“I cannot suitably give justice to how valuable Claire’s coaching was through the role negotiation stage (and I plan to continue working with Claire through the transition into my new role).
Claire is amazing and has a wealth of expertise and skills, however I’ll share a few highlights that stood out for me while going for promotion:
Claire helped me prepare for my negotiation meeting with my boss’s boss! And I won’t lie, it was challenging to feel confident in asking for more, and I felt an underlying discomfort in the self-promotion aspect of it, but what Claire said will resonate with me forever.
She challenged me to not think of it as negotiating for purely my own benefit, but instead to see it as helping fellow women by moving the pay gap needle and breaking down the inequality barriers. So entering into that conversation, I felt empowered to play my part in changing the game for women!
The negotiation paid off and I was able to secure an offer that suitably reflected the position and was even higher than I was originally aiming for. So an AMAZING outcome and most of all, I feel relieved to finally earn what I am worth to do a job I am super passionate about!”
-Louise Wadsworth, Global Head of Customer Community at Ivanti
I had a coaching session with Claire towards the end of my maternity leave and found it absolutely invaluable in preparation for my return to work. Claire created an open forum in which I could talk freely about what was going on in my life at that point in time.
The structure of the session allowed me to cover a range of topics (much more widely than my return to work) and gain some real clarity on how I was feeling about key aspects of my life.
As a busy first time Mum, opportunities to have the time to stand back and reflect upon the various parts of my new life have been rare and I gained so much from having a dedicated amount of time to give some real thought to how I was feeling (without feeling guilty about focusing purely on myself).
It also unearthed some issues that (in hindsight) should have been addressed and discussed a long time ago. I really have taken so much from this session and I believe that I am in a much more positive place (about life in general, not just my return to work) as a result of the time spent doing this exercise.
One of the reasons that this coaching session was so useful for me was the fact that Claire offered some tangible and practical thoughts and ideas in addition to facilitating the opportunity for self-reflection and thought clarification.
For me personally, this combination of both practical recommendations alongside the more theoretical conclusions to our discussion was really valuable and exactly what I was looking for. I would really recommend a coaching session with Claire and it is certainly something that I would encourage others to embrace (at various stages of life). Thank you Claire, for your amazing work- it really has had a huge impact on me and I am grateful to have had this experience at this point in time.
-Nicola Carter, Finance Director, NFP Europe
I recently had an executive coaching session with Claire Fry from Pale Blue Coaching, and it was a truly valuable experience.
Claire was able to help me clarify my thoughts, identify my strengths, and find my rhythm again. Her insights and guidance were invaluable, and I feel much more confident in my ability to be effective and brave as a result of our session.
I appreciated Claire’s thoughtful approach and her ability to create a safe and supportive environment where I could explore my challenges and opportunities as a working woman, mother and as a leader to ultimately grow and thrive.
She truly has a gift for coaching and helping others achieve their goals and I hope to have future sessions with her. If you’re looking for an experienced, knowledgeable, and supportive executive coach, I highly recommend Claire Fry. She is a true professional who can assist you in finding yourself in amongst the noise of life!
-Amy Prinsloo, Head of Client Strategy & Customer Success at Black Swan Data
I met Claire through the Women in CX community and was recommended her as a coach when I was going through a period of being a bit lost professionally.
I reached out and we worked together for 18 months, and when I reflect on our time together, the thing that I value most, from that time, is how my self-confidence grew.
This is down to the safe space Claire creates by really listening to you with no judgement, for you to figure out who you are and what your power and purpose are.
As a result of our sessions, I have worked out who I am as a leader, what I am looking for from my career and that the ability to make an impact sits within me. I’m am a braver and more authentic leader as a result of our time together. Time well spent.
– Gemma Colby, Head of Customer Experience, First Central (insurance + technology)
I am a problem solver, and excellent at helping others see the wood for the trees. Except when it comes to myself.
We all need someone who opens our eyes, shows us a path when we are most stuck.
The wonderful Claire Fry has been that someone to me. If you look for a coach, look no more – hit her up. She is a fantastic listener, sums up situations like nobody else, and is able to give concrete ideas of how to get you unstuck.
– Christiane Mayr, Senior Specialist CX Design, SES Satellites (Munich, Germany)
Claire was recommended to me by a friend. I’d never had coaching before, and I was a bit sceptical. I’m happy to share that working with Claire has been one of the best investments I’ve made. It’s made a massive difference for me personally and professionally. I’ve grown so much over the last six months, and I’ve learnt a lot about myself, what I want and, more importantly, what I don’t want.
Claire listens… and I mean really listens! And not just to the words that are spoken. Claire’s deep level of empathy, understanding, knowledge and experience really helped guide me on my journey. Claire’s coaching created a space where I could focus on myself, and in doing so, I now have clarity on what is most important to me. I’ve crystallised my personal values and ambitions, and I’m firmly on the hero’s journey.
Coaching with Claire will be the best investment an individual or organisation will make because the value and benefits are tangible and beneficial for everyone.
– Shameem Smillie: Director, Amazon
I met Claire when I attended a mentoring workshop she was running at Baillie Gifford. I was very impressed with the workshop and when, during a discussion with Claire, she mentioned I could benefit from coaching I jumped at the chance to work with her.
At the time I was in the early stages of starting a new team and was adapting to new responsibilities. I was hoping that coaching would provide me with a space to explore some of the problems this new role presented.
The best thing about being coached by Claire is the safe environment she creates in her coaching sessions, which make it easy to open-up and explore any topic which I want to get into. I think this is down to the fact it is obvious she cares and is invested in helping her clients help themselves. I have adapted to my responsibilities and I now feel very confident in my role. I have no doubt that Claire’s sessions have been instrumental in helping me navigate the obstacles on this journey.
Claire has had a tremendously positive impact on me and I am very confident that she would do the same for other as well.
– Kyle McEnery, Team Lead, AI Research Group at Baillie Gifford
I was just at the beginning of the process for going for an internal promotion to become a manager of my own team after working at the company for the last 4 years as a Senior Sales Consultant. Claire helped me analyse the process I was about to go through and helped pull out the relevant information that the interviewers would need to know, plus ordering it in a way that felt natural and conversational. She really helped me take stock of the great stuff I’d done to get there and then talk about it in a way that evidenced my willingness and desire to get the job.
All of the work we did [in our session] helped immensely and I subsequently got the job. I couldn’t be happier. Thanks so much Claire!
– Richard Narborough, Sales Manager, Signal AI
I was referred to Claire by a friend after my business entered a very challenging phase. We were losing our identity, and I was struggling to make sense of and prioritise the hundreds of rather shouty thoughts echoing around my head.
Claire listened to and deciphered my jumbled thoughts, stripped out the points that seemed to be more critical to me, and within moments came back with priorities and a plan which hadn’t even been on my radar.
I’m 8 months down the line as I write this, and am very pleased to say that following working with Claire, and implementing her suggestions, we’ve moved past our previous concerns and the business is heading in a new and altogether more exciting direction!
– Andrew Menzies, Founder & Director, Red Candy
“For me the [back to work leadership] workshop had an immediate effect! I felt much more confident and empowered afterwards, so much so that I arranged a phone call with a freelance work contact the next morning. I’d been feeling anxious having had nine months in a maternity leave ‘bubble’ and felt like an outsider to the world of work, but even simply talking through some of these fears made them disappear. The workshop definitely made me think about language used in tricky negotiations and the power of entering into them feeling positively prepared. Thank you guys so much!”
– Chrissy, Producer (London, England)
“Big thanks to my business coach Claire @pale_blue_coaching for helping me get clear on my vision and goals, and helping me stay on course by using my values to guide my decisions… safe to say so far, I feel like I’m smashing it!”
– Clare Muscutt, Founder & CEO, Women in CX
“Claire has an uncanny ability to pause and deliberate. Not only has she taught me to see patterns in my way of thinking, but she’s shown me how to harness the peace of mind to deconstruct those patterns and engineer new outcomes. We’ve worked through everything from relationship problems to anxiety about flying to depression issues- in every instance I have managed to visualize a concrete way forward, gain vital self reflection and gradually make progress. I love Claire’s perspective on it all- it’s never too big, never too small. She considers the microcosm of our lives and our own heads, and the larger truths of our shared world, too”
– Molly Marquand, Editor (NY, USA)
“Claire helped me a great deal when I felt stuck in a rut with my job situation.
I was struggling to make a career change and lacked motivation and inspiration following several rejections and unsuccessful applications for jobs. After just a few sessions with Claire, my self-esteem was much higher and I realised that I had a lot of strengths that I had either dismissed as insignificant, or not even known I possessed. I revitalised my CV, and broadened my scope and immediately had a company get in contact to arrange an interview.Claire’s demeanor and enthusiasm were thoroughly encouraging and bolstered the skills and traits I already had to make my credentials really stand out. I am truly grateful for Claire’s help, and though I needed to face some truths that were sometimes difficult to digest, I ultimately came out of coaching with much more confidence and a much clearer idea of where I wanted to head.”
– Michael Hills, Editor, South London
“Claire is a great listener, analyst and inspiring coach. She always has a positive outlook on life, regardless of how crazy your interests and ambitions may seem to you… Totally recommending having sessions with her like I have many times over the years.”
– Johan Lundin, Head of Machine Learning at Shell Street Labs, Hong Kong
I was referred to Claire through my husband who had worked with Claire and thought highly of her. I was looking to return to full time employment after an extended break raising a family. I knew Claire would be a good person to talk to as I had read about her workshops on supporting women in the workplace.
Working with Claire was incredibly rewarding and she really helped me to clarify my personal needs and desires and harness my power in order to move forward. She was able to provide me a constructive and supportive space to explore. I had felt stuck for so long and she helped me to shed the old and make space for the new. Opportunities have since started to flow. It is as though she knew it would happen. I have since returned to full time employment feeling more confident and capable, as well as supported and encouraged from our sessions. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Claire.
– Nicky van Zyl, Dietician, Yoga Instructor & mother of 3!
Pale Blue Coaching 