Context

As the former Global Leader of Solutions and Enablers at BCG X, my career at Boston Consulting Group spanned over 12 Years, during which I had the privilege of spearheading initiatives at the intersection of strategy, technology, and innovation. This role demanded not only a high level of strategic insight and leadership but also the ability to navigate the complex dynamics of global markets and technological disruption. Despite the wealth of experience gained in this position, transitioning from such a specialized and high-profile role to founding my own venture presented a unique set of challenges that required a nuanced approach to career transformation and business creation. It was in this context that I engaged with David Edmonds at Certus Coaching, whose expert guidance became a cornerstone of my successful transition.

Professionalism

David’s profound understanding of the intricacies involved in moving from a corporate leadership position to entrepreneurship is exceptional. His approach is meticulously tailored, reflecting a keen sensitivity to the individual needs and ambitions of his clients. David’s expertise in areas such as strategic planning, leadership development, and organizational dynamics was immediately apparent and became a critical asset in our collaboration.

Approach

David employs a methodology that is as comprehensive as it is personalized. His ability to balance structured strategic planning with the psychological nuances of career change is remarkable. Through a series of 10 customized sessions, David assisted me in breaking down my personal and long-term career aspirations, aligning my diverse experiences and competencies with a coherent and compelling business vision. This approach not only addresses practical business planning aspects but also facilitates a deeper personal growth journey.

Outcomes

The impact of working with David Edmonds has been profound, with significant achievements in several key areas:

• Clarity and Focus: David’s coaching enabled me to refine my broad experience and interests into a clear, strategic vision for my new business. This clarity has been indispensable in shaping my decision-making and operational strategies as I navigate the complexities of establishing and growing my venture.

• Purpose-Driven Leadership: Under David’s guidance, I gained invaluable insights into defining a purpose that aligns with my personal and professional values. This has empowered me to build a business that not only seeks success in traditional metrics but also strives to make a meaningful impact.

• Strategic Planning: With David’s wealth of knowledge and insight, I have developed a robust framework for my business, including market analysis, competitive positioning, and value proposition optimization. His input has been crucial in ensuring that my business is built on solid strategic foundations.

David Edmonds’s unparalleled coaching service was instrumental in my transition from the role of Global Leader of Solutions and Enablers at BCG X to becoming a purpose-driven entrepreneur. His support has equipped me with the essential tools and insights for this journey, fostering a sense of clarity, focus, and purpose in my new venture. I wholeheartedly recommend David Edmonds to any professional embarking on a career transformation or seeking to elevate their business vision. His expertise, coupled with the supportive environment of Certus Coaching, is a potent catalyst for momentous professional growth and achievement.

Raza Hussain
Entrepreneur and ConversAgentAI Co-Founder & CEO

My coaching sessions with David have, without doubt, positively impacted the trajectory of my life. I now have a greater understanding of myself and my default decision-making process, which allows me to make more empowered choices and changes to my life. David manages to guide you through so many epiphanies and realisations, allowing you to connect the dots rather than just telling you what he has already observed. He challenges you, holds you accountable and, most importantly, shows no judgement. Although at times very challenging and exposing (coming face to face with your flaws and past mistakes), I honestly looked forward to every session – excited at the prospect of learning more about myself and taking another step closer to a more ‘fulfilled life’.

Chris Jordan
Accountant

I initially approached David about coaching as a way to further my career. It has gone far beyond that, and over the course of three months it has fundamentally altered my perspective on who I am and what I can achieve. I was initially a mild sceptic going into the process, so I’m even more delighted by what I have been able to come away with from coaching.

David has helped me to see that I’m whole, complete and perfect, exactly as I am. But that’s just been the starting point for me to go for the dreams I never even realised I had – it has been hugely powerful to be able to shift my mindset to one of creativity, imagination and confidence both professionally and personally. David will help you move from: ‘what will the world give me’ to asking yourself: ‘what can I contribute?’ and that’s a far more rewarding place from which to live your life.

Lucy – Journalis

If you’re feeling unfulfilled or wondering what the ‘game of life’ is really about, then it’s worth having a chat with David. He offers a separate set of eyes to work with you, not only to dream big but to realise the impact you can have and to maximise it. Since working with David, I have been able to prioritise what’s really important in my life and begun to realise the ability I have to inspire others. I have removed barriers, made healthier choices and feel better placed to make a positive contribution to those around me.

DAN ROBINSON
Senior Infrastructure Consultant and
Leader in the Community

In a short space of time David helped me get strong insights into my behaviour and more generally what drives the behaviour of other people. The sessions were challenging and thought provoking. David helped me set up some actions to take to transform several areas of my life and be more confident in taking risks and pushing my boundaries.

Natasha Managarova Business Development

David’s generosity, compassion and determination to help people discover and move towards their dreams is unmatched in anyone I have ever met.

A complete mindset shift and the journey has only just begun. Thank you, David, for the past 6 months plus. Very much looking forward to the next!“

Andy Hall-Jones Business owner

After building up a relationship with David over an 18 month period, and talking a lot about coaching but no actions being taken, I decided to give it a go. It’s been just over a year now and reflecting back on that year, I am currently in a place I would never have been unless it was for his coaching. He’s shown me a whole new way of thinking and approaching everyday life from both a business and personal perspective. Not only that but we have developed my leadership skills, and he is continually pushing me out of my comfort zones, its challenging at times, however reflecting back on the process has enabled me to see it was all worth it! I’m very much looking forward to continuing to work with David to see what the future holds.

James Canty, Entrepreneurand Business Leader

I signed-up for the leadership re-invented programme expecting a typical workshop-type experience involving theoretical analysis of what leadership should be, cliche stories and passive engagement from most attendees. Instead, I was presented with a immensely challenging and reflective group of sessions in which David regularly pushed the room to think more about the personal influence they could have, challenged our understanding what success means and focused us on how we could perform better through action. David was passionate throughout and able to connect personally with all attendees, not easy in a group setting. Having a one-to-one alongside these workshops enabled deeper exploration in to the trends identified, and despite only having known David for a few hours prior he immediately understood my key opportunity areas and was able to provide helpful and accurate insight. I can’t recommend this experience more highly to anyone aspiring to become a better leader.  

Paul Weaver

Testimonial 1: from Prasit Shah, Portfolio Director, Royal Mail

The leadership workshops led by David were far broader than just tools to use in the workplace. They forced a level of sometimes uncomfortable introspection based on how we are conditioned to think, so challenging long held beliefs, behaviours and habits. An immediate impact was a career decision I made after the first workshop. My decision was counter to my usual ‘strategy for success’ as I truly felt I had a choice and therefore considered my options objectively, jumping in the opposite direction to where I would previously.

Testimonial 2: from Clare, Head of Service Delivery

I decided to try this after being offered an opportunity and spending very little time over the past couple of years developing my leadership skills. I was a bit apprehensive at first and didn’t really know what to expect, but I found the group coaching sessions and individual coaching session very useful. David is a great coach, his approach and the techniques he uses work very well. He pushes you out of your comfort zone and I found the sessions challenged me to really reflect and look at situations through a very different lens, which has been hard at times but is already starting to have a positive impact for both me and my team. My focus is now on taking control back, contributing, and making a difference, to become the person and leader I strive to be. I would highly recommend David and coaching as I feel it can make such a difference to you in all aspects of your life.

David is a great coach – his insight is authentic, invaluable and challenging, whilst supporting me to become the best I can be, in my work life and personal life. I considered being coached as I was keen to get some help to ‘take myself on’ and realise my untapped potential as a leader in a challenging new role. David is a really good listener who has taken the time to understand me and the areas to work on; I am looking at things differently and doing things differently, whilst growing in confidence. I can’t wait to see where we go next and how I can continue to push myself to the next level. I would recommend David’s coaching to anyone who wants to become more fulfilled in life.

Rob McNally
Head Of City ICT Strategy & Solutions

David has a way of taking you through a journey of development that makes one stand back and look at things from the outside at which point it becomes painfully obvious the areas one needs to improve or change even if you feel you want to rebut them at first. A great coach who helped me to solve a few things and I like to think now a good friend as well. Thank you for all your help David.

Marcus Harris
Actor and owner of Incite Insight

“This is basic training for the mind, the heart and the soul. It is the most positive transforming experience I’ve ever been a part of.”

Dr Alen Steffenhagen
Entrepreneur

David’s authentic approach and insightful concepts demystify ‘conventional wisdom’ and have enabled me to look at success in a completely different way.

Sacha Gervasi
Director

I approached the sessions with an open mind after being at a cross road; especially in my personal life where I am dealing with Parental Alienation. David helped me take back control and start to write my own life story. I started “taking action” rather than being a passenger. With all of this there was tremendous risk but David helped me realise that the risk of doing nothing was even greater. The coaching helped change my general outlook such as realising that I’m responsible for my own actions and not those of other people.

Melvin Thompson
ICT Infrastructure Manager

I came to Dave because I was really stuck in a rut. I was in a job and industry I didn’t especially care for, and it’s not even as if I was making decent money, I was just treading water, wasting time, really. I felt that while the situation wasn’t great, all the alternatives I could see were worse. My outlook was extremely limited. My social life wasn’t good either; I was quite isolated and lonely. The funny thing is, I didn’t actually realise all this at the time, I just knew that I felt bad and wanted it to stop. I think that without really noticing it, being “stuck in a rut” can develop into a more serious situation, and that’s the way I felt like I was heading. Before I knew it, it might have been five years later and things might have been the same, only I would probably be feeling even worse.

Dave is friendly and energetic, but the main part of his approach seems to be to always find ways to broaden our thinking. With me, he looked for ways to help me see where I was limiting myself, where I was closing off possibilities or sticking to one path without even noticing it, and he did this by helping me to see why I was doing those things.

He helped me evaluate what I really enjoy doing, and helped me to naturally develop a much more creative, open-minded, and energetic approach. He gave me homework that I followed very closely, and in this way supported me to create concrete plans for changing my life. At it’s most basic level, the help he gives is extremely pragmatic, but when we’re stuck, we sometimes need to understand what is happening, why and yes, we need a little hand up.

The advice part worked because it was practical advice, and it helped to have a large problem broken into very small, manageable amounts, concrete deadlines by which to complete these manageable tasks, and growing confidence and enthusiasm as the actions started to pay off and things became fun. It’s the kind of thing we can all do for ourselves when we aren’t stuck in a rut, but then that’s the problem isn’t it? Some of us find it difficult to admit when we need a hand moving on.

Things are really changing. I explored much more actively, tried a good few different things, started to understand why I liked the things I liked, and did more of them. I was surprised to realise that I’m actually a very sociable person, but I’d been lonely and down for so long that I’d forgotten that it’s something that I need and can do well. Volunteering helped with that, and so my social life improved a lot as a sort of by-product, we didn’t even talk very much about that!

I found a volunteering opportunity I absolutely loved and threw myself into it. That was a start, but Dave helped me to start looking for a job in the field, and after a few months working on that, I’m very happy to say that I’m scheduled to start a new job in a few days. I’ve never been so excited about going to work before! I even still have one interview to go for a simply amazing opportunity, so hey, it might just get even better!

This process didn’t happen overnight, but it’s been hugely valuable, worthwhile and fun. In terms of the investment, I’ve successfully been able to tackle the biggest problems in my life, and I feel very positive about my current direction.

Oliver Platts

January 2018

It has been a pleasure and a joy working with David. I now live my life as an inspiring leader to young adults, less afraid of criticism, no longer afraid of the word “No”. David has helped me to focus on what I really want and then go out and create it. He is gentle when I needed (not that often to be fair) and challenging when I don’t know I need it (an awful lot!). Both to great effect. David helped me think differently and reach for the stars.

S Boldman, University Lecturer

I was sceptical at first about having life coaching sessions but after having relationship problems I decided to take the one hour free session that I was offered. I was hooked. David made me realise that I was just reacting to situations as they arose instead of taking control of my life. Together we worked through what was important to me and the things that were in the way of me fulfilling my dreams. He has given me the confidence to deal with personal situations much more effectively and to be the person that I want to be. He has opened my eyes to all the opportunities that are available to me and has given me the motivation to go out there and have a much more fulfilling life.

For the first time in a long time I feel that I am in control of my life and am much happier for it.

David is an excellent coach. He is very enthusiastic and really does want to help you.

My only regret is that I didn’t have this coaching many years ago. I would certainly recommend it.

Mrs M

“Having always resisted the idea of coaching, I really wasn’t sure what to expect in my first session with David. The overriding question front of mind when I left our initial meeting; “why hadn’t I invested in myself sooner?”

I quickly found David brings a quality and clarity of thinking to any scenario presented, and challenges you to look past the theoretical barriers we often find ourselves constructing to justify not doing something or behaving in a certain way.

The coaching sessions with David were extremely impactful and provided me with the renewed confidence and energy to go after my goals and make a difference.

For anyone who has been considering coaching and is possibly questioning if it is for them, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough and David is a fantastic individual to oversee what is a fulfilling personal journey. ”

Steve Thompsett
Chief Technology Officer
Arthur J. Gallagher International

“My conversations with David have been a breath of fresh air.  His inspirational style has enabled me to deal with everyday situations, both at home and at work, much more effectively and positively.”

Stephen Blackburn – Senior Information Governance Officer at Leeds City Council

Through my work with David, it is opening up a completely different way of not only thinking, but also how I operate both at work and in life. David’s skills, experience and clear passion for what he does comes through in spades and through his help, I quickly saw benefits and continue to do so. I look forward to our conversations, challenging myself and the opportunities that coaching brings.

Phil Barrett, Entrepreneur

“I have found coaching with David to be most beneficial. David takes a very flexible approach, which has enabled me to work on achieving a better balance between personal and business needs. I got to understand how my beliefs and values drove the decisions I make in my life without any conscious awareness. I did so many things on autopilot. I found I was getting increasingly frustrated when things didn’t go my way. I like to call this “grumpy old man syndrome”. The results have been fantastic in a relatively short time.

With David’s coaching, I have established a more objective view of myself and what I want from my life as a whole. So far it has proved to be a journey of self-exploration towards becoming more effective and more fulfilled as a business owner and as a leader. I can recommend it to any executive/business owner who is prepared to undertake the sometimes painful process of self-examination in the search for continuous personal improvement.”

Andrew Jordan Accountant Owner of Jordan Ludlow Associates

David came along to coach a team already set up within the organisation whose remit was to promote a positive culture change.

The coaching highlighted how individual concerns and agendas impact on the relationships within the group and its productivity. During the day’s coaching the team focused on taking responsibility for their actions and on helping individuals within the team to recognise and value their diverse strengths and talents. Moving forward, this has helped the team to work more effectively together towards the agreed outcomes. The team was left in a space where they could concentrate on creativity, solutions and taking action.

Dylan Roberts – Chief Officer (ICT) at Leeds City Council

I had a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in late 2013.  I saw some comments David made on an SCA Survivors forum.  Even though I am from New York I contacted David and he agreed to coach me via Skype.  David’s coaching had an instant and profound impact on my life.  Before the coaching, I was making my life smaller and smaller to avoid having another SCA and to prevent a shock from my implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).  I had given up exercise (which before my SCA I loved), I felt unable to return to work and I was constantly anxious about what the future might bring. To be honest I didn’t feel like I had a future. Having completed only 5 sessions with David, I am now back to work, have a regular exercise routine and started a charity to purchase defibrillators for all public areas in New York. David helped me to see the opportunities in life rather than the problems. What a turnaround!

Jennifer Humphrey  Accountant and lover of life