Jan’s life has been one of exploration of the spiritual essence in all things no matter the metaphorical vehicle for that pursuit. From her young years catching minnows and running through fields with her dog or on horseback, to her years spent caregiving for loved ones, pursuing sport and development of mid-sized business, and coming back home to the more intimate work of the spirit and soul, the passion for expansion of what is possible has been at the heart of her life.

In these days, Jan has consciously chosen to shift away from the hustle and bustle of much of what we know of our post-pandemic world and has chosen instead to move toward an inner joy with greater connection to God, herself, and those she loves and cares for her in personal and professional life. Her intention to find intimate spaces within herself and with others finds her connecting with her surroundings through Spiritual Companionship, Ministry Coaching with Spiritual Seekers, Ministers, Pastors and Lay Leaders, and photography.

Jan’s curiosity about life and her desire to understand the eternal mysteries have informed her unique style of inquiry that weaves through her life whether showing up in her interview style on radio, years of caregiving, business practices, or in her Spiritual Companionship or Ministry Coaching sessions. Jan finds that life with the intention of deepening in relationship with ourselves and the God of our understanding is rich, full and steeped in the multitude of graces available to us in any given moment. Any given morning, just before sunrise, you can find Jan in some corner of the world on a shoreline – in anticipation of the movement of colour that is about to unfold over the waves, and the life that will come into being in the form of seagulls and other beauties of the air.

In her photography business, Jan finds herself gently nudging the creative process in new directions with her woven and blended images. Photography is a part of how Jan walks through the world in pursuit of a deepening relationship with that which sustains, with a special emphasis on the natural world.

Jan also enjoys time spent as a Spiritual Companion where she accompanies others as they explore the sacred and spiritual faith stories of their lives amid the mysteries of life – witnessing and bringing presence with gentle reflection and deep listening as she walks with her clients on their journey of cultivating increased depth of meaning, intimacy and a life rich in expansiveness of spirit.

With a deep love of discovery of what is possible, Jan also enjoys time spent with her clients in her Ministry Coaching business where she helps individuals explore ways to gain a greater sense of purpose and meaning, develop into even more effective leaders, find ways to have greater impact in their ministry environments, learn to analyse and bring change to ministry settings – all while developing inner foundations that sustain and mentor the best of leadership for others.

“Jan has a light, gentle, caring approach and I have found her 100 % professional and highly experienced. She has really challenged me and allowed me to take a good look at what I want and how I will achieve it. Because of our work together I was able to take what has been a successful business to a new level by increasing my sales,  creating a need to add employees and freeing up personal time that I have been able to spend with my family and also with an organization that is very important to me.”

Natalie Monk – Business Owner, Spain

My fascination with people and the mysteries of life is woven through all aspects of my life.  This drive to understand, learn and bring together, wisdom, knowledge and people is how I move through the world.  Developing new patterns and ways of being for self is a craving that has guided me as I’ve transitioned through the different phases of my life with curiosity from the time I was a young child.

A Bit About My Life

Entrepreneurial pursuits have been a core and a constant running theme in my life. Watching and helping my father as our family pursued and succeeded in multiple businesses – through conception, growth and sale – prepared me well for a life as an entrepreneur. After university, I headed to the United States from Canada where my husband, Jim, and I built multiple successful mid-sized entrepreneurial businesses. One of our businesses was a pioneer in the building materials field and helped to change and define the industry itself on an international scale.  (In the years following my husband’s untimely death, I divested the company whose products are still integral in a thriving building materials business.) I learned much from, Jim, from his unique approach to business and life.  He attributed a great deal of his success to his training and service as a United States Marine Corp Captain – Force Recon – after graduating from Andover Phillips Academy and then Harvard University.  Jim had an outstanding ability to self-motivate, empower others and lead teams.  Traits that held him in good stead throughout his life.

I pursued the sport of target archery as a way to channel my life-long enthusiasm for competitive sport, (as I was unable to continue as a downhill ski instructor and racer in the warmth of Florida). Excelling in the sport of archery, I hold state records in field and indoor target archery to this day, trained extensively with Olympic Coaches – both at their home training facilities (Texas A&M and Arizona) and training at the Olympic Training Centre in San Diego, California in pursuit of Olympic Glory. This experience gave me access and insight to the world of top mental and physical coaches – an opportunity to learn more about the mental and emotional game as it pertains to excellence in all aspects of life.

Due to my late husband’s health concerns, it was a choice for me to cut my Olympic dreams short and take on the role of primary caregiver for him in the years leading up to his death. This experience of caregiving was transformational for me, deepening my understanding of all aspects of life in a profound way. Together, my late husband and I were able to create the best health care team available and were successful at beating the odds in creating a longer and much better quality of life than he would have had otherwise.

“Just as Jan was gaining the skills necessary to challenge the top archers her husband Jim was diagnosed with cancer.  The diagnosis was not good.  Jan immediately put her goals on hold to help Jim fight the battle for his life.  I saw the same tireless effort she was putting into archery go into finding a way to help Jim survive.  With her dedication and effort along with Jim’s tenacity, he lived much longer than any doctor had given him a chance to live.   The toll that this took on Jan along with the need to concentrate solely on the company they had built together would prevent her from returning to the competition she loved so much.  Now that time has passed Jan has embarked on a new track to give back to everyone through the lessons she learned on the competitive field and the personal one as well.”

Frank Thomas – Men’s 2004 Olympic Archery coach, Coach of the 15 time National Champion Texas A&M Archery Team, Frank has coached over 20 National Champions and over 150 All Americans

Thrown into another new phase of my life following my husband’s death, I helped friends and colleagues deal with loss and transition, coached widows through their grieving stories, and pursued my studies in human behaviour.

Upon my arrival back in Canada, I threw my hat in the ring as a candidate for Progressive Conservatives in my riding. Although at that time I had worn many hats threw the years including Assistant Campaign Manager, Delegate, Board Member, etc., with involvement from my early teens onward, I did not take the time to ensure that I had a dedicated core-team I could trust and would need in my riding before entering the race. This was a big lesson for me in the need to ‘know your core-team’ before stepping forward. And, with the benefit of time, I can see how the recent death of my husband and choice to move from the USA to Canada made developing a core-team difficult at that stage of my journey. I was fortunate however to have a strong and loyal backroom team including prior MP’s and MPP’s that I learned a great deal from and who I am grateful to for the sharing of their wisdom and dedication to my campaign. Although I have chosen not to pursue candidacy in subsequent elections, politics, the important and changing issues of our times, and supporting the candidates I believe in has been a life-long interest – both in Canada and the United States.

Before long, this life change and my passion for growth led me back to the beginning of my journey of holding a passion for working with individuals in walking alongside them as they created the life of their dreams by truly living from within. I was led to work with individuals and groups – helping them to realize their full potential through the role of an ICF Certified Executive Coach.  The flexibility of coaching was a good fit as my responsibilities as primary caregiver for my mother increased with her worsening dementia.

During this time I tried to find some balance by becoming involved in community in ways that worked with my role as caregiver:

• Radio Host / Producer: I quite by accident fell into the world of radio. It has been a perfect fit for my fascination for people and helping them get the word out about important work and ideas.  Interviewing thought leaders from around the globe has become a passion.
• ICF Certified Coach:  My love of people led me to become a coach.  It was a way I could work with people from my home – over the phone – and, continue to care for Mom’s worsening dementia.
• Boards and Committees: I became involved in the community in ways I could manage to balance. Some of those roles were – fundraising with local hospital foundation board, communications with learning disability association , Emcee work, and others.

A New Phase of Life

Since my mother’s death I have shifted priorities to gain more balance.  Taking on a more active role in community, and focusing on those pursuits that bring me the joy of connection and contribution. One of these changes is making more space in life and so choosing to focus on working with a limited number of clients in my Coaching Business –  find out more by clicking my ‘Conversation’ Tab. My approach to coaching is one of…

• ensuring internal and external goals are in line with your personal values, needs and natural flow so that deep and rich meaning is achieved
• ensuring that activation of self toward those goals is taken with flexibility as the need to adjust is just a part of life and adds ease – learning to move forward with trust of self more than traditional outdated planning as our world evolves.
• bringing presence (awareness of body, mind, and feeling) into the mix, ensuring your path is one that is true to you as you pursue and achieve your goals
• a focused and connected approach, ensuring a self-empowering route to creation. 
• developing and deepening faith in self.
• ….. find more on the ‘Conversation’ Tab of this website

My Personal Side

Over the years, I have been involved in a myriad of activities outside of entrepreneurial business. I can often be found out for long walks on the shore before sunrise with my dog, reading (still crave the smell of a good book over e-reading), and writing in a big comfy chair piled high with blankets and pillows, taking a course in a current interest, attending lectures, or preparing and hosting my radio show …and up into the wee hours editing. I am a certified ski instructor, hold a certificate in Canine Massage, and I’ve travelled the world extensively. I have deepened my knowledge in the realm of the mind, body and emotional connection and the importance of living from within a space of a solid foundation, especially in the worlds of sport, grief counselling and health care. I also have my ACC designation with the International Coaching Federation. With my wide range of interests, I’ve been involved with countless organizations and businesses spanning various interests:

• The Arts – Board Member during revitalization of  Historic Theater, Public Relations at a Museum of Art,  Member of Galleries & Arts Centers, etc.. My passion for music has led me to playing various instruments over the years, and being in a band, and to many live-music venues as an avid lover of genres spanning from jazz to classical, classic rock to 80’s techno-vibe.  It is nice to be able to watch live music and know how it feels to hold a guitar, play the drums, and play keys, but I think the best part is hanging out with those who taught me how to feel the music at a soul level.  My other artistic pursuits include a host of visual arts such as pottery, painting with acrylics, and photography – including substantial studies at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre in Palm Beach, Florida.
• Sports – Olympic Archer holding Florida state records in field and target archery, Canadian Ski Instructors Association Committee Member as well as holding Level 1 Teaching Certification, Canadian Pony Club, leader in many sporting groups – rowing, volleyball, sailing, swimming, kayaking, running, cycling, tennis, basketball, etc..
• Community & Human Potential – Working in groups and one-on-one with Young Offenders, International Women’s Groups, modeling agencies – as model and Manager of Agency, Political Campaigns – as Candidate, Assistant Campaign Manger, Delegate, etc.,  Church Communications Committees – PR, Toastmasters International as member and Creator of Youth Program for Disadvantaged Youth In Georgia USA, Board Member for Learning Disability Board of Advisors, working with Hospice groups, Fundraising Chair for local hospital Foundation Board Gala, leader in YMCA ‘Empowering Young Women’ group, working behind the scenes in many community based projects with a keen eye for creating prosperous, connected and safe communities, and many more.  In a quest to understand how humans evolve and change in a lifetime (and to be of help to my late-husband and mother as caregiver), I have pursued various avenues with curiosity, becoming a certified hypnotherapist, Reiki practitioner, student of psychology, canine massage therapist, studying alternative healing practices, and sociology.
• Radio Show Host/Producer– As a Show Host/Producer I have the privilege of connecting with local newsmakers and cutting-edge thinkers from around the globe about the stories that matter to my listeners.  You can find out more about the show at the Radio Show Tab above, The Essence SoundCloud Page, my YouTube Page – (the golden oldies), and my Facebook Page.
• I enjoy traveling and have had the privilege of visiting over 20 countries.
• There are so many interesting things to learn and explore in our world, and they all lead back to deepening my understanding of human behaviour.
• 

“We at Bodytone Promotions recommend Ms. Spragge wholeheartedly.  Any organization that is looking to availing themselves of Ms. Spragge’s varied skills and services will not be disappointed with the positive results that would accrue from her valuable efforts.”

Winston Roberts (Multiple Mr. Canada Bodybuilding Champion & IFBB Pioneer) and Grzegorz Kieszkowski Ja

What Shaped Me

I’m a fifth generation Canadian, and proud of it. My family has helped shape and build the Province of Ontario, Canada, and the communities they have lived, worked and served public office in. The ways my family has been involved have been varied and I am proud to see a similar theme weaving through my own life.

Joseph Spragge emigrated to Upper Canada in 1820 to become Master of the Upper Canada Central School.  He was accompanied by his family, including his eldest son, my great-great-grandfather John Godfrey Spragge, who was called to the bar in Upper Canada in 1828 and practiced law in York (now Toronto). In May 1881, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario (the title was changed in later year to the Chief Justice of Ontario, and, served until his death in 1884.  During his time as a lawyer and Chief Justice, Spragge was intimately involved in cases when the courts were attempting to work out a new balance of powers under the British North America Act, and development of the division of powers between federal and provincial governments (Hodge v. the Queen).

My family first arrived in Cobourg, Ontario, in the 1889, when my great-grandfather, Reverend Canon A.W. Spragge was appointed Rector of St. Peter’s Anglican Church. An appointment he served until his death in 1914.  It has been noted that if the energy, the liberality and spiritual advancement displayed by a congregation are correct criterions of a successful pastorate, then Canon Spragge been successful in the highest degree during his time as rector. During Spragge’s time as rector, the mortuary chapel was built and paid for, the church property was much improved inside and out including stained glass memorial windows, and a corner lot was acquired and a substantial and beautiful Sunday School building erected thereon.

Canon Spragge’s son, A. Dudley Spragge, served as Plant Manager of Cobourg’s largest employer, General Foods, from 1938 until 1948. During that time a number of developments were made by the Cobourg plant including research and development. By the late 60s, the 600 employees of General Foods Cobourg manufactured a greater variety of packaged products than any other General Foods plant in North America. The approach to employee relations is evident in a quote within a GF book that is a part of my family treasures: “We want this business to be conducted in an efficient manner and in a spirit of friendliness, to the mutual advantage of employees, management, stockholders and consumers”.  Spragge was recognized as a leading industrial figure in Cobourg, and he played an active part in the community. He served as Vice President of the Hospital Board and was President and a founding member of Cobourg Rotary International. Spragge was also a trustee of Cobourg Collegiate, President of the Rotary Club, and Chairman of the local Boy Scout Troop.

In the 1920’s my maternal Grandparents, Alan and Margaret Ingram, arrived in Peterborough, Ontario and opened a store on the main street – Ingram Shoemaking and Repair.  My Grandfather was a part of a team of business owners who helped to build Peterborough into a thriving city.  Along with business Alan Ingram was a curling champion – earning him a place on all Ontario teams and was well known for his ability to be able to throw 100 rocks in a row on the red button.  His wife, Margaret, took up various roles in community through these years. Dedication to community and a the pursuit of excellence has long run in my blood.

My father, John A. Spragge, took up mid-sized company entrepreneurial pursuits at a early age, including the development of companies that did everything from plastics design and manufacturing (Dynaflex Plastics Ltd.) to the monitoring and disposal of radioactive waste and safety monitoring at events such as the Toronto Indy Car Race (Monserco Ltd.), Marketing and Advertising companies under the Skill Ind. name, just to name a few. And, like his father, John was a visionary not only in business, but also in his private and public life – developing a downhill ski program for school aged children in the 70’s that is still operational today, acting as District Chair of Pony Club, funding private health and community needs and ventures, and developing the first recycling program with friends in Port Hope in the 1970’s, just to name a few.

Through these years my mother, Marg Spragge, went from working for Trent University upon its opening, to taking on more active community roles during the years we lived in Port Hope, Ontario.  Marg had a passion for the historic nature that the town is widely known for and was co-chair of the ACO Annual House Tour during the first years of the tour when the concept was being built, and then went on to be President of the ACO Port Hope Branch. During my young years much of Marg’s time was spent in the school system helping with arts programs – a private passion of Marg’s, and tutoring children with various learning challenges. When the YMCA Northumberland built their present day facility, Marg sat on the board. Not a woman to take a back seat Marg took on the role of office manager for one of my father’s businesses when she was in her 70’s. What can I say – that was Mom.

The list of achievements in my family tree in private, public and working life goes back to the early 1300’s in England and Scotland, and encompasses much more breadth and depth including rowers with Henley Regatta trophies in the early 1900’s, Authors and Visual Artists, early Ecologists, Knights, Military Commanders – Admiral Sir Edward Spragge (circa 1620 – 21 August 1673) was an Irish admiral of the Royal Navy. He was a fiery, brilliantly accomplished seaman who fought in many great actions after the restoration of King Charles II in 1660, and is buried in Westminster Abby, and Bridgadier General John “Jock” Spragge DSO, OBE, ED, (b. 1907), Canadian commanding officer of the Queen’s Own Rifles on D-Day and in August 1944, Officer Commanding 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade), and Judges.

I highlight the above because I believe they are stories of lives that encompass much of what shaped me – not because it was talked about around the dining room table, but because it was exemplified in my mother and father, and was woven in to the nuances of life. It is perhaps this that best describes the narrative of ‘bloodlines’ for me. And, the older I get, the more important these influences are – they inform my choices – they are my heritage.

For me, my ancestral influences centre on ‘a love of people’, ‘contribution’, ‘excellence of the individual’, and ‘developing and cultivating the structures and opportunities that allow individuals and groups to prosper and develop in ways that aim for individual achievement and prosperity in community’. One way or another I have been pursuing these qualities for self and other throughout my varied life – with pride and determination. And, one thing has become clear in the weaving of my life – my fierce love of people and upholding the inherent greatness and expansion of the individual. The ancient Greek word Arete (meaning excellence or virtue) was my first company name and it’s meaning has helped to guide me since my early days of studying philosophy, as does the writing on the Spragge Family Crest – Dro Jure. A strong feeling of ‘justice’ and striving for ‘what is right and good’ as an individual in the pursuits of the embodiment of unwavering character traits and as a desire for this in others and in community.

Experience

Jan has had an eclectic background. The breadth and depth of her experience is itself a weaving of experience that she brings to her work professionally, in her community volunteer pursuits and in her personal life. If of interest, some of those experiences are listed here.