Caren Young
Portfolio career coach and team trainer in Chicago, Illinois
| Hourly rate range | $115 to $190 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | Purpose and directionLife transitionsGoal setting and accountabilityNew managersTeam performanceExecutive presence and communicationCareer changeCareer clarity and purpose |
| Works with | Professionals and Managers |
| Also coaches | Executive coach and Career coach |
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Credentials | Cornell DEI certifications; ICF ACC credential (in progress) |
| Practice | The Professional Adult |
Caren Young is the founder of The Professional Adult, a coaching and consulting practice in Chicago. She coaches people who are good at many things and want to run them as a planned portfolio career. She also trains teams. She spent over 10 years in product management at Ford, Allstate, Discover and HCSC. She uses product management frameworks in her coaching. She is also an award-winning performer who has taught on four continents.
What Caren helps with
Caren helps people who have many skills and interests and feel pushed to pick one. She also helps companies build stronger teams and new managers.
- Turning many skills into a portfolio career built on purpose
- Mapping work by income, energy, capability and risk
- Building a one-page portfolio design and 90-day roadmap
- Handling a job plus a business plus other commitments
- Career pivots in the middle of a portfolio career
- Training new managers and future managers
- Holding a room and speaking with presence
- Team coaching and working sessions for organizations
Who Caren works with
Caren works with individuals who juggle a business, a job, or several income sources and want a plan. Her one-on-one clients are ready for a dedicated space and have complex situations. She also works with organizations, HR and operations teams, DEI teams, and new managers.
How Caren works
Caren uses product management frameworks on her clients' real lives. These include discovery and framing, capacity planning, risk diversification and build-test-learn. Her six-month one-on-one program has 24 weekly sessions of 60 minutes. Months 1 to 2 cover inventory, months 3 to 4 cover allocation and risk, and months 5 to 6 cover building and rebalancing. Clients get voice memo or email support between sessions, answered within 48 business hours.
Background and qualifications
Caren spent over 10 years in product management. She led balanced teams for Ford, Allstate, Discover and HCSC, and worked with state and federal government agencies. She then ran her own consultancy for 6 years, serving agencies, corporations and large non-profits. She holds Cornell DEI certifications and is completing her ACC credential through the International Coaching Federation. She is also an award-winning performer, producer and coach who has taught on four continents. Her Command the Room training comes from that stage work.
Caren Young pricing
Programs and services
- Six-month one-on-one coaching with 24 weekly sessions
- The Full Plate, a weekly group coaching cohort of 8 to 10 people
- Free 30-minute intro conversation
- Monthly on-site team coaching and training
- Command the Room team training day
- Individual coaching for team members
Caren Young reviews
The CoachVouch take
She pairs 10+ years of product management with award-winning stage performance, and applies both to coaching.
Best for professionals with several income sources or skills who want to design a portfolio career on purpose.
Common questions
How much does Caren Young charge?
Coaching with Caren runs $115 to $190 an hour. Message Caren from this page for an exact quote.
What does Caren Young help with?
Caren Young helps with turning many skills into a portfolio career built on purpose, mapping work by income, energy, capability and risk, building a one-page portfolio design and 90-day roadmap and handling a job plus a business plus other commitments.
Is Caren Young certified?
Caren Young lists: Cornell DEI certifications; ICF ACC credential (in progress).
Does Caren Young offer group coaching?
Yes. The Full Plate is a weekly group cohort of 8 to 10 people. The next one opens in January 2027, and a waitlist is open.
How does support work between sessions with Caren?
Clients can send voice memos or email Monday through Friday. Caren answers within 48 business hours.
How do I contact Caren Young?
Send Caren a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.