Coaching Greatness: My Coaching Manifesto…
by Todd Durkin, Brian Baker, Yvette Salva, Christopher Nelson, Jodie Needham, Amanda Mittleman, Jayson Downing, Rachel Martin, Dave Seitter, Sarah Stack, Bobby Aldridge, Judi Isaacson, Matthew Smith, Joy McCulloch, Jen Simpson, Jessica Murrah, Helen Hashem, Marcela Todd, Amber Kivett, Chad Cannon, Carolyn Ely, Travis Barnes
This book, Coaching Greatness is my “Coaching Manifesto” – a no-nonsense blueprint for every coach determined to lead clients to their fullest potential. In these pages, I break down 10 indispensable traits that every GREAT COACH must embody – from their ability to listen and lead to coaching from the inside out to their ability to inspire and instill belief in their people. And of course, there’s that game-changing, “and then some…” Trait #11 which is the secret ingredient to push you to go further, break through barriers, and transform every challenge into an opportunity for greatness.
Every trait in this book isn’t just a lofty ideal, it’s a practical, hard-earned tool drawn from the more than 25 years that I’ve coached in the trenches. I lay it out straight because I know that GREATNESS isn’t accidental – it’s built with discipline, heart, courage and consistency. The principles here are not just theories but proven strategies that will shape your coaching mindset, inspire your clients, and create a legacy of excellence.
Part 2 of Coaching Greatness opens the floor to 21 members of my “Coaching Tree”, each sharing their own raw, unfiltered stories and insights about what it really takes to coach for greatness. Their voices echo the same truth I’ve been preaching – a relentless pursuit of excellence isn’t a destination, it’s a journey fueled by passion, purpose, and a refusal to settle for mediocrity. This book is a call to arms, a rallying cry for coaches ready to leave their mark and inspire greatness in every life they touch.
Ready to Learn More?

Todd Durkin
Author
Todd Durkin, MA, CSCS, is an internationally recognized strength, speed and conditioning coach, personal trainer, body worker, motivational speaker, and author who motivates, educates, and inspires people worldwide. He is the founder of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA, a world-class facility that provides personal training, strength and conditioning, therapeutic massage and bodywork, Pilates, yoga, nutrition, chiropractic and physical therapy programs.
Todd works with a high-profile clientele of elite professional athletes. This includes NFL MVPs, Super Bowl Champions and MVPs, Heisman Trophy Winner, Olympic and X-Game Gold Medalists, and many other champion athletes. He is a 2 Time Personal Trainer of the Year (IDEA & ACE) and has received numerous industry accolades. Greatist has named Todd one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Health & Fitness for the past four years.

Brian Baker
Author
Chapter: Always Grateful, Never Satisfied.
Brian is a Strength and Conditioning Coach, lifelong athlete, and avid golfer located in Evanston, IL. He is the Founder of I Will Train and the Director of Athletic Performance at Gym 1801. He oversees the development and implementation of athletic programs for youth and adult populations including the Youth Sports Academy. As a golf fitness and power specialist, he helps experienced and elite golfers maximize their physical ability while staying injury-free to perform at their best and enjoy the game they love.
You can find Brian at:
Website: www.iwilltrain.com
Social Media: @iwilltrain

Yvette Salva
Author
Chapter: You’re Not Alone.
Yvette Salva is the owner of Yvette Salva Fitness, a personal training studio for women in New Jersey. She helps women over 40 get unstuck and transform their lives with mindset and fitness coaching. She is also a certified Todd Durkin IMPACT Life-Coach who empowers women in midlife to get “unstuck” and reclaim their awesomeness! She also recently became an Amazon bestselling author of Booze, Blow and Pancakes: Breaking Free From the Shackles of Addiction. Yvette has been sober for 21 years, and she uses her no-BS approach to inspire women to rebuild their lives, get their minds right, and create lasting change.
Christopher Nelson
Author
Chapter: Stay on My Hip.
Jodie Needham
Author
Chapter: God Had Me the Whole Time.
Amanda Mittleman
Author
Chapter: Walking Through Fear to Coaching Greatness.

Jayson Downing
Author
Chapter: The Warrior Mindset: Lessons from the Quantico Woodlands
Jayson is a former Marine Corps Captain and combat veteran. He holds multiple graduate degrees and has worked as a college professor, business consultant, and business owner. He is the author of Reawakening the Warrior Spirit and is dedicated to helping people become warriors in their everyday lives. Find Jayson at www.thewarriorjournal.com and Instagram @jaysonmdowning.

Rachel Martin
Author
Chapter: The Three Cs: Your 3 Step Blueprint to Greatness..
Rachel has been a “fitpreneur” since she turned 21 years old. With over 12 years in the fitness industry, two years owning her personal training studio, and more than 45,000 hours of working with clients, she has come to believe that authenticity is the core foundation of health. She often says, “You can’t be healthy if you aren’t yourself, and you can’t be yourself unless you’re healthy.”
Rachel allowed her idea of “healthy” to transform once she built the bridge to her own authenticity, creating a life full of purpose, happiness, and greatness. To become equipped to share this gift with her clients, Rachel completed Todd Durkin’s Life Coaching certification in February 2024.
Authenticity is something special in everyone, but often, we need guidance to find it in ourselves. Rachel believes that everyone deserves a coach at every level. Her life’s mission is to combine her expertise and passion to help people uncover their “Authentic Wellness.”
Connect with Rachel and start your journey towards “Authentic Wellness” now! Whether you’re looking for personal growth, business success, or an inspiring speaker for your next event, Rachel is here to help.
Instagram: @rachel.martin_cwc
Facebook: facebook.com/RachelMartin.CWC
Connect with her studio Connection Wellness Center on social media:
Instagram: @connectionwellness_center
Facebook: facebook.com/connectionwellnesscenter

Dave Seitter
Author
Chapter: The Triad Trepidation: My Business | My Role | Myself
Dave Seitter is a trusted legal advisor who simplifies complex business issues and delivers clear, strategic counsel to help clients move forward with confidence. Known for balancing legal protections with practical wealth strategies, Dave responds quickly to dynamic business needs and brings high-value solutions to the table.
With deep experience and an entrepreneurial mindset, Dave works closely with business owners, C-suite executives, and high-net-worth individuals. His thoughtful yet agile approach allows him to handle everything from high-stakes transactions to everyday legal matters. Clients count on him for smart, actionable advice backed by decades of success and a strong national network.
Dave’s client portfolio spans a wide range of industries including technology, financial services, construction, design, logistics, and international manufacturing. He’s advised a global technical firm, led legal efforts for specialty contractors on major urban projects, and helped a regional financial company grow into a national brand. He’s also managed mergers and acquisitions for private equity groups, designed acquisition strategies for growing businesses, and guided the sale of regional companies to global buyers.
Whether he’s advising international firms doing business in the U.S. or helping local companies scale, Dave delivers clarity, insight, and results. His steady guidance and business-minded approach make him the go-to legal partner for companies navigating change, growth, or transition.

Sarah Stack
Author
Chapter: Coaching Girls and Coaching Pros: Theyre Not So Different
Sarah Stack is on a mission to change the way we approach coaching tween and teen female athletes, to normalize discussions about how nutrition and mindset work influence athletic performance and success in life beyond sports. She is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Southshore Physical Therapy and incorporates nutrition guidance, recovery and mindset work into programming for young athletes.
She has certifications in Personal Training, Fitness Nutrition, Assisted Stretching, and Sports Performance Enhancement from ACE and NASM, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration. She was the 2024 recipient of the Jack LaLanne Pass It On Award.
Sarah is the author of The Teenage Athletes’ Nutrition Journal (available on Amazon) and Chapter 19 of the collaborative book What’s Next?: Igniting Change and IMPACT in Health, Fitness, & Life…NOW!!! titled Here’s One For The Girls, about the importance of training girls well.
You can connect with Sarah on instagram at @coachsarahstack, on Facebook at Coach Sarah Stack, her website www.coachsarahstack.com, and listen to her podcast, Her Time, wherever you get your podcasts. Additionally, she has been the featured guest on several podcasts discussing her training approach for young athletes.
She lives in her hometown of New Orleans, LA with her husband and two children.

Bobby Aldridge
Author
Chapter: Seagulls & Waves…
Bobby Aldridge, sports kinesiologist, three-time author, two sport D1-athlete and founder of BAM-Metrics, specializes in pain management, injury prevention, and enhanced performance through measurable mobility. With 30+ years working with elite athletes, Bobby’s career has been shaped by his professional human-centric expertise. Bobby’s positivity and authenticity have earned him recognition as a leading expert in his field.
visit: www.BAM-Metrics.com email: bobby@bammotion.com
Judi Isaacson
Author
Chapter: Why Not Me?

Matthew Smith
Author
Chapter: The Power of a Coach: Are They Motivating or Uninspiring?
Matthew is a certified athletic trainer, best selling author, IMPACT certified Life Coach, IMPACT certified speaker, certified BFR coach, B3 Founder, and fitness enthusiast who aims to help individuals improve their performance on the field, and in life, to become the best version of themselves. He has been in the field for over 27 years, working with many people from high school to college to professional players. He is passionate about putting the puzzle pieces together in one’s life, and enjoys speaking to others about how to level up and achieve overall wellness in five areas: fitness/weight room, nutrition, recovery, sleep, and mental health/mindset. Matthew also has a love for helping people reach their goals and become unstuck from the limitations they have set on themselves or society has imposed.
Matthew is one of numerous authors in the collaborative book What’s Next? Igniting Change & IMPACT in Health, Fitness & Life…NOW!. It was published in October 2022 and is written to help people optimize their health, vitality, energy, and performance. As well as helping them find joy in exercise and recovery, the book has become a best seller. To purchase a signed copy of What’s Next?, contact Matthew at atcman01@yahoo.com. It is also available on Amazon.
Matthew holds a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Athletic Training. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATA BOC). He is also certified in the Functional Movement Screen (FMS Level 1), and holds an EMT certification.
He has celebrated 14 years of marriage with his wife, Angela. Matthew enjoys traveling, spending time with family, working out, mastering his craft, continually educating himself, and spending time in nature.
Follow Matthew:
Facebook: @matthewsmith
Instagram: @matthewsmithatc05
Email: atcman01@yahoo.com

Joy McCulloch
Author
Chapter: Hammer-Nail-Hammer: Realizing Greatness Through Failure…
Joy McCulloch resides in Southern California where she owns and runs Big Wheel Coaching, Inc. alongside her husband Brian. Shadowed by their young son Sèamus, Joy is a life-time coach and leader within the cycling and endurance coaching communities throughout the country.
First introduced to coaching in the 6th grade as a basketball player, Joy experienced all levels and genres of coaching through her collegiate basketball career. Post college, she transitioned to teaching physical education and coaching high school volleyball and basketball.
Always an athlete, Joy began racing mountain bikes and road bikes across the country, with an illustrious cycling career that spanned almost two decades. Blending her passion of sport and coaching, she began Big Wheel Coaching in 2010 – a business focused on preparing cyclists of all levels for competition, and life. Having coached hundreds of athletes, Joy hast masterfully embodied the the practice of ‘Coaching Greatness’.
You can follow Joy and Big Wheel Coaching, Inc. here: https://www.instagram.com/joyonbike/
https://www.instagram.com/bigwheelcoaching/
http://www.bigwheelcoaching.com/

Jen Simpson
Author
Chapter: Burnout to Burning Bright
Jen has been in the health and fitness industry for over 17 years and is the Owner of Just Get Fit, a health & fitness studio in Tallahassee, FL. She is also a licensed massage therapist specializing in ART (Active Release Technique), as well as a Todd Durkin Impact Life Coach. Jen has been called ‘Coach’ starting in her teens and knows that her calling in life is to help bring out the best in others. Her belief is that health is a full body approach – mindset, food, and fitness; and that if you can get off the couch, you are an athlete. #beyourBESTathlete . As a speaker, she is passionate about sharing her experience with burnout with others and how to prevent and overcome it while maintaining a full business and life schedule that centers around taking care of the others.

Jessica Murrah
Author
Chapter: Dare to Dream: Unleash Your Courage Within
Life throws curveballs. As a mom of twins and stepmom to two daughters, Jess is no stranger to life’s ups and downs. She’s navigated divorce, dating after the age of 36, blended family life, and the loss of her dad to brain cancer. Now at the age of 48, she has traded 25 years of teaching experience for a coaching career. As a certified Life Coach, Jess is ready to use her passion and experiences to help others grow by being the supportive guide she wished she had on her own journey.
Ready to rewrite your story? With Jess’ track record of overcoming adversity, you can bet she’ll be prepared to support you! She uses the proven 10 Forms of Wealth framework developed by Todd Durkin and other researched-based practices to empower her clients and guide them toward lasting change. These are the same methods that transformed her own life, and she’s passionate about sharing their power.
But Jess isn’t just about life coaching. She’s a motivational speaker who thrives on inspiring audiences to take action and create their own impact on the world.
Let Jess help you reach YOUR full potential. Reach out to her today!
savvyskillscoaching.com
Instagram: @jessmurrah3
Facebook: Jessica Towsend Murrah

Helen Hashem
Author
Chapter: It’s Not Over Yet
Helen is a Certified Life Coach, Personal Trainer, Sleep, Stress Management & Recovery Coach, and Nutrition Coach with a passion to be a lighthouse for mid-lifers, empty nesters, retirees who are feeling “stuck”, and seeking a new or renewed path into the future, while navigating the next season of life. Her fitness journey began at midlife. After careers in the medical field and corporate world, and, as a wife and mother, she realized how little attention she had been giving to herself, regarding exercise, nutrition, and self-care. She has been in the fitness industry for over 10 years helping others get stronger, eat healthier, and build a better mindset through one-on-one and group sessions. She also has a background in assisted stretch.
As a Life Coach, Helen incorporates knowledge and expertise from all her disciplines to help clients grow and evolve into the best version of themselves, so that they can live more fulfilling lives on purpose.
Helen received her certifications through Todd Durkin IMPACT Life-Coaching Certification, American Council on Exercise, and Precision Nutrition. She is a native of Pennsylvania, graduate of University of Delaware (BSMT), and UCSD Certificate Program.
You can find Helen learning something new, enjoying nature, reading, practicing yoga and meditating, spending time with friends, and most of all, loving her wonderful family. She enjoys being with others, and happiest when doing something for someone that motivates and builds them up to believe in themselves, and realize their worth in the world.

Marcela Todd
Author
Chapter: Life is a Marathon
Marcela Todd is a General Manager for Active Wellness. She holds a degree in Business Management, and has over 20 years of experience in Corporate Wellness.
An avid Marathon Runner and RRCA Certified Running Coach; she has completed 80 marathons including the Abbot World Majors. She is also the Program Director/Head Coach for Friends In Training, a large Marathon and Half Marathon Training Program in Broward County, FL.
Marcela recently graduated from the Todd Durkin IMPACT Life Coaching Certification, and the IMPACT Speakers Course. She loves Todd Durkin’s approach to coaching from the inside out, encompassing Mind, Body and Spirit, and her goal is to create a positive, long lasting IMPACT in her community, and everyone she comes in touch with.

Amber Kivett
Author
Chapter: “MAGIK” Mountains of Life: God is Greater Than Your Highs & Lows…
Amber Kivett, known worldwide as the “MAGIK LADY” and “Gatekeeper of Dreams,” is a leading expert in pain relief, human performance, and recovery. She is the founder of Kivett Kinetic Solutions in Monrovia, Indiana, where she has helped thousands experience instant relief through her innovative KIPRS (Kivett Instant Pain Relief Systems) and holistic modalities.
Amber serves as the global spokesmodel for Lifepro Fitness products and represents B3 Sciences BFR Bands. She has been honored with the Todd Durkin Mastermind IMPACT Fit Pro of the Year Award, the inaugural Jack LaLanne Pass It Forward Award, and is a two-time recipient of the IDEA World Inspirational Medal.
A bestselling co-author, national presenter, and frequent media guest, Amber has been featured in Forbes, Shape, Prevention, Healthline, and live on Fox 59 News. She travels nationally to present for organizations such as Perform Better and the National Athletic Training Association, while also serving as a mental health and life coach to elite athletes, teams, and celebrities.
Having overcome multiple severe injuries from a 2005 accident, Amber embodies resilience and purpose, inspiring others to transform their lives in mind, body, and spirit. Her greatest joy is being a mom to her daughter, Zoey.
Contact Information
5797 W McClure Road, Monrovia, IN 46157
Cell: 317-446-7971
Email: support@kksmagik.com
kivettkineticsolutions@gmail.com
Website: www.kksmagik.com
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES
https://www.kksmagik.com/home
https://www.facebook.com/amber.hardinkivett/
https://www.facebook.com/kksmagik/
https://www.instagram.com/kksmagik/
https://twitter.com/kksmagik
https://www.youtube.com/c/AmberKivett
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-kivett-3a968568

Chad Cannon
Author
Chapter: Coaching at Its Peak.
Coach Chad is a coach first and foremost. Chad started out as a personal trainer back in 1990, and still trains today at his own personal training studio, the CannonFit Transformation Center in Bluffton, South Carolina, which he’s had since 2005. Over the years Chad has trained and coached individuals with diseases such as Parkinson’s, M.S., M.D., C.P., and more. He also focuses on post-rehabilitation, and athletic performance. He’s helped thousands of people lose weight, feel better and perform better.
Chad is also an author of his own book, Finding Your WOOOOO!, a speaker, and has coached sports for over 30 years. Currently Chad is an Assistant Track & Field Coach as Savannah State University. He’s the creator and host of the podcast The Live Inspired Show. Chad is also a Todd Durkin IMPACT Life Coach, which he uses in all his forms of coaching.
Chad’s purpose is to inspire as many people as possible, one person at a time.
Chad can be reached at his website: www.CannonFit.com or on his Instagram page: @chad.cannon Or Facebook: Chad Cannon
Carolyn Ely
Author
Chapter: Moving Forward Together.

Travis Barnes
Author
Chapter: The Art and Heart of IMPACTful Coaching
Travis Barnes is a renowned fitness entrepreneur, speaker, author, and co-founder of IMPACT-X Performance, a revolutionary fitness franchise built on the pillars of Faith, Fitness, Recovery, and Life Coaching. With over 25 years in the fitness industry, Travis’s journey is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the power of purpose.
Travis’s career began in 1996 at Gold’s Gym, igniting a passion for health and wellness. However, his path took an unexpected turn, leading to nearly a decade of incarceration. During this time, fitness became more than a profession—it became a calling and a lifeline. Through coaching fellow inmates, teaching nutrition, and mentoring aspiring trainers, Travis discovered his passion for helping others achieve greatness, even in the darkest circumstances.
After his release, Travis rebuilt his life, launching his first fitness business in 2013 with his wife, Cyndy. Their high-touch customer service and innovative coaching methods propelled them from one location to five within four years, ultimately franchising their brand. In 2024, they partnered with industry icon Todd Durkin to launch IMPACT-X Performance, transforming lives and communities through an extraordinary coaching framework.
Travis is the author of Journey Fitness and a sought-after speaker whose authenticity and drive inspire audiences worldwide. His philosophy of “coaching greatness” emphasizes the art of connection, a relentless pursuit of excellence, and a belief in the extraordinary potential within everyone. Through his work, Travis continues to embody the mantra “Be the Light,” creating ripples of positivity that transform lives.
