Ep #238: Astrology and AI for Coaches: A Conversation with Robin Langford

Hey, this is Lindsay Dotzlaf and you are listening to Mastering Coaching Skills episode 238.

To really compete in the coaching industry, you have to be great at coaching. That’s why every week, I will be answering your questions, sharing my stories, and offering tips and advice so you can be the best at what you do. Let’s get to work.

Hey coach, I am so happy for you to be here today as usual and I cannot wait for you to hear this interview that I did with my client and my friend Robin Langford. You are going to love it. I don’t even know what else to say. We talk about so many things. Hopefully you’ll find it a little funny. Hopefully you will learn a ton and you’ll be able to keep up, not think we’re too unhinged because we do kind of jump from topic to topic, but I couldn’t help it because she just brought so much goodness and I loved the way she answered questions and we just had so much back and forth.

So I hope you love the episode, let me know what your favorite part is, and I am going to let her introduce herself. So you’re just going to hear how she talks about what she does because it’s pretty incredible. And before we dig in, I have one announcement for you. Last week on the podcast, I talked about some changes coming and one of the things that is going to be changing a little bit is the podcast, which I believe I mentioned on last week’s episode. So I have a request for you.

If you are a regular listener to this podcast and you love it, what I would love you to do is, because this podcast is staying around, don’t worry, it’s not going to be gone. I’m fairly certain it will just stay the same podcast, it’ll just have some rebranding and new episodes. And what I would love from you, because this is coming in the next couple months, maybe next few months, if you could go and rate the podcast, which hopefully, hopefully a good rating because you love it.

But what I want you to do, I want you to do something specific, not just so you rate the podcast, but because especially in Apple podcasts, I always read all the ratings. And if you go there and rate the podcast and then tell me in your rating, like leave words that tell me why you like the podcast. But also because we know there are some shifts coming, let me know what your favorite parts are and what you want me to keep and maybe answer the question. Like if I could talk about anything else, if I could add other content, if I could enrich you even more through listening as a coach, what would you love to hear on this podcast? I can’t promise that I will make all of it happen, but I am really curious to hear what you have to say.

And if you don’t want to put it in the ratings, you can also come find me on Instagram @lindsay.dotzlaf and just send me a DM. I read all of them. I love to hear what you have to say. And I’m just so curious. All right. Without further ado, let’s get to the interview.

Hello, I am so happy you’re here today. Tell everybody who you are and what you do.

Robin Langford: Hello, I am Robin Langford, also known as WickedVeracity, and I am a strategy coach. I use AI and astrology to help people who maybe don’t fit inside of any of the social boxes that people are told to fit into. I help them build better systems by design.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I love it. I’m so grateful you’re here today. We have been having a good time talking about what are we gonna talk about on this podcast because you do so many different things. I keep learning, but there’s more. You’re the only person in my life that I know who’s also allergic to onions.

Robin Langford: Same, actually. And you’re the reason that I was able to eat at an event that we were both at because most places I can’t eat anything but pastries. And there were signs that said this is onion free. And I’m like, how did they? I know, I’ve never seen that. Like most people are like, oh no, it’s fine. I’m like, but does it have onion powder? And then they’ll be like, well, yeah, but that doesn’t count. I’m like, it does when you don’t have an EpiPen nearby.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yes. Yeah, any kind of organized event that’s serving food, zero percent chance. Am I eating?

Robin Langford: I’ve had to learn. No, I can if you’re there, apparently, because. Yes. And because then it’s safe, which is lovely.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: No, we know. We can only go to events together. Anytime I see sauce, I’m like, yeah, I can’t. They’re like, there’s probably no onions. I’m like, there’s sauce. There’s onions. For sure, no way there’s no onions.

Robin Langford: I got lemon pepper shrimp in New Orleans and it had onion powder in it. And they were like, oh no, we make it here in the house. And I took one bite of it and I’m like, okay, I’m gonna have to go find medication like right now. So welcome everybody. This will be your how to keep alive, your onion health reflected.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You didn’t know this was gonna be all about onions. The last thing I’m gonna say just in case anyone’s like, wait, this is interesting, but I didn’t know people were allergic to onions. What I’ve learned is that in the U.S., we just love an onion. Like, I don’t know that they know how to really cook here without onions.

Robin Langford: I also can’t eat meat, which you know, but I’m allergic to meat. Red meat, white meat, doesn’t matter. Can’t have it. I can have seafood, no meat. I have yet to go to a vegan restaurant that can feed me anything.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Because if it doesn’t have meat, it for sure has onions.

Robin Langford: Oh, my gosh, I’m like, have y’all ever met a food that you wouldn’t put an onion in? Because let me introduce you to bread. It doesn’t have to always have onions.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I know. When I was in Italy, I just thought, I’m never gonna be able to eat anything, right? Italian food, like there’s no way. They just don’t use onions like we do. Like the red sauce there doesn’t have onions in it. Unless it’s a specific kind and then it will say, it lists it like an ingredient, like you would like mushrooms and they don’t really use like powders at all. It’s like, everything is just fresh. I mean, it’s…

Robin Langford: Your travel destination unlocked.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I’ve never had an easier time eating. And meat would be super easy because there’s not meat in a lot of their stuff.

Robin Langford: That’s exciting. And so now I know where else I need to go. That’s fantastic.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yep. Everybody needs to go to Italy. It’s incredible. But specifically, if you happen to be allergic to alliums, are you allergic to all alliums?

Robin Langford: So, my immunologist says that I shouldn’t eat any of them. And I say, you can have my garlic when it makes me sick.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Okay.

Robin Langford: Because or according to my daughter, it’s because it’s repeated exposure makes you more sensitive. I’m like, fine. Well, when I can’t have it, then I’ll stop. Not yet. I can have shallots too, but not green onions and not leeks. It’s interesting.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Okay. Let’s move on. This was very indulgent, but I love it. I never get to talk to anyone about onions. It’s so fun. So here’s my first question. I’ve been curious about this. I’ve never asked you in all of our conversations. How did you get into astrology? Like when did that come into your life?

Robin Langford: You were joking earlier before we started about you were going to ask about the time that I was two, but I’ve actually been into astrology for as long as I can remember. And it was probably like New Age astrology was around in my house, but I don’t know how many of your listeners will be old enough to remember when there used to be these machines and stores that you could put quarters in and you could, they’re like a gumball machine, would pop out little scrolls of astrology stuff, and that’s how I would spend my little third-grade money.

And then I studied modern astrology pretty much my whole life. And about 2017, I got introduced to traditional Hellenistic astrology. And that’s right before then I was about to give up on astrology because my systems brain couldn’t make it work. Because in modern astrology, signs equal houses equals planets, and that’s the stupidest framework ever. It just doesn’t work, like you can’t do that with any kind of language and it actually function properly. And there weren’t textbooks then.

When I first learned traditional astrology, you had to find somebody who knew it and could teach you. I just got really lucky and found somebody. And now there are books that you can buy. And then a few years ago, I found another teacher who is translating the original medieval Arabic into English, and he’s an Arabic speaker. And so having a native speaker translate language, who has also studied astrology is really extraordinary and rare. And then that’s how I got into medieval Arabic astrology, which is one of the, where a lot of my techniques now comes from.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I’m so fascinated by this. I’m so glad I asked that first, because I was going to ask you, how long have you been a coach? How did you get into it? Which I’m gonna go there next. But I just had a feeling I needed to ask that first. Cause I just knew like that, obviously that had to have come first.

Robin Langford: Well, kind of, because, so how did I become a coach is the next one, right? I would say I have always been a coach. People have always come to me and asked me like, what should I do about this? Or how can I get over this? Or because my mindset has, anybody who’s familiar with LCS, my mindset has always worked exactly like that. And I had found Brooke probably right before COVID. And it was the first time I’d ever heard anybody explain the world the way that I explained it, but she did a better job.

So she had a better way, a simpler way. I say that the Model is still the most elegant form and simplest form of stoicism that I’ve ever seen because I also studied philosophy and history and it was just elegant. And so I got certified and I didn’t even go to become a life coach. I just wanted to be able to explain what I do to people, for people better and faster so they’d lead me along. And so, and then I got the certification and I was like, well, I mean, maybe I could coach but I didn’t know what I would coach on.

And I also never sold astrology readings. I only did it for myself just because I wanted to know how it worked. And people in my life would be like, but will you do it for me? And I’m like, yeah, I guess. And so that happened so often that I was eventually in a mastermind. I’ve been self-employed since 20, well, I guess technically since 2007, but I became a single mom in 2015. And so I had to get a little more serious about it. And people were always telling me should do consulting. And in a business mastermind, there was a coach from LCS who was also in that mastermind. And I did just a free reading for her just because it’s something I do. And she’s like, um, why aren’t you charging people for it? And I was like, I don’t know. Think I should?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: What do you mean? Yeah, like.

Robin Langford: Yes, I think you should. And so I started charging people for it and I started coaching because people wanted more of it after you get a reading with me sometimes, you can be a little addicted. I have a tendency to convert non-believers. And y’all can’t see Lindsay, but she’s nodding her head and I appreciate that. And yeah, that’s how I transitioned.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: It’s so funny, everything you say, we just have so many similarities, it blows my mind. But I also have been an entrepreneur since about 2007, of course, right at the exact same time. But I don’t know how to say this. I just might be a little messy, but you just feel to me like you’re always a student. Does that feel true for you?

Robin Langford: That is 100% true.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: But you also, this is the part I think is so interesting. I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone who carries such strong student and expert energy at the same time.

Robin Langford: Well, I have a membership and in there, they’re so sweet to me. They’re like, how do you know so much? I’m like, y’all, I’m like high school level. That’s where I feel like I’m at. And I think that’s probably what it is because I recognize how much I don’t know. And so I definitely know what I know, but there’s still so much more for me to learn that, I mean, I can teach you at my level, but I’m always gonna be trying to get my PhD in a number of random, not actual PhD, but you know, I’m always gonna be trying to learn more.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: And what’s maybe even more interesting about that is that we kind of had a brief conversation where you told me you weren’t a great student.

Robin Langford: It’s not necessarily because I’m not good at academic work. It’s because I am, so that’s, I’m autistic. Some of them probably don’t know that about me, I just realized that. I’m autistic, I also have a learning disability that was undiagnosed until I was in college. And because of that, in the small school system that I grew up in. If you weren’t in all honors classes, you couldn’t be in any honors classes. And even though it was undiagnosed, it was very evident that I could not be in honors math. And so they took me out of all my honors classes and I was bored. And I’m a menace. I’m a menace if I’m bored. It’s not good.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I was going to say, I could see you also not loving maybe some of the structure or like arbitrary rules of traditional school.

Robin Langford: Stories about the teachers that I made cry because they were bad teachers and they made the mistake of asking me why I was getting transferred out of their class. I probably shouldn’t have asked that question.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: All you needed, it’s so fascinating, right, just to like think about your love of learning now, like all you needed was something to learn, to focus on, to like be obsessed with.

Robin Langford: Oh, I did that on my own, I just wasn’t in school. It’s because I was a voracious reader, I still am. I mean, I used to read one book at least a day and that was most of my life. That’s also what I think made me a good teacher is because I could recognize I’m really good at finding accommodations. One of the things I talk about now, because I work with a lot of neurodivergent people, and so with them, I’m really good at helping them find accommodations to make life work for them. And that comes from me having horrible, horrible, horrible teachers as a child and having to figure it out for myself. So it worked out.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah. I can see that. Your students were the luckiest. You taught middle school, you said.

Robin Langford: And did. I taught eighth grade American history primarily, but I also taught government and art and sign language. And for a little while, when I first started teaching, it was very much Little House on the Prairie kind of school thing, where it was grades nine through 12, and I taught every subject. Oh, and they were all juvenile delinquents. It was a lot of fun.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but my first major was, well, it was geology, but I was going to be an earth space science teacher until I got to the part where I like went to the classroom. And then I was like, absolutely not. And then I got to the part where they told me how much I was going to make. And I was like, yeah, yeah, none of this is for me. Thank you.

Robin Langford: Yeah. I didn’t even know because I live in a very small town. I didn’t even know people could make more than what teachers made. Like I didn’t. I didn’t really. And even when I first became an entrepreneur, my goal was just to replace my teaching money, which I made twenty $25,000 a year as a first year teacher. And once I had my master’s degree, I never, I had a master’s degree. I was the chair of the department, the grade level. I ran the union for my school. I did all of the scheduling for the school for the big block schedule for all of the teachers and the individual students. I taught and I did summer remediation, all of that. And I still made less than 50 grand a year.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Were you burnt out or was this like, you could do this on your own? Your capacity is pretty extraordinary.

Robin Langford: Yeah. I mean, I was also getting a graduate degree and when I wasn’t doing the graduate degree, I was teaching GED classes. But like with all of that, I never made more than $50,000 a year. And so once I was like, oh, I’m going to do this. I have two kids and I have to, I have to find something that’s not bad to go back to. So when I got divorced, I was like, I’ll figure something else out. That’s another part of how I became a coach.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I can’t believe teachers don’t make way more than they do. Luckily for me, because I would have been miserable making twenty five or thirty thousand dollars a year. I would have learned that pretty quickly. And I was waiting tables at the time and I was like, I make over twice this waiting tables. know what I’m just gonna what take a pay cut to like get this degree and and I know now that was not my path.

Robin Langford: Like I and so y’all can’t see my face but I don’t know if I can think of something that I would enjoy less than having to interact with people waiting tables because that’s so much.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: People waiting tables yeah oh I loved it loved it and I was really good at it so I made a lot of money.

Robin Langford: Like you want to talk about burnt out like I did all of that and I was fine mostly one night in a restaurant with all the people eating near me, I would, I’m not going to say because it’s probably a family-friendly show, but I would have done other types of, the oldest profession, I would have done that first before I would have continued to be around people eating all the time.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Luckily, the restaurant noise does drown out any mouth or chewing sounds. That could have been a deal breaker for me, but it wasn’t. I was fine. I didn’t notice it. Or maybe I was just so distracted with like running all over the place. But I’ve never considered this, but you, so I knew that you were a teacher and I know that you do not like to people. How did that go? Like, are you fine peopling around younger kids or like in that role? Or was it just really painful for you all the time?

Robin Langford: There was always sensory overwhelm. Like I can look back now and I can see it pretty much. There’s very little that’s gonna ever stop me because of whatever, like the way that I’m made, right? But I used to tell them you left the democracy at the door and you just entered a monarchy and you will do exactly what I say. You will always do exactly what I say. I will hate you all equally. There will be no favorites. And they loved it because I’m super fair because I was very clear about what my rules were. There was never any favoritism. And my little angels would go out and scare the underclassmen for me like a few months before the end of the school year. So my reputation preceded me.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Of the people coming in here. I loved teachers like that. They were like a little scary. They were always my favorite. I was like, I’m here for this.

Robin Langford: I mean, I would keep the classroom quiet. They could actually do their work. And because I had very clear expectations, they could pass my class, even though I require them to do work. Any place that I’m in control of the structure is going to be easy for me because I create really great structure.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: And you already said you were so good at helping them find accommodation. So like that was also happening, not just ruling with like, and I don’t care if this is hard for you, just sit there and be quiet, but like actual helping them, which is incredible.

Robin Langford: I mean, they had to be quiet because I have noise issues, but like my ADHD kids who needed to fidget, that was, you know, we’d get them fidgets or if they needed to lay on the floor to be able to do the work, they could lay on the floor. So they just had to be quiet. I’d let them sleep if they could get an A with sleeping. I was like, sure. But you had to get an A on every test.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I love that. You’re just so interesting. I’m like, I could go down this path, this path, this path. I have so many questions. Okay. So I didn’t actually realize you haven’t been coaching or selling coaching for very long.

Robin Langford: A couple of years.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Okay. Do you love it?

Robin Langford: I love it. Oh my God. I love it. It’s the best thing ever. I love my clients. I love seeing how free, but like when people don’t know that and they suddenly realize that thoughts are optional, that’s fantastic for me. And then when they start using astrology so that they just because you can’t work with me and not pick up astrology, I just don’t even think it’s possible.

But when they realize that certain transits really, they can start predicting it pretty quickly once they are with me for any amount of time. And they’re just like, oh, I’m just not going to schedule this super hard thing on this day that I know is probably going to be harder. Right. And they start doing the prediction and I get to see that light bulb moment, which is a teacher thing, I guess. When they start being able to do it for themselves, it is delightful. I love it. Or when they’re like, I’m going to start using astrology with my clients. I’m like, yes, you are. Go. Go forth. Do it.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah. I couldn’t agree more about that. Just the moment of them like, wait, what? Where you can just see it kind of overcome them in a way that you just know they’re like a changed human moving forward. Yes.

Robin Langford: Or when they’re like, wait, you mean that what I think my partner thinks about me might not be true. Yes, that’s what I think. But they start doing it on their own. Yeah, no, I love coaching. I love it. And that’s like what I was saying before is like Brooke showed me how to do it better, what I was already doing. And then I realized I could just get paid for what I’d done for free for my entire life. I was like, I am in. so bad.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I feel that. Okay, Robin is in my Reimagined mastermind. And we’re going to talk about that in a second. But…

Robin Langford: Like already.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You offered me a reading that I took you up on. And it was incredible, blew my mind. And I’ll just set this up for the listeners so they kind of know my thoughts going in. You messaged me and said something like something about me being skeptical. And I replied and I was like, I’m not skeptical. I don’t, I’m more like, I don’t know. I don’t know what I don’t know, I’m very open. So like, let’s see, let’s see where it goes.

But I was very intrigued and I was so excited that you offered it to me. And y’all, it changed my life. Like what, it blew my mind. I don’t even know what else to say about it besides it changed my mind. I just thought of this just now. So it’s gonna put you on the spot a little bit. And if you don’t have an answer, that’s okay. But some of the people listening right now, this is episode like 239 or something like that. So that’s a lot of episodes. Some people have listened to all of them. Tell them something about me that you learned in my reading that might surprise them. Can you do that?

Robin Langford: Probably, I’m pulling up your chart in my head right now. Well, I don’t know if it’ll surprise anybody who’s like, if they listen to 230 episodes and it surprises them, I’m a little disappointed. But like you seem so warm and fuzzy because of certain placements in your chart, but you have the strategic mind of, you have the general patent placement is what I call it. But what I mean by that is it is very strategic and very analytical and detail-oriented and not in an annoying, pretentious way, but in a, I’m gonna see the problem, I’m gonna figure out a plan for the problem and attack the problem and annihilate the problem. And then I will dominate it from there. Do you think that would surprise them or do you think they would already know that?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I do agree. Yeah, you told me, you said similar words in my reading and it was like, ooh, yeah, I can feel that. Cause I’ve always had this kind of like a, like the warm fuzzy isn’t fake, that is who I am. And it sometimes feels very, like I can be two different people or, like, there are two people inside of me, like, are fighting about, like, which which one wants to come out.

Robin Langford: It’s and it’s probably different in different areas of your life because it’s those the the things that are causing I don’t I don’t know how comfortable you are with people knowing your chart place. That’s just why I’m the one. But I don’t know. Like, you always I’ve heard interviews with you before where it’s like you’re the quiet one. And I guess I’d I don’t know if that would be surprising to them. That’s the only thing I’m not sure about. Like, I know I’m right. I just I don’t know about surprising.

I’m gonna pull up your chart. Is that okay if I do that? Because I was just gonna do it with my memory. Okay.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Of course. It’s so interesting anytime someone is like, oh, you seem I always thought you were, like, pretty quiet. That always surprises me, but I think it’s because the way I experience it isn’t that I’m being quiet. I’m just, like, being thoughtful. Like, I’m really thinking on whatever it is that’s that’s happening, not, like, being shy or being, you know, reserved, more just observing.

Robin Langford: I mean, I get told I’m intimidating a lot, and I also get told that I’m the most comforting person that anybody knows. It’s like, well, which one is it? And they’re like, both. I’m like, okay. But most people are surprised that I am not as much of a librarian as they initially think that I am if they have only had superficial interactions with me. I’m looking at all of the placements and thinking surprising. So do we think that that would have surprised them or do I need something more surprising?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I mean, we can leave it at that unless there’s something else that you want to share.

Robin Langford: I think you’re probably also more adventurous than most people think you are.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Oh, yeah. That’s probably true.

Robin Langford: Like a lot more and in a delightful, like seeking kind of way. You seem very serious and I think you’re very calm, but you would be a lot of fun to travel with or which, I mean, I know you just said the Italy thing, but I mean like delightfully joyful kind of vibe when you’re not in work mode. And it would be very distinct between work mode and I’m gonna play. And I think that the playful side of you would take probably your audience by surprise if they’ve never seen it.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: That is probably true because I am very playful, and I am very on or off when it comes to work. And even when I was in Italy, I was with some colleagues, a few other coaches, and some of them were, like, working by the pool or whatever, you know, and it’ll be like, oh, do you wanna oh, look at this thing I’m doing, and it was like, no. I absolutely don’t wanna look at that. I am just sitting here trying to, you know, do whatever it is I was doing. But, yeah, I think I’m pretty fun.

Robin Langford: Yes, I agree. I agree.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Thank you. That’s fun. I like that. There’s also and I told you this. I think it was either in the reading or maybe after I said, there’s something about the way you talk about it too, which feels very more like science, more like facts.

Robin Langford: Because it is science. Yeah. Yeah.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Well Yeah. But you could probably acknowledge that some people, the way they talk about it, it doesn’t feel like they’re talking about science.

Robin Langford: Okay. So for everybody who doesn’t know, I can be offensive, and I’m not sorry. If y’all wanna complain about what I’m about to say, send it to me, not to Lindsay. It’s not her opinion. It’s my opinion. But modern astrology is very fluffy, very woo, very intuitive, very psychological, and that has a place, but it’s not what I do. And I don’t think it’s the best use of astrology. And so I think that’s what you’re talking about.

Astrology was originally reserved for kings, like, the most strategic part, and that’s for a reason. It’s because it is one of the hardest things, and that’s probably why I’m still interested in it. It’s one of the hardest and most in-depth subjects I’ve ever researched. And for reference, like, for fun, I read theoretical physics. So it’s not like I can’t do the math part because I do have a learning disability. So, like, if I had to do the really hard calculations for some of the parts of fortune or the various lots, I it’s harder for me, but the mechanism itself is elegant and intricate in a way that makes it so hard to master. And every little bit of it that you get can give you more and more detail about every topic. And so when people limit it to memes or like your sun sign or whatever, I’m like, oh, that’s just not what I do. And so I definitely talk about it in more of a scientific nerd kind of way.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Mm hmm. It’s so good. But if you’re listening, it blew my mind. I don’t even know. It’s like I don’t even have the words to say it, how mind blown I was after the reading. If you ever have a chance to have a reading with Robin, you should definitely do it. So you’re in Reimagine Mastermind, which as when this episode comes out, we will be either launching it or it will be about to launch. And I’m just curious, what made you want to join?

Robin Langford: I realized that one of my largest issues, like I know I’m good at what I do. I know I’m a great I know I’m a great coach. I know I’m great at astrology. I know I’m good at what I do. And I have visibility issues where I don’t talk about myself. And I realized because of some transits that are coming up that are actually set to go, like they’re starting next month actually, I needed to get over that.

And your sales page, when I looked at it, because you post, I think I saw it on Instagram, maybe. It might’ve been an e-mail, I’m not sure. But I saw the sales page And it was like exactly the thing that I was thinking that I needed to do. And I have never worked with you. We had only ever spoken for maybe a total combined 10 minutes ever. And I think you said I was bought so fast that you were like, what just happened?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yes, that is true. I think you were the first person to buy an app and immediately pretty much. And I was like, whoa, wait, someone just, wait, what? Who is that?

Robin Langford: Why are they buying? Have I talked to them?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah. Or maybe you applied right away because I think then we I don’t remember exactly how we did it last time. It’s been a little bit. We’re changing it for this launch, but maybe you just applied right away. And then I think I offered a call maybe and you were like, nah. And I just said the link and you paid immediately and I was like, OK.

Robin Langford: Well, yeah, I think it’s. Yeah. I was just like, no, that’s what I need to do. Sometimes I just I don’t know. I don’t really have a better explanation other than it was reimagined like was what I needed to do. And it’s funny, y’all, it’s her fault when you can’t book a session with me, because one of the things I’ve reimagined is how my sessions are going to be. And so the kind of session that I did with you probably won’t even be available in 2026.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You don’t have time.

Robin Langford: Well, that’s not even going to be my offer, because you already know what’s coming, I think, a little bit. And it’s going to be good. It’ll be a different offer. It’ll just be very different, because I don’t know how to talk about it. And that’s one of the things, I know you didn’t ask what have I learned and reimagined, but I realized how bad I was at even articulating what I do between the questions you would ask or some of the things that have happened in the mastermind.

Me thinking that it was super clear, like obviously this is what I do, and y’all being like, wait, what? That actually sounds really interesting. Why don’t you ever talk about it like that? I’m like, I thought I did, but apparently I don’t. Anyway, so that has been very useful. And you create structures. I don’t wanna give away the program. You create structures within Reimagine that encourage data collection or like and constrained purpose, I guess is how I’ll say it.

And as a result of that, instead of being active on literally zero social media platforms, I’m now active on Substack, LinkedIn, Threads and occasionally posting stories still on Instagram. So, going from nothing to all of the platforms and talking about it in a much more coherent way to talk to the people who like the strategy part. And that’s because of reimagining. So, yeah, I joined because I needed to reimagine the way I was showing up in the world.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: And you’re so fun to work with. I love the way your brain works because you immediately were like, yep, I see it. Okay, here’s what I’m gonna do. And with you, especially, because you’re a bit of a, I don’t even think overachiever is the right word. I think it’s just like your capacity is so high. You’re like, I’m not gonna do, start one new thing. I’m gonna start five at a time. And you kept asking me like, what do you think? I’m like, yeah, get it, go for it. That sounds great. And my thought at the time was like, and then we’re just gonna watch and see, like, is this gonna, is it too much? I don’t know, I can’t answer that, right? I’m not gonna say, no, the rule is pick one thing and like go with it, that’s not for me to decide. And it’s really fun watching you.

Robin Langford: So I was gonna bring you back to something else as a teacher that I really appreciate is that you don’t ever try to make everybody follow the same learning style. Like you never do it.

And I see coaches and not even just coaches, but like what I did before I was a coach was I created online programs for other people in various industries because my graduate degree is a curriculum in instructional design. And so before I was doing that, I was literally creating programs for other people, their structures, right? So I just see it over and over again that people only teach the way that they know how to learn. And no, you don’t do that. That’s the thing that I love. Like I’ve watched you in real time figure out how the people needed to hear what you were trying to say and shifting it until they got it. And I think that’s rare and impressive. And one of the things that I love in anybody who’s gonna try to teach somebody something, but it doesn’t happen a lot.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I love that, thank you. Yeah, I think I’m really realizing over the last year maybe that that really is almost like the backbone of my whole brand. And like what I do is whether it’s in coaching style, in building a business, in anything, my main objective always is to help someone figure out what their way is, not to do, and I can’t, if I was paid every time I said like, don’t just do it like me, like let’s figure out what your thing is, I probably would be making more money maybe. But I just feel like I’m saying that all the time, right? Because I just think it’s so important, especially as an entrepreneur. It’s like, you’re here because you wanna do what you wanna do. But like, let’s figure out what that is. Let’s figure out your way.

Robin Langford: And so that’s why I use astrology, right? Because people wanna always try to fit it into somebody else’s mold. I’m like, okay, but that’s not even how you’re set up to work. Like, why are you doing that? Wouldn’t this feel better? But I can’t do it that way. I’m like, it’s literally how you were designed to do it. So how about we just do that instead? But what you’re talking about in education circles, it’s called individualized education, right? And it’s like, that’s what you do, but in coaching is individualized coaching, which it seems like that’s what everybody would be doing, but it’s not. I mean, it really isn’t, because I’ve watched enough people coach that it’s not that they’re even attached to the outcome, it’s just that they can only do it one way.

And if you try to break outside of that box, then the coaching kind of falls. And I’ve never seen that happen with you. It doesn’t even matter what people bring to you. Which brings me to another thing that I appreciate because it’s something I can’t do at all. Like I can do that. That part I can also do, and so I love to see other people do it. But the other thing that you’re really good at that I suck at, so y’all don’t ever come to me for this, is emotional processing, because I just don’t understand it. And because I’m Autistic and I also have alexithymia and problems with interoception, which just means it’s hard for me to feel things in my body, including emotions, like, I don’t even know what to do with people when they’re just-.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Having big feels come up.

Robin Langford: Yes, yeah, y’all can’t see my face, I’m buffering. I like, I really don’t know what to do.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I love it, you’re like, I actually don’t even know how to say it.

Robin Langford: I’m like, oh, like, that’s not a rational reason why. But you do, and then, so that’s, I do see a lot of coaches can do that, but then you don’t try to make me feel my feelings, which is why people fail epically when they try to coach me. They’re like, oh, but you’re really feeling shame right now. I’m like, no, I don’t feel shame.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Definitely not.

Robin Langford: Oh, but you’re letting fear, I’m like, no, also not afraid.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah, that’s so interesting. I’ve never heard it described that way. I would say that’s something I know I’m pretty good at is knowing this person needs this, this person needs this. And I can’t stand it when I have been coached in that way. And so it took that happening a couple times for me to be like, oh yeah, I will never be the coach that tries to tell someone how they’re feeling or even tell someone you need to process this whatever thing, I’m like, that is 100% a client call, right? Like that is never my thing to say how someone’s feeling or, or even guess unless that’s a, you know, every once in a while I’ll have a client who’s like, I don’t like they’re having a hard time describing it. So I might say, you know, if it were me, it might feel like it might be this or it might be this and help them like hone in on it, but never in a way that I’m like, it’s obviously this.

Robin Langford: Yeah, I mean, I have a dictionary for actions that tell me what emotion I’m feeling. I’m really good at helping people do that. I honestly, sometimes I just watch just to learn how you’re doing it and so that I can get better at it. That’s one of the things that’s been really useful for me is the student thing, right? Like you need to figure out how she does that.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I just think there’s so much of coaching that is like one of our main jobs as coaches is to help someone be more of themselves, not be someone else or like change or right like they might change results that they’re creating in their life, they might change things about their life but to like be an actual different human, I just don’t think that’s the goal.

Robin Langford: No, just to be the best them that they can be and by whatever definition that is for them and to be clear for anybody who’s listening, I don’t mind people crying, I just don’t know what to do with it. So that’s been interesting.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: We have a month or two left. Are we going to throw dating in there? Because this it’s still on my list.

Robin Langford: Oh, what about it?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You said they could reimagine their whole business and their life. And so I’m just like, what’s on the table.

Robin Langford: Right. Yeah. So one of the things that I’ve said is that I haven’t made dating a priority because I just have chosen to not expend any mental resources in that direction. But I would like to be dating. And if you want to just send me eligible bachelors, y’all, yes, go for it. I mean, I can give you my requirements. Speck it out like a farm.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Let’s hear them.

Robin Langford: Okay. So single always a great place to start.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yes.

Robin Langford: It has to be said, unfortunately. Yeah. You know, plus IQ of 130 plus would be ideal. Not needy or clingy and smart and interesting are really my main.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: If I were in the market to date, interesting would be high on my list.

Robin Langford: It’s literally why I got married the first time. They’re like, why did you marry him? Cause he’s interesting. That’s not a reason. And I’m like, I think it is. I think it is. Cause I get bored very easily. So I have re- I actually have re-imagined what that looks like and cut off relationships that weren’t gonna send me in the new path direction that I wanted to go. And I have become more open to organic marketing in that area.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: And as for dating, organic marketing and dating.

Robin Langford: Okay. Yeah, organic marketing and dating as opposed to paid marketing, which I would consider apps.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Okay, yeah.

Robin Langford: If this is me like switching over to astrology mode, I actually think that the visibility that you’ve helped me begin to cultivate, social media will probably have the end result of also helping me in that area. That’s what the astrology looks like to me.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: That’s so fun.

Robin Langford: Yeah.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I love this. Okay. In the beginning, you told them kind of what, like the work you do, but tell them about your offers. You have a membership.

Robin Langford: I do, The Crusade. I teach astrology in it, but I use astrology and thought work. I teach people sensory things because the one thing, if I had to critique the Life Coach School, is that they don’t ever consider fate and they don’t ever consider sensory stuff in any of the stuff they teach, so it’s all thoughts. And I have just seen over and over again that fate will mess with you regardless of your thoughts, and then it becomes a circumstance, which I guess they kind of teach.

And you could put sensory issues into the circumstance as well, but if you’re not talking about it, you don’t know to. And so sensory issues are very common in people who find my work interesting, and they don’t even know how much it’s impacting them. So I have modules in there for that. Those are the three things that I tend to do in there the most. And then I work with people one-on-one for six months at a time. You’d have to tell me you want that mostly because I don’t ever sell it unless you’re like, how do I keep working with you? That’s a thing. But can I tell them like what you’ve done for me? Can I tell them? Okay.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Of course. You mean what you’re creating? What you’ve been creating?

Robin Langford: Yeah.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yes, please.

Robin Langford: So, one of the things that I did in Reimagine was I did a, would we call it a workshop on anything?

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Mm-hmm. Sure. Yeah. Or like a… You filled in, like you, when I had surgery, you came in and taught one of the, yeah, like taught a workshop during my recovery.

Robin Langford: Yeah. On AI and I love using it. I use it all the time. I’ve been using it for years. All of my clients, I’ve taught the things that I, you know, things here and there. And as a result of that workshop, several of the people told me that it was, I mean, not exact words. Well, maybe one of them was, it was life changing. Like they hadn’t looked at AI quite that way before or it had been scary or whatever. And from that, I realized I wanted to do a couple of things and now I’m gonna be… surprise! I’m gonna be launching an AI membership as well.

So I’m gonna have two memberships. If all the coaches listening are gonna be like, wait, what? She has how many offers that do what kind of topics? But I love them and it’s fun for me. And it’s kind of a superpower to be able to teach. The two offers don’t go together. And so you helped me re-imagine that part too, that I can have both and it’s not crazy. And I’m super excited about that.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I am super excited. I cannot wait to see it be born into the world. It feels like, this is one of my favorite parts. There are so many favorite parts about coaching, but just like watching brilliance be born into the world is so fun for me. And that’s what this feels like.

Robin Langford: I am so excited. Like, I love that I get to nerd out all the time. I tell my Crusaders, I’m just like, I love them so much. And so many of them have become friends and like a little family. And I love how much I’ve seen them, their lives improve with astrology, but not all of them are into AI, right? And I want to create that same kind of community around AI for people who really want to use it in a very strategic, because I use astrology in a very strategic way. I’m very analytical, but it’s also fun, right? Like, and I want those spaces to exist, but I don’t know if any other coach would have been like, for sure you can have two memberships. I mean, you didn’t just say that. Like, you asked questions.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I asked some questions, I’m sure. Like, I’m sure, but I have questions, I’m sure, with kind of how it went.

Robin Langford: The questions you asked were to make sure that I had the capacity for it, in my opinion, and that I wasn’t buffering with a new project to get out of the old project. And then you’re like, yes.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You described it to me in a way that I was like, yeah, makes sense to me. Let’s try it. Let’s go.

Robin Langford: Yeah. So that’s an excellent thing. That’s an excellent thing. And I have a few other big, big things that are too top secret, but I think you’re excited about those too.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I definitely am. Yes. Your business is really fun. I mean, I find a lot of businesses very fun. I love to like really be in on a business, like know all the things about it and yours just happens to be one of them. That’s fun for me.

And I’ve learned so much from you just having you in there and having you talk about the things that you talk about. And then you were surprised when I told you like, oh yeah, I’m actually pretty good at AI. I’ve been using it all the time. And so it’s been really fun to nerd out with you around AI. And I already told you before this interview that we’re probably gonna have to just do another one too, because we should probably do one where we’re just nerding out about AI and people can hear the way we think about it and talk about it and all the things.

Cause I actually haven’t really talked about it much on the podcast. I have some plans for some episodes that I’m thinking up, but I think it could be really fun for us to just like, have kind of a conversation between the two of us about it and how we use it and all the things.

Robin Langford: Yes. Oh my gosh. Cause people tend to be scared of it or they vilify it. And they’re like, it’s going to take blah, blah, blah. Like you have not worked with AI or you would not think that it is going to easily take all the artists’ and writers’ jobs, I promise you. That is not what’s going to happen.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I have a theory, which I think I’ve shared with you that I have never said here on the podcast, but I’ll say it just in case anyone does think that this might like ease their fear, maybe at least a little bit, that I think it’s incredible because I think it allows humans to have more capacity for bigger, more amazing things, especially when it comes to stuff like art, music, like all the things that we, as humans, are really can be very gifted at when we give ourselves the time and space to do it.

That’s at least my experience of using AI is like, oh, it just really helps facilitate that piece of my brain that really takes a lot more energy and focus. And when I can use it in a way that’s like kind of like a thought partner and it allows me to do some of those things a little faster or move a little faster. In some ways, I hesitate to say that because I think there’s like a beginning stage where you actually don’t, if you’re doing it right, I’m gonna say, you don’t really feel like you’re moving faster, but then it becomes this kind of engine that’s like just driving if you want it to, and then you just have the capacity for so much more. That’s how I look at it.

Robin Langford: 100%. What I tell people is it’ll make you better at whatever you’re already great at, and it’ll make you look dumber at anything you’re already done at. Because you’re not going to know when it’s telling you lies. You’re going to have no idea. And I mean, because people try to do astrology on AI and I can do it, but I’m also an expert. And I do it all the time. But I also have to go back and be like, hey, what were we smoking when we said that? How about we don’t? And then my AI will be like, I’m so sorry. You’re right. I was blah, blah, blah. I’m like, I know. We don’t talk about astrology like that, do we? I gentle parent my AI.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah, you do have to know enough. It is interesting. Like you think, even I thought this in the very beginning when I first started using it, right? It was like, I would use it to like, help me with a task or whatever. But then I never loved the output. And so then I had to take a step back and be like, OK, wait, if I am going to use this, like I have to really figure out how to use it in a way that only enhances my work, never makes it feel like I’m using shortcuts or using it to just like write a quick e-mail or whatever.

And that has been my journey. But there are times where it’s like I have to know enough to be like, actually, this thing that you’re telling me, I don’t think you’re right. Or you’ve left out part of it or, you know, whatever. I have to be able to correct it, which I don’t think a lot of people realize that.

Robin Langford: That’s the thing, right? It’s sort of like art. I’m really good at AI art.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: She is. I’ve seen it. It’s amazing.

Robin Langford: I really am. And it’s not a quick process. It’s not like I see it in my head and it makes it, right? Sometimes I have to go back and forth with it for days to get the actual thing that I want. Is it worth it? Yes. Could I have made it by myself? Probably in weeks or months. So if it only takes me days, that’s still giving me so much more freedom and time than I would have ever had before. And if you don’t know the art terms and you don’t have any kind of ability with design, you’re not going to be able to do that. So graphic artists who are using it are, oh my gosh, they blow my mind. I’m just like, oh, that’s so good. I’m not at that level, but I’m definitely at a it’s usable for me level.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Yeah. And you still have to use because I’ve seen the way you’ve showed me some of your prompts and stuff that you’ve used when you’ve created some of it. I’m sure I’ve only seen like 0.1% of all the things that you’ve done. But you still have to have that like artist creative mind. It’s not like you can just go to it and and now you’re an amazing artist because you tell it I want a picture of this and this and it creates like a masterpiece. Trust me, I tried.

Robin Langford: But see, and that’s the thing though, right? But like, and also, you can still get super cool results knowing nothing, which is so much fun, but it’s not going to replace the entire design world. Like you’re just going to have fun with it. You’re not about to go land a campaign with some famous brand whose name I don’t know. But I love that. And I love that you can learn more while you’re doing. And so I also use AI because as you said, perpetual student, I’ll be like, I need to know who the best in this industry is.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I use it this way too.

Robin Langford: Yeah. And then I’ll go research like where I need to research and ask the questions. And it helps me just shrink the amount of time between starting something and stopping and being done with it. And that’s yes, we should definitely do a whole podcast, like maybe just like an eight hour one.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I know. Maybe. Yeah. Yeah. I use it for so many creative things, too. I’ve been really into poetry lately. And so I was like, you know, kind of I hear some poets that I love tell me more to like follow to find so whatever. Those are some of my favorite things because it’s like, it can steer you if you kind of tell it, here’s the direction that I’m wanting to go, you know, and then you can say, like, include more women or, you know, whatever, like, you can just give it prompts that it just feels like it expands my world.

Robin Langford: You’re so much nicer. The book that that I just recommended in the mastermind that, whose name I can’t remember, but the culture one, I had very specific things that I was looking for. And for those of you who aren’t using AI, like it defaults to whatever the cultural default is, right? And so I was getting a bunch of middle-aged white men who were average book recommendations. And I was like, okay, how about none of those? And you give me something else. And then it gave me a decent list, right? Because it started with whatever the common denominator is. And then you have to sort of push back. And I got the best book recommendation that I have since been recommending to everybody because it’s so good.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: And the culture one, we should tell them, do you know the name of it? Do you remember? We can put it in the show notes too. I just know. I already know right now, if we don’t say the name, people are gonna be like, what’s the book? I need to know.

Robin Langford: For the Culture. It’s the name of the book. And it’s by Marcus Collins.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: You and I are the same person again, because you’ve told me that name at least 12 times and you just said it just now. And I’m like, I still don’t recognize it. So that’s fine.

Robin Langford: Bet you recognize the picture.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Oh, for sure. I could have drawn it without even seeing the picture again.

Robin Langford: Yeah, you’re a visual. You’re a visual thinker. So I’m the same way. People’s names. I’m like, who are you? I have to look at people’s names on Zoom. I love it. It’s like people wearing name tags now all the time.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Totally agree. I could not agree more. I will, once I know your face, I will never forget it. If you bagged my groceries 20 years ago and I see you downtown New York in a different state, different time and place, I’ll be like, oh, that’s the person who, my husband will be like, what? How do you know that? I’m like, I don’t know. I just, there’s a catalog in there and it just files them away. But when it comes to a name, once I know it, done. Like, I’ll remember it, but there’s just.

Robin Langford: That’s definitely where we’re different. Faces, not so much. So I will have people in my hometown that will be like, hey, Robin, or hey, Ms. Lankford. And the only way I will know if I taught them or went to school is by the way they address me.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: All right. I feel like we could keep going for hours. So I think we’re just going to have to cut this off and just know that it’s okay if you’re listening and you’re like, wait, say more about the AI stuff. There’s going to be an episode coming. We will work on it. First of all, I have some plans to do some episodes of my own on very specific topics, but we definitely have to just have a conversation because it’s so fun.

Robin Langford: I’m excited. I love, I, you already know, there’s a thing that you’re doing that I’m excited about. I’m excited about a lot of things you’re doing too, which I, I am, I’m excited.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: So the podcast that’s coming out the week or two before this one comes out, I do say there’s a lot of changes coming. I don’t say what they are, so we can’t say, but…

Robin Langford: She’s going to become an astrologer, y’all, you heard it here first.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: No, not yet. That’s not yet on the horizon. Can you imagine just one session and I’m like, yes, now I am an astrologer.

Robin Langford: Why not? Let’s go.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I don’t know, I have a lot more learning, a lot more learning to do. I still literally don’t even understand what you’re saying when you say some of the things that you say. I just know what the like when you apply it to like me or to my life or a person or whatever I’m like, oh yes, okay, that makes sense. But all the actual astrology terms, I don’t, I’m not even at like a…

Robin Langford: That should be the way that you end the episode is Lindsay’s becoming an astrologer, just full stop.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: I can only imagine the reviews that I would get. People would for sure love it. Okay. They don’t want to hear us just maybe they do, who knows. But I feel like we can keep going. We’re gonna cut it off now. Tell them if they’re like, I need Robin in my life. I need to find her. I need to know all the things. Where do they find you? And is there anything else that you wanna share before you go.

Robin Langford: Wicked Veracity, that’s who I am everywhere. And it’s wicked.veracity in some places. My website is wickedveracity.com. And all the things are there. When they’re available, they’ll be there. So the AI program, which I’m not gonna tell you the name of yet, thing will be out in June. The Crusade is my astrology and coaching membership. And that’s also where you can, you can also find my one-on-one readings and all the other things, Wicked Veracity.

Lindsay Dotzlaf: Perfect, and we’ll link all of that in the show notes. So if anyone’s driving or, you know, showering and listening, whatever it is you’re doing, you don’t have to pull over and get it right now. We will link it all. You can find it. I appreciate you so much. Thank you for being here today.

Robin Langford: Thank you for having me.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Mastering Coaching Skills. If you want to learn more about my work, come visit me at lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com. That’s Lindsay with an A, D-O-T-Z-L-A-F.com. See you next week.