Firms often realise too late that their marketing team was built by accident: a coordinator who became a manager, a structure that made sense five years and two practice areas ago. As the firm grows, the team has to grow with it, and that rarely happens on its own.
Coaching that builds real capability
I coach in-house marketing and business development people to operate a level up: thinking commercially, presenting to partners with confidence, and owning outcomes rather than running tasks. The aim is a team the partnership trusts to lead, not just to deliver.
Much of this is the judgement that only comes from experience — knowing which battles to fight with fee earners, how to say no to a low-value request, how to make the commercial case for a budget. I've done it for thirty years, and I pass it on directly.
Structure, hiring and leadership
Beyond coaching individuals, I help firms design the team itself: the right roles for the firm's stage and ambition, who to hire next, and how to structure reporting so marketing has a real voice. For growth-stage firms that's often the difference between a function that supports the business plan and one that's perpetually firefighting.
On recruitment, I advise on what good looks like at each level and help firms avoid the common mistake of hiring for the team they have rather than the one they'll need in two years.
What's involved
- Coaching for marketing and BD professionals
- Leadership development for team heads
- Team structure and role design for growth
- Recruitment advisory and hiring profiles
- Building partner trust in the marketing function
Who this is for
Growth-stage firms whose marketing and BD teams need to develop as fast as the business around them.
Common questions
Frequently asked
Our marketing manager is good but stretched. Can coaching help?
Often this is exactly the right moment. A capable manager being pulled in every direction usually needs support to operate more strategically and a structure that takes the firefighting off their plate. Coaching plus the right next hire tends to fix both.
Do you help us recruit, or just advise on structure?
I advise rather than act as a recruiter. I help you define what good looks like at each level, write the brief, and assess candidates, so you hire for where the firm is going rather than where it's been.
How long does a coaching engagement run?
It varies with the goal — from a focused few months to a longer arrangement as the team grows. The aim is always to build capability the firm keeps, not a dependency on me.
Ready to talk strategy?
Start with a conversation. No obligation, no pitch deck — just a direct discussion about what your firm needs.