/ Coaching
I've coached designers and researchers at OCAD U, TDSB, Designlab, ADPList, George Brown College, and BrainStation since 2014. My approach isn't about fixing you. It's about excavating what's already there and helping you own it with confidence. I also run Fenix Career Forge, my own career coaching practice.
The Ignite program lives inside a dedicated program experience where curriculum, group session recordings, frameworks, and tools are all in one place, accessible whenever you need them.
Excavate your unfair advantages: the experience, perspective, and story that makes you irreplaceable in the right role. Build your foundation through a deep career audit that surfaces what you already have.
Craft a compelling portfolio and online presence using proven personal branding frameworks. Transform your resume, LinkedIn, and case studies into magnets for the right opportunities.
Master interviews, presentations, and salary negotiation. Walk into any room knowing exactly how to communicate your value, and close the offers you deserve.
Live cohort calls: real feedback, real conversations, real designers working through the same career transitions as you. Client faces and names are blurred to protect their privacy.
“Chris doesn't just coach. He empowers. He helped me transform my doubts into confidence.”
I wouldn't be where I am today without Chris's unwavering support. He helped me transform my doubts into confidence, guiding me through mock interviews, portfolio development, and job searching with incredible patience and strategic advice.
“He won't stop until you win. I stopped hiding and started showing up as my real self.”
Chris is one of the most inspiring people I've met, and working with him completely changed the way I see job searching. Before I met him, I had been searching for almost 11 months. I was exhausted, discouraged by the market, and had almost given up on UX altogether.
Interviews were hard for me back then. My voice would shake, my nerves were all over the place, and it didn't go well at all. Chris came in at the right time. He really listened, met me where I was, and supported me every step of the way.
Through working with him, I reconnected with who I am at my core and learned how to package and present it in a way it truly deserved. My confidence expanded in a way I hadn't experienced before. My goals and my values became clearer than ever, because I was finally able to articulate them in my own voice, with my own stories. That's when I stopped hiding and started showing up as my real self, not just in job searching but in other areas of my life too.
Today I have a job at a company that truly aligns with my values, in the B2B space I was excited to work in. I was skeptical about career coaching at first, but working with Chris turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made in my career.
“He doesn't help you find a job. He helps you rediscover what exactly you are.”
When I started working with Chris, I was in one of the darkest phases of my career. I had years of experience behind me, but I had completely lost confidence in my own story. I was doing everything people told me to do: endless applications, constantly tweaking my portfolio, editing my resume for every job description. Nothing worked.
What shifted wasn't one dramatic moment. It was the consistency of someone who believed in me more than I believed in myself. Chris helped me realize I wasn't just underselling my experience, I was undervaluing my own perspective. He challenged the way I talked about myself.
Today, because of Chris, I've landed a role that genuinely aligns with my experience. But more than the job, I feel more confident, more intentional, and I've started valuing the opportunity in front of me.
“Super positive, fun, and full of expert insights on design, storytelling, and the interview process.”
Chris and I connected on ADPList, and since that time I have learned so much from his expert insights and approach to design, storytelling, communication, and the interview process. Chris is a super positive person, fun to talk to and all-around amazing.
“He gets you unstuck and motivated again, with humour, immaculate work ethic, and genuine care.”
If there is a definition of a perfect mentor, Chris is more than that. He was extremely committed to providing guidance and sharing his vast knowledge of UX while honing my design skills. His considerate feedback built up not only my knowledge but also my confidence as a Product Designer. He didn't mind spending additional time making sure I always felt supported, and outside of our sessions I could always reach out with more questions.
“An exceptional design leader: his creative strategies and genuine support were instrumental to my growth.”
Chris is an exceptional design leader who has significantly influenced my development as a designer. His extensive knowledge and insightful feedback consistently provide clear directions for improvement. He is also incredibly fun and enjoyable to talk to: a vibrant personality with a knack for keeping conversations lively and inspiring, no matter the topic.
“Chris possesses an infectious energy that permeates into your being, eventually manifesting as an inner professional confidence.”
Christopher's "kill the junior in your head" mindset was the powerful galvanizing force I needed when I felt stuck and ambiguous about my direction as a designer on an extended job hunt. Learning to hold my ground in our sessions was exactly the practice I needed in front of a hiring manager, and it ultimately landed me my role at ITRG.
“Taught me to look beneath the surface, and to see the bigger picture on every problem.”
Chris was a great mentor who inspired me to approach each problem in a creative and thoughtful way. He was a key player in my UX education, teaching me to look beneath the surface of each problem I encountered. He rallies teams and brings together different personalities to understand the intricacies of customer problems and develop meaningful solutions.
“Years later, Chris still checks in and offers encouragement.”
I was really feeling discouraged by the saturated job market. Chris's deep knowledge of design and industry insights, backed by real-world experience, helped me gain confidence in my work. Even years later, Chris still checks in and offers encouragement.
