose good people.

→ When you delegate, give context. Not just do this thing.
 Tell them WHY it matters. They'll do it better.

→ Ask What do you need from me? in every 1-on-1.
 Most managers talk AT their team. Great ones ask questions.

→ Coach, don't fix. Seriously.
 If you keep solving their problems, they'll never learn.

→ Let your team make mistakes. That's how they learn.
 Perfection isn't the goal. Progress is.

→ It's okay to say I don't know when you actually don't.
 Your team trusts honesty more than fake confidence.

→ Show up consistently. Not perfectly.
 Reliability beats brilliance every time.

That's it.

No expensive leadership academy. Just nine things that work.
If your managers aren't doing these, they're just busy. Not effective.

What's the one thing on this list your managers struggle with most? 

PS: The Let your team make mistakes is the hardest. It feels scary. 

Do it anyway.

♻️ Repost if your managers need to see this.

Your employment contracts have an illegal clause in them.

I'd bet money on it.

Because 8 out of 10 Quebec businesses I audit have the same problem.

And it just turned your legal protection into a $50,000 liability.

Sounds clean and fair.

But Quebec law says notice depends on years of service:

Less than 1 year → 1 week
1 to 5 years → 2 weeks
5 to 10 years → 4 weeks
10+ years → 8 weeks

Your 2 weeks for everyone clause, violates the minimum for anyone with 5+ years of service.

When one clause violates Quebec's Act respecting labour standards, courts void your entire termination section.

Then they apply reasonable notice under the Civil Code instead.

Real example from last year:

Company fires employee with 7 years of service.
Contract says 2 weeks notice.
They pay 2 weeks: $2,000.

Employee's lawyer spots the illegal clause.
Court voids the termination section.
Applies reasonable notice instead: 6 months.

Final bill: $50,000.

I get it.

You want certainty.
2 weeks for everyone feels clean and simple.

But Quebec employment law doesn't care about your preference for simplicity.
It cares about minimums.

And when you try to contract below them, your entire clause collapses.

The fix is simple:

Notice will be provided per Quebec Act respecting labour standards minimums, or reasonable notice under the Civil Code of Quebec, whichever is greater.

One sentence protects you.

Don't try to minimize notice.
Don't try to cap it below minimums.
Don't try to outsmart Quebec employment law.

You'll lose every time.

And it'll cost you $50,000 instead of $2,000.

Want to know the other 3 illegal clauses I find in Quebec employment contracts?

DM me "contracts" and I'll send you the checklist.

Uncomfortable truth most don't want to hear:

Knowing you need HR compliance isn't what protects you.

Actually implementing it is.

Listen, we've all been there:

You read about a wrongful dismissal case. You hear about a CNESST complaint. You know you should update your policies.
And you think: "I really need to fix our HR compliance."

But then nothing happens.

You're too busy. You'll get to it next quarter. You're waiting for the right time.

That's what separates companies that get sued from companies that don't.
They know the perfect system or perfect timing is a myth.

Instead, they start with good enough compliance.
And they implement it NOW.

So, the next time you realize you have a compliance gap, even a small one,

Here's what I want you to do:

1️⃣ Start With The Biggest Risk
 ↳ You don't have an employee handbook? Start there.
 ↳ No termination process? Document one.
 ↳ Pick ONE thing and fix it this month.

2️⃣ Set a Hard Deadline
 ↳ "By end of January, our handbook is updated."
 ↳ Not perfect. Just DONE.
 ↳ You can refine it later.

3️⃣ Get It In Writing
 ↳ Even a basic policy is better than nothing.
 ↳ Document your accommodation process.
 ↳ Create a termination checklist.
 ↳ Something is better than nothing.

4️⃣ Train Your Managers
 ↳ Walk them through the new process.
 ↳ Make sure they know what's required.
 ↳ Compliance only works if people follow it.

5️⃣ Implement, Then Improve
 ↳ Don't wait for the perfect policy.
 ↳ Get the basics in place NOW.
 ↳ Refine based on what actually happens.

Compliance gaps will always exist in growing companies.

But it's what you DO about those gaps that determines whether you pay $50K in tribunal settlements or not.

What's the compliance gap you keep putting off?

Stop thinking probation periods mean you can fire anyone for anything.

A Montreal founder learned this the expensive way last month.

Fired their new marketing coordinator after 7 weeks, with zero documentation. No performance conversations. Just walked them out.

The settlement demand cost them $18,000 plus legal fees.

But wait, if you're asking: Wasn't she on probation?

Yeah. And here's what this founder discovered the hard way:

Quebec employment law doesn't care about your probation clause if you can't justify termination.

You still need legitimate, documented reasons.
You still owe reasonable notice or pay in lieu.
You can't discriminate or act in bad faith.

Most SME leaders think probation is a free pass.

Fire fast, ask questions never.

Then reality hits their inbox.

Demand letters citing Charter violations.
Labour standards complaints.
Wrongful dismissal claims that drag on for months.
Settlement costs that exceed what proper HR would have cost.

Probation gives you:

Shorter notice periods for legitimate terminations and that's it.

Smart founders document from day one. Set clear expectations. Provide regular feedback. Build bulletproof cases before they need them.

When you do probation right, you protect your business.
When you wing it, you're betting the company on every hire.

How many expensive HR lessons does it take before you get proper guidance?

Accounts Payable professionals 📢 📢  this one is for you.

We’re hiring a Responsable Comptes payables in Montréal / South Shore (Boucherville), and we’re looking for someone who actually enjoys keeping themselves busy :-), organized, and moving on time.

We're looking for someone like this:
 ✔ Have solid hands-on experience in Accounts Payable
 ✔ Are comfortable processing invoices, reconciling vendors, and managing payment cycles
 ✔ Are bilingual (FR/EN) and have worked in a Québec-based environment

This is not a junior role and  is for someone who knows AP, likes operational work, and wants stability in a growing company.

Industry: Distribution / Operations
Language: French & English

If this sounds interesting to you (or someone you know), apply below 
or send  me a DM, and feel free to share with your network.

She paid $90,000 to CNESST for making the right decisions.

A cleaning company owner called me last year.

Had three wrongful dismissal complaints. All settled.

She told me: I fired people who actually deserved it. And I keep losing.

The worst one cost her $35,000.

The employee was legitimately terrible, missing supplies, skipping rooms, client complaints weekly.

She warned him constantly. Face to face, every week for two months.

Then he no-showed their biggest client.

She fired him by text that night.

His lawyer's question at CNESST: Where are the written warnings?

She had her memory. He had documentation requirements.

The settlement: $35,000.

The problem wasn't her judgment. It was her proof.

Six months later, she's fired four more employees using a simple process:

Write it down when it happens. Two minutes.

Email after verbal warning. Five minutes.

Written warning if repeated. Ten minutes.

Documentation before termination. Thirty minutes.

The results: Four terminations. Zero complaints. Zero settlements.

CNESST doesn't care if you were right. They care if you can prove it.

Your memory isn't evidence in Quebec.

Are your managers documenting properly?
Or are they building your next $35,000 settlement?

Pop quiz:

Your top salesperson stops showing up to the office.

Still crushing targets, still on every Teams call, and still your best performer.

Except they've been working from Costa Rica for three months.

Without telling you.

What do you do then?

Most CEOs say: Who cares? They're performing.

Here's the problem with that.

A Montreal software company learned this the hard way last year.

Their senior developer relocated to Portugal, still working, still delivering, but didn't tell anyone.

Six months in, Portugal's tax authority sent a letter demanding employer taxes.

The risk and damage:
→ Back taxes in two countries
→ Voided insurance coverage
→ Legal and accounting fees

Total bill: $47,000.

For one employee who just wanted flexibility.

This isn't rare anymore.

Employees are relocating without disclosure. Digital nomads forget they work for you. Short trips become permanent.

Your remote work policy says work from home.

It doesn't say work from home in Canada, at your declared address, not from Mexico.

What happens when they work from the US is that you might need employer registration there.

And from anywhere else, your insurance is void.

The remote work revolution changed everything.

Except the laws.

You're still liable in multiple countries. For employees you didn't know had left.

How many of your remote team members have you verified are actually working where they claim?

Because if you can't answer that, you're one tax letter away from a $47,000 surprise.

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Clevette Coombs

Mariel CRHA

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The Battle

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Mariel CRHA

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