The origins of a)plan’s method and the birth of the coaching movement in America, with Dave Ellis and Bill Rentz

All You Need Is A Plan

With a vision to share methods of creative problem solving that he learned from his father, Dave Ellis planted the seeds to become one of the first major figures in the coaching industry, more than 30 years ago. He started in education, teaching and coaching students using the tools that he invented and refined over years of study. This work led to his writing, "Becoming A Master Student," which went on to become the best-selling textbook in American colleges and universities for more than 20 years. With this backdrop, Dave had created the ideas and approaches that were the earliest beginnings of what is now the coaching movement in America.

Eventually this work took the shape of a company that was one of the earliest business entities to operate with a Triple Bottom Line. That is, the needs and wellbeing of employees, clients, suppliers, partners, and investors were considered alongside what Dave considered to be “higher level goals,” like the end of abject poverty, environmental integrity, and human rights.

In pursuit of that vision, Dave was joined by many, including Bill Rentz, who began as a shipping clerk in Dave’s company. Bill went on to become one of very few Master Certified Coaches, by the ICF, as well as a top coach in his own right and a)plan’s Head of Coach Certification.

In this episode, we get a deep look into the origin story of Dave and Bill's work together, Dave’s coaching of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Mohammad Yunus, and his contributions on many levels to the industry and the founding of a)plan coaching.