What leaders say about working with me

The success of my clients speaks louder than anything that I could say about my work.

I have had the privilege of working with over 150 amazing, talented founders and engineering leaders as a coach and mentor.

I share the testimonials below in order to provide you with a tangible sense of the benefits and experience of being coached by me.

I have organised these by theme to offer you examples of the types of challenges and situations that I work with engineering leaders on.

If you want to find out more about what it would be like for you to be coached by me, then book a free coaching chemistry call. We can then explore this further.

Stepping into a new role

Coaching is invaluable when you have been promoted to new role or are moving to a new company. It supports you to navigate the complexities of these transitions faster and more effectively.

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  Working with Joel during my transition into my first CTO role was transformative.

  As an executive coach, he provided invaluable guidance that helped me navigate both the tactical and strategic challenges of C-level leadership. Joel was instrumental in helping me overcome imposter syndrome and build genuine confidence in my abilities. His coaching approach enabled me to develop new problem-solving strategies that delivered meaningful results for both my personal growth and my company’s success. After six months of working together, I’ve not only grown into my role but have developed a solid foundation for continued learning and development.

  I highly recommend Joel to any CTO / technology leader looking to accelerate their leadership journey.

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  Joel started coaching me just as I was stepping up into a new leadership role. He challenged me, asked thought provoking questions, helped build my confidence and supported me to develop the tools, techniques and capabilities to navigate difficult and ambiguous situations. His coaching enabled me to excel in my new role and I highly recommend him to anybody looking for coaching to support their development at any stage of their career.

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  Joel coached me in a very important moment of my career, as I had just been promoted to CTO and also had additional new challeges including leading the product organization, going through an M&A and important cultural and strategy changes. At the beginning of our conversations I was feeling very overwhelmed and worried about doing a great job in my new role and ensuring my team and my company succeeded.

  Having Joel as a coach was very valuable to me and had great impact on my team and company. As my confidence in my role grew, I’ve been able to better direct my team and we’ve been hitting our targets and constantly delivering value to the company. I recommend that any leader going through challenging and stressful times be coached by Joel.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

Scaling and growth

Start-ups and scale-ups in constant change. In this environment coaching is a powerful way to support you to grow with your company and pro-actively change your role to adapt to the changes.

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  Joel brings a really valuable combination of well structured coaching and the experience of having been a CTO, so he is also able to offer concrete advice. I really enjoyed working with Joel and his support helped me make a critical transition in my role as a CTO. Thank you!

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  As a first-time CTO at a growing tech-startup, Joel’s coaching has been instrumental in helping me step up to my new leadership role and to work through some of the most challenging aspects of scaling a company. After only a few months, I have seen really positive results. I couldn’t recommend his coaching any higher!

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  Joel played a crucial role as my coach during Florence’s rapid growth, both before and after our Series B raise. His coaching was instrumental to my personal development when I had to 4X the team and handle plenty of new challenges. He also helped me develop techniques for dealing with future challenges, which I’ve put to use successfully since our coaching finished.

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  Joel’s expertise in implementing effective mechanisms for building and managing large engineering teams has been invaluable. His flexible approach to leadership and strategy has allowed us to tailor solutions that align with SMPnet’s unique needs. Whether it’s streamlining workflows, optimising team dynamics, or fostering a culture of continuous improvement, Joel’s guidance has been adaptive and responsive to the evolving challenges of scaling engineering teams.

  I highly recommend Joel to any CTO seeking a coach with a nuanced understanding of organisational dynamics, coupled with the flexibility needed to navigate the complexities of growth.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

Impact and influence

I support many of my clients to increase the impact that they have in their role.

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  Joel has really helped me to grow in my current role. For each of the challenges I have been facing, he worked with me to help me understand how I could look at the problem differently and ensure I was focused on solving the right problems. Joel has been instrumental to my personal development, helping ensure I am set up for success not just in the present but in to the future too. He has helped me get the best out of my team and understand the needs and motivations of my peers and stakeholders across the business.

  I highly recommend Joel as a coach for any engineering lead looking for an experienced mentor. The impact he has made on my career development has been clear to many of my colleagues, and the advice he has given me will help me for many years to come.

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  Joel helped me figure out practical steps to take to communicate my ideas across my organisation and build buy-in and commitment to change. With his coaching, I was able to see my options more clearly and often found that I already had the answers in front of me.

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  Joel made it very easy to share my thoughts, feelings, aspirations and challenges. He very quickly got to the root cause of issues, helped me navigate politics and gave me confidence in my own voice. He has profoundly changed the way I interact with my peers and those senior to me. He brings all of his incredible experience to the table as a coach and he is worth every penny.

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  I was lucky enough to work with Joel as my coach. Although I’ve been an engineering leader for several years, I wanted to improve and be reassured during a challenging period in my job.

  During our programme, he helped me to be more explicit in stating what I want and to gain confidence by focusing on my strengths. We talked about how to handle difficult relationships, with Joel expertly turning around my questions so that I drew my own conclusions. The outcome was that I moved into a new role, a change that may not have happened without the programme.

  I now have a priceless toolkit of techniques and practices to use in the future. It can be lonely as a technology leader, so get yourself expert support and guidance by working with Joel.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

Strategic leadership

Coaching can be really powerful in terms of supporting you to own your leadership, focus on what is really important and act more strategically.

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  I really valued Joel’s extensive experience as a CTO, which meant he could offer useful advice and support, as well as work through tricky problems with me. He helped me focus on strategic priorities even when there were urgent activities competing for my time.

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  Joel’s skilful blend of coaching and mentorship allowed me to develop my own leadership style while providing valuable tips on becoming a successful CTO. I recommend working with Joel, if you’re looking to sharpen your CTO skills.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

Decision-making and confidence

Coaching to build your confidence in yourself and your decision-making enables you to perform at your best.

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  Joel stands out not just as a coach but as a mentor, especially suited for senior technical leadership challenges. His advice is grounded in a deep understanding of tech, allowing him to toggle between coaching and advising as needed.

  His calm and reassuring presence creates a safe space for open, honest dialogue, allowing vulnerability and growth. Each session felt like a reset, leaving me optimistic and more aligned with my professional goals.

  If you’re at a crossroads in your tech career, do not hesitate to engage with Joel. His coaching goes beyond professional development; it is a world-class partnership that offers a transformative experience, equipping you to navigate both current and future challenges.

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  The impact of my coaching program with Joel was multifold. I gained more confidence, I have learned to trust myself more, when seeking solutions to tough problems I would ask myself the thought-provoking questions Joel used to ask me. Though our program has ended, the impact continues. I highly recommend Joel’s coaching.

• I would come to a session with some big topic on my mind and by the end I would have a clear path forward and a weight lifted from my shoulders. I wholeheartedly recommend Joel as coach!

• 

  Joel’s coaching sessions were nothing short of exceptional. I felt heard and empowered during these sessions. They made space for deep thinking and were also action driven. I’ve experienced an immense amount of growth as a result of these coaching sessions. I highly recommend coaching with Joel.

• 

  Joel has a great ability (that I both love and hate!) to ask the difficult questions and articulate the truths I’ve been working so hard to hide. His approach consistently nudged me out of my comfort zone, but always within a space that felt safe, supportive, and free of judgement. That balance allowed me to open up, get honest with myself, and finally confront what was actually getting in my way.

  Joel’s coaching has been genuinely transformative for my career toolkit, giving me the strategies, mindset, and support to not only identify my goals, but a clear path to achieve them. I’ve dialed up my bravery and learned to voice, and even run towards, the things that scare me. Even my friends have felt the ripple effect and benefited indirectly, because his strategies and insights are impossible not to share.

• Our coaching sessions were really challenging in a good way. I came away from each session with a real feeling of being able to tackle any problem, and with a collection of tools and mental models to help me approach the challenges that lay ahead. Joel is fantastic at asking the right questions to prompt reflection and to help you unlock your thinking. His coaching helped me rebuild my confidence and rediscover my strengths.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

Career development

When you are looking to make a change in your career, coaching can provide powerful support to clarify what you really want, and then support you to achieve this change.

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  Working with Joel was like having a critical friend who truly understood my world. He had a talent for asking the right question at the right time. He was comfortable in challenging me when needed and offered valuable insights from his own experience when appropriate.

  During our time together, I regained confidence in my technology leadership skills, gained clarity on my career goals, and ultimately found the right role for me. Joel continued to be a valuable sounding board during the first few months of my new role.

  If you’re a technology leader I highly recommend working with Joel. He is calm, approachable, and will help you gain clarity on your goals and support you in achieving them.

• 

  I cannot recommend Joel highly enough. He is a thoughtful and considered coach who guides you through your own thoughts and limiting beliefs with a sturdy and trustworthy hand.

  Thanks to him, I took on some experiments in social interactions and improved my own understanding of what was important to me in both my work and development. With these actions, I landed a new job - moving me in the direction I wanted while also increasing my salary by over 20%.

  If you want someone who will just tell you what to do, that’s not Joel. Instead, he will help you uncover what you really want and what is stopping you from getting there, offering suggestions and thought-provoking questions along the way.

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  What stood out most to me was Joel’s ability to gently challenge and guide me toward a clearer understanding of the kind of leader I want to be—and the kind of organization I want to work for. Through our work together, I’ve gained more confidence in my leadership style and a stronger sense of direction for the next chapter of my career.

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  Joel helped me identify what I really wanted from my career. He helped me navigate my thoughts, aspirations, and emotions and supported me in transitioning to a new role that aligned much more with my personality, skillset, and overall career ambitions.

  Throughout the journey, Joel encouraged me to reflect and introspect deeply. He would challenge me where I needed to be challenged and he would support me where I needed to be supported - while continuously sharing relevant experiences and insights along the way.

  I’ll always look back at this period of my life as a significant turning point in my career and I have Joel to thank for that.

• 

  Joel’s coaching sessions were fantastic! I came away from each session feeling positive and confident. Joel listens and reflects back in a way that brings clarity and focus. He asks questions to help you dig deeper. He offers tools, practical solutions and direct advice when asked.

  Not only did I achieve my goal, to take my next career step into a role that is meaningful, challenging and exciting, I also have more clarity on what I value at work, more confidence in expressing my opinion in difficult situations, and better able to navigate professional relationships. And most importantly, I feel bolder! I highly recommend Joel!

• What sets Joel apart is his exceptional talent for non-judgmental communication and his dedication to active listening. These qualities, combined with his deep industry knowledge, created a safe and effective coaching environment. With Joel’s guidance, I not only found clarity in my career goals but also gained the confidence and skills to pursue them.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

What it is like to be coached by me

My clients can give you a flavour of what the experience of being coached by me would be like.

• 

  Working with Joel has been transformative for my career as a senior technical leader. His unique blend of coaching and mentoring combined with deep expertise helped me navigate complex leadership challenges, guiding me to understand myself better than I could’ve ever imagined in the process.

  Joel creates a space where you can think clearly, challenge your own assumptions and discover solutions you didn’t know you already had. I’m endlessly grateful for his guidance, it’s genuinely been life-changing for me.

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  What I appreciated most about Joel’s coaching was his calm and thoughtful style. He didn’t just address the symptoms but helped me through a process of discovery to get to the root causes holding me back. He challenged me with tough questions, sometimes to the point where I didn’t have immediate answers and then guided me through frameworks and solutions.

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  Joel has an impressive ability to create a safe space and calmly discuss a range of topics and to provide useful input. His coaching would benefit anyone who is going through a difficult and stressful challenge in engineering leadership.

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  Joel doesn’t just give you answers—he helps you find them within yourself. His coaching approach unlocks the knowledge and skills you already possess, making solutions feel authentic and personally meaningful. The result? Better retention and real-world application because I felt the insights were truly mine.

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  Joel is magic. I was really impressed with how much progress I was able to make with his support. He is a natural at making you feel proud of yourself and your work. He encourages you to seek out your own answers and helps you build the confidence to make the changes that you need to make.

• 

  I was a bit sceptical about the coaching approach - I didn’t really believe that I could possibly have the answers, and wanted someone else with more experience to advise me, not ask me questions!

  However, I actually found it very effective. Joel asked incredibly insightful questions, which allowed me to really dig into the issues I was experiencing, and look at them from different perspectives. He helped me tackle some difficult relationships and situations at work, and supported me in identifying actions that I could take even when I felt that certain things were beyond my control.

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  I found it very easy to connect with Joel’s coaching style. He was able to provide the pace that I needed, never rushing the conversation nor lingering unnecessarily on any one topic. He clearly had the experience needed to handle some particularly complex situations I brought forward. I gained real, practical value from his insights and suggestions and his coaching has resulted in a lasting influence how I execute my role and my professional life in general.

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  After a coaching session with Joel, I always feel my mind is clearer and more focused.

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  Joel gently questioned and challenged some of my thoughts and perceptions of myself, and situations around me. Even when it made me feel (physically) uncomfortable, with his help, I was able to navigate my ways of thinking and identify where I was heading into negative thinking/behaviours and adapt my approach.

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  Just giving advice is fairly easy, but Joel does the hard stuff (and makes it feel natural and easy!) by asking open questions, providing time and silence for one to work through problems yourself - no judgement, no strong opinions, just the odd nudge or asking for clarity and you find yourself leading yourself to various conclusions.

Find out more about the coaching and mentoring that I offer.

My work as a CTO

I offer both coaching and mentoring and so you are able to tap into my experience of being a CTO.

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  Joel was the founding CTO and subsequently COO of FutureLearn from launch and laid the foundations for its successful fundraise at a valuation of £100m in 2019. He is not only a clear expert in his technical field but also one of the best managers and leaders I have had the privilege of working with.

  The high-performance, supportive culture that we built at FutureLearn was heavily influenced by Joel’s leadership instincts and expertise. I strongly endorse Joel as an outstanding CTO and extremely valuable all-rounder in a start-up/scale-up company.

• 

  Joel is a talented CTO, who I’ve enjoyed working alongside for the past two and half years. He brings experience to the table, in not only building effective technology development teams but ones that are inclusive, supportive and that people love to work within. These skills have allowed Unmade to build better products but have also been applied across the organisation to make it operate more effectively as a whole.

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  The wealth of experience that Joel brings from his years as a CTO/COO in high-growth, mission-driven companies has been invaluable to us. He’s particularly astute when it comes to building great engineering cultures, and he really helped us shape our thinking around what we need to get our new tech product off the ground.

  I’d highly recommend him to any growing startups keen to build engineering teams that are inclusive and high performing.

• Joel operates smoothly at a C-suite level, where he’s knowledgeable and confident about technology but is also a great communicator with both fellow technologists and with “lay persons”. He’s got fantastic tech craft chops and is also highly skilled on the “people” side of things. He’s influential and calm, and able to build confidence with stakeholders and teammates alike. He’s also deeply credible on the operational aspects of digital businesses and departments.

  One of the best aspects of having Joel as a colleague and teammate is that he’s a fantastic role-model, both for peers and for the teams he manages. I really benefitted professionally and personally from working with Joel.

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  Joel ran the least dysfunctional engineering team I had ever worked in.