About Jim Yanker 

We all face challenges whether it’s those stubborn struggles that won’t go away on their own or those goals we’ve set that constantly seem just out of reach. I know what that’s like and it’s one of the reasons I became a coach. I spent years in an abusive corporate environment and coaching became a catalyst for helping me to make big changes resulting in the kind of success, balance and joy I was missing. 

I grew up in Pittsburgh where steel was at the heart of the city so it was natural for me to become fascinated with the science of metals. I got my bachelor’s degree from Penn State in metallurgical engineering and an MBA from the University of Maryland. After all those years of studying, a friend who was working as a park ranger in Montana convinced me to ride my bike from Washington, D.C. to Glacier National Park. I rode 2,900 miles in 28 days!

After my epic adventure to Montana, I set off on a career that took me all around the world working with manufacturers to improve their steel making capabilities. I’ve lost count of the number of countries I’ve been to and I even lived in the Netherlands for two years where I was the international director for a new acquisition.  

My work in the steel industry was great until it wasn’t. I became stuck in a company that undervalued their people, and placed unreasonable demands on everyone. I remember visiting a colleague in the hospital; Dave was literally on his death bed and he was still working on his laptop. The first time I traveled with my wife I remember desperately trying to find a wifi signal from an island in Honduras because my boss was demanding I complete a spreadsheet despite my being on vacation and over a thousand miles away. I started to realize I needed a change. But how?

It took some time, but eventually with coaching support I was able to jump at an opportunity to work with the federal government when it came my way. I became an intelligence analyst for the Department of Defense. I had forgotten that it was possible to feel appreciated for my expertise, and I was so happy in my new career that I looked forward to seeing my colleagues each day. For the first time in years I was no longer experiencing the dread that would set in each weekend as Monday morning approached. And another change? No one ever tried to contact me during vacation. I finally had the work/life balance I’d been looking for!

In 2020 I left the federal government after achieving my Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the gold standard in coaching. I started Yanker Coaching and now I work as a full-time coach and I love seeing my clients achieve their goals.