Coach Kim’s “headquarters”

Proud Southbank local Kim Booth, otherwise known as “Coach Kim”, refers to his home as “his headquarters”.

Originally from Albury-Wodonga, Coach Kim has truly taken to life in Southbank since moving to Coventry Gardens from his previous home in Kensington six years ago.

Southbank hasn’t just provided him with a great place to live but has been central to helping him realise his true passion in life: helping people with their careers.

Since launching his own business, Coach Kim’s Elite Coaching, in August last year, he said his Southbank “offices” had allowed him to pursue his passion with great success.

“Southbank is the perfect platform for helping people,” Coach Kim said.

“It’s right next to the city but it helps get people out of the city. Anytime I get people outside it’s good natural hits of serotonin and that’s important for helping people think bigger.”

“I enjoy my many offices in Southbank, whether it be the Botanical Gardens or down by the Yarra River. For some narrow-minded clients, I will often take them to NGV to help them unleash their creativity.”

“I hate egos; that’s when people are stuck in their own way. You need to get out of your own way because that’s where all the magic happens.”

Having completed a finance degree and forged a successful career in the corporate world from a young age, which included six years working in London, Coach Kim moved back to Australia in 2011 to marry his then wife, who gave birth to their son Max.

Having since been through a divorce and falling out of love with his corporate career, he said that it was only through hitting “rock bottom” last year that he was able to work out his “purpose and why”.

“I was on a fitness camp in Thailand, which I had never been on before and it was day three and I actually broke down,” he said.

“We’d been training hardcore and half way through the session I just burst into tears. I was mentally and physically exhausted.”

“That afternoon I was at my hotel and I just wrote down everything that I had ever done, experienced, felt and just kept writing. That’s when I worked out ‘my why’. So, the next day I thought I want to set up my own business. Then I got home to Southbank and set up Coach Kim.”

For Coach Kim, that turning point has proven to be life-changing for both himself and the many people he has been able to help since.

Having found his calling, he has used his skills and expertise from many years working in high-performance roles in the corporate world to help others with their careers to great effect.

He also lends a lot of his time to supporting charities and disadvantaged individuals through his work.

From the job seekers and the job haters to the graduates and those keen to climb the corporate ladder, he said his three ingredients to success were the same for everyone: self-awareness, courage and discipline.

And such is his love for his new life, it has taken on an identity of its own here in Southbank.

“Everyone just calls me coach,” coach Kim said.

“No offence to the northside but the south is my home. I call Southbank my headquarters. Back to my home barracks!”

“Some of my clients’ stories are amazing. To take them to a place that they love is very cool.”

“Where I help is that I just have the keys to unlock your best version quicker than what you would do yourself. It’s having the tools and techniques to surface up who you are and what you stand for.”

coachkim.com.au