Our Coaches
Our Growth Coaches are the cornerstone of both the High Growth and the Growth Readiness programmes.
Their primary responsibilities are:
Each Growth Coach has personal high growth experience, often as a former director or owner of a high growth company. Growth Coaches have outstanding knowledge in at least one key area of business support (e.g. marketing, finance) and have considerable broad experience of business and coaching. Many of the same coaches who received extremely good evaluation from clients on the emda High Growth pilot have been re-engaged for this programme.
Great care is taken in the matching of coaches to companies. In addition to matching skills and trade experience, the personalities of the coach and their principal contact in the company are matched using the psychometric testing process so successfully developed in the pilot. This ensures the right ‘chemistry’ between the Growth Coach and the MD/CEO being coached.
A selection from our growth coach pool
Chris Edwards M.Sc, FCIM, AMIMC
Chris has run his own business strategy and marketing consultancy for over 10 years, after a career in fast growing blue chip companies such as Senior Engineering and BTR. He has an MSc in Marketing Management from Nottingham University and is a Chartered Marketer. Chris has worked on a comparable programme in the West Midlands (the Mustard Programme) and is a SFEDI/Business Link accredited advisor.
David Stavely BA
David has held several director level positions in the textile industry and was heavily involved in restructuring several nationals and multinationals before switching to specialise in mergers, acquisitions and investment preparation. He is a founder member of GINEM, and a specialist in MBOs and succession planning.
John Collins PhD, BSc, Dip M
John was a director with Courtaulds for 17 years, six of which were in charge of business improvement and change management. He is now part of a group of independent consultants specialising primarily in helping owner managers of businesses with turnover of up to £5m. He has also worked for a number of business mentoring organisations, including the emda Mentoring Escalator.
Jonathan Nason BSc and Chartered Marketeer
Jonathan has worked as an independent performance coach and marketing specialist for over 10 years. He is a leading member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Small Business Group and a specialist in trade with Asia. He has held a host of senior marketing and managerial posts within Sony, J&E Hall and AAF.
Lesley O’Rourke BA, MBA, PG Dip CaM
Lesley is a qualified independent coach and mentor specialising in executive leadership development and team working. During her previous business career with Boots she led a variety of senior purchasing teams in their retail, pharmaceutical and manufacturing divisions before becoming Head of Purchasing, Boots Manufacturing. As a result she brings a strong business background to her coaching and mentoring practice: team leadership, supply chain development, programme management and board level negotiation experience.
Michael Epton BA Business Studies
Michael is a qualified coach and mentor, being both a SFEDI accredited business advisor and member of the Institute of Business Consultants. He is a former owner/MD of a high growth company that grew from £1m to £4m in less than a year and former Marketing Manager at Thorn Lighting.
Mike Ader BSc Management Sciences
Mike is a specialist in retailing and food/drink marketing, having held senior marketing and sales positions with Heinz, Kraft, Somerfield, Glanbia and Mathew Clark. He is now operating as an independent coach/consultant primarily on sales and marketing consignments, but is a good all rounder.
Stephen Hanson MBA
Stephen is a qualified coach and mentor, being both a member of the Institute of Business Consultants and a SFEDI accredited business advisor. He is owner and MD of the Growth Coaching Company, one of the longest established coaching companies in the UK.
Zoe Cunningham MBA
Zoe is a SFEDI accredited Business Advisor and a former Business Development Advisor with Business Link. A former commercial manager and buyer with Marks & Spencer, Zoe founded her own business in the pub trade, growing to 11 outlets and £6.5m turnover in the space of just 8 years.
Continuing Professional Development
To complement the programme, we have also set up the Centre for Excellence in Business Coaching & Consulting (CfeX). CfeX will be working with the coaches to keep them fully abreast of the latest business ideas, thoughts and developments relating to high growth businesses. The latest ideas will be presented as part of a blended learning and development programme, constantly refreshed, that employs the full range of modern presentation techniques and media.
All our coaches are encouraged to participate in this programme as they help high growth companies in the East Midlands.
