I work as a senior manager in one of the UK´s largest FTSE companies and I focus on influencing public policy and engaging with stakeholders. A significant part of my role involves leading campaigns and persuading senior colleagues at all levels.

Whilst I´ve worked in large corporate style organisations before, my current role is more high stakes, partly due to the impact of our public affairs on the company´s commercial bottom line and reputation.

When I started leadership coaching with Paul, my challenge was to grow into a confident leader, believe I was capable of being an effective leader and understand how to be a leader that moves things forward. I had aspired to be a leader in a corporate but still had doubts about whether I could be a good leader. 

I wanted coaching to inspire me, help me reflect on my leadership abilities, and give me some practical tools to apply back in the office – digital or physical! 

The leadership coaching method that Paul used with me was really down-to-earth, insightful, inspiring and very, very practical. This is one of the things I liked about it most. I wasn´t lost in theory and was able to reflect on how I show up as a leader every week because I had grounded techniques to use. Working with Paul has really changed my perception of myself as a leader and helped instil a strong sense of self-belief in me now. It´s also raised my aspirations about the kind of senior roles I believe I can do in the future as well. 

Working with Paul was great. He has a lot of diverse experiences, both as a leader and a person, and used this in really engaging ways. I also liked that he challenged some of my ideas about responsibilities as a leader and helped me reflect on how to transform challenges into opportunities to serve. I would definitely work with Paul again in the future.

SENIOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER, UK CORPORATE

The last few years of my career have been in the hospitality industry where I’ve managed teams in very busy venues. I was hospitality manager for ITN Media, House of Fraser/Sports Direct and Waterstones, Piccadilly. 

I came to Paul with a very specific issue I wanted to work on, something that had been bothering me for some time but that I couldn’t crack by myself.

Paul took the time to understand what was driving my frustration, utilising some very useful exercises to draw out the root of the problem.

He then helped me to articulate my values and what it was I wanted to achieve, suggesting very useful techniques and strategies to achieve these aims.

I would highly recommend Paul to anyone who wants to improve any aspect of their life, big or small.

TORRIE CALLANDER

I work as a creative strategist for a jewellery brand. After taking a career sabbatical which came to an end just as the Covid-19 pandemic started, I found myself feeling a bit lost and confused. I needed to evaluate my options and move forward as quickly as possible.

On top of this, my best friend and I were considering if working together in the future was an option, so we wanted to have coaching together.

I really wanted to have a better understanding of my abilities and to draw up a plan of action for my professional future, either as an entrepreneur or working for somebody else.

Coaching with Paul was a great journey and I’m glad I did it. Paul’s questions, insight and exercises really helped me to confirm my skills and what I’m good at.

Doing coaching with my best friend was also really helpful as the insights we gained about ourselves and each other, helped me get to know myself better and possible options in the future.

At the moment I’m still working on defining some elements and details, but it is thanks to being coached by Paul that I have a much clearer idea of what to explore and the steps I need to take in order to achieve my goals. 

Working with Paul has been a pleasure as he is both friendly and assertive. Each session with him would go super smoothly and easily. 

I totally recommend him.

PACO GÓMEZ

I was really struggling with procrastination and generally poor self-discipline. In my mind, I had created a stigma around getting help which left me a little apprehensive about the idea of finding a coach. Eventually, I plucked up the courage and am so thankful that I did, it truly changed my life.

I decided to start working with Paul because I was at a very difficult point in my career as a personal trainer. I was feeling stuck, procrastinating and not being able to find clarity with my decisions.

I am a person that wants to know his next step and for the first time in my life, I didn’t. I felt like I was living “Groundhog Day” the same thing over and over again without having an end goal to move towards.

Working with Paul has helped me manage my priorities, find clarity and understanding what is it that I want to achieve in life.  

He has an amazing personality and he is a very good listener. With a series of exercises and different conversations, in only a few sessions I managed to draw a much clearer picture for my future.

At the moment I am facing a great opportunity to become a manager and travel abroad at the same time which is something that has always been a great dream of mine.

I strongly recommend Paul to anyone that has been dealing with issues like mine. I am positive that he is going to be able to help anyone get to his goal whatever this might be.

JASON GARGALIANOS

To start with, the idea of life coaching was scary and also exciting. I wanted to make changes in my life though I was worried I would be a lost cause.

From my initial consultation on the phone with Paul I could see how he could connect to me, to actually make me feel like I could change my path.

I had the ambition to change country, find a new job and recently came out of an important relationship. So his guidance came at a key time for me. We had weekly sessions, with chats about all areas of my life and he gave me bitesize areas to focus on each week, with no pressure though he would remind me, so I felt like he cared about my progress which in term kept me motivated.The amount of changes I had going on made me feel that I wouldn’t have time to work on these, though as I found myself looking forward to the sessions it came to me quite naturally. Paul’s approach was open and non-dogmatic which made me feel that this was the life coach for me.

He was personable, relatable and empathetic to the frustrations I was feeling and helped me believe my dreams were within reach. He worked on pulling out a series of plans, we had 3 in total, which I feel helped keep things in perspective rather than ‘putting all my eggs in one basket’, giving me more confidence to keep aspiring for my plan number 1, ‘my dream plan’ we called it.

3 months later, I moved country, found a house, I arranged the relevant paperwork (which wasn’t the easiest!) and got a great job offer which I will start in the next few weeks.

Paul helped me identify some key foundation blocks to assist with my plan which I now also find myself advising my friends to not ‘overlook’.

My idea on life coaching has changed also, as what I believe Paul did for me was make me realise that everything was already in me, the life coach is in me, though he was able to connect exactly with that, and stopped my mind from running away with me, helped me live in the present so that I saw how it was directly impacting my future. I found this really empowering and would definitely recommend life coaching to anyone, whether you have huge aspirations for change as I did, or just want to get back on track and be reminded what your purpose is.

NICHOLAS WAUGH

When I started to work with Paul, I was a successful senior manager, with over 10 years of experience, working in the energy sector in communications and engagement.

I work as a skincare and makeup assistant but also am following my dream to be a photographer. 

When I started coaching with Paul I had a holistic beauty salon and needed to let go of it due to health reasons and to give photography more of a go. But I found it impossible to let go of the salon. I was very emotionally attached to my business.

Talking to Paul felt like unlocking the confusion in my mind. I now no longer have that business and it feels like a weight has been lifted! If it wasn’t for coaching I fear I would still be in that stressful situation!

I also struggle with my weight and have lost some weight as Paul is very knowledgeable about healthy food,exercise etc.

I have definitely toned up from using the cross trainer daily!

I am also definitely eating better.

My goal is to be a successful, well-paid photographer. To be a happy person.

And also to lose weight and keep on top of my health concerns.

Thank you for your help and patience, listening to my problems and helping me find the solutions I probably knew all along but just couldn’t seem to find.

A friendly, approachable life coach and person.

Very highly recommended! 

Thank you Paul!

SARAH WATERS

I work in design, marketing collaterals across different genres including making sure user’s have a great experience in digital media and websites.

Before I started coaching sessions with Paul, I was keen to move forward in my career, but felt held back by not planning and getting things done, and my confidence was not as strong as it could have been. In general, I felt that I was leaving things to the last minute and skipping some steps to put me in the best possible position. 

I thought coaching sessions with Paul would help me prepare better for some interviews that I was having soon. But beyond that, I hoped to get the motivation and habit of applying better planning in my life in general. I wanted to get more things done, not feel overwhelmed by the accumulation of errands which would result in me feeling more in control and confident of my own self.

Sessions with Paul helped me to feel more confident about the things that I had to do and how to handle it all. This benefit also spilled over into other areas of life we discussed.

Also, I have to say that during our coaching journey, one of the interviews I had resulted in getting my current position. Working with Paul also helped to prepare my confidence when I asked for an extension of my initial contract of 2 months. I have been there now for 5 months working on a career that is my passion.

ALEXANDRE SILVA