Houston Republic

A new book by a Houston-area executive coach and career strategist hit the Amazon best-seller list on its first day of release in three categories with its promise of helping many to achieve their career goals.

Erin Urban, whose resume also includes time as an international speaker, a behavioral scientist and the host of "Career Coffee Chat Podcast," told the Houston Republic she was "overwhelmed" by the experience with her book, ''Elevate Your Career - More Impact + More Income'' and another book to be released soon.

"I am still overwhelmed by the experience and truly grateful for all those who have participated in this journey with me," Urban said. "My supporters, clients, followers and everyone that reached out during the launch of my book mean so much to me."

"I am beyond thrilled to have the book be such a wild success and receive outstanding feedback from those reading the book," Urban said. "I'm looking forward to releasing the companion guide to the book in a few weeks, 'Elevate Your Career Roadmap.' This roadmap guides you through the insights from the book to enhance your personal experience to unlock your potential!"

Urban said she wrote the book for professionals who have tried everything and still not achieved their goals.

"If you are an experienced, driven professional who has tried all the right things [like] working hard, updating your certifications and education, trying to be the very best at your job, but nothing moves the needle,  this book is for you," Urban said.

For those who remain stuck in career quicksand, Urban offers recommendations.

"It's not your technical acumen or your work ethic that drives your success," she said. "The balance of your interpersonal skills and your 'brand' combined with your expertise is what propels you forward in your career. I recommend understanding what your brand is and how you are perceived by others. It is likely that you are not showing up in alignment with your intent. That dissonance will create tension and perhaps sabotage your best efforts to move forward in your career. What's interesting is the habits that we feel 'should' propel us forward in our careers actually inhibit us - such as trying to be perfect or super professional."

Urban's own experience caused a major career pivot in her life and propelled her to help others elevate their careers. She said a negative review provided the pivotal point.

"The best thing that ever happened to me in my early career was negative feedback on a 360-degree review at my performance review," Urban said. "It ripped the blindfold from my eyes. I then realized how was perceived by others was not in alignment with the brand I wanted to be known for. Even worse, I had ignored one of the most important elements to developing your career: interpersonal relationships in the workplace. 

"This was the catalyst for me to evolve myself as a professional, be more intentional about how I made others feel and how I 'showed up' in the workplace. As a result of these efforts, only nine months after that 'bad' performance review experience, I was given a cross-functional influential leadership role."

Urban added, "Years and much research later, my clients enjoy more influence, impact, and income [as a] direct result of my straightforward process to identify those small, yet significant shifts in behavior that remove the roadblocks preventing them from achieving the career results they want." 

Urban's coaching company also helps clients eliminate roadblocks to career success. 

"I partner with my clients to first identify the roadblocks sabotaging their efforts and develop a customized plan of action to achieve their career goals," Urban said. "While I have a robust process, I am not a 'one-size-fits-all' coach! It's important to me that each client receive individual attention to accomplish their dreams.

"I provide comprehensive career coaching - helping clients understand their ideal career path, making a successful career move, and navigating the career uplift they desire," Urban said. 

She added that she is a certified career strategist and executive coach, a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, certified in leadership psychology and certified in several work style assessments. 

Urban said she hosts the Career Coffee Chat live show and podcast that airs live on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook every Tuesday at 11 a.m. Central time.