About

The hardest part is clicking ‘Join.’

Karen opened her laptop at the kitchen table, ten minutes before the call. Finding Clay’s name in her calendar, she knew she was in the right place.

“What am I doing?” Karen thought aloud as she clicked the Zoom link.

Scheduling the call seemed like a great idea at the time, and Clay certainly made her feel comfortable on the phone, but now that it was time she was having second thoughts.

“I’m about to go tell some stranger about the mess I’ve made of things,” Karen said to herself.

The thought of closing the laptop and pretending she’d had a scheduling conflict passed through her mind… and seemed like a reasonable idea.

Then Karen remembered.

The frustration of the past months and years welled up in her, bringing her to the brink of tears. She remembered the exhaustion and stuckness that had become her norm.

Karen remembered the vow she had made to herself… “I’m done spinning my wheels and am ready to do the work to lead the way I know I’m capable of!”

Buoyed by her new resolve, Karen clicked “Join” and waited in the lobby. A moment later at exactly 1:00 Clay’s video popped on, smiling broadly and waving hello.

Clay welcomed her in and invited her to get comfortable, wherever she was. No commute, no waiting room, just the two of them on screen.

His side of the call was warm, not a sterile corporate backdrop. Bookshelves and a bit of personality behind him allowed her to relax ever so slightly.

Karen scanned the screen, taking in details… A few framed items visible behind him. She noticed what looked like diplomas… The College of Charleston and Valdosta State University. A smaller collection of framed credentials caught her eye too… a license to practice Psychotherapy in Georgia and certificates from other training, alongside what was clearly years of coaching and consulting work.

The Session

The session itself was wonderful. Karen felt heard and understood… not judged. She had forgotten how fulfilling it felt to connect with another human in an authentic way, even through a screen.

Karen closed her laptop with a seed of hope growing in her heart. The next session couldn’t come soon enough.

About Me

Hi, I’m Clay Cutts, and I might be the Business and Leadership Coach you’ve been looking for.

My background includes everything you’d expect, and then some. I earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology and then a Master of Social Work degree, going on to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist. I even got additional training specific to treating folks struggling with substance abuse issues. That clinical foundation, combined with years working directly with executives and business owners, is what shapes how I coach today.

I love helping people. But I have no illusions about my ability to fix you. After all, if you are like my other clients, you’re not failing… you just need a guide.

In my time away from work I’m a dad. I love to travel, experiencing new cultures and diversity in all its glory. A circuitous, stop-and-start, bumpy spiritual journey is central to my life and work. Any outdoor activity (camping, hiking, just sitting outside with a good book) brings me joy.

Most people would be surprised to learn I’m an introvert. While I love people, I need alone time to charge my batteries and bring my A-game to my work and relationships.

Overall my skill set is limited. If I try to fix your golf swing or offer guidance on cooking, you should probably double-check my advice. But, if I tell you how to navigate a leadership crisis or how to improve how you show up for your team or how to move past whatever’s been holding you back, you should probably listen. In these instances, I absolutely know what I’m talking about.

While my approach to helping you is solidly grounded in well-researched theory (we call it “evidence-based practice”), I don’t allow myself to be constrained by any one tool set. I’ll pull from philosophy, religion, 12-Step theory, personal experience, and the leading edge of business and leadership thinking, the work of people like Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Tony Robbins, and James Clear, to help you reach your goals.

When you work with me you don’t get an ivory tower thinker in a tweed blazer with suede elbow patches. You get a fellow gladiator with Colosseum dust still on his shoes.

We’ll stand shoulder to shoulder in the full-contact environment that IS modern business. We’ll work on YOUR goals, not what I think is important to you.

And we’ll win!