Michael Banks

Hello! I am Michael and I work as a Life & Career Coach.

Are you looking to make a shift in your career this year?

Are you struggling with confidence, imposter syndrome or low self-esteem?

Are you suffering from stress and anxiety and want it go away?

Or do you want to inject some balance into your life and have more freedom?

Above all, do you want results quickly and without spending too much money?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then we should we have a confidential chat.

Whether you are looking to achieve a specific ambition or make positive changes in your life, then I can help you join the dots between what you are really thinking and feeling about it.

We can then collaborate closely on a realistic plan of what it is you need to do and then work towards fulfilling it. You are in control but won’t be on your own. I can be with you every step of the way.

From feeling stuck to not knowing what's missing, from career challenges to starting a business, from confidence to self-esteem, from a change in direction to simply needing clarity, we can work on whatever it is that you want to do or what might be getting in the way.

I have a flexible coaching style by drawing on a range of coaching techniques and so work both as a Life Coach and Career Coach.

Above all, I take a person-centred approach. That means this is all about you (not me). So it's not what I think that matters so much.

Just imagine having uninterrupted time and space with someone friendly, independent and non-judgemental who is genuinely interested in you and what you want. Someone who listens intently and with empathy whilst taking in every word you say? How often does that happen for you?

You want results and positive outcomes reasonably quickly and without spending too much money. That is exactly what I help you achieve and I have the track record to back it up. You will leave every coaching session with one or two actions that YOU want to do and feel comfortable with.     

About Me

My background is in Marketing, Financial Services and Retail. I have held various positions from Administrator to Director in Corporates, Small to Medium businesses and Start Ups. I founded my own Marketing Consultancy in 2014 and started a Life Coaching practice in 2018. For a period, I ran both businesses side by side. These days I dedicate my time to people like you  and focus purely on coaching.

I live on the North Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border, have a family, a dog, work hard and just try to enjoy life.

What is different about me?

My coaching style reflects how I was when in the workplace. Over 20+ years, I was always very client focused and so very friendly and open. It was also my responsibility to help others and get the best out of the people around me. I did this using a combination of enthusiasm, great communication, staying down to earth and identifying what really motivated people to do a great job, often without having to really think about it.

As such, my coaching sessions are collaborative, sociable, carry momentum and are conducted with purpose and injections of enthusiasm and vitality. So whilst the subject matter can be challenging and sometimes sensitive, I look to make the coaching journey for my clients an enjoyable process so that they walk away feeling enthused, motivated and ready to make those all important changes!

If you haven’t worked in Marketing, Financial Services Retail or don't have a professional career it doesn’t matter. I love coaching and meeting different people from different backgrounds in different places. I have coached all sorts of people from Artists in London to Lifestyle experts in Chile, from part-time Property Owners in Portsmouth to Creative Designers in Iran (yes really).

The typical areas I work on are:

• Changing habits and developing new behaviours
• Motivation and commitment
• Exposing and breaking down limiting beliefs
• Personal development
• Identifying and maximising potential
• Feeling like something is missing, but not sure what it is
• Self-confidence and Self-esteem
• Stress and anxiety
• Work/Life balance, more freedom
• Business and Leadership challenges
• Creating and implementing a Vision and Strategy
• Career development
• Career changes
• Redundancy
• Starting or developing a business
• Marketing your business

Our initial consultation is completely free and lasts for typically 30 to 45 minutes.

Then for just £95, I offer a "taster" coaching session so you get a sense of what it is like to work with me. This lasts for between 60 and 90 minutes. Sometimes you won't need coaching beyond this but that depends on the nature of the topic. 

If you would like further coaching and choose to work with me on a programme of sessions, I will apply a discount of £95 so that taster session becomes free.  

I offer a professional service so my programme fees include my preparation time, a professionally written summary of the key points and actions discussed from the session and interim support between sessions.

If finances are a concern, don't worry.  Please get in touch as there are occasionally a number of discounted places available to work with me.

My approach to coaching is very much person-centred.  So the focus is very much on you as an individual.  No two clients are the same, even if they share a similar background, upbringing and similar problems or challenges.   You are unique and I work with you on the basis. 

As such, I do not offer standard techniques to fix problems or provide you with tools, routines or exercises to take away and work on.

True coaching is empathetic, non-judgemental and non-advisory.  The trick is to help you figure out what works for you in order to move forward.   

This works in two ways:

1)  I ask you questions (from an outside and independent perspective) that make you think deep about what is going on, how it affects you and what action you may want to take 

2) I may share information which you may find of benefit (sometimes "you don't know what you don't know").  But this is very much a natural process.  If you find things useful that's great.  If not, that is also fine.  Ruling things out as well as in is all important.

Ultimately you decide what feels right for you.