Background and experience:
Sara is a strategic finance leader and executive coach with over 25 years’ experience in senior finance roles, including leadership positions at Northern Rock, Virgin Money and as Chief Finance and People Officer at The Glasshouse ICM. She brings a rare dual perspective on financial decision-making and human behaviour at work, and now supports growing SMEs, professional services firms and purpose-led organisations that need senior financial insight without the cost of a full-time FD. A CIMA-qualified accountant and EMCC-accredited Coach Practitioner, Sara combines deep finance experience with coaching and positive psychology to make complex challenges feel achievable.
Coaching philosophy and coaching clients:
Sara believes most leaders already know more than they realise. The work is creating the space, the questions and the accountability to act on it. Her philosophy blends coaching psychology with the structured thinking of a finance career: get clear on what matters, name what’s getting in the way, build the habits that make change stick.
She typically works with business owners, finance leaders, and senior professionals in growing SMEs and creative sector organisations.
Client feedback: “Sara’s coaching has been nothing short of transformative. Her gentle and friendly approach, combined with thoughtful coaching questions, made it easy to discuss difficult topics and reflect on my habits.”
Coaching style and approach:
Sara’s style is calm, direct and grounded. She creates a safe space for honest reflection, then uses well-chosen questions to challenge the thinking that keeps people stuck. Her approach is practical and outcome-focused, with a strong emphasis on accountability between sessions. She does this by:
- Holding the mirror up, so clients see their own thinking clearly
- Drawing a clear line between coaching and mentoring, and being explicit about which mode she’s in
- Sharing practical tools, frameworks and book recommendations clients can use straight away
- Building in accountability so insight turns into action and new habits
