Coach in the Spotlight: Becky Kilsby

Tell us about your journey to becoming a coach.

I worked in education and literature before becoming a full-time career coach.

I first trained as a teacher and this profession facilitated my life as an ex-pat. I've lived in various countries, but mainly in the Middle East before I returned to Exeter a few years ago.

My first taste of providing careers support was in the mid-'80s, following the birth of my first son.

I realised how difficult women were finding it to return to work after having children. So, with the help of career guidance experts, trainers and entrepreneurs, I launched a course to support women to find a new direction or learn how to set up a business.

We then moved to Dubai, where I set up a tutoring business and later got involved in the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Distance learning was becoming popular, so I studied for a Masters in English, Adult Education and Cultural Studies and later trained as a careers guidance practitioner too.

I launched this new career by setting up the careers service with the University of Middlesex in Dubai – an amazing example of what’s possible when you stretch yourself! I loved the work, but after about four years, it became stifling because, over time, the university culture had become more 'corporate'.

I knew my time was up when a branded scarf became a mandatory part of the staff work wardrobe.

I didn't like being dictated to in that way, and I became curious to understand why I'd had such a visceral reaction.

This is the point at which I started to explore my values more deeply.

I worked with a coach and discovered my top values were autonomy, creativity and authenticity. None of which were being met in that environment.

I loved the concept of coaching because it deals with the whole person – life as well as work – and it's about transformation.

I realised it was my calling to support individuals in reaching their potential in life and work and soon started training to be a coach.

When I found myself back in the UK following my divorce, I settled into a career role at the university but soon felt ready to jump wholeheartedly into my career coaching business.

By this point, I'd built up some testimonials and had completed the Firework training, which augmented my earlier career guidance training and experience.

My career may seem, to some degree, to be a little disjointed.

But, the common thread has always been inspiring others to expand their horizons and reach their potential.

I've reinvented myself many times – as a teacher, a lecturer, a careers guidance professional, a literary festival curator, and a business owner – whilst simultaneously jumping continents.

I've done this through intuition, experience and training. My story demonstrates that it's possible to make a change at any stage of life.

 

I've reinvented myself many times – as a teacher, a lecturer, a careers guidance professional, a literary festival curator, and a business owner.

 

Why did you choose to become a licensed career coach with Firework?

Being qualified in providing career guidance was useful on a technical level, but I didn't have the tools to dive deeper into the authentic self.

I was getting more interested in values and purpose.

With my career guidance work, I might've seen someone once for 30 minutes. It didn't scratch the surface of what I wanted to achieve.

What I wanted was to build long-lasting relationships with my clients to help them explore themselves more fully.

I felt Firework combined core coaching techniques with creative design thinking.

Becoming a licensed Firework career coach has augmented my offering and provided me with a practical, proven process which places the individual at the heart of career change.

I've been able to position myself as a career change expert and establish an independent business which has been fulfilling for me.

The programme has a strong emphasis on the "whole person", expressing oneself and challenging the gremlins that get in the way.

My favourite Firework tool is the Ideas Bank. It gives the client permission to explore new ideas they hadn't previously considered, which is incredibly powerful.

Seeing people get those lightbulb moments when they spot new possibilities gives me a lot of pleasure.

 

With my career guidance work, I might've seen someone once for 30 minutes. It didn't scratch the surface of what I wanted to achieve.

 

How did you make a return on your investment with Firework?

In that first year following my Firework training, I took four clients through the programme as I was coaching part-time.

I made back my investment after 12 months or so.

At that stage, it was more about me refining my process, and I didn't charge as much then as I do now.

It's been a sound investment because it's a proven programme, well-founded in career change expertise and experience. It's also adaptable and continues to provide value even now.

There's enough in the Firework programme that you can take elements from it and create alternative programmes.

It's an adaptable supply of resources that can help people to manage their life and work.

 

Who do you work with? How do you typically work with your clients?

I've worked with people of different ages and backgrounds across the globe, so my niche isn't specific.

I sometimes coach those in their late 30s who are ready to change their working life to better express their values, purpose and use their real strengths. They want to take their whole selves to work and don't want to be squashed into a box.

More and more nowadays, I'm working with those who are a little older. People who've had a successful career and are financially comfortable but want a more meaningful, purposeful role. Those who want to make more of an impact in society and need help identifying what that could be.

My approach combines techniques and methods from careers guidance, design thinking and co-active coaching – always working with the whole person.

Firework forms part of my process, and I've adapted the programme to suit my clients and me. It's now a six-session coaching package which delivers results.

More than half of my clients are based overseas, so I mainly coach over Zoom. I can still see every emotion crossing the face of my clients, so I don't feel anything gets lost when working at a distance.

I've also created an online programme that guides people through the process of a career change but is more affordable.

I produced this during lockdown because I could see the need for a proven process at an accessible price. I could see there were a lot of people wanting to take some time to consider what to do next.

 

My approach combines techniques and methods from careers guidance, design thinking and co-active coaching – always working with the whole person.

 

How have you built your coaching business? What have you found to be the most effective ways of attracting clients?

Without any formal business training, I've learnt everything as I've gone along!

I always knew I wanted to work internationally, so positioning myself online and having a strong website was essential from the get-go.

I discovered a web designer who I was very excited to work with. She was very good at helping me define my brand and getting across who I was, who I work with, why I coach and the impact of my work.

I learnt about content marketing through Janet Murray's podcasts and membership group, and I bought a business set-up course from an American coach too which was valuable.

I wanted to provide a service for self-funding individuals, rather than work with corporates. So, I knew I'd have to be patient when it came to my business growth and getting a return on investment for all my learning.

Many people aren't familiar with the idea of investing in themselves, so I never expected my business to be profitable overnight. For me, it's never been about making big bucks, but helping people transform.

I've spent time over the past few years creating lead magnets that offer real value to would-be career-changers and thereby building an email list.

I've enjoyed blogging, writing newsletters and engaging with professionals on LinkedIn. I find that a lot of leads now come via LinkedIn.

Around half of my clients come through my network. Interacting with other coaches has helped spread the word about who I am and what I do.

I’ve had my articles published on other websites, and I've taken part in virtual forums and collaborated with other coaches too.

I've spent a large chunk of my life abroad, so I've found that I'm good at nurturing relationships and initiating conversations.

It's opened doors and allowed me to make the most of some incredible opportunities.

 

Interacting with other coaches has helped spread the word about who I am and what I do.

 

What sort of results have you helped your clients to achieve?

The one result that all my clients have in common is greater clarity.

They finish the coaching series knowing who they are and what they need for fulfilment in their working lives.

They have increased self-belief as well as the ability to walk forward more powerfully and manage their gremlins.

They understand their "why", which is at the heart of a successful change because it provides confidence, energy and motivation that they're heading in the right direction.

They also have the beginnings of a plan, have gained confidence in their new career choice and feel more empowered in their ability to make decisions.

Most people don't hop into a new career overnight, of course, but some clients can work very quickly.

I worked with a freelance marketer who'd had a successful career, but it didn't fulfil her values of belonging, nurturing and travel.

As she started getting clear on her values, she was able to better express what she was looking for, whilst narrowing down her search for the right organisation.

By the fourth session, she was offered a new job.

On paper, she didn't have the right experience, but the team who'd interviewed her were able to see that she was an excellent fit for the organisation.

Coaching had given her more self-awareness and the ability to express herself.

For others, the transition takes place over a long period.

It might involve retraining or joining a good organisation and moving up from there.

Another client worked in the family business her whole adult life, but it wasn't what she wanted long term.

She was insecure about her abilities, so as part of the career change programme we worked to identify and build on her strengths.

Once she'd identified her new direction we focused on demonstrating her value, revamping her CV and Linkedin profile and exploring voluntary work.

By embracing the idea of experimentation to gain more experience, she was offered a temp job and then a permanent position working for a social enterprise.

 

Understanding their "why" is at the heart of a successful change because it provides confidence, energy and motivation that they're heading in the right direction.

 

What other tools or resources have helped you build your business or enhance your coaching?

The book Designing Your Life & Design Your Work Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans have been instrumental in the development of my coaching practice.

I love the philosophy of design thinking.

I've embraced technology and have learnt how to use Mailchimp to create landing pages and email newsletters.

Many of my clients find Vision Boards empowering and fun. These can be a powerful reminder of values and provide direction and inspiration.

Another course I found helpful was the Purpose into Practice course with coach Phil Askew.

It gave me the confidence to express myself authentically in my messaging and my work as a career change coach.

 

How do you see your work evolving in the future?

I wanted to create something that reflected my own experience of reinventing myself.

So, I’ve developed a new programme called The Joy of a Blank Canvas.

It's aimed at anyone who is making a completely new start, especially those in their 50s, who may be recently separated or divorced or even approaching retirement.

It's for anyone who is starting again.

The emphasis is on reinvention and potentially even creating a new income stream all in line with individual values and purpose.

I originally envisaged this being a self-help book but thought I would test it out by launching it as a course first.

I'm pleased to say that it’s almost ready for launch and I hope it will be available for enrolment by the end of this year!

 

I wanted to create something that reflected my own experience of reinventing myself.

 

What are the most rewarding aspects of coaching for you?

I like the variety. My current clients come from all over the world – Sweden, India, US, Austria, Dubai and the UK.

I enjoy the flexibility of working online too.

When clients say "nobody's ever heard me in that way", it feels like such a gift to be able to give people that space.

But, the most rewarding aspect of coaching is seeing clients believe that they CAN do it. They can ask for what they want, not what they think they can get.

 

Becky is a licensed Firework career coach working with individuals around the world. After living in Dubai for 22 years and raising three boys, she studied for a Masters and discovered poetry before retraining as a career specialist. Becky is now based in Exeter in the UK and runs her own business, Freestyle Careers.