THEN SOMEHOW - Key Persons
Rather than assuming the apparent is either the issue or solution, I approach each challenge with curiosity. Using rigorous qualitative and quantitative methodologies, honed from an academic background in social anthropology and advanced research methodologies, I am able to explore the issues from the inside without preconception.
I have considerable experience in project management of employee research, previously overseeing multi-country surveys with tens of thousands of participants. For fifteen years I held senior positions in global market research companies and management consultancies such as The Hay Group, providing strategic guidance to household names, including the BBC, Vodafone, Toyota, and DHL. I then moved into the not-for-profit sector, where I continues to spend time working with some of the country's leading charities.
I set up and run my own business, founded a social enterprise and worked at senior levels in international development for over fifteen years.
It was through my work in international development that I was introduced to mentoring and latterly the power of coaching and group facilitation.
I was able to hone these skills with some of the Civil Services' most senior staff and brought in to help found and create cohesive cultures in new teams and departments.
I have been certified by Oxford Brookes University as a Skills and Performance Coach, am Steve Radcliffe trained (one of Europe's most successful leadership coaches), and am a Careershifters and Firework advanced certified careers coach.
Following a career at King's College London in leadership roles linked to partnership and strategy development; innovation and impact, I now primarily work in School Governance.
I am an experienced Governor having over a 12-year period brought two small rural schools into a successful federation; been appointed as a National Lead Governor by the DfE for 4 years; and been part of 6 successful Ofsted teams.
Like most governors I work in a voluntary capacity, but at Then Somehow I work also as a consultant with East Sussex County Council working with schools and individuals in tricky situations, helping schools in difficulties, and mentoring other governors through trying times. I also support new governors and Chairs.
This work builds upon the range of skills I gained whilst at King's: ability to gain trust easily; to bring people together; to challenge and support leaders; to listen.
I started my first business when I was 25. It was interior design and we worked in recycled fabrics and transformed pubs into bars. After that I went into TV production, coordinating film shoots all over the globe, mainly for historical documentaries. I did work on one feature film starring Richard Harris which was a drama in itself.
I left TV after discovering how un child friendly it was. I freelanced as a ‘creative consumer' / idea generator for in innovation and new product development for a while, that was fun. And meanwhile qualified as a yoga instructor.
I started working with Steve and Then Somehow about 15 years ago, delivering and developing the Working Smarter programme, taking it online, creating new workshops that support creativity and wellbeing at work.
I love this work, it is always such a joy to help people untangle the knots so that they can bring their intelligence and creativity to making it better.
I have a parallel business running art retreats, online art courses and selling my paintings. You can find out more about that side of things here.
In my spare time I love to travel, eat good food in good company and rest.
Job Titles:
- Group Facilitator & Project Manager
Inspired by the internet, I sold the company and founded Nigel's Eco Store an online retailer selling eco-friendly and purposeful products, with customers that included BT and Uswitch.
I have spent most of my working life supporting people who are trying to change the status quo, in positive ways. Nearly 30 years ago I left my role as a manager in a very large tech company to join a purposeful tech startup. I have been Chair and Director of a purposeful SME, a startup MD, as well as working as a facilitator on many projects, at board and at ground-level.
I'm an award-winning coach and consultant for the digital and creative industries. I help leaders become more successful and fulfilled, by sharing tools to increase confidence and be more authentic.
I bring my insight and experience in tackling systemic inequalities to help Then Somehow's clients feel braver about doing the work. I use practical tools to help teams become more aware of their own unconscious bias and cultural conditioning.
I had a successful career in London before moving to Brighton - I project managed the first Channel 5 website when I was 25 years old, managing a team of 20 designers, programmers, and writers.
I run SheSays Brighton events for women in digital and creative industries, I'm a founding member of the Women of Colour Brighton group with over 1,000 members. I'm also a yoga and meditation teacher, a former radio presenter and public speaker.
I started my career as a graduate trainee for the National Housing Agency in Scotland and spent the first 10 years or so helping to set up and strengthen community led housing associations and advocating for deprived communities. Everywhere I went I heard amazing stories about another Sarah who had been there before me - a proper legend. Anyway the legend had taken a posh job with central government in England and was really shaking things up and when she advertised a role within her team I went for it. We moved everything from Glasgow to the South West of England and I spent a lot of time in the towers of bureaucracy in London as a special adviser being quite disruptive to the system.
Over time I felt at risk of becoming too compliant and my interest shifted from housing and public services to how I could help people be more effective in order to improve lives/deliver better outcomes. I also wanted to work in other sectors so after a few big corporate roles I took a year out and volunteered for a large charity through the Vodafone World of Difference Programme to reground myself away from the fancy job titles and glass offices.
I am now an accredited coach and have spent the last 10 years working with many different organisations to develop their people doing everything from diagnostics, coaching, developing and delivering leadership programmes to operational excellence. I worked with Steve and Then Somehow on the original pilot for Capacity building and liked it so much I joined the team.
I am a recent convert to yoga (at least 4 hours per week) and do a lot of outdoor swimming (not wild swimming more cheating at in our local lido).