"You have the ability to enthuse and generate energy and a positive attitude
towards change. You also provide an enormous resource for progressing
appropriate career change. You have a very perceptive honesty, which you
are not afraid to express - it's powerful"
Helen - Independent Producer
"As the owner/operator of a small consultancy PR business, now 7 years old,
I had started to feel that I had stopped developing my own skills (now that I no longer
had the cushion of a corporate HR department behind me!). My business had grown considerably
over this period and I found I needed to acquire new skills that went beyond my core
consultancy competencies. I wanted guidance on managing staff, focusing on my business
and deciding its future development and direction.
Anji came to my rescue by providing a monthly coaching and mentoring opportunity to air
my worries and put structure to my planning. She provided advice on modern management
techniques and strategies, but importantly she didn't try to tell me how to run my
business. She supplied answers, questioned my assumptions and filled holes in my
knowledge, helping me to find the right path for myself by better understanding my own
needs and those of my staff and the business.
Over the nine months we worked together she has helped me get to grips with my
responsibilities and present a much more coherent management style to my staff.
Now, we all know where we are heading as a business and we have defined our core
ethos and non-negotiable principles, which everyone has bought into and feels part of.
My whole coaching experience has been very beneficial and I can certainly recommend
Anji to others. "
Kate - Business Owner, PR consultancy
"Anji has been my coach for six months. I asked her to coach me in the building of my
business for a planned and structured six month period. This has just come to an end.
My company has experienced exponential growth over this period, with a turnover up by 110%,
and current figures suggesting that this will be doubled over the next twelve months.
I am now undertaking more and larger contracts, together with the design and implementation
of new ideas for training and development in my sector. Anji's coaching has been an essential
element in this growth.
Along with clear benefits to my company from our coaching relationship, I have been impressed
by Anji's ability to highlight the importance of my personal development, particularly in
relation to work-life balance. She was aware of my wish to focus on company growth, but
was clear that this would depend on the maintenance of my own personal foundations. Her
support for my own personal development has led me into exploring new ways of working for
myself that fit into my plan for the next six years. I very much appreciated her sound
approach and its clear underpinning of values and beliefs that are the hallmark of good
coaching.
Although our six month coaching plan has just ended, I am in no doubt that I will be
approaching Anji in future to further my personal and professional growth."
Jennifer - Business Owner, training consultancy
"I am delighted with the benefits and results from my coaching with Anji, which include:
- Making some significant and positive changes to my life in a short space of time
- Being heard and understood
- Having an independent sounding board who is not emotionally involved in my life
- Receiving useful sources of material to read or research further
- Receiving from you other ideas on how to look at or tackle an issue or approach
a goal
Your conduct is most professional - not only during calls but also in your preparation
and follow up to coaching sessions. In addition, you are responsive between calls if the
need arises.
I have enjoyed your particular style of coaching and the ways in which you shared your
insights and intuitions, listened well, dealt directly with issues and recognised talents
and achievements.
Thank you for your valued contribution to my recent successes."
Carol - Business Owner and entrepreneur
"Following redundancy Anji focused my energy on establishing what I wanted for myself
and my family and assisted in making a plan to achieve my objectives in a very practical
manner. I am very grateful for the assistance Anji has provided, boosting my confidence
at a very difficult time, and given me the tools to tackle the job market"
Richard - Role shift from Company Secretary/Financial Manager
to Finance Controller
"I am self-employed and have a thriving therapy business, which I needed to restructure
in order to develop it. I am about to go into partnership with other therapists and
approached Anji, on personal recommendation, for some help and clarity with these two
ventures. From the start I found Anji to be approachable and very easy to talk to.
She was very clear during our initial telephone conversation as to how she could help me,
and after this discussion we were of the opinion that we would be able to work together.
Our subsequent sessions have been extremely helpful. Anji has challenged my thoughts
and ideas in such a way as to make me think and question. She has gently led me to
contemplate new conclusions and encouraged me to take my thinking to higher levels.
She has also given me many tools with which to work, all of which have been helpful,
particularly the vision seed map. I never knew that planning could be so much fun!
One of Anji's strengths is her enthusiasm, which is wholly infectious. Since speaking to
her, I now have a renewed vigour, courage and motivation to move both projects forward -
and with the tools and skills which Anji has imparted to me, feel that I am better place
to do this in a business-like and structured manner.
Although it is her job, Anji is an excellent listener and I always felt 'heard'.
She is totally present whenever we speak which allows none of her own agenda or any
judgement to colour her opinions. She has a great talent for gently 'leading' me to
make my own conclusions and think things through for myself so that the conclusion I
reach is one that is right for me and my work. At no time have I felt out of control
or 'browbeaten' by her opinions, which have remained firmly in the background. I also
greatly appreciate her sense of humour.
Anji has a huge depth of knowledge on many work and career related subjects which has proved
extremely useful; however if there is something she cannot help me with Anji is at great
pains to point me in the right direction and will often contact me via email with additional
points of reference. It has also been useful to have summary emails after our sessions
reminding me of what I have committed to do before the next session and also highlighting
anything which I may have overlooked.
I consider myself very fortunate to have been coached by Anji and feel I have benefited
enormously. I am approaching my new ventures with very much more knowledge, confidence
and resolve. It is also very reassuring to know that I can pick up the phone at any time
and use Anji as a ‘sounding board’. I know I will get friendly, impartial, professional
support and encouragement plus knowledge-based advice if I need it."
Sue - Business Owner & Therapist
"At the time of our meetings, I was stuck in my life feeling unhappy, that I had no
direction and I couldn’t see how to change things.
I found that I could be really honest with Anji, which was a huge relief, I could say
what I really thought and felt without being judged. Also Anji was very focussed, her
full attention was there for me which helped to make me feel more 'worthwhile'.
Anji never dictated what we would discuss or what I should do; she made suggestions -
sometimes practical exercises to help me clarify things for myself, getting feelings
and ideas down on paper or books to read.
We looked at the different aspects of my life, which parts needed working on and Anji
encouraged me to decide for myself and come up with my own ideas as well as listening
to some of hers.
She asked questions, which made me really think hard about what I wanted and deserved
from life. Anji also came up with 'challenges' for me, a goal for the coming week which
would take me out of my comfort zone - again it was up to me if I wanted to do it but
if I did, I felt that I had her support which was very important for my self-confidence.
I also liked Anji’s directness, I always knew where I stood with her."
Denise - 'returner' to work
"Thanks for being a friend and guide on this long and often difficult journey. You have
provided much needed encouragement and support to overcome unexpected obstacles and kept
me focused on the road ahead. I’ve learned a lot about myself and the value of friendship
and the importance of pursuing new interests and networks to provide balance in my life."
Chris - Career shift from HR Manager
to Interim Management
"Anji Marychurch has a superb attitude, she's very professional, practical and down to
earth. The last thing I needed following redundancy was tea and sympathy - luckily, Anji
was focused and pragmatic - just what I needed"
Mary - Marketing Manager
"I just wanted to thank you so much for all your help and encouragement. You made
me feel really good about myself and of course, I now have a cv to die for!"
Annette - Career shift from
Drama teacher to Medical Centre Manager
"I set my business up in Nov 2003 and contacted Anji by a recommendation from a business
colleague - this was truly one of the best recommendations I have ever had...
To say Anji has changed my life would not be an exaggeration. I found myself in the middle
of a pond, lacking direction... do I stay small and focused or fulfill my burning ambitions
to take a risk... By analyzing both the business and my skills; we came up with a plan that
was truly achievable. Anji listened, encouraged and made recommendations - never judging me.
Coaching gave me the ability to believe in myself and an understanding of the skills that
I needed to develop to make it all happen.
From a small business start up run from home, in less than one year I am now in rented
offices with a team of staff - all because I was willing to explore, understand and seek
advice...
It's also vital to understand your weaknesses and plan to compensate for these as well
as work on developing your strengths - if you are prepared to open your mind - then
Business Coaching is right for you.
One final word... Business Coaching will open your mind in lots of ways.
It's helped me personally as well as in business.
Truly I can’t thank her enough."
Roz - Business Owner, e-marketing
