My Coaching Career Story 

My coaching career happened very organically and informally, springing out of my business career and my lifelong passion for helping people to achieve their potential.

Following a move to Glasgow after school, where I obtained a business degree, I very quickly got married and had 4 children in a whirlwind, exhausting, confusing 5 years! Having lost my Mum to cancer during my time at University, I was very lost, personally, professionally and emotionally.

My confidence was low

If I hadn’t found yoga, I suspect I might have lost the plot.

I never really believed in myself. No matter what anyone else would tell me.

Fast forward a few years and I found myself in Yorkshire, raising my 4 children as a single parent, navigating everything that young children and teenagers will throw at you, without any family around to support.

There had always been property development in my family. I was able to use my previous qualifications and work experience offered to me by a local building firm to secure a place on a distance learning Masters Degree course in building surveying.

This 2-year course took me 4 years to complete and I juggled part time working for Pizza Express while my kids were at school, with study on evenings and weekends around children’s after school activities and parties. I made some good friends and learned how to be efficient and use my time wisely.

After I graduated, the construction industry was in recession and jobs were few and far between. I was able to secure a temp role covering for a surveying practice administrator which evolved into my first graduate surveying job.

I worked like I didn’t have children and I parented like I didn’t have a job

A few years later, with a larger, national company, I became a Chartered Surveyor. I was the only woman on the team and the oldest graduate they had ever seen! Despite my path to this point, I still didn’t really believe in myself. I wasn’t really my true self at work. I became one of the boys when going to the pub at lunchtime was the norm. I pretended to drink pints because I would have to go home and be a parent, driving kids to Scouts, Guides and sports until 9pm many evenings.

I worked like I didn’t have children and I parented like I didn’t have a job.

I was headhunted to lead a team of Surveyors within another business after only 4 years as a surveyor myself. I decided to take the leap on the basis that I had figured out how to do most things in my life so far and I imagined managing a team of professionals could be that hard right? Especially when I managed 4 wildly different teenagers on a daily basis.

Well, it turns it I did have a lot of transferrable skills. But it also became a time where imposter syndrome reared it’s ugly head. Quite a few people seemed to be keen to see me fail. Quite a few people seemed to find my presence threatening and rejected my ideas without clear reasoning.

I decided to take a short break

It was at this point that I decided to take some time for myself. Yoga had become an integral part of my life and my teacher at the time encouraged me to take a teacher training course. With no intention to become a teacher, just for the love of it, I travelled solo to Thailand to spend 3 weeks with a group of strangers, training 15 hours a day, 6 days a week. Having spent my 20’s knee deep in nappies, I had never really explored the world or myself. Yoga Teacher Training was like a huge slap in the face. But in a great way! There was no where to hide. Nowhere to hide physically, emotionally or spiritually. And when I returned, not only did I combine teaching local classes and 1-2-1 students with my full-time career and motherhood, I also really knew myself and grew into my leadership role with a confidence I had never previously accessed. Despite already being in a board level Director role and being made a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, despite my team performing to exceed all targets and expectations year after year, despite being a pretty good parent, nothing had brought my confidence and true self into the light to this extent before. I went on to work at Director and Board level within an SME for several more years. I trained as a mentor to graduates entering the profession. I provided leadership and leadership coaching to a range of senior executives and leaders both inside and outside my organisation. Externally, I undertook a public sector Non-Executive Director role.

Thanks to a chance meeting with an old acquaintance, coaching came into my life more formally

The global pandemic required me to grow and change as a leader. Very quickly I had to master some new technology and learn how to effectively manage a remote working team with 3 almost adult children in the house. Whilst this period of all our lives brought much sadness and difficulty, I was able to grow further as a person due to the personal and professional challenges that came my way. When the dust settled, I was hungry for more. That’s when, thanks to a chance meeting in a supermarket with an old acquaintance, coaching came into my life more formally. I became a coachee. My coaching journey helped me to navigate my yearning for more career fulfilment, the life changing effects of children growing up and leaving home, and the remnants of my imposter syndrome. I discovered the areas of my work that were truly meaningful to me, and I overcame the fears and self-limiting beliefs that were holding me back from further growth. Formalising and developing my learning and ability though the Level 7 ILM training inspired me to take a coaching approach to all I do and to continue to work with clients on a 1-2-1 basis.

Today I show up as my authentic self in every area of my life

Today I show up as my authentic self in every area of my life. Mindfulness and a holistic approach underpin all I do. I have the confidence to walk into any room and trust my gut instincts when an environment isn’t right for me. I have a strong belief in what I have to offer and where I need the support and expertise of others. Life isn’t easy, but its fulfilling.

I want everyone to feel this way.

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