Meet Renée Barnow

Agent of Calm, Mindset Reset Expert

Rightline Small Business Coaching and Consulting

Highlights, low lights, almost no lights and bright lights of Renée

Since early childhood, I had a unique ability to create an atmosphere of calm among those around me. In fact, my first grade teacher strategically placed me in a front row corner seat so I could calmly lead my classmates to safety in an emergency. Over the years, many employers, colleagues, friends and family have turned to me in times of conflict, personal crises, confusion and periods of overwhelm to help them move from pain to calm, from confused to focused, and from overwhelmed to organized and living with gusto enthusiasm and ease.

Thus, I’ve been dubbed both the ‘Agent of Calm’ and the ‘Crisis Whisperer.’

My first taste of life as an entrepreneur was at 11 when I started a neighborhood newsletter. Using my natural abilities to create connections and communicate my ideas clearly, I was able to enlist the help of several neighbors to get this newsletter published. My next entrepreneurial ventures were as a landlord for rental properties; a business I maintain. Always a bit of a rebel and rulebreaker, it’s my nature to question the status quo and look for better, more joyful and more efficient ways to do things.

As a young girl, I fantasized about being an opera singer with the stage name “Persona.” When I was rejected from eighth grade chorus because I couldn’t carry a tune, I promptly made a mindset shift and created my own group, “The Monotones!”

As an adult, I experienced a series of difficulties and challenges that took the song out of my voice and the spirit out of my soul.

• Troubled marriage and ugly divorce (left with integrity, no money)
• Lost my life’s savings twice (took 15 years to build back, then lost again; now almost back after 12 years~yes, even in this version of the roller coaster economy)
• Sudden death of my fun-loving, business mentor father
• My mother’s onset of early dementia, which catapulted me into managing her care while juggling the demands of my business

For a long period after my father died while seeing a grief counselor (who I came to call wicked), I moved into a dark and lonely place where I allowed her voice to become louder than my own. I was lost, stuck, confused and had no clue who I was.

One cold, dark January afternoon I hit the low point when I considered throwing myself under a bus at the busy intersection of Connecticut Avenue at 18^th Street NW in Washington, DC. Fortunately, that afternoon became a crossroad in my life—my breakdown to breakthrough moment. My young, spirited childhood inner voice screamed louder than the desperate voice willing to end it all.

I heard the song, “Me, I’ve Gotta be Me!” and committed to live to 105. I rediscovered the calm, focused, fun-loving and positive connector self I knew, determined to devote my life to helping others so they’d never stand at such a crossroad. Yes, this was my right line.

And so it was that the magic of the Universe went to work a few months after that afternoon. The small government agency for which I served as Director of Publications and Public Affairs (a job I loved and a place where people considered me an inspiration) shut its door.

Upon realizing I was ‘my own best security blanket, ‘I asked myself, “How could my professional experience in communication reach more people and make a difference?” Ignoring the doubters and naysayers, I founded my own small consulting business and within two years, paid more in taxes than my highest salary.

Today I support small business owners to quickly bust through their BS, break through to calm and make powerful mindset changes so they get more done, have more fun and enjoy more profit in their business.

One of my greatest joys is making people laugh and see the humor in life. My passion is supporting others as they shift from working hard and being hard on themselves to living with ease. By encouraging my clients to live according to my favorite motto from the former TV show, “The Magic School Bus”—Get Messy. Make Mistakes. Take Chances—they are inspired to take action so they can make more money and build thriving, profitable businesses.

This funny, caring, creative foodie loves belly laughs, music, mountain air, ocean breezes and painting (literally) and with words.

Renée’s Training and Professional Credentials…
In addition to her undergraduate work in communication and her executive MBA, Renée’s educational background includes extensive coursework with the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and the Newfield Network. She has studied leadership through Dale Carnegie and positive psychology as offered by the University of Pennsylvania’s Masters in Applied Positive Psychology Program. Renée is an attorney-trained mediator.

Take a deep breath and decide what Rightline support will move you forward.

Relax into your right line NOW. This IS the right time to contact Rightline!

Next: