We are incredibly proud of what our clients achieve.
Seeing our clients achieve their career goals and grow in confidence and fulfilment is what motivates us and why we get out of bed in the morning!
This motivation is as strong as when we began career coaching over 2 decades ago.
An added bonus is that we learn alot from our clients! Thank you.
The best way for you to see how we could help you is through our clients’ testimonials.
Client testimonials for Rachel Brushfield
'I have recommended Rachel to so many people over the years, and finally, I had the opportunity to work with her to help me transition my mindset and career. Rachel’s approach is collaborative, kind and thoughtful. She quickly tuned in to my energy and was able to hold me to account as I made some bold decisions and set up my own business.
Anyone who is feeling stuck in their career, recognise they need a change or finds themselves in a situation where they HAVE to change what they are doing, I highly recommend working with Rachel, she’s really very good at what she does!'
Kate Smith, founder We Are Firestarter, Former VP Marketing and Employee Experience, Wiley.
'I came to Energise knowing that I was looking for a change to my career but not understanding what change I wanted, nor how to get there. From the outset, I was put at ease and was then invited to embark on a process which would change not just my career, but also my approach to my career and life in general. The process with Energise has not just been revelatory in that sense, but has also been really interesting and highly enjoyable. I've enjoyed going back to basics in terms of challenging my assumptions and thought processes but equally I've just found each session incredibly engaging. I would wholeheartedly recommend Energise to anyone who is at a similar point in their career, or even if they're just mulling over some of these questions. The clarity and purpose I have now is a long way from the place I was in when the process started.'
Gabriel Rodriguez-Cleary, Solicitor.
'Rachel is excellent at her job. She is a great listener and homed in on the areas in my life which I needed to change. She listens, encourages and provides 'food for thought'.
Coaching provided a framework within to grow, time to focus on me and getting my career on the right track. Rachel's career coaching focused on increasing my confidence whilst also setting achievable targets and giving practical advice. This helped me to 'get moving' by shifting my outlook on life.
My coaching helped me establish my values and clarify what I really want from a job, and this enabled me to decide what direction I would like to go in. Practical advice on how to prepare for an interview and having practice interviews was invaluable.
I have found a job which I like, a 5-minute drive from home with the right work-life balance and I am also thinking more about the future and planning things to enjoy for myself and my family.
Coaching with Rachel has helped me to be more positive about life in general, I am more accepting of myself, taking better care of myself, living more in the moment, enjoying what I'm doing and going with the flow. '
Margot Tucker.
'I have known and worked with Rachel for more years than I care to remember, have employed her to work with individuals and teams in my business, recommended her to countless others and used to facilitate difficult business challenges (covid being a great example). She is without question, one of those unique people who has the ability to make the complex, simple, and to articulate it in a way that works for the individual – rather than giving a textbook response.
The armoury of tools she possesses may be unconventional (playing snakes and ladders with the Senior Leadership Team over dinner to highlight risks and opportunities being a classic) but she has a case load of things that ‘just work’. Her ability to morph to the needs of the individual is amazing to see too.
If you have a problem with your career, or your business, that you can’t unlock, or you want to understand where to head in the future – give Rachel a call, it could be some of the best money you ever invest.'
'Rachel is an outstanding coach and her style and skills have been instrumental in helping me close one chapter and move to a new chapter in my career.
At the outset, Rachel helped me to set a clear structure, direction and objective. Then, she took me slightly out of my comfort zone with a range of exercises and tasks that initially I couldn't quite understand their relevance. But from the very beginning, I trusted Rachel completely and so went with it. Now I look back and can see how much those exercises have been invaluable and instrumental in helping me to achieve my goal.
Rachel's calmness, creativity and thoughtfulness are second to none. I would recommend Rachel as a career coach to anyone who's at a crossroads and looking for someone who can help them to clarify what's important, what's not important and to identify the day-to-day steps that will lead them to reaching their ultimate goal.'
Sophie J.
“Coaching enables you to ask questions of yourself and those around you in a professional and more personal context, gives you support and encouragement and provides an opportunity for change. It gave me space to discuss key professional issues and to consider how to resolve them. It helps you to build on your strengths and address weaknesses.
Rachel is very calm and supportive and very good at putting you at ease and providing a confidential sounding board. Coaching with EnergiseLegal has been instrumental in the changes that I have made. Rachel has been fantastic: not only in our coaching sessions but also in providing follow-up articles, self-coaching exercises, networking event suggestions and general career development help.
I feel more positive and focused and in the driving seat of my own career again, and am making time to make it happen.'
Senior associate.
'I met Rachel at a Law Society event and chose her as my career coach because of her extensive experience with both solicitors and returners, and depth of expertise as an established career coach and published author.
She was part of my success strategy to return to the law as a mature returner after a long career break to focus on bringing up my two children.
At my next major career crossroads when I was ready to leave private practice for a better work life balance and a different role that played to my strengths, I again chose Rachel as my career coach.
Rachel is very supportive, flexible, insightful and thinks 'outside the box' sharing career ideas that you simply would not think about/know about yourself. I really feel that she 'gets' me and genuinely cares about helping me to find the right fulfilling role.
Once again, I made a successful career move with her support, and saved a lot of time and energy only applying for roles that fitted my brief.
Coaching is an unregulated market, and it is important to choose a coach who is right for you, knows your market and who has experience of your type of career crossroads. Rachel absolutely does.'
Claire Mohan
'Career coaching with Rachel Brushfield at Energise has given me a sense of purpose to find new opportunities and tailored help to achieve my goals.
It has given me renewed positivity, reassurance and a structured way to address a big change in my life/career from someone independent and experienced who will listen, provide feedback and guide me on my next steps. In a very short space of time, I have discovered many things about myself that are critical to my career, many of which required deep thinking. The process and context of career coaching pulled all these insights together into something meaningful.
I have already achieved many of my initial goals. The Energise career coaching process has been instrumental to guide me and work out next steps, including a structure to get useful feedback from my network; my brand story and talking points about me and my career transition; new potential career ideas; companies/industries to research; contacts and organisations I can network with and a time plan and structure to follow.
Rachel's coaching style is productive, calm, and methodical leading to instant results. She is a very supportive listener, full of useful ideas about where I could move to in my career and strategic – always thinking ahead to next steps.
If you are at a major career crossroads, choosing a very experienced career strategist and coach with a marketing and brand career heritage like Rachel is a wise choice in an unregulated coaching market.'
Alex Gould.
'Rachel is a dedicated and skilled career coach. She is friendly, empathetic and considerate and really enters into your thinking. At the same time Rachel is determined and keeps one on course. Rachel really made me think about where I was in my career, what was important to me, and what I wanted to achieve. She helped me to understand that the role I thought I wanted would probably make me unhappy. Thanks to Rachel I accepted an interview I might otherwise have turned down and have been offered a tenancy in chambers. If you want someone who will absolutely be on your side but will also make you do the work, and truly think about who you are, what you want and how to achieve it, then you need Rachel.'
Amelie Smith.
'When I was looking to refocus my career, a trusted colleague recommended Rachel Brushfield ‘The Talent Liberator’. From our first meeting, Rachel and I just clicked. It was like meeting up with a dear friend because it felt like she knew me forever. Working with her truly energized me. She helped me focus on what I really wanted next in my career—a senior comms role that has an impact on human health, which is something I am passionate about. Having an experienced career strategist with a marketing and brand background by my side made for a comprehensive, enjoyable, and well-planned career transition. If you would like to land your dream role, I highly recommend choosing Rachel as your career coach!”
Dawn Peters, Director, Media Relations and Communications.
'Rachel supported me at a career crossroads and I found the coaching course invaluable. I did a condensed coaching program which was exactly what I needed at the time. Rachel adapted to my needs and was very flexible in her approach. She spent time getting to know me and understand what makes me tick then adapted the program to suit me. I would recommend Energise for anyone who is asking themselves questions about their career, whatever the industry and whatever stage they are at in their career. My only regret is not having met Rachel sooner!'
Fleur Permane, Senior Business Enablement Manager.
'Rachel has supported me with career coaching on a number of occasions over my career. She has great listening skills and her insight has always added much to my thought processes. I would highly recommend her to anyone at a career crossroads.'
Nicola Wallbank, Partner – employment law.
'I contacted Rachel when I knew I needed some additional help, I only wish I had done it much sooner. Working with Rachel has bought out a newfound appreciation of myself and my skill set and everything I have to offer. I knew I needed a change in role but was lost in a turmoil of overthinking and lack of confidence outside of what I did. Rachel has an innate ability to teach you how to recognise all your good bits and provides you with the tools and methods, and in my case, to take me on a journey to learn to embrace my skills and experience. I feel stronger and more confident in who I am and what I have to offer, something I would not have achieved without the guidance from Rachel.'
Amy Busby, Chief Financial Officer.
“Rachel is a confident and inspiring mentor, with the ability to get to know your skills, abilities and aspirations quickly and help you to plan a path ahead with clear objectives and goals. Her skills in rewriting CV’s, personal branding and partnership development are second to none. Furthermore, she is extremely likeable, professional, shows great empathy but with a real professional focus and you look forward to your sessions as she stirs creativity, innovation and encouragement. I wholeheartedly recommend Rachel if you are looking for a career coach!”
Mick McLaughlin.
'Rachel has been indispensable in helping me to secure a job. Her industry knowledge, creative thoughts, consistent support and willingness to teach me applicable skills have helped me progress quickly within a few months. I am incredibly grateful for having the opportunity to work alongside Rachel at both Energise and ProAge and for the doors that have opened up to me as a result.'
Ellie Khanna, Digital Marketing Executive.
'Tonight, I went to the launch of a new network that I was thinking about joining. I've come home absolutely buzzing and have realised that at the beginning of this year (a) I would never have backed myself enough to join the network; and (b) I would never have gone around a room of strangers (politely!) interrupting their conversations to introduce myself and join in on their chats, do it multiple times and really enjoy it! I met a heap of fabulous and interesting people and who I have connected with and we are going to meet again/try to find ways collaborate. I want to thank you because you really have been instrumental in all of this and how far I feel I have developed during this year. So…THANK YOU!”
Sophie J.
'I worked with Rachel during 2021 and 2022 when I was contemplating a career change and needed support. Rachel really helped guide me in thinking back to basics about what my true values were and what I was looking for, forcing me to think wider than the confines of my current career. She has some insightful exercises to help delve into these areas and really tailors her style of coaching to best suit the individual so they get the most out of the sessions.
Although our formal sessions have stopped, Rachel continues to be a support and keeps in touch with ideas and suggestions and is always there to connect me to people she thinks would be of help. This is a valued trait and one which I think really stands Rachel apart from other coaches.
I would recommend Rachel to anyone, especially within the legal sphere, that is contemplating a career change or is looking to reassess their current career path.'
Claire Shasha
'Rachel, you put me on this road 6 years ago. This is what my CV said: 'Seeking a senior in-house multi-faceted role with an international visionary organisation with a diverse employee mix and need for employee relations expertise to safely navigate growth and continual performance improvement and engagement through uncertain times.' Rachel, a million thanks. Those career coaching sessions with you back in 2016 and here I am now in 2022, about to embark on a role that aligns totally with the vision you helped me craft. It gives me goose bumps! I am so excited to be given an opportunity to immerse myself into something new.'
Lara Keenan
'I worked with Rachel at a moment I was considering new career options and opportunities. Rachel’s coaching style hit the right balance for me between support and challenge, as well as being practically focused on what steps I could take to move forward in my ambitions. I particularly appreciated Rachel’s strong listening skills and intuitive approach, and her ability to generate ideas and suggestions for further exploration. I would recommend her coaching to anyone looking for support at a time of change in their career.'
Penny Fowler
'Rachel is a thoughtful and inspiring mentor. She has given me many opportunities and allowed me to realise potential skills and interests, plus introduced me to some brilliant people. So grateful!'
Tilly Mummery
'I was ready for a new role, but how best to approach it, with a busy senior job, a global pandemic and a young family? Career coaching.
I found my coaching with Rachel Brushfield at Energise positive, empowering and enriching of my self-awareness, confidence and natural gifts. It ring-fenced time for me, as a dedicated senior HR professional and mother, to think about me and what next. My coaching gave time to do some deep thinking about what I really wanted next in my career, and created some inner 'gear shifts'.
My career coaching directly contributed to me successfully securing a new role that fits my values and with a culture I wanted to be in and shape its future growth. My inner conviction in who I am and the value that I bring is strengthened. Benefits of coaching included clear steps, insights and speed to achieve my career goal. There are many coaches, so why choose Rachel? Connection, a patient, calm and resourceful approach. Her knowledge and skill made me feel confident and her personable style made me feel comfortable and able to open up.
In summary, my career coaching with Energise helped me to make change happen successfully, expediently and enjoyably.'
Charlotte Hussein
'Coaching with Rachel enabled me to have a career breakthrough into the industry I want to predominantly work in (publishing). I now have a really good workable CV to sell myself and more knowledge on how to network successfully which has already proven to be very useful over the past few months. I now find it easier to market myself using writing and feel more confident about networking.
Working with a coach feels like a very proactive and positive step – investing in yourself and taking action to achieve your goals. Working with Rachel has in-creased my confidence professionally and helped me to identify and overcome some of the blocks I had in order to progress in my career.
Some of the changes I experienced working with a coach were subtle. I now have an increased awareness of the source of the misconceptions I had about myself professionally and simple, tangible things I can do to move past them. When I began coaching, I wanted a knowledgeable person to help me address some of the barriers I was encountering as I tried to change my career path. In reality, Rachel gave me the tools to do this myself, which is how coaching works – this is empowering. These were the biggest achievements and sustainable lasting changes I experienced during my time working with Rachel. As a coach, Rachel is very intuitive and practical. I definitely felt like I was in a 'safe pair of hands'. The whole experience has been extremely valuable and I know that if I need anything else as I progress in my career, Rachel will be the person I will turn to for guidance.'
Gemma Sadowski
'A great coach uses effective strategies and tools to help you think differently and achieve clarity of purpose whilst still staying true to you. I sought Rachel’s support at a time of great change for me. She critically challenged me to think not just about what I wanted to achieve in my new role, but what I really wanted to achieve. Whilst I had to do all the work, her skilful guidance ensured that I had a clear, achievable and focussed plan that lined up with my vision. I remain immensely grateful for her support.'
Dawn Brathwaite
'I would not hesitate to recommend Rachel to anyone who feels like I did, stuck in a rut, knowing that I wanted to move on in my career but not sure what I wanted to do or how to get there. Rachel's structured way of coaching led me to understand my motivations and values and combining this with my skills has created a personal and professional profile that I can work with, and can take forward to find a role that will be what I want to do, and most importantly provide fulfilment. To do this properly the process does take time, but Rachel also provides suggestions on how to improve your current position through personal changes. I have just been appointed a governor, broadening my skills, knowledge and experience. Rachel has wide experience of self-marketing and networking and provided excellent guidance and support on how to gain maximum benefit from my CV and LinkedIn profile. Coaching has given me confidence to take the right steps to make the change and most of all I believe in myself again.'
Anne Scutt.
'Rachel is the go-to coach for solicitors wanting to create, manage and market a portfolio career.'
Christina Blacklaws, former president of the Law Society.
'I thoroughly enjoyed working with Rachel at Energise and would highly recommend her to anyone who is unhappy in their work life and would like a change. Rachel is very knowledgeable and creative. She will give you incredible ideas that you would never have thought of and help you understand your values, motivations and purpose. Thank you – you've been a tremendous help!'
SW.
'My experience of coaching with Rachel has been nothing short of transformative. It has been one of the best and most invaluable investments that I have made in myself and my career, and I highly recommend Rachel's services.
When I first contacted Rachel, I had been unhappy in my current job for a long time. I knew that I needed a change, but I didn't know what I wanted, and I didn't even know how to figure out what I wanted. My mind was a mess of thoughts and ideas, and I didn't know where to start to try and organise them.
However, being coached by Rachel motivated me to dedicate time and effort to thinking about what's important to me, and then to tackling the process of discovering what I really want. Rachel's coaching helped me to see how I could translate both my career and life experience into an amazing CV, and gave me confidence in my own skills and my ability to make myself a competitive candidate in a challenging market.
But what I have gained from Rachel's excellent coaching is far deeper than just rewriting my CV or learning how to better market myself and my skills. Rachel's insightful guidance and thoughtful advice has helped me uncover what I value most in my life and my career. She has helped me understand how the career and life experiences I have tie in with my unique interpersonal qualities, and how I can translate that into bringing value – both to myself in taking charge of my own career development, and to any future employers.
The personal confidence and empowerment that I have gained from my coaching with Rachel are priceless.'
Hilary West.
'I made the decision to have coaching with Rachel Brushfield because I wanted to find a role with a sense of purpose and make the most of my skills, to feel energised and enthused and proud of what I do, and possibly develop a career with music, having originally trained as a solicitor, but with music a big part of my life and who I am.
Coaching helps you 'step outside your own head', see things in a different way, learn more about yourself, your skills and your values, and have courage to take steps you might otherwise not have dared to take. It challenges you to get really clear about what you really think and feel and then to act on that. Coaching gave me an anchor and constructive process to follow and gave me confidence to try things I might not otherwise have considered or had the courage to do.
I realised that I would be useful in another sector and that I had something to offer that was of value. Coaching with Energise gave me confidence to talk to others about my aspirations and to make useful new connections and proactively gain new experience to 'test the water'.
I now feel more aware of my skills and abilities and open to exploring new possibilities. Coaching gave me the confidence to ask my law firm for a sabbatical and helped me be clear in my mind about what I wanted, including the decision that it was time to resign from my role and pursue a new career path.
The Energise 'career recipe' method has been really useful in evaluating why I might feel unhappy or unsettled in a work situation and what I should look to change for a better fit.
As a coach, Rachel is very supportive and non-critical and asks effective probing questions. The Energise process ensures that you reflect and action what you have discussed in the coaching sessions.
Without coaching, I think it would have taken me a lot longer to make a career change and I wouldn't have had material and knowledge to turn back to for future support.
In my new career path, I definitely feel the direct impact of the work that I am doing, and am really glad that I took the decision in creating the right future for myself.'
Lydia Brookes.
'My coaching with Rachel Brushfield helped me to tap into my intuition, increase my self-awareness, be present and to make time to reflect on a regular basis. She shared some new invaluable tools to plan and vision, helping to align my values and motivations with my future, and practical ways to manage unhelpful thinking habits and change perceptions.
As a coach, I found Rachel unique in her approach, objective, respectful and refreshingly intelligent yet without ego, both creative in approach yet structured and holding me accountable to agreed actions. Her style is warm, friendly with clear boundaries.
My decision to have coaching with Rachel was a good one and I am glad that I did. It was very useful especially starting a new job in lock-down, and helpful to have coaching at the weekend. If you are thinking about having coaching at this uncertain time in the world, don't think twice, make the decision and influence your future prospects.'
Rachel Nagy.
'Rachel was my chosen coach at a major career crossroads when I knew I needed and wanted change – a role that would play to my strengths and honour my values. Coaching gave me the gift of making positive changes in my life, and helped me to take a strategic approach to my career and create long term career goals. Coaching with Rachel created a safe space and a trusted person to express and articulate my vision with support and tools. It has been instrumental in helping me to make the desired changes that I sought in my life. Tangible outcomes from coaching include: broadening my on-line network and the number and type of networks I attend, feeling more confident and competent networking, mastering public speaking, attracting the right roles, saying 'no' to roles that aren't right and developing a business idea for the future to make a difference in the world.
There are lots of coaches around, so why did I choose Rachel? She is extremely professional, has a wealth of experience, is approachable and a fantastic listener.
If you are ready for change and committed to make it happen – choose Rachel as your career coach. Having her by my side has made 2019 an incredible year of personal growth and I would be delighted to work with her again.'
Enca Martin-Rendon.
'Simply put, Rachel is amazing and she helped me so much, for that I am eternally grateful. She is an incredibly skilled and experienced coach, who manages to effortlessly combine professionalism with a completely wonderful human touch. She is so responsive to your individual needs and this means that I felt I had a 100% personal journey and experience. I came to Rachel needing clarity and direction in relation to my career, I was really in a confusing place – loving my job, but feeling unfulfilled knowing there was another career I really wanted to pursue, but now knowing how. Rachel helped me to build my confidence, remove my self-imposed barriers and see clearly what I could do. Her approach and unwavering support gave me the courage to go for it and apply for a job with the UN, I did and I was successful. I cannot thank Rachel enough for what she has done for me, I truly mean that. I have recommended her to so many friends and for good reason – she is amazing. Thank you Rachel.'
Shelley Seed.
'Coaching provides a reflective space and professional support for considering and making changes, setting goals and planning how to achieve them. Working with Rachel as my coach provided a positive voice about what I was capable of, uncovering insights about what was really important to me and what next in my career and life, and the importance of ongoing learning and embracing new challenges. Coaching helped me to arrange a career sabbatical, and move countries, employers and home, with tools and support along the journey. I now feel happier and more content in myself and have more faith in myself to make big change happen. Rachel's coaching style is empathetic, insightful, structured, practical, intuitive, intelligent, supportive, tangible and wise – the opposite of 'wishy washy'! If you are seeking to make a big change, individual coaching with an experienced coach is invaluable and worth investing in.'
Nicola.
'I had reached a career crossroads and was unsure what to do moving forward. Career coaching gave me time to concentrate on me, explore what I would like to do and plan how to get there. As someone who had been out of a mainstream working environment in the UK for over 10 years (as a result of various initiatives in the developing world) and not having practised as a solicitor for over 15 years, having complete clarity about my career moving forward was of paramount importance. I didn't want to get it wrong.
I met Rachel when she was facilitating a course at a Law Society recharger event and was immediately enthused by her approach. I left the event full of hope for the future and decided to explore and have some coaching with Rachel.
Coaching with Rachel helped me to work out what I wanted to do moving forward and how to go about this. The coaching process and various practical exercises helped me to be focused and specific about what I was looking for. Coaching with Rachel increased my confidence and showed me what I had to offer employers and Rachel helped me to see the position and benefits that employers gain from the many initiatives and projects that I have been involved with. As part of the coaching process, Rachel completely revamped my CV to a skills-based model which is both impactful and compelling especially with my 'don't fit in one neat box' career to date. Rachel also helped me to polish my personal statement as part of a job application and we did interview practise to help me prepare for interviews.
The speed of results astounded me. I achieved 2 job offers which met what I was looking for in just 3 months. Rachel's encouragement and support has been invaluable. Her coaching style is very approachable and down to earth and she always made me feel at ease. As such I have recommended her to many other people.
If anyone is reading this and questioning the value of career coaching and whether it is worth it in the uncertain times in which we live, I would say that my results speak for themselves. Coaching with Rachel has been one of the best investments I have ever made. Further, for any lawyers out there, Rachel really understands lawyers and the quirks of the profession.
I would wholeheartedly recommend coaching with Rachel and I intend to continue with coaching to support me as I start my new role. '
Jayne Nicol.
'Career coaching with Rachel was one of the best investment decisions I have made. Thanks to Rachel's coaching, I am now working in exactly the type of organisation I had long aspired to. Being new to how coaching worked, I wanted Rachel to give me the answers to 'what next in my career'. Instead, Rachel worked with me, providing lots of excellent literature and exercises for me to complete and ponder on.
As a result of our coaching, I had a clear view on my skills, strengths, values and what motivated me. In spite of finishing our formal coaching some time ago, I find the lessons and tools are still benefiting me today in my career. Rachel was an exemplary professional coach with a style that works very well – personal yet fantastic insights.
Rachel's listening skills and her ability to convert what I said in our sessions to illuminating questions helped me develop and work towards my ultimate goal. Rachel's network is deep and wide. She introduced me to those within her network where she believed there may be mutual benefit and that too proved to be brilliant and very helpful.
I have recommended Rachel to many of my friends, clients and colleagues. They have all had the highest praise for her. I highly recommend Rachel if you are looking for a new role, a change in career or for professional advice.'
Lara Keenan.
'Rachel is motivated by helping others and her style is inspiring, supportive and caring. She explains different concepts in simple terms and aims to interact with her clients by placing the onus on themselves, thus allowing them to reach a solution that it is good according to their unique personal needs. Coaching with Rachel has given me clarity about who I am and what I truly need, practical steps about how to tackle communication and relationship challenges and a clearer strategy regarding my career progression. It has allowed me to learn how to reflect on the past and seek better results in the future. This experience has been incredibly useful and has given me a better understanding of the world, helped me to take action quicker than if I solely relied on my personal insights and enabled me to realise my potential.'
Sofiya Nikolova.
'I took a giant, but necessary, step when I decided to move away from my secure position as a government lawyer and into a new life. I was determined to reinvent myself in an entirely new role as an international consultant. I had investigated, as much as I could on my own, what such a transition would entail and how I needed to proceed. However, lacking role models and practical advice, I eventually found myself floundering and without direction.
I was, therefore, extraordinarily fortunate to meet Rachel at a London women lawyers networking event. She was warm, enthusiastic and confident – and interested in me and my plans! I absolutely feel that my decision to work with her was pivotal for me. Her coaching helped me on both theoretical and practical levels. She led me to understand more fully why I wanted to move forward and gave me many practical tools to enable me to do so. She was supportive and understanding throughout our relationship.
I would strongly advise anyone who wishes to transition into a different type of career, or to diversify a career, to obtain the help and advice of a professional coach. And I would unreservedly recommend Rachel Brushfield as that coach.'
Jennifer Button, Consultant – Governance and Justice.
'I met and chatted with Rachel Brushfield at a Law Society careers event at a time when I was at a major career crossroads. I decided that career coaching support through my transition was a wise decision, chose her as my coach as someone with a lot of experience working with lawyers and specifically specialising in portfolio careers and self-marketing. I am very glad that I did.
I found coaching extremely helpful, receiving expert guidance tailored to your own personal circumstances and with an unbiased objective mind to help guide me to a positive future. Rachel helped me to create and always keep sight of a career vision and optimistic view of my working life, make plans and hold me accountable to actions to make them happen in reality. I have always been very interested in personal development, and coaching with Rachel helped me to challenge in a practical, beneficial and constructive way to create even greater self-awareness, and to shine a light to identify some new insights on some of the ways in which I stop myself. Deep down reflection with a highly experienced career coach like Rachel is invaluable, especially at a major career crossroads. Her support included: guidance on creating a CV and biog which reflects who I am and about which I feel proud, insight into how to market myself including a verbal business card and networking, and invitations to useful networking events.
Rachel's coaching style is highly focused on you as an individual, and is practical, intuitive and progressive. I now have confidence to develop my own self-managed portfolio career for the next phase of my working life and feel really excited to maximise career fulfillment and leverage my skills, experience and knowledge to date.'
Evelyn Davies-Jones.
'I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone in need of untangling career or professional questions. I found her to be incredibly helpful, calm and professional. She was instrumental in my career change; with a set of simple tools and her high EQ she allowed me to move on to the next chapter after months of procrastination. I will be working with her again as soon as the opportunity arises.'
Cecile Beaufils.
'My coaching with Energise helped me to take a step back from life and work to critically assess and decide how to shape my own future.
As a result, I now have a much clearer understanding of who I am, what I do, how I do it and where I am able to perform at my best. This has been invaluable in identifying how my career can progress and what companies and roles I am best suited to and has empowered me at interview stage to question companies myself to ensure alignment with my personal values and career vision.
Rachel adapts her style to suit the individual. I liked her practical, pragmatic, action oriented yet flexible approach. She helped me identify new insights about myself which will ensure that I maximise my future career fulfillment as a well as success.
If you are at major career crossroads, investing in yourself is invaluable with the support of an experienced and credible career coach like Rachel.'
Doug Glenwright.
'Rachel helped me at a time when I was extremely indecisive about whether or not to change career. She has helped me decide that I both want to and can and has helped me to narrow down the options of what my next career might be. She is professional, kind-hearted and confidence-inspiring and I have greatly enjoyed the process of being coached by her.'
Adam Millest, Freelance musician and teacher.
'Career coaching with Rachel helped me to understand myself better and reconnect with what is most important to me from my career; needs, wants, passions and how I really want to make an impact through my work. As a result, I have a new job which builds on where I have been in my career and a clear idea of where I want to go in my career. Rachel's coaching is flexible, incisive, creative yet practical and as her career heritage is in the communications industry, she really understood my skills and experience and how and where they are transferable in an insightful way. If you are seeking more career fulfilment, 3 hours of coaching is money well spent and a small investment in the context of a life time of career contentment.'
Emily Holman.
'Individual coaching with Rachel Brushfield at Energise was insightful, increased my self-awareness and enabled new CPD goals and ways to develop these areas. Rachel is very thorough and uses a variety of approaches and styles to suit your need at the time. Coaching helps you get really clear about what you want and I have achieved my goal.'
Lara Pletcher.
'Rachel is a calm and perceptive person who introduces you to your own talent and abilities and then helps you to utilise them to an effective end. And then, when success arrives, Rachel continues to guide and promote you in her own distinct way. She is marvellous and has been a return on my investment a thousand fold.'
Rachael Williams.
'For 22 years – over half of my life – I was a Civil Servant, so a decision to leave the Service was monumental, the right decision, but still very daunting. During my subsequent career break, I toyed, spending money along the way, with 'new careers' that I had thought were for me, but which (when faced with doing them) I didn't feel the passion or enjoyment I thought I would. I became stuck.
I then found Rachel at Energise who helped me to take a fresh look at myself. She took me on a journey through my career and back again and helped me to reach a light bulb moment: Focus on what I value, I am good at and enjoy doing in a way I like to do it! I saw new insights and clarity about my uniqueness, what I have to offer and how to evaluate work options so that I choose projects that energise me. Armed with this, Rachel helped me take the 'fear' out of approaching a jobs market I hadn't been in for over two decades – how to network and market myself. This all culminated in an impactful and up to date CV and understanding of the increasing role social media plays in finding opportunities.
In possession of my new CV and new learning, I applied for three roles securing interviews for all. I was successful and chose a short term role that fits who I am, honours my values, plays to my strengths and working style. I have to say that I am really enjoying myself and find myself at a stage of starting to look for my next opportunity. The fact I accepted a short term contract and feel no fear about how to go about finding the next opportunity is testament to the insight and knowledge Rachel helped me to access and apply.
So, if you are at a career crossroads, want to leave the public sector to become self-employed, do something different or do something the same but somewhere else, I would recommend working with Rachel who will share lots of tips and tools to support you and ensure a safe passage to your new world! She is highly professional, has a lot of expertise in the jobs market as it exists today, and provides a personalised and flexible service tailored to your needs. Rachel stays in touch too, introduces you to others who might be able to help you as you begin and continue your journey.'
Stephen Poole.
'Coaching with Rachel has been extremely critical in helping me achieve major progress, inspired me towards great change quicker than I imagined. Rachel is a fine coach: she is a great listener, patient, encouraging and flexible and has shared practical self-management tools and marketing tips, plus useful ideas to help me become more productive, confident, enjoy a better work life balance and with a clear vision for my professional future.'
Dr. Hemal Varambhia.
'I have no hesitation in recommending Rachel Brushfield as a career coach. Several weeks later, I am already on the right path in a new industry, brandishing the confidence and purpose and a shiny new CV. Energise use a variety of tools, tips and techniques to delve and explore into your experiences so far and how best you can leverage and position this to secure the change you are looking for. Rachel is flexible, accommodating, wonderfully patient, extremely knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with.'
Jacob Weber.
'Rachel is great at what she does, she is very professional and completely understands what it is that is needed during the coaching session. I have never hesitated on using Rachel's expertise and she has always supported my goals and helped me get there. I think it's important to trust and have a sense of calm and understanding and Rachel has always demonstrated these qualities in my sessions with her. It's fantastic to have support at hand when needed and use Rachel as a sounding board to discuss and drive ideas forward! I highly recommend you use Energise and Rachel at any time of your career!'
Julie Smithard.
'Last year, I was a completely stuck in a rut, not content in the role I was in but not sure what it was I wanted to do next. Rachel was fundamental in helping me move forward (really can't stress enough how important her coaching was). She enabled me to define the things I love and wanted to achieve both career wise, and in my personal life, and how to work towards them.
Fast forward 6 months and I now am working in a wonderful new role – coordinating apprenticeships for disadvantaged young people wanting to work in the creative industries for an award-winning social enterprise. (I love my job and even get to pass on some of the great future planning techniques I learnt from Rachel to the young apprentices I work with).'
Emily Kerr.
“Rachel has helped me to stay on track, championing the successes and helping me to believe that my vision was possible, plus identifying ways around the inevitable obstacles that have been in my path”.
Duncan Goose.
“Life really has shifted for me and I wanted to say thank you for giving me the insight to see where I needed to go.'
Chris Ball.
“Rachel has a wealth of experience and expertise and is very generous in passing this on. The depth of information available to anyone is testament to this. Her style is open, focused, challenging and encouraging. She understands career change and is expert at helping you think through the ups and downs.”
Anne Crotty.
“Rachel gave me consciousness of my capabilities within, and insight that I had the capability to do what I wanted to do. She worked her magic to unblock me and freed up the space in me to start my business.”
Sarah Grigor.
“Rachel’s coaching process, combined with her empathy, creative yet practical ideas and insight, allowed me to reconnect with what really motivates me, understand my challenges and self-imposed obstacles, and how to overcome them, and become aware of my full capabilities. It has given me the confidence to start exploring other skills and formulating new goals.”
Alison P.
“If you feel your core skills and expertise are not fuelling your career effectively, or if you just hanker for some sort of change of direction, Rachel’s guidance is invaluable. She helped me to look in on myself and understand what was important and what I was capable of. She gave me the courage to change and I can thoroughly recommend her.”
Tony.
'Energise helped me to take stock and review and evolve my business focus making it fit for purpose for the future. Coaching gave me fresh clarity, new insights and focus. Time is precious and it makes sense to get expert support to achieve results faster than is possible by yourself. Rachel is professional, focused, insightful, results based and cares about my professional success and personal fulfilment. Coaching was worth every penny.'
Lorna Turner, Founder and Director.
“I worked with Rachel when I was going through a major career change and in the process of setting up my new business. She knew exactly the kinds of issues I was dealing with and her vast experience in this area meant we could quickly focus on those areas, which needed most attention for me. Its great working with someone who can offer you the perspective you need and thanks to her I was able to make a smooth transition to my new career and take with me practical marketing and networking tools to get my business off the ground. Thank you Rachel.”
Francesca Geens.
“Working with Energise has been a very satisfying and enlightening exercise. By allowing me to recognise what I found rewarding in both my previous career and my personal life, overlaying the work-family balance I was striving for, I was given a sense of focus and clear indications of what is possible for my final career.”
Martin Gammon.
“You have an amazing ability to help me believe in myself and my abilities – priceless, and a huge motivator to keep going.”
Pippa Fernee.
“Rachel helped me over the course of 18 months to be able to understand what I was really about and to align my energy and effort to make many of those longings a reality in my life. The insights I gained during that time of coaching continue to impact my life today. Decisions like wanting to work from home to make more time for my young family flow from many of the insights gained from coaching. I do feel like more of the important stuff within me has been liberated, hopefully for the good of others and I also feel a deep sense of peace and contentment too.”
Jon Green.
“With absolute calm, respect, understanding and empathy, Rachel guided me to think about the obstacles that stood in the way of my chosen career and to reflect on how to overcome them, something I had been unable to do by myself, mainly due to a lack of confidence. Rachel gave me back my confidence in my ability and in my chosen career, and inspired me to do all I could to achieve my goals. Immediately after our meeting, that is exactly what I did, and I am now on track to achieve my professional goals. Thank you Rachel!”
Anna Colgan.
“Transitioning from the public to private sector can feel daunting and Rachel helped me to see how marketable I am, to define my niche and target audiences and how to network and market myself to achieve my career ambitions. She also helped me increase my self-awareness about what I really wanted, see actual and perceived blocks in the way of success and how to overcome them. She reminds me of my achievements when I forget and has introduced me to some really useful contacts and resources. It is great to know that she is there for my next career crossroads and I know she always thinks about how she can help me. Coaching is a great investment in your prospects, even more so in competitive market conditions, and I am glad I made it.
Louise Howell.
“Rachel is full of great ideas and really helped me see that making a change like this is not as scary as it might first seem. I would recommend her to anyone who wants to change career or direction but doesn’t know how or where to start.”
Rebecca.
“I always left my sessions with Rachel feeling that I had had an injection of energy straight to the blood stream. I found Rachel was a rudder when I wanted to abandon ship, hit a storm or lost focus.”
Mary Wood.
“Working with Rachel at Energise not only helped me discover my true calling for a complete career change, but also taught me much more about myself than I had anticipated. Rachel’s practical exercises, questions and steps prepared me for eventually taking the leap. Rachel’s approach was what I was looking for in a coach: helping me identify what I wanted, creating the blueprint to do it, and then holding me accountable for taking action. But the best part was that I learned tools and skills that I still use daily in many aspects of my life, not just my career.”
Cory Cook.
'Rachel helped me to decide what would really make me happy in the second half of my career, confront the fears and put a plan in place to make it happen. One year in the making, centred around my passionate interest in cheese, I credit Energise for kick starting the realisation.’'
Debbi Baron.
“Working with Energise has given me confidence to sell myself and make approaches to organisations that I never would have done before. I still look back on the time I spent with Rachel and have to say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I am still telling people about it.”
Paul Bradly.
“Faced with a formidable transition from public to private sector, Rachel gave me the direction and focus to not only make the change, but actually secure the job I have always wanted.
Key to this was an understanding of personal values which helped me to identify the right industry sector to move into, as well as seeking employers who shared my values. I realised that in my public sector roles, I really was a square peg in a round hole and Rachel encouraged me to look outside my skillset and even consider a complete change of career.
Through face-to-face coaching, supported by high quality literature, I learned a variety of useful techniques which helped overcome a deep-rooted fear of interviews, and gained some valuable advice about my own personal “brand”.
I already had the skills and knowledge and Rachel’s coaching was instrumental in bringing out those qualities and targeting them to best effect.
For some people, life in the public sector can undermine self-confidence and leave them questioning their ability. It doesn’t have to be this way.
So many ‘professionals’ were quick to remind me how it is virtually impossible for someone to move from public to private sectors. Rachel helped me ignore such negative advice and put me on the road to achieving my goals. She has been a real force for good.”
Robert Gage.
“Rachel has guided and supported me through my transition as a project/programme professional from the public into the private sector.
Rachel has a unique persona that allows her to create a safe working environment so that she can ask pertinent questions and deal with sensitive issues. This instils confidence and exercises fears & limiting beliefs, enabling the individual to move forward.
To successfully engage with the new employment market, Rachel gave me real practical and down to earth advice and support, so that I could:
- Identify my unique selling point, niche or personal brand;
- Market myself from an employer’s perspective;
- Produce a CV as a marketing tool;
- Prepare effectively for the interview; and
- Start to develop my LinkedIn page.
Rachel has the ability to ‘drag’ important information out of me! This was very useful because I was too close to realise all that I have to offer an employer. She also consistently answered my questions directly.
Rachel is Energise by name and Energise by nature!”
Kerry Paulson.
To find out more about how we can help you, get in touch.
Save
Save
Save
Save
Save