What People are Saying

Here are a few of the testimonials and ‘thank you’s’ Daisy has received for her work as a Career Counselor and Coach:

Please call the office if you need more information about Daisy and how she works with clients or groups. References from prior and current clients are available.

When I was researching for a reputable coach I found Daisy Swan & Associates. I’m so glad I did. I decided to attend one of Daisy’s networking programs after becoming discouraged from not finding work for quite a while. I was at a point in my life when I need to make a mind shift from ‘I can’t find a job, and don’t know what to do,’ to ‘OK, I’m prepared and eager to move on to my next challenge.’After the networking group I met with Daisy one-on-one and then joined the job search support group. With the support of Daisy, and the others in the group I worked on ways of presenting myself and landed a job within a month.
The Daisy Swan team is very caring, loving, and holistic in their approach. My work with them yielded strong, useful and productive results.
~ Steven Scher
“Dearest Daisy,Thank you becomes a cliche when I try to find the words to express my gratitude for all you’ve done for me.I was referred to you by two people in my life who I highly regard. These recommendations convinced me to invest in your services. Well, Daisy, I could never have imagined that the strength I feel today, after our work together would be such a positive force in my life. Not only has my pursuit for a career become clear and understood, you’ve coached me through a life changing experience that has transformed me. I am a better person for myself and for my professional and personal partners. Next week I will embark on my new career. I am at ease and more confident and excited than ever. You are amazing at what you do; I truly believe your success stems from the sincerity, care and concern you show your clients. I appreciate you tremendously. I am sad our time together has come to an end â€“ guess that indicates our work together was a success! I’ll stay in touch. I hope you’re up for doing the same.Wishing you and your family health and happiness,
L. Helme, Orange County”
“Daisy,Where do I begin? To put it lightly, you’ve done nothing less than help me to change my life. When we met I had been fired from my job of 15 years, was turning 40 and upset about where I was NOT in my life. Interviewing for a job sounded dreadful because I could not think about marketing my self to a new employer when I couldn’t sell myself to myself! I was creatively stagnant and in a funk.Immediately I felt comfortable with you and found myself looking forward to our weekly conversations. Your suggested exercises and reading began the process of opening myself up again and exploring my creative side. I embarked on a self discovery path where I continue to grow emotionally, spiritually and creatively. You provided me with tools to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and the power to say NO and to get out of my own way!Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with me as well. You are a wonderful listener and your positive attitude is contagious. Thanks to your motivation and encouragement I am now learning to live by my values and break old behavior patterns. I am now anxious to enter the workforce again with a new outlook on life and happy to be 40! I look forward to our paths crossing again.Eternally grateful,
T. Lemieux, Manhattan Beach”
“I had a lot of bad habits that were getting in my way. Daisy helped me recognize the problems they were causing and taught me how to develop new habits that served me. Her advice and counsel have been invaluable in helping me create the life I want to have.” — TH
“Thank you for all the support and wisdom you have given me over the past couple of months! I am very excited about my future plans. Your guidance has been a tremendous help!” — SVR
“Thank you for your heartfelt advice, perspective and compassion. The enormous value I received from your positive and encouraging counsel can’t be overestimated. When you are knee deep in the changing tides it can be easy to lose sight of the horizon. I’m confident that I am in the process of building a thriving business, but it is still nice to know that someone else sees what I do. Thanks again and let’s please stay in touch.” — EA
“Before participating in the Jump Start Job Search Boot Camp, I was skeptical as to benefits and/or value of working with a Coach. As I told Daisy, I am now a “believer.” The combination of self-reflection gained through the homework assignments and the lively discussions with the other teleclass students helped me gain perspective and clarity with regard to my professional aspirations. I am confident of “where I am” and have a clearer picture of “where I want to be.” I have recommended her program to my family, friends and colleagues. The JSJSBC is only the first step – if someone really wants to change their career direction, they will need to commit the time, energy and resources required. Daisy’s program will help you define your goals, but as is the case of achieving any dream – it is up to you to transform words into actions.”– Beth
“Daisy has an unusual combination of poise and absolute professionalism she presents with a warm, compassionate touch. From the moment I met her, I was at ease and was confident my career was in very capable handsâ€¦She is a jewel.” — CTC
“I want to thank you for your advice. I sent out my resume to about ten more jobs after that, got callbacks on all, went on something like 7 more interviews, but ended taking something I had applied for in early April! Nevertheless, the new improved resume made a huge difference, and when I go for big interviews again, at some time, I would love to come in for a session.” — CC
“Thanks for all your help today and throughout our sessions. I really feel I got a tremendous value for the investment. You honed my skills, provided the right mix of encouragement and motivation, and helped me shape a plan that I feel very confident about moving forward with.” –Rick N.
“Thank you for the Navigating Career Change Panel discussion. It was wonderful to hear the remarkable stories and experiences of the panel members. I was able to collect a perspective on the environment and it did indicate some of the sign posts that I had previously recognized. I also received some very specific guidance in a private conversation with one of the panelists. Please express to all of them my gratitude for sharing their adventures which showed us all that no matter how different our paths, ultimately we have more in common than we have differences.” –John C.
“Thank you so much for your help in my job search. Without your help I would not have known where or how to begin my search. I attribute the two interviews I have this week directly to the insights you gave me when we met in October.” — KK
“I have worked with Daisy over the past several months. I came to her for career counseling but it has turned into an incredible discovery of not only my work, but truly of myself. I am 36 years old and have worked as a model and actor since I was 17. I have been constantly searching for fulfillment in my career, delving into many areas along my journey. I somehow had overlooked the question about what really makes me happy. By working with Daisy I have seen how I have always gone to quick fixes in my career, never really examining my ‘authentic self’. What gives me energy? When am I truly honoring myself and what I have to offer?…The idea of doing what you love to do and being rewarded for it seemed like a unrealistic and dreamy quote to me. However, I have realized that the more I do follow my heart everything does fall into place; not only in my career but in all areas of my life. Daisy’s constant questions make me search and challenge myself, and as a result I have experienced tremendous growth. I feel for the first time in a long time that I am looking at myself openly and honestly. I feel optimistic about my future.” — Suzanne Erickson
Dear Daisy:I am writing you to thank you for the wonderful experience you provided for me. As you know, I was at a professional cross-roads when I first met with you–not quite sure in which direction to head, coupled with some loss of confidence stemming from a prolonged job search. But that all changed when I found you and your practice.I have to admit that I was reluctant to see a career counselor–I saw it as some type of defeat. But I soon realized that you are more than that, you are a “Career Coach.” Much like the coach of a sports team, you were quickly able to identify my skills and strengths, and more importantly, you helped me shape them into professional assets. And…you did it quickly. I have a great deal of respect for your intuition and instincts. After meeting with you, and following the program we designe together, I immediately noticed results in both my personal and professional lives. About three weeks after we started, I had secured a part time consulting job and set up my own home office to pursue other consulting work. The boost to my confidence, not to mention my bank account, is something that I will be forever grateful.One observation I will share with you upon reflection of our time together is that I don’t think people should meet with you ONLY when they are out of work and looking to change careers (of course you work wonders in those arenas, look at me). Conversely, I think people should also meet with you when everything is perfect and work seems fine. Your skills would greatly benefit everyone from the CEO of a big company to person working from home. I think you have a knack for helping people target their goals and achieve them with speed and efficiency. Afterall, we all still have goals when everything seems fine. everything seems fine.Thanks again and I hope to see you soon.Best regards,
Jono Hart
I met Daisy by chance at my son’s basketball game a few years ago. I noticed her University of Chicago sweatshirt (former Ivy leaguer that I am), and struck up a conversation which quickly moved from college, to life, to working life, and finally, to working mom life. I had a good feeling about Daisy and, as someone who had just experienced the severe downsizing of her job, and who knew the cumulative effect of her choices (to take a “slow-track” job in order to “be there for her kids” during their early years) would soon be staring her in the face in the form of the question, “What now??”, I had a premonition that one day in the not-so-distant future, I’d be knocking on Daisy’s door to enlist her expertise.I can’t speak highly enough of Daisy. She blends intelligence, intuition, wisdom, and career and job search savvy, with the skills and heart of an insightful coach who is truly dedicated to her clients and making a difference in their lives. She is practical and grounded, and yet brings a deeper perspective – that it’s not just about “work,” it’s about you and how you live your life, how you are in the world.In the spring of 2008, I took three classes with Daisy. In mid-July, weary of the isolation and uncertainty of the freelance writing I’d been trying my hand at since the downsizing, I treated myself to a one-on-one coaching session. I was determined to find a full-time job – my kids and family were ready and so was I. As part of that session, we worked on revamping my resume. The next day, I applied for a job (that appeared on an email job listing recommended by Daisy), sending along my new, improved resume. Two days later, I was called for an interview. A week and a half after the interview, I was offered the job. And Daisy was an invaluable support through the whole process – helping me prepare for the interview, for salary negotiations and even for the transition to a new chapter in my life.Working with Daisy is an investment in yourself and in your future, the benefits of which will ripple out to all of those around you. If you need an ally, a cheerleader, a confidante, a teacher – someone who really cares and will help you reach for your stars and make your dreams a reality, Daisy is the coach for you!RB, August 2008
Dear Daisy,I wanted to let you know that last night was very enjoyable. I think that it is a great stress reliever for everyone to meet other who share the same stress. For me, it also helps me to realize how much better I have become in this process and even if I am not feeling as though things are going fast enough, at least I now better understand how to get there. And that putting myself out there to meet new people must continue every day for the rest of my life.Thanks again,Bill
November, 2008
Dear Daisy Swan and Associates,The career building work that your associate, Annika Hylmo, and I have done together has paid off for me in an amazing way; while recently unemployed, Annika suggested that I volunteer for organizations for which I would be interested in working until I found a job. I took her outstanding advice to heart and, while unemployed, I volunteered at the Social Public Art and Resource Center of L.A. (www.sparcmurals.org). They responded to my request for an informational interview and I volunteered with them for a few weeks until I found temporary work. After a few months, I received a call from them for an interview with their Directors and Founder, Judy Baca, a nationally renowned mural artist. They were very interested in me because of my passion for their cause and that I had volunteered to support their mission.I have since been offered a full-time position as a Community Relations and Office Manager. I am very excited about how this happened and for the inspiration that was given to me to reach out to organizations that do what gives me inspiration. Your format is wonderful and I am grateful to have had an opportunity to work with your firm.Sincerely,Felipe M. Sanchez, Long Beach, CA
I came to a point in my career where I didn’t know how to go forward, and knew I needed help. I researched several career coaches online and came across Daisy Swan and was impressed from the moment I first made contact with them. The coaching I’ve received over the past few months has allowed me to refocus and take the next right steps in my career. Because of this I am starting my new job next week and look forward to the new chapter ahead of me. Many, many thanks to Annika for the encouragement, guidance and support. I couldn’t have done this without her and could not recommend Daisy Swan & Associates more highly. I am so thankful I called them! -Katie P.
I’ve only worked with Daisy a short while, and already the work has been a godsend. Daisy is extremely bright, intuitive, forthright, and highly skilled at what she does. She helps you to create a detailed blueprint of the career (and life) that you truly want, as opposed to what others want for you, and then she offers consistent encouragement and accountability as you work towards turning that blueprint into a reality. If you are looking for a safehaven to dream big, and a wise and nurturing soul to help you start realizing those dreams one step at a time, look no further.
–MT