Coaching is a broad field — so how do you find your coach?

If there’s one thing that’s always been clear to me in my coaching career, it’s this – you need to find the right coach to truly unlock your potential. 

After all, coaching is a very personal thing. You’ll be sharing your hopes, your dreams and your insecurities – and your coach, in turn, will need to understand all of this to help you shape the best way forward. It’s only natural that they’ll need to be a good fit. 

Think of it like matchmaking. You need to find someone you can connect and open up with, who understands your journey so far and where you want to get to. That way, you’ve got a much better chance of putting a solid plan together for the future. 

With so many options out there, finding the right coach for you might seem daunting, but there are a few key things to consider. Below, I’ve outlined my tips on how to get started - as well as a bit about me, so you can see if we might be a good match.

Why finding the right coach is so important

Coaching isn’t about someone telling you what to do. It’s a collaborative, expansive process - one that helps you unlock the insight and value you already carry within you.

My role isn’t to hand down instructions. It’s to ask the right questions, create a safe space for honest exploration, and support you in making meaningful changes that truly stick.

I often liken coaching to the horizon where the sea meets the sky: constantly shifting, sometimes calm, sometimes stormy - and always offering space for fresh possibilities. That’s why I named my practice Sea and Sky - because that’s what I believe good coaching gives you: room to explore, shift and grow. And finding the right person to help you achieve all of that is vital. 

Every professional journey is unique. Whether you’re looking to:

• Advance your leadership skills

• Navigate a career transition

• Overcome complex workplace challenges

• Build your confidence and presence

…the right coach can be transformational.

What to look for in a coach

When you’re choosing a coach, there are a few key things to consider:

✔ Industry understanding

Your coach should be able to speak your professional language. That doesn’t mean they’ve worked in your exact field - but they should understand how workplaces operate, the pressures of leadership, and the stakes of the decisions you’re making.

I specialise in supporting professionals across a wide range of industries, from creative businesses to education, tech and non-profits. My background and ongoing training in executive and career coaching mean I bring insights into organisational dynamics, leadership challenges and professional growth, no matter what the industry.

✔ Personal connection matters

Coaching is an intimate partnership. You’re inviting someone into some of your most important (and sometimes vulnerable) thoughts and decisions. So you need someone who:

• Listens deeply and remembers what matters to you (clients often tell me they’re surprised by how much I recall from session to session).

• Challenges you constructively so you’re not just circling the same thoughts, but expanding them.

• Creates a safe, affirming space where you can be honest without judgement.

• Understands the intricate dance between work and personal life. Because, realistically, they’re never truly separate.

  
  

✔ Real-world impact

Good coaching isn’t just theoretical. It should translate into tangible outcomes.

I’ve supported clients to:

• Confidently give challenging feedback to their teams

• Navigate complex transitions, like stepping up into executive roles or pivoting industries entirely

• Build leadership styles that feel authentic, not forced

• Untangle the personal complexities that inevitably show up at work (like the client who improved giving work feedback by first exploring how she communicated with her ex - because that was actually the harder, more emotionally loaded piece).

Why lived experience can matter too

I believe people are drawn to coaches not just for what they’re qualified in, but who they are. That’s why I’m transparent on my website and social media about being a union advocate, neurodivergent, queer, and someone who’s navigated building businesses and creative careers.

It’s not about bringing my opinions into the coaching room. (I keep that space clean, always focused on the client.) But by being clear about my values and experiences upfront, people who need a particular kind of understanding know they’ll find it here.

One client, a trans business owner, told me they never would have booked a session if they hadn’t seen my open support for trans rights online - because they needed that assurance before even entering a private space like coaching. 

My approach: holistic, responsive, affirming

I bring a holistic approach to coaching. Because challenges at work never exist in isolation - they’re tied up with confidence, identity, family, neurotype, values.

Clients often tell me they appreciate how I listen - making connections across sessions, picking up on threads they’d half-forgotten. I also pay close attention to energy and emotion, drawing on tools like Life Wheels, OSCAR, the Inner Boardroom, or frameworks we invent together, all tailored to what’s most useful in the moment.

I see my style as responsive, intuitive, and affirming. It’s important to me that clients feel both supported and developed, so they’re able to explore with real honesty, knowing this is their space.

Some questions to ask when choosing a coach

• Why do I want a coach - and why now?

• What kind of challenges am I hoping to explore?

• Am I looking for someone with specific training, or someone who brings lived understanding of my world?

• In talking to this coach, do I feel heard, supported and respected?

Ready to see if we’re a match?

I offer an initial free 30-minute discovery call, so you can get a sense of me and how I work - no pressure, no sales pitch. Just a space to explore what’s brought you here.

Book a free discovery call.