Seth Hays

Why do I coach? Apparently, I’m incapable of standing on the sidelines without trying to help. I’ve been a university professor, financial advisor, public speaker, and engineer coach at Amazon—all roles built around helping people learn, grow, and make better decisions. But my most demanding leadership experience has probably come from raising eight kids. That has required advanced skills in negotiation, conflict resolution, resource allocation, and explaining—repeatedly—why everyone cannot sit in the front seat. I’ve also coached soccer, football, wrestling, basketball, and swimming. At this point, if someone adds a ball, a whistle, or a body of water, I’ll probably try to coach it. But the real reason I coach is simple: I love being part of other people’s stories. Few things are more rewarding than helping someone recognize their potential, move past what is holding them back, and turn an aspiration into something real. I don’t need to be the hero of the story. I genuinely enjoy being the person in the corner offering encouragement, perspective, and the occasional well-timed push. Watching someone succeed—especially when they once doubted they could—is one of the greatest rewards in life. That’s why I coach: because helping people become the person they aspire to be never gets old. And after eight kids, hundreds of engineers, and nearly every youth sport invented, I’ve had plenty of practice.