My business and coaching pedigree…

My career began in human resources over 25 years ago, and I was a board-level director in a complex 2,000 strong organisation before my twenty-fourth birthday.  I have operated across all three sectors and delivered strategic services to a wide range of organisations, from dynamic regional start-ups, through to national charities, Central Government and a FTSE 200 company.

This experience included successfully delivering complex change programmes for a number of challenging and high profile organisations, including the Home Office, Amnesty International and the London Olympics.

I have always had an entrepreneurial streak.  Even back in my early career in HR, I considered myself a business person first, with people management as my ‘specialist subject’. As an in-house HR Director in the public and third sectors, I was busy creating trading companies to sell services and generate private revenue, alongside my strategic HR remit.

I have been self-employed for over ten years.  Originally providing consultancy services and coaching to large clients on a national and international basis.  More recently, through my two businesses (Heptagon HR, and Heptagon Coaching) I have been working with local small and medium sized businesses, and individuals.

As a strong believer in the importance and power of building positive business relationships, I founded Colchester’s Business Biscotti networking group, which meets on a monthly basis in Colchester, attracting very positive feedback and a growing list of business members.

I undertook the Advanced Diploma in Executive Coaching, in 2005, with the Academy of Executive Coaching and the Italian Change Partnership.  I am qualified to use the Myers Briggs Type psychometric instrument, and completed leadership ‘train the trainer’ training with the great Professor John Adair.  I am Governor of a local secondary school and college, and also an approved mentor with the Virgin Start-Up Programme.

My approach…

My coaching style is business and results focused, empathetic yet challenging.  I am passionate about facilitating clients to get the results they seek from the process.

While I enjoy ‘pure’ coaching and helping a client to find their own solutions, I am equally adept at acting as a mentor and adviser, sharing my wealth of experience, resources and contacts.

I love working on a one-to-one basis, particularly with someone embarking on a new business venture, but also relish working with groups of people, either through coaching work with business teams, or a mix of people through Mastermind Groups.

I try to always practice what I preach, and have my own business coach and professional mentors.

My daughter is my other passion, and development project!