Client Case Study: Helen Cowan

Spearheading what began as an ‘accidental’ business, born from snowballing demand for her services, Helen Cowan created The Tall Wall, an international executive coaching company, to champion talented women.

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Client Case Study: Helen Cowan, The Tall Wall

Coaching Contract: Helen Cowan works with Jennifer in monthly 90-minute coaching sessions, in a mix of virtual and physical meetings.

Why did you choose to embark on business coaching?

I think that if you’re a good coach then you yourself should have a coach - it’s good practice to experience coaching from the other side. More importantly, I was at a stage in my business where I wanted to grow and I needed the headspace, the mental stillness, to help me think about where this business was going.

What's it like working with Jennifer? How would you describe her coaching style?

She’s very focussed and is an intense listener. For me, working with Jennifer is like working with someone who understands my business and understands me. She’s not afraid to challenge me and I always leave our sessions feeling more hopeful, like there are more possibilities open to me.

In our sessions, I can tell that she’s really listening, that she’s present. That’s the beauty of coaching, a really good coach will listen to you in a way that you’ve rarely been listened to before - that’s what Jennifer brings.

What has been the most valuable exercise you’ve done in a session?

For my experience, the value has been in having so many ‘eureka!’ moments over doing particular exercises. An example of this is during one of our sessions which we had over the phone, I was walking through Richmond Park and upon seeing a tree which had had its branches cut down, I was able to clearly see this as a metaphor for my business; to see how I had been stunting the growth of my clients, and it was then clear to me what I needed to do.

In our coaching relationship, Jennifer's power has been in the questions that she asks me, the way she really helps me achieve clarity. A really good coach is able to do this and leave a lot of their tools at the door.

What changes have you noticed in yourself over the course of your work together?

I’ve become much more in control of the business, and more comfortable in myself as a leader - thanks to Jennifer challenging me. The work in our sessions has helped me step into my authority and feel more confident in making tough business decisions.

As a result, this has affected my day-to-day work - and allowed me to take more chances and grab more opportunities. Jennifer has been a catalyst for me, being held accountable by her has led me to be more action-focussed and to get more work done than I otherwise would have done.

How did the coaching experience differ from or meet your original expectations of it? 

It exceeded my expectations! Jennifer is a naturally skilled and gifted coach. I had initially expected to come away with some plans - a classic coaching error - such as a five-year plan for the business, some actions and structure around my thinking. What I actually got was all that, plus so much more - an understanding of myself and more space to think big, beyond a physical paper plan.

How do you measure 'success' as an outcome of coaching?

I measure the success by the actions that I take or do not take after our coaching sessions. I think about how I feel after the 90 minutes that we have spent together, has anything changed? Has my perspective been challenged?

I see coaching as a catalyst that will move me into a different place, and as long as it’s doing that then it’s working for me.

Who would you recommend Jennifer's coaching for, and why?

I have already recommended Jennifer to many people! I think her coaching is great for anyone who wants to take their business to the next level. She specialises in working with female entrepreneurs, but she can work with all entrepreneurs who have reached the limit of their ability to grow on their own, but are ready to scale and just need the mental headspace to do this - that’s the sort of person that Jennifer works really well with.

I also think that she works well with founders who are in two minds about a decision; one part of them wanting to stay small and the other wanting to grow; Jennifer is very good at igniting that latter part! She’s warm and funny and helps people with big ideas who just need someone to help tease them out.