Our Coaching Team

Fiona Parashar Founder & CEO

Our Story

The power of positive connections

I’ve always been fascinated by human psychology – specifically how we positively connect to our sense of self, as well as our family and friends, our work and communities, our health and wellbeing, and our culture and environment – all in the face of life’s ups and downs.

This fascination with positive connection has directed my career path, priorities, and sense of purpose, from my days at university, my early career in media and advertising, right up to now.

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Our Story

The power of positive connections

I’ve always been fascinated by human psychology – specifically how we positively connect to our sense of self, as well as our family and friends, our work and communities, our health and wellbeing, and our culture and environment – all in the face of life’s ups and downs.

This fascination with positive connection has directed my career path, priorities, and sense of purpose, from my days at university, my early career in media and advertising, right up to now.

It’s helped me attract a tribe of like-minded coaches from diverse industry backgrounds, who share my values and my work philosophy – that work is a form of creative self-expression and should be fulfilling.

  • We share the desire to be present with our family and friends and committed to coaching.
  • We’re dedicated to self-development, balance and personal fulfilment.
  • And we’re all motivated to make a positive difference.

Together, we use the principles of positive psychology to enable every one of our clients to thrive in their lives. By strengthening, developing and aligning positive connections to their values, we enable them to bring energy to their work, colleagues, families and wider communities.

Thanks to our unique approach – supportive, kind and thought-provoking – I’m honoured to say most of our clients recommend us, or return to us when faced with significant changes or crossroad moments in their personal or professional lives.

Finally, positive connections have fostered the values-led ethos that underpins everything Leadership Coaching stands for today, from the clients and partners we choose to work with, to the charities we support. And it will remain the foundation of our future as we continue our journey over the next 20 years.

With positivity & gratitude,

Founder and CEO

Fiona's
Story

  • 2000

    The Launch

    Setting up my own business was exciting, thrilling and nerve-wracking in equal measure. In the early days, I said ‘Yes!’ to everything, and loved how it grew. I wrote a book about balance – and was on a quest to find it myself. I was much more present for my young children and family, and poured positive energy into everything. So, upon reflection, it was no surprise I felt exhausted and burnt out after a few years.

  • 2003

    In Print

    My book was published. But, that sense of burnout led me to revisit and review exactly how I wanted the business to grow. I made the decision to work with a small selection of like-minded values led coaches.

  • 2005

    Losing Dad

    From cancer diagnosis to death in just four months, grief hit me hard when my father passed away. I spent the next couple of years getting my mojo back, with what I called my ‘back to basics’ campaign. I slowed down my work, turned to nature, spent more time with the children, and welcomed our mini schnauzer puppy, Sabbi, to our family. She filled our home with love and laughter, and took us for adventures in London’s green spaces. I got myself fit and reaped the mental benefits of time spent going for long walks.

  • 2007

    Mastering Positive Psychology

    Mojo restored, I was up for a fresh challenge. The bedside books I read for pleasure led to me joining the Masters in Positive Psychology at UEL. Despite somewhat ironic moments of not finding it a positive experience (mainly due to the overstretch of doing it alongside running a business and raising a young family) and moments of wanting to give up, I graduated in 2009

  • 2008

    Relocation, Relocation

    A long-held dream was realised – a move to beauty and nature. I relocated from London to Bath, and set up the Positive Vision Days. These days capitalised on the beautiful healing landscape surrounding the city, offering an intensive coaching experience in nature for busy, stressed executives.

  • 2009

    Support Where it Counts

    In honour of my father and my interest in a whole person approach to health, I became a trustee for Penny Brohn Cancer Care (PBCC), which uses a holistic approach to living with cancer. I stepped down in 2019

  • 2014

    The Hard Work Pays Off

    We received the ABP Award of Excellence in Leadership Coaching, which honoured the innovative approach of the Positive Vision Days

  • 2015

    Sharing Positivity

    I started to focus more on inspiring and supporting other coaches. I trained to become a Supervisor, training and sharing the Vision Day methodology.

  • 2017

    Refresh & Reset

    Returned to something that had been on my to-do list for almost 30 years – invested in retreats on the Tony Robbins Life Mastery course to refocus, reclaim and rejuvenate my next chapter as my daughter leaves for university.

  • 2018

    Flying the nest

    With my son off to university, the ‘empty nester’ syndrome kicked in and I felt simultaneously sad and liberated. However, it was time to execute the next part of my ‘life plan’ – to ramp up the business.

    But then…

    My mum became ill, although it was unclear why. Spent lots of loving, bittersweet time caring for her.

  • 2019

    Bereavements

    More grief and loss. My mum was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. I was honoured to care for her, even while she was in hospital. She passed away in March.

    Sabbi the family dog, passed away in May

  • 2020

    A positive force for good

    We’ve applied for a B–Corp Certification, which will enable us to join a community of global businesses working to solve social and environmental problems – and truly make a positive impact.

    Celebrating positive outcomes

    We’re working on a Positive Leaders research series – looking back with the clients we’ve coached over the years to see how it’s impacted their lives.

  • 2021 Onwards

    Celebrating positive outcomes

    We’re working on a Positive Leaders research series – looking back with the clients we’ve coached over the years to see how it’s impacted their lives.

    Covid-19 Lockdown: Uncertain times, but… positive coaching and leadership is needed now more than ever. Plenty of walks and talks with family and virtual ones with clients.

    Nature as coach really helping us all commit to the planet and to positive connections with people around us.

    Positive leadership. Positive coaching. Positive giving.

Our Coaches

Our diverse team is united by the values that underpin positive psychology. We’ve worked alongside each other for many years, drawing on a wealth of industry experience, skills, compassion and strength.

Together, we are committed to coaching leaders to realise their full potential.  In the first instance, you will have an initial matching call with our Founder and CEO Fiona Parashar, who will determine you coaching needs – and the right coach for you.

Fiona Parashar

Fiona set up Leadership Coaching in 2000, driven to use her corporate experience and academic background to make a positive difference to leaders, executives and women in business. Here, she shares her coaching journey, her favourite type of client, and even a few of her guilty pleasures...

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Sharon Charlton-Thomson

If you feel ready to work at depth, Sharon may be the coach for you. Sharon is a Coach/Therapist and has worn both hats for 25 years. She helps clients who want to explore and reshape their leadership ready to meet the challenges of today’s transforming world.

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Sue Hartley

A child is walking along a beach. She sees a star fish washed up on the shore, picks it up, throws it back into the sea and says “I made a difference to that one”.
Making a positive difference, albeit on an individual basis, is what inspired Sue to become a coach. Here, she shares more about her work and approach…

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Dr. Lucy Ryan

Twenty-five years ago, when she was still acting and singing, Lucy suffered from acute stage fright. A coach saved her, guiding her through the fear. It left her intrigued to learn more and marked the start of a long journey into coaching that still inspires her today

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Mia Kennedy

How did Mia become a coach? After being promoted into a big important job and receiving coaching, she thought – ‘man, this is helpful’. And then – ‘this is the job I was made to do’. Here, she shares how her career change has impacted her life – and the lives of her clients.

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Mary Langan

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do you will never cease to grow.” Anthony D’ Angelo

Before becoming a trainer and coach, I spent 20 years working in media companies including 14 years at BBC Worldwide in sales and commercial leadership roles. During all my leadership roles, I was determined that people had the right training and support to enable them to be the best they could be in their roles and to progress.

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Ruth Rochelle

“She doesn’t judge or tell you what the answer should be, but she opens up your mind to the range of possibilities”. This wonderful feedback gives just a glimpse into Ruth’s coaching style. Here, she shares what got her into coaching, and her favourite client to work with.

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Isabel Elvery

Izzy Elvery is former Chief Operating Officer of a leadership consultancy, working with 8 of the top 10 Pharmaceutical giants, and many of the world’s leading and best-loved Fortune 500 brands. She is a business strategist, powerful executive coach and expert in mindset and behaviour change.

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Jackee Holder

An interaction with a brilliant coach in her early career was what set Jackee Holder on her journey to becoming a coach. The mix of questions, and the quality of her listening and presence took her breath away. She realised she wanted to be that person for others. Here, she shares her own coaching path

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Sandra Visser

Sandra worked as one of my closest associates for about a decade before moving to Boulder, Colorado. Now she travels back a few times a year to deliver the Coaching Intensive training with me. She also offers Vision Days for the lucky few who can catch her whilst she is in the UK.

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Jim Godfrey

“There’s no point beating about the bush!” This informal but direct approach pretty much sums up Jim’s’s style of coaching. And it’s a tack appreciated by clients who want to shake things up. Here, he shares what he loves about coaching…

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Geetha Ramachandran

"When we first spoke, you mentioned that everyone has the answers within themselves. I found this to be true yesterday. Beliefs that have been lurking about for years, but with the 'Geetha light' shining on them suddenly aren't so limiting or scary!" This was a comment from a senior leader after her first coaching session. Geetha shares what it has meant to be a leadership coach and a transformation coach, and who her ideal client is.

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Barbara Greenway

Being selected to train as an Executive Coach at the BBC in 2009 was what set Barbara on her coaching path and she has never looked back. At the BBC I focused on coaching people stepping into leadership roles and, in the eight years that followed, extended my portfolio to include mentoring, workplace mediation, supervising other coaches and mentoring student coaches through their initial training programme.

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