Host: Julie Williams MSc- Executive Coach & Founder of Lighting Fires
Guest: Sophie Greenaway- Headteacher

In this episode of The Lighting Fires Podcast, supported by Henley Business School, Julie is joined by Sophie Greenaway, Headteacher at Thameside Primary School, Reading, who shares her journey from teacher to headteacher, the challenges of following in the footsteps of a highly respected predecessor, and how coaching helped her overcome imposter syndrome and develop confidence in her own leadership style.

Together, they explore the power of coaching, why great leaders don't need to have all the answers, and how creating a coaching culture empowers others to think for themselves. Sophie also reflects on navigating difficult conversations, balancing the demands of school leadership with family life, and learning to let go of perfectionism.

Towards the end of the episode, Sophie shares how receiving a later-life ADHD diagnosis helped her make sense of many of the challenges she'd experienced throughout her career, leading to a greater sense of self-awareness, confidence and acceptance.

Whether you're leading a school, a team or an organisation, this episode is full of honest reflections and practical insights into authentic leadership.

• Sophie's journey to becoming a Headteacher
• Finding your own leadership style
• Overcoming imposter syndrome
• The role coaching played in building confidence
• Empowering others instead of solving every problem
• Preparing for difficult conversations
• Leading through challenge and change
• Balancing leadership with family life
• Receiving a later-life ADHD diagnosis
• Why understanding yourself makes you a better leader

Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott

If you're interested in working with Julie please contact her at julie@lightingfires.co.uk, or Julie Williams MSc. (nee Walls) | LinkedIn or through her website here.

And if you're interested in developing your coaching skills, Julie highly recommends the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School, a programme grounded in research, with a strong focus on practical application and real-world impact. To find out more, visit Henley Business School.

To find out more about the Insights Discovery psychometric tool, visit Insights Discovery.

If you found this episode helpful, please leave a five-star rating and review, it helps more listeners discover these real-world leadership stories and coaching insights.

Artwork by Ian Guppy | Music by Penguin Music via Pixabay | Produced by Perri Hurley

Host: Julie Williams MSc – Executive Coach & Founder of Lighting Fires
Guest: Paul Whitby – Founder and Managing Directory of The Ecology Co-op

In this episode of The Lighting Fires Podcast, supported by Henley Business School, Julie is joined by ecologist, entrepreneur and nature enthusiast Paul Whitby for a fascinating conversation about leadership, business growth, coaching and finding a more sustainable way to work.

Paul shares how a childhood fascination with wildlife led him to build The Ecology Co-op, growing it from a one-person consultancy into a thriving business employing a team of specialist ecologists. He reflects on the challenges of leading a rapidly growing company through the pandemic, working unsustainable hours, and learning to step back from the day-to-day in order to think more strategically.

Together, Julie and Paul explore how coaching helped Paul develop a different approach to leadership, improve delegation, create stronger systems and processes, and ultimately navigate the successful sale of his business into the European environmental consultancy group, Myllium.

Julie and Paul discuss:

· Building and scaling a business while staying true to your values

· The challenges of leadership during periods of rapid growth

· Why coaching can feel like "business therapy"

· Learning to step back and think strategically

· Delegation, leadership styles and letting go of control

· Using metaphors and visual reminders to create lasting change

· Creating systems and processes that support sustainable growth

· Selling a business and finding the right cultural fit

· Purpose-driven leadership and protecting the natural environment

· The benefits and challenges of implementing a four-day working week

This episode is an inspiring conversation about leadership, purpose and creating a business that works not only for your clients and team, but for yourself as well.

Resources Mentioned

· Essentialism by Greg McKeown

· Theodore Roosevelt's The Man in the Arena speech

· David Attenborough's Life on Earth

If you're interested in working with Julie please contact her at julie@lightingfires.co.uk, or Julie Williams MSc. (nee Walls) | LinkedIn or through her website here.

And if you're interested in developing your coaching skills, Julie highly recommends the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School, a programme grounded in research, with a strong focus on practical application and real-world impact.

To find out more, visit Henley Business School.

To find out more about the Insights Discovery psychometric tool, visit Insights Discovery.

Website: lightingfires.co.uk
Email: julie@lightingfires.co.uk
LinkedIn: Julie Williams MSc

If you found this episode helpful, please leave a five-star rating and review, it helps more listeners discover these real-world leadership stories and coaching insights.

Artwork by Ian Guppy | Music by Penguin Music via Pixabay | Produced by Perri Hurley

Host: Julie Williams MSc - Executive Coach & Founder of Lighting Fires
Guest: Amanda Lennon - HR Consultant, Employment Lawyer and Founder of Astralis HR

In this episode of The Lighting Fires Podcast, supported by Henley Business School, Julie is joined by Amanda Lennon for an honest conversation about courage, resilience, confidence and navigating a successful career on your own terms.

Amanda shares her journey from employment law into senior HR leadership, becoming the only woman on a board at just 29 years old. After a successful corporate career, she went on to launch her own consultancy business, Astralis HR.

Along the way, she has navigated challenges around confidence, rejection, identity and balancing an ambitious career with family life.

Together, Julie and Amanda reflect on the coaching journey that helped Amanda build resilience, manage difficult situations more effectively and develop the confidence to bring more of her authentic self into the workplace.

Julie and Amanda discuss:

• Building confidence and personal impact in leadership roles

• Being a young female leader in a male-dominated environment

• Managing difficult conversations and workplace conflict

• Resilience, redundancy and bouncing back from setbacks

• Why business decisions are rarely personal

• The role of values in career decisions and workplace culture

• Imposter syndrome and learning to trust your own abilities

• Taking calculated risks and having the courage to try new things

• Moving from corporate leadership into self-employment and consulting

• The importance of lifelong learning and staying open to new perspectives

Amanda also shares some of the practical techniques that helped her step back from emotionally charged situations, gain perspective and approach challenging conversations with greater calm and confidence.

This episode is a thoughtful and encouraging conversation for anyone facing a career crossroads, building confidence in leadership, or wondering how to navigate challenges without losing sight of who they are.

If you're interested in working with Julie please contact her at julie@lightingfires.co.uk, or Julie Williams MSc. (nee Walls) | LinkedIn or through her website here.

And if you're interested in developing your coaching skills, Julie highly recommends the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School, a programme grounded in research, with a strong focus on practical application and real-world impact.

To find out more, visit Henley Business School.

To find out more about the Insights Discovery psychometric tool, visit Insights Discovery.

Website: lightingfires.co.uk
Email: julie@lightingfires.co.uk
LinkedIn: Julie Williams MSc

If you found this episode helpful, please leave a five-star rating and review, it helps more listeners discover these real-world leadership stories and coaching insights.

Artwork by Ian Guppy | Music by Penguin Music via Pixabay | Produced by Perri Hurley