How Stacey Reingold Turned Her Experience as a Parent and Preschool Teacher into an Executive Function Coaching Business
- Sean G. McCormick
- Mar 17
- 11 min read
After nearly 20 years in education, Stacey had already spent years as a preschool teacher helping young students build the core skills they needed to succeed.
But when her son began struggling with ADHD, organization, and executive functioning, the work became deeply personal.
As she searched for better answers and stronger support, she became involved in parent advocacy and saw just how many bright, capable students were being held back not by lack of intelligence or effort, but by missing executive function skills.
Stacey chose to get certified through EFCA so she could turn that passion into a structured, sustainable coaching practice.
She wanted a practical framework to working with clients, a solid business model, and a community of EF coaches who could help her think bigger about the work.
Today, Stacey runs Organized Mindz, where she supports high school students, college students, and young adults with ADHD and executive functioning challenges.
Through a coaching model built around consistent support, accountability, and personalized systems, she helps students build confidence, manage school and life demands, and move toward greater independence.
In this interview, Stacey shares how her journey as both an educator and parent led her into executive function coaching, how she moved through the fear of building a business, what helped her land her first clients, and the lessons, tools, and community that helped her grow her practice.👇
What is Stacey's Background?
Stacey Reingold is an executive function and ADHD coach and the founder of Organized Mindz, a coaching practice that helps high school students, college students, and young adults build the skills they need to thrive academically and personally.
With close to two decades in education, advocacy, and coaching, Stacey brings a practical and supportive approach to her work.
Her lived experience as a teacher and parent led her to get certified and start her executive function coaching business where she helps students build systems for organization, planning, time management, and self-advocacy so they can feel more confident, less overwhelmed, and better equipped to handle school and everyday life.
Learn more about Stacey's coaching practice at https://www.organizedmindz.com/
Here is the full interview👇
1. What were you doing professionally before this, and what made you decide it was time for a change?
My career in education began nearly two decades ago as a pre school teacher.
I have always been drawn to supporting students and helping them develop the skills they need to succeed, both academically and personally.
Over time, however, my professional path became deeply personal.
My son struggled significantly with ADHD, executive functioning and organization.
Watching him work incredibly hard yet continue to face challenges with planning, time management, and follow-through opened my eyes to how misunderstood these skills can be.
Like many parents, I began searching for answers and strategies that could help him.
That journey led me to become heavily involved in advocacy work.
I joined a parent advocacy group as their parent mentor that partnered with our local school district to help parents articulate their children’s needs in positive and productive ways.
Through that experience, I realized how many bright and capable students were struggling not because they lacked intelligence or motivation, but because they lacked the executive functioning skills needed to manage school and life demands.
That realization ultimately led me to pursue executive function coaching and to build my coaching practice, Organized Mindz.
2. What inspired you to become an executive function coach, and what made you choose this certification program specifically?
My inspiration came directly from lived experience, both as a parent and as an educator, and from seeing the transformation that happens when students finally understand how to manage their workload and responsibilities.
I had done informal EF discussion groups with teachers at the preschool. And then noticed how we could help these little students daily by empowering them to think for themselves.
I saw firsthand how much stress and frustration executive functioning challenges can create for students and their families.
I also saw how transformative it can be when students are given the right tools, structure, and support.
Many of the students I work with are incredibly bright, but they feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or discouraged because traditional systems do not work for how their brains operate, especially students with ADHD.
When I began exploring executive function coaching more seriously, I wanted a certification program that would not only teach strategies, but also provide a strong understanding of how executive functioning develops and how to coach students effectively, along with a strong professional community.
All students are unique and I wanted to collaborate with other professionals and lecturers that “think outside the box” and see the big picture.
I chose the Executive Function Coaching Academy because it offered a comprehensive and practical framework for coaching and a business model.
The program combines neuroscience, coaching methodology, and real tools that can immediately be applied with students and their parents.
It felt like the right place to deepen my knowledge and turn my passion into a structured coaching practice.
What I found here was not just all of the above but the most amazing community of colleagues who were smart and collaborative.
3. What was your biggest fear or hesitation before enrolling and how do you feel about that now?
One of my biggest hesitations was whether I would be able to turn this into a sustainable business.
I wondered if I was truly ready to do this professionally. (Imposter Syndrome kicked in)
I had years of experience supporting students and families, but turning that passion into a coaching business felt like a big step.
Like many people entering coaching, I wondered:
Will families understand the value of executive function coaching?
Will I be able to build a steady client base?
Looking back now, those fears were normal and part of the growth process.
Once I began working with students and families and saw the real impact of the work, referrals and opportunities began to grow organically.
The need for executive function support is significant, and families are incredibly grateful when they find someone who can help their child build these skills.
It’s all about building trust and relationships.
4. Was there a turning point in the course where you felt, “I can actually do this”? What helped you get there?
There were several moments throughout the course where things really started to click.
One of the biggest turning points for me was realizing that executive function coaching is not about “fixing” students or having all the answers, it is about helping them develop systems, skills, and strategies that allow them to function more effectively.
Once I understood how to break down executive functioning challenges into concrete strategies and coaching conversations, I felt much more confident.
Having such a strong community also helped.
Seeing how other coaches were applying the frameworks in real situations made the learning feel practical and achievable.
That combination of learning, discussion, and practical implementation made a huge difference.
5. How did you get your first paying client? What steps did you take and what did you learn from that experience?
My first paying clients came through personal connections and reaching out to professionals requesting meetings or phone conversations, where I asked if they would be happy to have me as a referral partner.
Once I began reaching out to providers and sharing:
what I was doing with families
how executive function coaching can help students manage school and life more effectively
my style of coaching
families started to recognize the need.
What I learned from that experience is that this work truly speaks for itself.
When parents see their child becoming more organized, less stressed, and more confident, they quickly understand the value of coaching.
Building trust with families and demonstrating real results has been the most powerful way to grow my practice.
6. What does your coaching business look like today (client load, income, hours, structure)?
Today I run my coaching practice, Organized Mindz, where I primarily work with college students, young adults and high school students, with ADHD and executive functioning challenges as well as life skills management.
My sessions are mostly virtual, but not all.
I find my students mainly come from word of mouth and my business is growing steadily.
Unlike traditional once-a-week coaching models, we provide consistent support throughout the week.
I coach Monday through Friday and intentionally limit the number of students I work with each semester so I can give each one my full attention and support.
My coaching model focuses on helping students:
develop structured semester planning
weekly EF coaching sessions
regular accountability check-ins
personalized organization and planning systems
support for both academic and life management tasks needed to navigate both school and daily life
These frequent touchpoints provide the scaffolding many students with executive functioning deficits need in order to maintain, structure, initiate tasks, and follow through on responsibilities.
Accountability is a very important part of the work we do together.
Many students also need support learning how to advocate for themselves, whether that means communicating with professors, asking for clarification, or seeking appropriate academic support.
My goal is always to help students move toward greater independence while providing the structure and support they need along the way.
7. What tools, lessons, or systems from the certification have made the biggest difference in your ability to coach or grow your business?
Several tools from the certification have been incredibly impactful. Particularly:
Sean helping me understand how to value my time and my expertise.
To make sure that you connect with students before you take them onboard to see if you are the right fit for each other. If students are not on board and committed I do not take them on. I always say “when you're ready I’ll be here”
Family team meetings is another tool I value. It allows you contact and communication with the parents, students and coach, without confrontation.
That shift — from telling students what to do to helping them develop their own systems and think for themselves — has made a huge difference in the effectiveness of my coaching.
The community was one of the best parts of being in EFCA - I have made life long friends that I will treasure forever.
Breaking down large goals into manageable steps
Sean saying “Just Start”!
8. What challenges have come up as you’ve grown, and how have you worked through them?
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing the desire to support students as much as possible while also creating sustainable systems within my business.
Students with executive functioning challenges often need significant support, especially during demanding academic periods.
Learning how to discuss this with parents has been interesting to navigate. Structuring my coaching model in a way that supports students while maintaining clear boundaries has been an important part of growing the practice. I find it hard to say no!
My administrative systems and emails were also becoming overwhelming, so I developed an automated workflow system which has become the foundation of the administrative side of my business.
I also created a folder called my “Parking Lot,” where I move emails that I may want to revisit later. I review this folder once a week.
This system allows me to address urgent emails immediately while keeping my focus on my students and clients.
In terms of navigating parents that do not have the resources for coaching, it's about having honest conversations about what their student needs, and understanding it is an investment in their lives far beyond college.
Working through these challenges has been a growth experience for me.
Most importantly I have a network of colleagues that meet frequently to discuss challenges and how to work through them. This has been an invaluable support.
9. What impact has this work had on your clients and on your own personal or professional life?
The most rewarding part of this work is seeing students go from feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and often defeated to feeling capable and confident.
Many students begin coaching believing they are “bad at school” or that something is wrong with them.
When they begin to understand how their brain works and learn strategies that support them, their confidence grows dramatically, they feel proud of themselves.
Helping them understand what executive functioning is, where they need to improve, how it affects them, and the strategies to help them overcome their deficits is very rewarding.
Professionally, this work has been incredibly fulfilling.
It allows me to combine my passion for helping students with practical tools that truly change their academic and personal trajectories.
In many ways, the work I do today reflects the journey that first began when I was trying to help my own child navigate these challenges.
10. What does success mean to you as an EF coach, and how has that evolved since starting this journey?
When I first started, I thought success meant helping students improve their grades, and academic outcomes.
While that can certainly happen, I have realized that the real measure of success is something deeper.
Success is when a student begins to believe in their ability to manage challenges, advocate for themselves, and take ownership of their learning.
Parents often tell me that one of the biggest reliefs is realizing their child is not “lazy” or “unmotivated,” but simply needs different tools and support.
Those skills extend far beyond school.
11. What advice would you give to someone who is in your previous profession and is thinking about joining the program or starting an EF coaching business?
If you are passionate about helping students develop the skills they need to navigate school and life, executive function coaching can be incredibly meaningful work and may be a natural fit.
The need for this work is enormous, and families are actively looking for support.
This certification provides both the framework and the confidence to do this work effectively.
I am very happy I did it.
Sean has put a lot of work into this program and it shows.
My advice would be to show up for the live Q&A sessions and approach the program with curiosity and openness to learning.
The more you apply the concepts and practice the skills, the more confident you will become.
I would also encourage people to connect with others in the community.
One of the most amazing outcomes of this program for me has been the community of incredible coaches I met.
We still stay connected and continue to support each other.
In many ways, we have become one another’s accountability coaches.
12. What is your tech stack?
Some of the tools that are essential in my practice include:
Zoom for virtual coaching sessions
Google Calendar for scheduling and planning
Shared documents for student planning and accountability
Email communication with students and parents
Digital planning tools and visual systems for task management
Raindrop io - to house all my open links, you can organize them by subject and add #. It's genius.
Canva to create templates for social media, slide decks and all other creative templates
Notebook LM is a fantastic tool
These tools allow me to support students consistently and help them implement the systems we build together.
Thank you Stacey!
By building on her years in education, parent advocacy, and lived experience supporting a child with ADHD, then pairing that foundation with the tools, structure, and community inside EFCA, Stacey created a coaching practice that is both meaningful and sustainable.
Her story is a reminder that some of the strongest executive function coaches come from real-world experience, and that when passion is paired with the right framework, it can grow into work that changes lives for students and families.
Thank you, Stacey, for sharing your journey and the heart behind the work you do!
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About Stacey
Stacey Reingold is an executive function and ADHD coach and the founder of Organized Mindz, a coaching practice that supports high school students, college students, and young adults in developing the executive functioning and life skills needed to succeed academically and independently.
Drawing from nearly two decades of experience in education, advocacy, and coaching, Stacey works with students to build practical systems for organization, planning, time management, and self-advocacy.
Her approach focuses on reducing overwhelm, building confidence, and helping students develop the independence they need to navigate both school and life.
Connect with Stacey on:
Her website 👉 https://www.organizedmindz.com/