Gretchen Heaton, M.A., GCDF

Welcome! I'm Gretchen, founder of Curious Magpie Career Coaching and a certified career, strengths, and salary negotiation coach.

I’ve spent more than a decade helping people successfully embrace their unique strengths and needs in order to navigate career transitions with confidence and purpose. I became a career coach because I see how life changing access to career development support can be. I am a salary negotiation coach because it makes me livid when people don’t earn the money that they deserve for the value they bring to the table. I am a strengths coach because I believe that every person can make a powerful contribution to the world when they understand how to leverage their talents.

What sets me apart from other coaches is a holistic approach that prioritizes the entire individual instead of narrowly focusing on ‘just’ discrete parts of the career process. I use an evidence-based coaching framework that integrates strengths, reflection, mindfulness, and resilience techniques in order to help clients move beyond anxieties and dysfunctional beliefs that are holding them back. We’ll follow a life design-inspired process that values the individual while keeping career seekers curious, motivated, and on track, step by step. You’ll leave our coaching sessions with concrete career and leadership resources as well as clear actions to take after every session. You’ll feel heard, supported, and appreciated in our conversations together. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of - and appreciation for - who you are as a person. We’ll probably share quite a few laughs along the way, since humor is a wonderful tool of imagination and perspective!

One of my favorite, all-time-ever quotes is by the poet Mary Oliver, who asks us to consider: “What are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?” What are YOU going to do? And how can I help?

Let's unlock your potential together and create a career path that is fulfilling, financially rewarding, boldly unapologetic, and aligned with your strengths and unique needs.

Ready to take the next step? We can get started today!

Interested in coaching but having a hard time fitting it in your budget? I offer payment plans, sliding scale options, and pro bono support so that my services can be accessible for everyone.

Credentials & Qualifications

  • Certified Career Coach (GCDF)

  • Certified Gallup Global Strengths Coach

  • Certified Prosci® Change Practitioner

  • Trained in Life Design coaching at Stanford University

  • Graduate Certificate in Leadership & Negotiation from Bay Path University

  • Senior leader with more than a decade of experience in the higher education career development industry

Book a free consultation today!