Despite my naturally introverted and quiet nature, the stage is where I have most felt at home from a very young age. I first began playing organ at the age of six and when I started I was even too short to reach the pedals! My parents and grandparents started finding me ‘gigs’ soon after that and I became used to performing as an organist and then subsequently a pianist in local clubs and venues.
As I reached my teenage years I began writing songs and performing in bands as a keyboard player and vocalist which I have done ever since. Music gave an introvert like me a safe way to express myself and develop a natural and engaging stage presence. My naturally quiet character led me into the day job world of accountancy and soon after qualifying I took the opportunity to become a technical trainer at a Big 4 accounting firm. Over the following 15 years I delivered hundreds of training presentations, honing my presenting skills and finding ways to bring dry material to life by making it more engaging and fun. I enjoyed this work but I also felt an urge to make a difference to people’s lives. It was around this time that I discovered coaching and it was a discovery that changed my life. In 2016, I qualified as a certified co-active professional coach with CTI, the largest and one of the most respected leadership development training organisations in the world. Shortly thereafter I started my coaching business, helping people to bring their ideas to life and share them with their chosen audience. As well as providing them with tools and techniques to deliver great speeches and presentations, I work with my clients to help them access the most natural and engaging versions of themselves. I do this by exploring their values, strengths and leadership style. I also help them to get past the mental blockages (such as fear, self-doubt and self-criticism) that often get in the way, especially for introverts. I also bring my experience as a musical performer to the table. I work on vocal technique, embodiment exercises and stagecraft to help my clients ‘own’ the stage, as well as practicing techniques to help them to deal with nerves and stage fright. In 2019 I started performing stand-up comedy. I bring my training in this area to my clients and show them how to naturally inject humour and playfulness into their material and persona on stage. I also help them to connect with and read their audience more successfully, which is an essential skill for a comedian. As well as coaching others, I regularly tell my own story from the stage, chairing a local speakers’ club and attending story-telling groups around London.
