Having spent more than five years coaching clients and helping businesses across the UK to grow and develop, Sophie Theen brings a modern and innovative take to the field of business coaching and strategy, an approach she backs up with proven results. Initially focusing almost exclusively on HR strategy, her business has evolved to the point where there is now a much stronger emphasis on coaching, something that is particularly prolific when utilised at two separate ends of the business spectrum – with start-ups and experienced leaders. Whatever it is that a particular business needs assistance with, Sophie is differentiated by her ability to craft fully customised and purpose-driven programmes, all of which align with her lived values of transparency and maximising a client’s potential. Sophie is both determined and able to fully optimise a company, with this presenting itself through her signature multifaceted methodology revolving around recognising strengths, being committed to change, taking the necessary action, and then celebrating subsequent achievements. From her individual coaching to her leadership development and even company-wide training programmes, Sophie’s strengths-based coaching sees her leverage the strengths of both a company’s individuals and its teams more broadly to help them maximise potential and achieve a new gold standard for performance culture. All of Sophie’s courses are tailored specifically for the technology industry, particularly financial services, where these avenues are particularly important and key components in measuring the success of a business. In the technology and financial services industries at present, Sophie has noted that there are more and more companies beginning to catch on to the idea that high-performance cultures and teams are instrumental elements in driving lasting success. Companies in these sectors are thus integrating coaching strategies into both their people and wider culture to hit new heights. This is particularly true of London, which boasts an array of tech start-ups and companies, offering up a dynamic environment in one of the world’s most progressive cities. “Being based in London offers the advantage of being at the heart of a major tech hub, providing access to a vast network of innovative companies and talent. This enhances opportunities for collaboration and growth.” Despite her successes, Sophie has certainly run into her fair share of challenges operating in this complex sphere. Most recently, this has included clients approaching her to set up a people and culture strategy for them without first having an open conversation with Sophie about their principles and values. Sophie explains, “clients often want to build highly talented and high-performing teams but skip the foundational exercise of defining their culture, which influences both employee engagement and leadership behaviour.” In order to overcome this challenge, Sophie is experienced in guiding clients through a robust consultancy cycle, a process which sees her and the client dive into such topics as values, culture, and aspirations. Building such a foundation is integral if lasting transformation is to be implemented, as only by integrating coaching into the learning and development programmes on offer can a holistic approach be created that focuses on developing leaders and employees equally. Continuing to do so is Sophie’s focus for both the rest of 2024 and beyond, with future plans including the release of a new strengths-based coaching programme, one that has been meticulously designed around nurturing leaders in one-on-one environments and helping their teams to fully maximise their potential in the process. This programme is set to commence some time in the next six to eight months and represents Sophie’s ongoing commitment to both her clients and leaving behind a legacy of lasting change. Across a business setting where many leaders are still not transparent about their cultures, values, and principles, Sophie Theen is slowly but surely changing the game, boosting a company’s performance culture through her strength-based coaching and leadership development programmes designed to inspire. On the back of this, we have recognised Sophie Theen as the Female Start-Up Business Coach of the Year 2024. Contact: Sophie Theen Company: Chief of Stories Web Address: https://www.sophietheen.com Sophie Theen is a renowned HR strategy consultant and an executive and founder coach, as well as being the driving force behind her own business, Chief of Stories. Sophie’s business sees her focus primarily on the areas of HR and people strategy for a variety of small-and medium-sized businesses across the UK, as well as offering coaching services for those in management and executive leadership positions. From helping businesses to develop winning strategies to empowering managers to become more effective leaders, we explore what makes Sophie Theen so successful in this space. Female Start-Up Business Coach of the Year 2024: Sophie Theen
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