Mayumi Ogata is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her passion and wisdom.

Her approach to public speaking is one I am sure you haven’t heard before. What if every conversation you had, every moment you spoke, whether with your family, your team, or a room full of strangers, was a performance capable of shaping your life? For coach Mayumi this idea isn’t theory, it’s a lived truth.

Her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the power of authentic expression. From her beginnings as an actress to transforming a struggling restaurant into a nationwide sensation, and now to coaching leaders and entrepreneurs to embody their brilliance on stage and off, she has proven that our life is a series of speeches that, if done effectively and authentically, can transform the world.

Her journey wasn’t without hardship. Childhood trauma left her with a deep fear of speaking, stunting her ability to express herself. However, through the guidance of a mentor and the wisdom of Eastern philosophy, she learned to reframe her experiences. Embracing the Yin and Yang concept, Mayumi realized that even the darkest moments held the potential for growth and light. This shift in perspective allowed her to transform her fears into strength, and it became the foundation of her coaching, where she helps others turn their struggles into powerful sources of self expression and personal transformation. Here is what she said…

Meet Life Coach Mayumi Ogata:

Name: Mayumi Ogata

Pillar: The Mind, The Heart

Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to learn how to powerfully express their true self so they can bring more of their soul into this world and create a positive change.

How they can help: By using her vast knowledge on the subject, coaching, and using various tools and techniques for deepening client introspection and organizing thoughts, such as specific ‘output’ exercises and the Dialogue Journal, question sheets to reframe perspectives, and mind and body connection exercises like walking meditation and mindfulness practices that focus on physical sensations.

First of all, how are you and your family doing after these Pandemic times?

Thank you for asking.

My family and I are all doing well.

The pandemic was certainly a challenging time, but it also gave us an opportunity to deepen our family bonds and appreciate the small joys of everyday life.

I still vividly remember being moved by the sight of flowers blooming on the roadside during walks with my husband.

Thanks to that period, I’ve stopped being glued to my phone while walking and have become more deeply aware of the beauty of nature right at my feet.

Realizing what I had taken for granted helped me appreciate that everything is a series of miracles.

Also, facing the same difficulties as people worldwide, I strongly felt the importance of connection and mutual support.

I became more conscious of choosing warm words and recognized anew the significance of conveying and expressing feelings.

We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, so I’ve started to truly practice the idea of Ichinichi Issho (a Japanese saying meaning “one day, one lifetime”) encouraging us to live each day fully as if it were our last.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?

Many of my clients struggled with the shift to online communication.

They faced challenges with conveying nuances and feeling a non verbal connection through the screen.

On the other hand, the increase in remote work gave many people more time for self reflection, prompting them to think deeply about their careers and lives.

Personally, I spent several years fully transitioning my sessions from in person to online.

It was a process of trial and error at first, but I became confident that I could build deep connections and support client transformation even online.

In a recent session, witnessing a client have a profound realization and shed tears through the screen, I saw the infinite possibilities of remote connection.

Also, during my keynote in France last month, I spoke about the importance of resilience and living in the present.

It struck me that Japan has companies that have lasted 100 or 200 years.

Sharing this ancient Japanese wisdom for building a sustainable, post pandemic society could lead to true globalization, a ray of hope I discovered.

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?

The biggest lessons were about True Self Reliance and Flexibility.

It’s the importance of nurturing your inner core (your Sacred Tree), listening to your own voice, making decisions based on self awareness (which is true self reliance), and cultivating the ability to adapt flexibly to uncertain changes by accumulating small, intentional decisions and choices.

In an age of information overload, I learned that discerning the essence and continually asking “Why?” is the key to forging your own path.

The Origin:

Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?

I work as a Public Speaking Performance Coach.

I originally started as an actress, and after getting married, I was entrusted with managing one of my husband’s restaurants.

With no prior experience in the food industry or management, I started from absolute scratch when the restaurant was completely empty.

However, it eventually became a popular spot visited by customers from all over Japan and was even featured on TV and in magazines.

Just as I started giving talks to invigorate the restaurant industry, sharing insights from our success, the pandemic forced us to close down.

Wondering what to do next, a friend who was preparing for a major speech asked me, “You have so much stage experience, can you teach me about expression?”

After about an hour of coaching, she was thrilled, and her speech became incredibly persuasive.

It resonated with the struggles I saw restaurant owners face.

So many people have wonderful ideas and passion but miss opportunities because they can’t communicate them effectively.

Through my experiences, I became convinced that our lives are a continuous series of speeches.

No matter how delicious the food, if you can’t convey its value, customers won’t come.

The reason my restaurant became so popular was actually because I went around to each table and shared the story behind the deliciousness of the beer we served.

Customers experienced firsthand how much better the beer tasted when they knew its secret, compared to just drinking it unknowingly.

That’s what sparked the word of mouth buzz.

I realized that speaking isn’t just a skill, it’s a way to express one’s way of being and has the power to shape one’s life.

That led me to start my current coaching career, focusing not just on speaking techniques, but on deeply exploring one’s inner self and helping people embody their innate brilliance through their performance.

In recent years, I’ve had increasing opportunities to speak at high schools, universities, and events for executives and entrepreneurs.

This year, I was honored to give a keynote speech in Paris, France, for International Women’s Day, sharing the potential of expression both domestically and internationally.

What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?

My biggest obstacle was the deep trauma I experienced in childhood.

For many years, that experience robbed me of my self worth and created a significant fear of expressing myself in front of others, whether one on one or in a group.

However, upon meeting my mentor, I received the words, “Everything happens for a reason.”

At the time, I couldn’t grasp what it meant, but I started to wonder, “What if those words were true?”

As I pondered this, a theater director gave me advice that struck me:

“Go experience more heartbreak. Otherwise, you won’t understand the feelings of someone heartbroken. Right now, you’re just acting, Mayumi, so your performance feels false. Actors don’t just act, they live fully within that world.”

I realized then that all experiences enrich our lives…

Using the Eastern philosophy of Yin and Yang, let me explain…

We tend to react with negative feelings when something Yin (negative) happens to us.

But Yin and Yang are interconnected and transform into each other, like how light shines brightest in the darkness, they coexist.

This means we can choose how we interpret events, whether as good or bad.

My old catchphrase used to be, “Why does this always happen to me?”

But after grappling with my mentor’s and the director’s words, a new perspective emerged: no experience is wasted.

Furthermore, in “Yin Yang” theory, things often start from Yin.

If you knew that Yang (positivity, light) would follow, wouldn’t you want to make the most of the Yin experience?

Thanks to this new viewpoint, my perception changed.

I began to see Yin not as bad, but as a valuable experience that expands one’s inner capacity.

It’s precisely because our capacity expands first that we can receive the Yang, tangible results and success.

If our capacity is small, Yang opportunities and experiences can feel overwhelming or crush us.

Through this realization process, I developed the “Sacred Tree Theory”.

Like a great tree withstanding any storm, we grow a trunk of our own axis and let branches and leaves of experience flourish.

It’s called a sacred tree because if you can believe there’s a sacred presence dwelling within you, you can treat yourself with care.

This is a crucial point: treating yourself as a sacred tree is a form of self coaching.

As concrete steps to nurture resilience, I practiced:

1. Journaling for deep self dialogue,
2. Walking to connect mind and body, and
3. Cultivating multiple perspectives (Fukugan Shikou) to change how I viewed things.

Throughout this process, my emotions went up and down, but each time, I recalled the Yin and Yang principle, continuing to believe that after every deep Yin (difficulty), Yang (light) would surely follow.

This very experience is the unwavering foundation upon which I now coach, empathizing with people’s pain and helping them bring out their inner radiance.

I now share this experience through my speaking engagements both in Japan and internationally.

The Coaching Style:

How do you innovate with coaching your clients?

My innovation lies in viewing speaking not as a surface level technique but as a reflection of one’s inner state.

According to what’s commonly known as Mehrabian’s Law, it is believed that 93% of the information we receive is non verbal.

I believe this non verbal communication (eye contact, facial expressions, posture, tone of voice, etc.) isn’t something to be manipulated with techniques but rather a natural manifestation of a person’s thoughts and emotions, their way of being.

Leveraging my acting background, I incorporate character development methods, creating a unique approach that builds presence and influence by aligning and integrating one’s attitude, thoughts, emotions, and body.

While acting focused on one to many communication, my restaurant experience, talking intimately with customers at each table, taught me that the essence is the same whether it’s one on one or one to many.

My coaching emphasizes not just how to speak, but delves deeper into why you feel and what you truly want to convey.

When clients connect with their inner selves, like tuning an instrument, aligning their words, emotions, and body movements, confidence and conviction arise.

In that moment, they deliver authentic, resonant performances that transcend technique.

This is what I call Performance Coaching that Embodies Your True Self.

What’s unique about your coaching approach?

The uniqueness of my coaching approach is rooted in the philosophy that “Life is a continuous series of speeches.”

While presentations might involve slides, in every aspect of our daily lives, in relationships with partners, children, or colleagues… we express ourselves through words and demeanor.

Enhancing the quality of this “expression (performance)” directly enhances the quality of life itself.

Specifically, I go beyond mere speaking techniques to focus deeply on the client’s “way of being (Being).”

Based on the idea that non verbal expression is a mirror of the soul, I help clients integrate their thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and words, allowing their natural charisma and leadership to emerge effortlessly.

It is truly performance coaching designed to unleash inner brilliance.

What benefits do your clients get after working with you?

Clients gain a wide range of benefits…

They learn to speak confidently and effectively.

Beyond that, their self esteem increases, and they learn to trust themselves deeply.

They are freed from excessive nervousness and anxiety in front of others.

Their leadership and presence improve.

They clarify and learn to communicate their true thoughts and feelings.

They release limitations and become empowered to pursue what they want.

Their relationships become smoother.

Ultimately, this leads to career advancement, business success, and overall life satisfaction.

For example, client results include:

1. A female entrepreneur, once afraid of public speaking, captivated the audience with her poised speech and presence, winning the Grand Prix in a speech contest.

2. A bodybuilder lacking confidence placed in a competition after just one session, regaining his self assurance.

3. Others have tripled their sales by transforming their presence.

These are just a few examples of the concrete results my clients achieve.

Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?

Yes, I utilize several tools.

For online sessions, I use platforms like Zoom, along with video content designed to help master public speaking and charismatic presence.

Beyond that, I incorporate tools for deepening client introspection and organizing thoughts, such as specific ‘output’ exercises and the Dialogue Journal, question sheets to reframe perspectives, and mind and body connection exercises like walking meditation and mindfulness practices that focus on physical sensations.

These tools enhance the effectiveness of the sessions and support clients in deeply engaging with their own “way of being.”

The Impact:

If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?

Life is a stage, and you are the star.

To live your true self fully, without regrets, never be afraid to express yourself!

Your voice, your experience, your very existence hold unique value.

There are things only you can do, things you can achieve precisely because you are you.

Unleash your inner radiance and share it confidently with the world.

Your expression can become someone’s hope, someone’s courage, and holds the power to make the world a better place.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?

The greatest lesson I’ve learned in life (as I touched upon in the previous question) is that “every experience has meaning and can be transformed into strength.”

Even past trauma and difficult experiences can become wisdom and strength that illuminate the future if you choose to change your perspective and learn from them.

Just as shadows make the light brighter, setbacks cultivate kindness and inner strength.

Through my own journey, I learned that it’s possible to rise from any situation and shine authentically.

That potential lies dormant within everyone.

As I told a client just yesterday, who agreed, “The most painful experiences in life can become your greatest weapons.”

It was because of my childhood trauma that I constantly sought ways to overcome it.

As a result, thanks to that traumatic experience, I can now empathize with and support my clients.

I feel truly happy to be in this work where I witness clients release their inner limitations and fears, opening the door to their potential by their own will.

It’s like flipping a coin, or how all the black pieces in Othello can turn white in an instant.

Depending on you, any event can be turned into power.

Your final thoughts?

We are all storytellers, each carrying a unique narrative called “self”.

And how we tell that story dramatically changes our lives.

My passion lies in helping each person listen to their inner voice and confidently share their story with the world through their expression.

Until now, I have dedicated myself to helping leaders and female entrepreneurs in Japan, who possess wonderful potential but hesitate to express themselves, shine further both domestically and internationally.

However, through this opportunity with this publication, my hope extends beyond Japan.

If reading this article inspires you, wherever you are, to embark on your best life through your own authentic expression, nothing would make me happier.

Where Can you Find Mayumi Ogata?

If you liked this interview and if you would love to learn how Coach Mayumi can help you to express your true self in such a powerful way so that you can change the world, get her online course here.

Feel free to explore her website and learn more about her and her services.

If you’d like to peak a glimpse into her coaching, subscribe to her YouTube channel.

You can also find her her on X, Instagram, or her Facebook account.

And if you’d like to connect more personally with her, you can do that through LinkedIn or by sending her a direct message on her Email thisisme@mayumiogata.com. It was an honor having this interview with her.