Today I turn 35 (which feels far older than it did yesterday) and I have some really exciting news!
As most of you will know my “career” has been a meandering one. I have looped through hospitality and finance, digital projects and marketing, brand development and strategy, internal culture and latterly organisational transformation. I have filled my backpack with a multitude of courses, books, advice. Just last year I took the coaching style I have always had in my work to a new level by training and certifying as a coach and currently I am learning about vertical development and adult maturity development. The reality of this winding tale isn’t that I am flaky or even (as I have previously admitted to) a generalist. Actually I am just intrigued by people and I have gone wherever they are.
I love learning about people; about how we work, about how things connect and resonate with us, how we connect and interact with each other, why we think and feel the way that we do and how those ‘whys’ impact our behaviours as individuals. Then out into our immediate groups and societies, and then wider and wider still in millions of subtle ripples all gently (and not so gently) colliding with each other. It’s fascinating.
I think perhaps I am a student of the many ’ologies, at heart. Actually it might be easier to say that I am a student of all of the contributing factors that brought each of us and all of us to this moment right here and now. And this one. And this one. And now this. And on.
While at the same time wanting to create positive contributing factors for the moments ahead of us, and help others to too. Factors that will positively impact tomorrow. This is my purpose - to create greater access to joy - whatever joy might look like for each of us.
So mash all of that up and moving into Farleigh Performance permanently as a consultant and systems coach is a no brainer. Oh that’s the news by the way - After 2+years of working with Fp as part of the founding team while running Backpack I’m going into Fp as a fully fledged, employee. Whoop Whoop!
In Fp we work with the people inside organisations to help them work on the challenges of today in ways that create the capacities and the resilience for them to thrive in the challenges of tomorrow.
Think of that! I get to work with people (see above re my obsession) on them and all that makes them them (see above) in order that they as a team, leader, group or whole organisation (see above) can develop their own awesome contributing factors (see above) for tomorrow (you know the drill). Boom! And I get to do it alongside an amazing team of hugely intelligent people (both emotionally and intellectually) while creating our own organisation of realness and positive impact. I mean its ticking a fair few boxes if you’ve been following!
Graham, Juliet and I began designing Fp in March 2020, just as I launched Backpack. We have worked together ever since on Fp and with our clients. We have been joined by Sarah, John and Katie. Have grown our client base and have really exciting plans for the future.
So what of Backpack?
Well, once you start your own business it feels like that is the pinnacle of your career and that a move away from it would only come with that business’s failure. And to be honest my ego around how this all might look has cropped up here and there, but the truth is I have loved Backpack, I do love Backpack. I am so proud of it and of the work it has done with clients over the last two years. It has been a huge success and continues to be. It has allowed my family to make brave decisions, to improve our lives and for both Jim and I to invest in ourselves further. But an opportunity like the one I have at Fp is too good to miss, and besides, Fp was born at the same time as Backpack so there’s a shared motherly love in me for both.
Backpack will continue and actually my partner Jim’s side of the business which is primarily in Video Strategy and as a Creative Producer is going great guns! I will still take on the odd project here and there but I will be super picky and stay in the realms of purpose, brand and business strategy so as not to compete with Fp in the cultural / organisational development space.
So there you have it…
I am moving into Farleigh Performance in order to sate my obsessions, feed my curiosities and serve my purpose.
Backpack lives on. Life is good. And I am over the moon!
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