Lynsay Gould Podcasting and Business Coach
“When I started working with Ruth I was having very inconsistent revenue months. I wasn’t clear on my messaging and who I wanted to help. I also hadn’t nailed my niche. Now I have a multiple 6-figure business doing work I love with the perfect clients. I run a successful podcast production agency, am the host of a top ranking podcast and helped hundreds of others to start and grow their own successful podcasts.
Thinking of working with Ruth, honestly, just do it! The belief she has had in me when sometimes I didn’t believe it myself has been invaluable. She’s an extremely talented coach and mentor and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking to grow a business they’ll love.”
“Before I started working with Ruth I was feeling confused about my business and if I’m honest, I wasn’t really enjoying the direction it seemed to be taking. I was feeling confused about what I was doing because it didn’t feel in line with what I really wanted.
Working with Ruth made me really assess what it is that I do want. This meant stripping some things back, getting clear and committing to some professional development. I’m now well on my way to doing what I really want to do – and with that, I feel in alignment and that I’m really stepping into who I am.
Working with Ruth was lovely. Ruth challenges you in the kindest way. She’s also quite magical because it seems that she knew me better than I knew myself. We met weekly for 6 months, which meant that I was supported whilst taking actions in my business. My mindset often reared it’s head and every time Ruth would spot this and coach me through. I’m in a much stronger place now because of Ruth’s coaching. Since working with Ruth, something came up for me which would have crushed me this time last year – but I’ve found that I’ve reacted completely differently, dealt with the issue and moved on swiftly – and I really put that down to the work I’ve done with Ruth.
My business is still transforming whilst I continue to develop my skills. I’m really excited for the opportunities that are out there for me.
Thank you Ruth – working with you was fabulous!”
Fay Blakey
Coach and Mentor
Suzie Cuthbertson Business Mentor & Coach
“The journey with Ruth on this Mastermind has been the biggest individual upleveller for me and my business to date.
Ruth has been instrumental in supporting me to hold my vision, build my business to multiple five figure months and helping me fly past six figures in my business!
She helped me see my strengths, keep my calm and really step into the leader that I was meant to be.
My results with Ruth have been none short of phenomenal and the space she holds is one of safety, love and growth. The women I have met on the journey have been a huge part of this too and this is a large amount to do with the women Ruth attracts. Ruth has helped me grow a business I love, that is full of light, is really taking off and I am so excited about what 2021 has in store.
I am now launching my own Mastermind, am fully booked with my 12 month mentorships for the next 6 months and have some new launches still to come! Ruth powers you along with her accountability and this has been a key factor in my achievements this year and I am so excited to keep working with her during 2021 and beyond.
I am so grateful for meeting Ruth and saying yes to investing in my future self as the minute I did, I made a huge energetic shift and have never felt so confident in my business and it's all thanks to Ruth.”
“I have worked with Ruth through the entire 2020; first as part of her Sales Accelerator Group Coaching Program and then in her Mastermind.
Prior to working with her my business model for my coaching business was 1:1.
During my journey with Ruth, I have learned how to transition from 1:1 to 1 to many. I have launched my Career Change & Re-invention Group Coaching Program (running for the 3rd time in a row now), have created my online course, and have launched my pop-up product. I have learned about sales funnels and to focus on my customer journey.
The group of fantastic women Ruth put together has been the ice on the cake. Relationships have been formed which will probably last forever.
It has been a game-changer experience which I would like to repeat again.
Thank you, Ruth. I appreciate your energy and inspiration.”
Berta Maso
“As someone who has ambitious plans but not always the focus to pull them off I was looking for a place to be held accountable – and inspired. I’d met Ruth on a retreat and loved her straight talking, go getter attitude that was also full of fun. When I was looking for support to help grow my business she was the first person I turned to. I joined Ruth’s Mastermind as I loved the mixture of activity covered in it, and it was the perfect fit for me.
Ruth delivered again and again, first supporting me to launch a membership which had been ‘on my list’ for a year – and encouraging me to up my launch goals – which saw me double my original target, a theme which continued throughout! She guided me on putting systems in place which has built stronger foundations for my business, enabling us to grow substantially during the pandemic. I doubled my revenue targets as when she believed I could do it, I believed I could. Ruth is a coach who has been there done it, she has so much knowledge to share but what I’m most grateful for is her huge heart and passionate belief. She created a warm friendly supportive environment but also kicked our arses when needed! – just how it should be!”
Jo Swann
“Before I started working with Ruth I was a confident coach but had no idea how to build a business. I initially signed up to the Mastermind to learn how to go from 1:1 to 1:many but once inside the Mastermind, I realised that I was going to get so much more out of the experienced than I could have imagined.
Working with Ruth and the Mastermind gave me so many opportunities for personal growth and learning about business from experienced female entrepreneurs. Not only did I learn how to structure, manage and build a business, more importantly, I learnt so much about myself and how to create a life and business based on what I want.
Ruth an amazing coach and business woman and has a gift of bringing together incredible women. I absolutely loved working with the group. We laughed, cried, celebrated and supported each other through the challenges. I’ve definitely made friends for life and found so many inspiring role models.”
Louise Colbridge | Coach
Hannah Stacey
SME Coach and Mentor
“When I started working with Ruth 3 months ago I was not registered and only just starting to market my services to potential clients. I hadn’t had any clients at the time.
Since working with Ruth, I’ve had my first 2 clients booked, registered my business as a Limited Company and gained massive exposure with new contacts and business relationships. I’ve been able to identify my ideal client and my niche market and now truly feel confident in my ability and the service I can provide them to help them and the industry to thrive
My biggest win was securing my first business client (and third client) and finding the confidence to believe in my own capabilities as a successful and qualified coach.”
“6 months ago I decided I was ready to invest in a business coach to help me develop my coaching practice. Having met with a number of different business coaches, Ruth was a complete stand out for me. Not only was our introductory call very productive and insightful regarding how Ruth could support and guide me towards the goals I had set for myself, but the social proof around Ruth’s work was extremely compelling. The number of coaches who were singing Ruth’s praises meant that I felt very comfortable and excited to make this investment & begin coaching together.
Throughout the 6months of working with Ruth, I met the revenue, business growth and PR goals we set out together and 6months later im once again looking at the next stage of growth for my business.
Ruth’s friendly and warm nature, coupled with her savvy business mindset, makes her a complete pleasure to work with – I couldn’t recommend her enough”
Rebecca Sparks
Coach, Speaker, Podcaster
rebeccasparkscoaching.com
Ruth Gibley
Marketing and Coaching ruthgilbey.com
Where you were in your business before AYS.
I was at a crossroad. I’d been freelancing and doing really well but hit capacity and wasn’t sure what to do next. I kept taking the (what I would identify as) the safer options i.e. work for clients or with people.
Where you are in your business now?
I’ve made life-changing decisions about my business. I am no longer working as just a freelance social media manager, I’m now delivering strategy based consultancy packages, coaching, and building an audience and will be releasing my Kickstart your marketing programme in January 2020. I’ve sold 5 consultancy packages (and have more in the pipeline) and have over 25 1-2-1 coaching sessions booked. I’m learning to turn away the wrong work (which is a massive mindset change for me). I’ve created a new Facebook group for coaches and consultants (literally this week so it’s very small but that’s fine). I have a clear business plan, objectives and goals.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS?
Ruth has been there, she’s built her own successful business and studied how others have so she can advise and support you through your journey. Ruth is so supportive and on hand to answer your questions. She helped me move forward with my own business goals. Ruth is also an amazing marketer and has a brilliant personal brand. She makes running webinars, YouTube channels, Facebook Lives look effortless. There’s a massive mindset shift that needs to happen when you put yourself out there and Ruth has helped many achieve that.
What is the biggest asset of being part of AYS?
The knowledge and support from Ruth Kudzi, working with other women who understand what you’re going through without judgement. Also the work I have done through the programme on my own mindset.
What you want for your business in 2019?
I want to move from 1-2-1 coaching to one to many in the next year. I want to sell out my Kickstart your marketing programme for coaches and consultants and have steady leads for next year. I want to help other consultants and businesses get results from their marketing.
When did you join AYS?
Joining AYS right at the beginning of this year was the light which I could follow home, after a year crisscrossing the Atlantic building my business in the US. At the time, I didn’t believe my ability to see the power in someone’s story and teach them how to turn it into the heart of an unstoppable business, was valued in my own country.
Where you were in your business before you started working with Ruth.
Despite a TED Talk, a sold-out national speaking tour of the UK, becoming both a crowd-funded publisher and a published author, nobody here could teach me how to turn all this into a sustainable business at the time. When the media moved on and the book sales dried up, I found myself in a “minimum wage” job with a ceiling cap on what I could take home, and still all the responsibility for putting a roof over my sons’ heads and food on the table in front of them.
When I first spoke to Ruth, a part of me thought it was my fault, that I was “not smart enough.” The other part of me felt rejected like I just didn’t fit here. Deep down, I was really questioning what did I have to do to be successful here in the UK?
In Ruth, I found not only a woman who had built her business in the time I’d been “in my wilderness” and modelled that success in her own right here but, more importantly, a woman who put her people and their growth right at the heart of what she did – which meant me.
That feeling of being accepted for who I am, respected for my talents, and embraced while being offered her own hard-won experience exactly where needed, made the whole world feel bigger and yet allowed me to feel familiar with it.
Where you are now in your business?
I began to achieve growth almost instantly, I had a full roster of 1:1s and was able to fill my first group programme, Brand Story Bootcamp, right out of the gate.
What has it been like working with Ruth?
Working with Ruth has felt like having a wise cheerleader in my corner, which has allowed me to embrace what I offer and grow it in her generosity, respect, and equanimity. She is a beautiful example of a mentor, colleague, leader, businesswoman and coach, the greatest quality is that she has built her business with exemplary integrity. She is the real thing.
What is the greatest asset of being part of AYS for you and your business?
Ruth has helped me prove that what I do not only has value, but also helped me to see the fear of visibility, the disbelief that our stories have business value, and that uncertainty over which of our stories works hardest, is very real for women entrepreneurs – and we have very specific challenges as we are often mothers who feel need to be careful, and we are building purpose and heart-based businesses in a world that hasn’t shown us our worth often.
So far we have found, 6 people’s modalities, 5 books, 4 signature talks, 2 programme names, a podcast launched with Netflix, and one client got an invite to speak at a TED within three months of working with me. I have been able to turn not only my own success into a real way forward for others, but also show that what it takes to get there is inside us all, to really help people see the magic in their story and have that bigger vision for themselves.
And what do you want for your business in 2019?
Waking up every day feeling absolutely on fire, I look forward a year of unleashing the power in more people’s stories. To make them stand out, engage immediately and feel unstoppable, as I roll out not only Brand Story Bootcamp again, but my find Find Your TED Worthy Idea Inner Circle Programme and my next book, Mind Goblins; stop listening to their story in your head and start telling yours out loud. Thank you, Ruth, for not just helping to bring me home, but come home to myself.
Melanie Gow | Brand Story Strategist | makeyourstorymatter.co.uk
Where I was in my business before AYS.
I had been in business for 18 months and my business was doing well, however, I felt at a crossroads and wanted to scale and take my business to the next level but was procrastinating and fearful of taking action. I also did not really understand the steps I needed to take and in what order which left me stuck in my comfort zone and not driving things forward.
Where I am in my business now.
In three short months I have opened a successful and thriving Facebook Group (which I had been putting off setting up for months) and have nearly completed writing my group course which I will be launching in the next 6 weeks. I am now completely confident in taking this next step to scale and know that I have Ruth and an amazing community of women to help me every step of the way!
What is it like doing AYS and working with Ruth?
AYS is an amazing course that covers both the basics of setting up a business (I found these basics were beneficial to revisit) and also goes into how to scale to the next level. It is straightforward, simple and easy to follow and breaks everything down into very achievable steps. Ruth is fabulous, down to earth, straight talking provides accountability and will go the extra mile for her clients. It is amazing to drive my business to the next level with the support of Ruth and all the other ladies that are part of AYS!
What you want to achieve this year.
I will continue to work with ladies 1-1 to ditch dieting, ditch restrictions, change their relationship with food and upgrade their mindset. I am imminently launching my group program, am planning to launch a membership site and also products. I now have a clear idea of where I am going with my business and more importantly the confidence to take action.
Karen Brindle | The Weightloss Queen | theweightlossqueen.co.uk
Where you were in your business before AYS.
I’d been “playing” at running my little independent business and leadership coaching company for 3 years after 36 years working in the public sector, mainly in leadership roles.
Quite busy with some great 1-1 and Team Coaching clients, making a reasonable profit but when I looked at how I was using my time I was being really busy, being busy, doing stuff, not building a sustainable business and life.
Not very productive or focussed. Really uncomfortable with selling. Not investing in tech or support. No real vision about goals or clarity of focus, so running after shiny pennies a lot of the time.
And, working in an office that was full of de-energising stuff – guitars, an old clunky PC, monitor and keyboard, dust!!
Where you are in your business now.
I’m loving it.
I have a lovely, energising, happy workspace with my art around me and less dust.
I’m building a mailing list and have started understanding how offers, landing pages and showing up consistently and regularly builds my reputation and credibility.
I’ve invested in a little bit of tech. Got a lot of support from AYS and Hub colleagues in knowing what to choose and how to set things up and am already seeing the benefits of using my time more productively.
Less wasted time travelling, more comfortable with “selling”, clearer on my offer and what I want from my life and my business over the next 6 years.
I have a clear ambition and goals around working with a small number of Associate Coaches – to build a passive income, but more importantly to be part of a team and support others success.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS?
Brilliant, empowering, powerful, challenging, supportive.
Great resources, interesting people to work with, a real culture of collaboration. Ruth’s focus on balancing information, support and challenge land brilliantly.
If I hadn’t put the work in and challenged my mindset I wouldn’t be where I am now. Ruth has magical powers – somehow she got me to think, reflect, learn and do.
I love Ruth’s style and values – felt aligned with my own and, despite being part of a group, I felt really special.
What you want to achieve this year.
To map out my journey so I really rock the goals I now have to take me to 2021.
Some relate to profit, some to time and some to energising work and life.
I am going to:
Balance time, profit and energising work – my success triangle.
Secure great clients to deliver income to support my own financial goals and provide work for the SWC team of Associates.
Earn enough money to invest in inspiring CPD and travel.
Produce a book for coaches based around my proven tools and resources.
Earn enough money to buy a car with a button (convertible).
Pass on real coaching skills and confidence to others – in the workplace and wider.
Get a few clients in Berlin.
Sandra Whiles Coaching Ltd | sandrawhiles.com
Where you were in your business before AYS.
Before I joined Ruth’s AYS programme I had the idea of a business, to use my CBT training and wellbeing knowledge to help mums have a better experience of motherhood. But that was it. I had an idea and nothing else! I had no structure, no website, no facebook group, no clients yet.
Where you are in your business now.
A year down the line and Resilient Mums is thriving. I’ve got a great community of awesome mums in my facebook group, a full schedule of 1:1 clients getting CBT support for the challenges they’re facing as mums and I’ve started running online courses and workshops to teach ways to manage the stress and pressures of mum life better. Oh, and a website too 🙂 I have a clear plan for how I want my business to run and how I’m going to continue building it. And I have the tools to be able to do it.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS?
If I hadn’t taken the plunge and signed up to work with Ruth and be on her AYS programme, I don’t think Resilient Mums would even exist. It certainly wouldn’t be the success it is today. Ruth gave me the skills and knowledge I needed to build up the idea of supporting mums into a tangible, viable business. She helped me build up the skeleton of an idea into a plan with structure and the know-how to implement it. And even more than that, she gave me the support to do it.
Working with Ruth means having someone root for you every step of the way. Being part of AYS gave me a community of brilliant women to be part of and draw support from too. There’s such inspiration and power in being part of a group of women who are on the same journey as you. The programme is structured so that you’re always moving and progressing and I found that really helpful and motivating. There’s weekly accountability, goal setting and training. so that you really do have everything you need to get your business off the ground or scale it if you’re already started.
I loved working with Ruth so much I went on to be a 1:1 client of hers. For me there’s no hesitation: if you want the flexibility and freedom of creating your own business and you want to be successful in realising your dream, then jump at this chance to be part of her AYS programme. You won’t regret it.
What you want for your business in 2019.
For me and Resilient Mums, 2019 is a year of growth. My focus is on scaling things and offering more support in new ways to as many mums as I can! I’ll be rolling out a series of workshops on being a confident, happy mum; feeling good enough as a mum, and how to manage stress and be a calmer mum. I’ve also got some exciting partnerships on the pipeline and will be working alongside an educational psychologist to deliver workshops on parenting skills and wellbeing. And you’ll be seeing more of Resilient Mums as I write for different publications and at some great events this year on motherhood, wellbeing and identity. None of this would be happening if I hadn’t signed up and started working with Ruth. It’s money and time well spent.
Clare Flaxen | resilientmums.com
Meet Kate Southerby from iammecoaching.com. Kate did my Accelerate your success group coaching course in March 2018 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. Working with Kate is a complete dream – we have even done a joint networking event together.
What I do.
I am the founder of I am ME coaching. I am a transformation coach who helps individuals and teams ‘unleash their talents, celebrate who they are to live a life they love’. My purpose as a coach and trainer is to help people discover their potential. I show people how it’s not just possible to be their authentic selves and get what they want, it’s essential.
Who I work with.
I work with individuals considering a career change, more fulfilment from their current career or simply feeling stuck and wanting to make positive changes. In group events or 1:1 - Organisations, leaders and HR Heads who want their employees and teams to work better together - Leaders and entrepreneurs who want to improve their impact, performance and professional relationships.
How Accelerate your success helped me.
From setting up from scratch and ‘going live’ 5 months ago I have delivered 4 group events, been a speaker at the Do Lectures talking about relationships, I currently have 7 1:1 clients and am working with two creative businesses to help them drive profit through their people. I have some fun stuff lined up for 2019 – namely a focus on passive income streams and doing more of what I love with teams – using the TotalSDI inventory.
Why you would recommend the course?
Oh my goodness… where to start?! I had been off on career break for 3 years following the birth of my second child, George. Before that, I worked at Topshop/ Topman for 11 years and before that the financial services industry. I had a huge blind spot on how to actually set up and run a business. I had never been exposed to ‘brand’, to ‘marketing’, to ‘sales’, to the tech side of running a business either and was hardly present on social media. I had never really thought about ‘me as a brand’ before the program – putting myself out there was a bit hurdle for me. Without this course, I would have been totally lost. I knew I wanted to hit the ground running and make an impact from the start. I knew I didn’t want to start and then stop – I wanted to balance being a mum and running a business. I wanted something that I felt ‘was worth leaving the kids for’, something that would play to my strengths. I always knew the what and the why in my business but not the how – AYS gave me this.
I also knew I needed some ‘teammates’ – which I got in bundles. So much support and encouragement from those in my group. I tried not to get overwhelmed by those more ahead in their business and just soaked it in and learned from them. Plus I knew I kind of needed a kind of ‘boss’ (!)….. I needed someone to help with my imposter syndrome, a cheerleader, someone I could check in with regularly and someone who was a kind of ‘try it… what’s the worst that can happen’ kind of person. Ruth’s strengths were some of my weaker areas, underdone strengths and I love that about Ruth. Her honesty and integrity. PLUS all the learning material, the amazing support of experts, the fact she promotes and supports everyone in the group. She gives a hell of a lot and you get a hell of a lot back.
I would never have been able to do this without Ruth or this program. It was worth every penny (even though I didn’t have that many pennies at the time!).
She’s got my mojo back, I feel confident in my brand (I’m still learning, I’m still changing what my focusses are, my business is by no means where I want it to be) but I’ve got a vision for what I want and how I want to feel. From the outside and the inside – in all areas of my life as a result of working with Ruth. I’m reading a self-help book every single week! (from a girl who only ever used to read Grazia and Elle Decoration – that’s a huge change!) I totally feel in my flow, that I’m playing to my strengths and I can, therefore, be 100% authentic to my clients.
Her enthusiasm is infectious. She’s a very special person.
Kate Southerby | iammecoaching.com
I have been promising myself for years that I would quit the salaried day job and go it alone as a freelancer, but never had the confidence to take the plunge. I came across Ruth’s ‘Employer to Entrepreneur’ programme via a local mums’ Facebook group. It took one one-to-one discovery call with Ruth and two group coaching calls for my confidence to go through the roof, so much so that I handed my notice in. Now 9 weeks into the programme and my business is really taking shape, thanks to the practical tools and coaching Ruth has given me, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to hit the ground running once I come to the end of my notice period in my current job. My confidence in making this change has also inspired my partner to reevaluate his job and he is about to start a new job down on the Kent coast, so our little family will be moving down there as my new freelance career will allow me to work much more from home. This change is so important to me personally and professionally and I would not be where I now am without Ruth. It is literally life-changing. Thank you Ruth!
Gemma Skyes | Consultant
I joined this programme to build on my business and get a clearer idea about which direction I wanted to go.
I have been able to dig deeper about the how best I can serve my clients and also manage my time more effectively. I am working on my website structure and leads with greater clarity and understanding.
I have loved the range of topics covered as they are all important in working together to create a strong business foundation.
Ruth is very down to earth and real and this allows you to open up to the work of being authentic which is crucial in your business development. She is a strong coach and the group calls are very beneficial in getting to core issues and accountability. The weekly modules are also well laid out and structured, making them easy to follow but also challenging, in the right way!
I believe this course has truly helped me run my business more efficiently so that I can serve my clients in the best way possible, so I would recommend this to anyone wanting to establish or build on their small business, as you will get results.
Penelope Blissenden | Healer & Life Coach
The Group programme provided me with invaluable tools and techniques to enable me to embark on upscaling my existing consultancy practice. Ruth is unwavering in her support and belief in each individual participant and encourages ongoing self-reflection to challenge any negative mindsets that may hinder success in business. Ruth is warm and down to earth, supportive yet challenging when appropriate and happy to share her own experience and journey. The group network meant that we were able to learn from each other and share our experiences and challenges. The programme has enabled me to be accountable and take tangible steps on the journey to entrepreneurship and for that, I am very grateful – Thank you, Ruth!
Nicola | Consultant
This programme has converted me to coaching. When I first spoke with Ruth I was just starting to set up my business and was rather at sea, not really knowing what I needed to do. I was very sceptical and not at all convinced that coaching would help me. I came at it with an “it can’t hurt to have a chat” mindset. So, we had the chat and within minutes I liked and trusted Ruth and was sure she and her programme could help! And I was right. I have gone from a theoretical business to one with clients. Ruth has helped me grow in self-belief and to navigate my way through a variety of blocks. She’s asked pertinent – and often challenging – questions, made suggestions about what might help me find my way. I’m really not looking forward to the end of the programme as I have come to rely on Ruth and the lovely, safe and supportive community this programme has created.
Penny Baker | VA
I joined the EE group programme as I was looking for a tribe of women in the same position as myself, starting/growing their businesses plus the motivation to get things moving as at the time I was at the start of my entrepreneur journey. I got all that and more! The group calls have been so useful to help with the specific challenges or questions I was up against each week and I learnt so much from Ruth as well as the other women in my tribe. I have connected with useful suppliers and got great advice, built my confidence, been motivated to keep taking action each week and I am so happy with what I have achieved after 3 months. My business is up and running, I have exceeded my objectives for the number of clients I am working with, I am clear and confident about the strategy for my business over the coming months. Most of all I believe in myself, my business and I’m so excited for the future of it!
If you’re debating whether to sign up I would say DO IT! You will not regret the investment because the value you get from the programme is priceless!
Helen Workman | Empowering Women Coaching
Before I started working with Ruth I was convinced I was heading in the right direction, however, it soon became clear that I wasn’t and this was all down to AYS and working with Ruth.
Ruth has helped me to find the real me in business rather than the ‘character’ I thought I had to portray. She has given me the tools to believe in myself, to realise that my message needs to be heard and that authenticity is the ONLY way to feel fulfilled and/or to love what you do.
In the 12 months since AYS, I have found my voice, positioned myself as my brand, grown in confidence, told my stories, have realised who my ideal clients are and have found my niche of fitness and wellbeing for women in business.
I have become the fitness and wellbeing expert for The Hub, have a sell-out fitness retreat, have enjoyed several collaborations and I now know my next steps.
Even more importantly I have a clear vision of what I want my business model to look like, and for once I fully believe that I will make it a reality.
2019 WILL see me launch and grow my online programme, it will see me launch a new free group and grow its numbers to at least 500, I have another retreat planned for Summer PLUS I will launch flexible fitness & wellbeing coaching packages too.
Working with Ruth just feels right, she has an amazing way of not only delivering fantastic coaching but of making it personal to me and my brand too.
I can’t wait to see what the next 12 months bring.
Carly Keighley | Fitness & Wellbeing Coach and Personal Trainer
Where you were in your business before AYS.
I set up my business Socially Contented as a social media marketing consultancy after working in corporate marketing for 20 years. I was starting to get good clients, in fact, I on-boarded one of the top 10 orchestras in the world as a client at around the same time.
Where you are in your business now.
Now I have changed the focus of my business to lead generation, specifically Facebook Ads and LinkedIn, and written a course on lead generation in LinkedIn, my LinkedIn Leads Machine course. I am taking on bigger clients and the last two months were my highest billing months ever.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS.
Ruth is a dream to work with. She is 100% supportive and very generous with her time and advice. As a coach, she’s really good at crystallising the thoughts you didn’t know you already had! As she has built her own business up from the ground she knows exactly what you are going through.
What you want to achieve in your business in 2019.
I want to be financially successful in 2019 but I also want to inspire other women who may have had to take a career break or transform their career due to redundancy. I will be 50 in 2019 – to my surprise as 50 sounds an awful lot older than me! – and if I can do it anyone can, whatever their age.
Cathy Wassel | Facebook Ads & LinkedIn Strategist
When I started working with Ruth I had had no paying clients and was really struggling. I had no idea about the business side AT ALL. I didn’t know any of the lingo or what to do in order to turn a passion into a livelihood.
Through working with Ruth I have had two sets of paying clients to purchase my full package including HypnoBirthing, Doula & Postnatal services. I have also reconnected with my former profession of Herbal Medicine and have started including that within the services I provide. I have also crystallised how I am going to scale my business from 1 to 1 into a 1 to Many model and know what I need to do to make it happen. I have learned how to use social media to connect with my ideal clients (now I know what that is!) and have a developing online presence.
Working with Ruth has been Amazing. I feel like a whole new world has been revealed to me. And as this new world has come into focus, so has my belief in myself and the value of what I have to offer. Money mindset and self-belief have been a struggle but because I am putting in the action despite my negative self-talk things are moving forward bit by bit. Ruth is hugely inspirational and a whirlwind of positivity and possibility. It’s like having someone in your corner, shouting from the sidelines, cheering you on! The depth of her knowledge is awesome and, at the same time, watching her developing her own business whilst helping others to do the same is a very potent combination.
In 2019 I intend to produce my own antenatal course combining all my disciplines (Herbal Medicine/HypnoBirthing/Birth and Postnatal Education) that can be delivered in a ‘workshop/course’ style and will also be produced in an online learning format. This way I can provide information in 3 different price brackets.
I’m not promoting anything yet…. The course to come will be: BirthWorks ‘Ancient Wisdom, Modern Practice’ Birth and Newborn Preparation Course
Kim Craig
Where you were in your business before AYS.
Before I started working with Ruth I had been a qualified coach for nearly two years. I know my abilities and what I have to offer but I did not know how to promote myself and my business or put it all together. I had confusion in many areas and this was creeping in as self-doubt so I knew I had to take action and find someone to show me how to plug the gaps; which is where Ruth came in.
Where you are in your business now.
I now have a clear idea of where I am going, who my target, ideal clients are, my message, my programme and who I am in a business sense. I have grown in confidence and am very excited about the present and the future of my business.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS?
I have had several coaches – as a coach myself, I know the value of a good coach – and Ruth delivers. She has shown me where I need to plug those gaps and how to plug those gaps. I have been taught business tools and valuable advice that I didn’t even know I had to learn. The best part for me is that Ruth listens to who you are as an individual and your vision. She doesn’t try to change your vision and replace it with her own. Sure, she advises and guides you BUT not by controlling and pushing you. By coaching and sharing her expertise.
What is the biggest asset of being part of AYS?
I The tools, the wealth of information, the community – you are not alone – there is whole tribe alongside you. I feel supported, challenged and part of something great. I no longer am guessing and wasting hours trying to teach myself the next business step, I have a whole team with Ruth at the helm to share their knowledge and show me how to stride forwards with confidence.
What you want for your business in 2019.
In 2019 I want my business to grow a strong, solid client base and a back catalogue of reviews from clients who, working with me, have reaped the results they seek.
Lucie Steyn
“I have been working with Ruth for nearly 5 months and the way I look at my business has changed enormously. She has helped me develop a feeling of legitimacy when it comes to my business as well as increasing my confidence in my ability to make it a success.
She has helped reduce my fear around making decisions and then taking action.
She has also helped me understand how to tackle growth but at my pace and within the restrictions of the way my home life is set up. She’s helped me see into the future by focusing on the longer term goals – from where I want to be in 12 months time, to then how each quarter needs to look and what I want to achieve each month. I commit to planning what each week looks like in plenty of time to enable me to hit the ground running every Monday morning, that alone has had a huge impact.
I have had to put the work in though and it isn’t always easy, there were some big steps forward but some are slower. However, my pipeline has drastically increased over the time I have been working with Ruth and am confident that I am going to end 2018 strong and start 2019 with so much more happening in comparison to last year!
She has given me the tools to make sure I keep striving for those goals and focus on keeping the right mindset when I start to doubt myself.”
Catherine Roughan | Kidmore Recruitment
Where you were in your business before AYS.
I must be honest I Facebook stalked Ruth a little while before I started to work with her and it paid off – I’ve gone from being a member of her free group to her subscription group and then jumped into her signature programme and now I’m continuing to work with her on my business.
I had been planning to make a change from my consultancy and contract work for a little while and when I finished working with a long-term client, I knew I had to make the leap to set-up on my own. I was toying with a few different ideas and models but knew it would centre around, marketing, women in business and coaching. I contemplated taking on a women’s networking franchise but ultimately wanted to set my own vision and course, regardless of the additional ‘risk’ associated with doing so.
I immersed myself in the search for similar businesses and looked for someone who was doing what I wanted to do but who also ‘looked and felt like me’. I actually found Ruth because I was searching for a potential Facebook group and page names for my own business idea and her Collective came up. It proved to be a great find for me!
I took some time off, did some further training and started to formulate what I would do but I knew I wanted to be accountable to someone and needed some structure to turn what I knew, and what I wanted to do into a viable, and working business. That’s where Ruth has been invaluable.
I jumped on board with Ruth when my business was just an idea and nothing more, I used her Accelerate programme with its group coaching to keep me on track and Ruth personally helped me to make decisions and move me forward when I was questioning the who, how, why.
I’m so glad I took the leap and followed my instincts to follow and then take up more personal one-on-one coaching with Ruth.
Where you are in your business now.
I’ve recently launched my own marketing & business coaching business, focused on helping other women in business. The Brave Girls Business Club. I’m fully immersed in that, and I love working with all the women in my own group. I have my first client(s) on board and the relationships and my own community and networking are steadily building. 2019 looks exciting and I’m eager and ready to embrace establishing the progress made in 2018 to really get my new business off the ground and successfully creating a consistent income.
What it is like working with me/doing AYS?
Working with Ruth is so easy, she makes everything straight forward and accessible and she puts her resources, knowledge and know-how at your disposal. We’ve done calls from all over the world, and at 6 am in the morning at the location where she was – totally above and beyond, to make sure I had a scheduled call. When you’re working on yourself, by yourself, for yourself it’s easy to get in a pickle with your thinking and decision making – I love that Ruth lets me have a sounding board which with her insightful questioning and reflecting lets me get to a point where I can see the ‘wood for the trees’ and make the decisions that I need to move forward and progress. Having someone hold that space for me is very valuable. I’m definitely a fan.
What you want for your business in 2019.
My objective for 2019 is regular, consistent monthly income, with an established client base and more developed range of packages and products to offer my clients. I’m feeling confident that I have the support around me to achieve this and I’m excited to see how it unfolds and the results in 12 months time!
Sarah Pearson | Business Coach | Brave Girls Business Club
What made you join AYS?
I joined accelerate your success in 2019. Prior to that, I had been following Ruth Kudzi in the Rebel Collection for probably over 2 years. Something resonated to me about Ruth from early on. I had been working in the NHS for 22 years and for many reasons I was coming to the end of that journey as I felt it was a drain on my work/life balance, I was not having enough fun with my family and I felt I had more personal growth in me that wasn’t able to flourish in that environment. I came to a pivotal point and there was one person who I felt could turn to, to make that huge decision to walk away from a well paid, “safe” job. I had lots of support around me, but no-one that had chosen to walk away. I also had lots of reminders of the risks of leaving. I booked a discovery call and joined Ruth’s programme – and HANDED IN MY NOTICE!!. Ruth was really there for me in those first few weeks of utter fear. Ruth supported me, checked in on me and reminded me that this is what I wanted to do.
Where were you before AYS?
I hadn’t been able to do any private work (I’m a children’s physiotherapist), prior to leaving and therefore this really was a leap from earning to not earning!
Where are you now in your business?
Only 3 months after joining the AYS programme and 3 1/2 weeks after leaving my job, I have reached my 3-month goal and I am on the way towards earning half of my previous income (after 1 week of trading) by the end of the month. I have a website, I understand my ideal client, I have a strategy for the next 12 months and I have a clear vision of what I want to achieve for my family and not what other people think I should achieve.
What has it been like working with Ruth?
It has been amazing working with Ruth. I have had a 1:1 coaching call, I am part of the hub and AYS. Ruth’s group training, youtube videos and her AYS package have given me confidence and a process to work through the content I needed to. I joined AYS knowing that for most of it I would still be working full time, so I would find it difficult to join all the live group calls. However, I still joined as I knew I needed to be part of this group to help me keep on track with my vision whilst I was getting closer to walking away from what I had known for such a long time. In fact, those working lunches sat in a Starbucks car park were great for my resilience, as it encouraged me to stop and consider what I needed to do to look after myself and prepare for my future. I caught up on the sessions I missed and was able to work at my own pace.
What is the greatest asset of being part of AYS for you and your business?
AYS has been fantastic at helping me prepare for working on my own and putting strategies in place for self-management and business management. It has helped me understand what I need to do to market myself and being in a non-health environment has been great at enabling me to approach this in different ways. The community is awesome, there are so many people to share ideas from, get feedback from and grow with. Ruth schedules posts and always personally replies, which makes you feel heard, cared about and the structure is a great reminder to think about the week’s successes to keep you in the best mindset possible. I have loved it. Ruth’s personal approach, supported by her team is what makes the difference – she had my back.
What do you want from your business in 2019?
I am glad to be part of Ruth Kudzi’s AYS and hub and will continue to benefit from lifetime access to the AYS programme. I will benefit from going over it again now I have more space. I want to continue to grow my business to get back to my previous income but with a much better work-life balance. Ruth really was the catalyst that got me started on this journey and gave me the strength to follow in her footsteps – it has enabled me to be more present with my family and that is the best success I could have wished for. I am happy, my family are happy and we have a much better future ahead – I can’t thank you enough Ruth – this is life changing!
Helen Bayliss | Physiotherapist
Where I was in my business before AYS.
Before AYS I felt lost and lacking the structure to run my business effectively. I was constantly changing direction and niche as I was torn among options and possibilities. I had no email list, no connections to sell to and constantly trying to meet new people in hope for a sale.
Where I am in my business now.
I am now in a place where my days and weeks are structured and I know what I am doing every day. I am slowly building my email list and growing my FB group. I’m planning to launch my first group programme in the coming months and feeling excited to implement more of the tools that Ruth has shared with the group.
What is it like doing AYS and working with Ruth?
It’s a great group programme with loads of support from both Ruth and the ones involved. It feels like a small community of friends who have similar aims and there’s loads of sharing and caring.
Ruth is very attentive and responsive, says things as they are, gently pushes you to achieve your goals and has your back when you need her. She has a very positive attitude focusing on the individual whilst the group benefits from the insights. She will challenge you and your mindset in order to grow and achieve even bigger results. Loved working with Ruth and forward working with her more closely at her mastermind.
What you want to achieve this year.
My aim is to launch my online group programme Your Business Essentials Implementation Programme in October 2019 for those who have recently started or thinking of starting their own business and by the end of the year, I am looking to launch a monthly membership. I’ve been contemplating on some passive income from online courses too, so thinking of exploring that route as well. I never thought I’d be here a few months ago.
Thank you Ruth and AYS group x
Amalia Couzoff | amaliacouzoff.com
“If you want a guaranteed return on your investment with a coach, work with Ruth.
In the three months, we have worked together on my coaching business, I have made over four times as much money as I invested in Ruth and her expertise, and have a consistent flow of one to one and group clients. Her combination of mindset work and taking action may not at first sound unique, but it really is: she holds you brilliantly accountable, she can be brutally honest and blunt (!), but what makes her truly unique is her generosity with her time, her mentoring skills and her wicked sense of humour.
She is ambitious for and excited by her clients and I adore her.”
Laura Oldfield | Coach | Power of Mum
“When Ruth first started coaching me, I had signed up for 6 months of business coaching with her with just enough money in my fledgeling business for 1 month’s worth of coaching. Within 3 months of working with her, I had repaid my full investment entirely by expanding my business.
What I love about Ruth is her down to earth, practical and human approach to coaching, she understood exactly where I was – no experience of running a business, just an idea, some skills and a passion and has helped me nurture this at my pace and with exactly the support I need – she never makes me feel lesser for not having done this before or for asking what may be silly questions.
She really listens and not only has she helped me strategically thinking about how to develop and grow my business, she’s really helped me with my confidence and mindset; to really believe I can actually do this and has been a huge cheerleader for me – believing in me even when I didn’t believe it myself. I can wholeheartedly recommend Ruth.“
Amanda Paradine | Coach
“I have enjoyed the whole experience immensely, I have learnt so much and I am still trying to put it all together! I joined Ruth’s programme feeling quite nervous as I only had a vision of how I wanted my life to be in a years time and a few ideas of how I could possibly make some money around my family life, I had no idea that it could be an actual tangible business.
Fast forward a few weeks and I have a business model, a business plan, a Facebook page, business email address, business cards, my first 121 coaching clients and meetings scheduled with top Universities to discuss potential collaborations. I am also working on producing an online course to be launched end June.
I have spent years feeling stuck inside my own head and unable to get over myself and procrastinating on chasing my dreams & reaching my true potential. All the work Ruth did with us around vision, goals, confidence & mindset at the beginning of the course has been literally life-changing for me.
Then there is all of the business knowledge, tips, tools and marketing information that I have learnt, I now know what an opt-in is, how to create one and why it is valuable, strategies for finding & building my audience, how to convert them into paying customers etc. Not to mention the amazing and inspirational group of women that Ruth brought together in this group, the support within the group has been amazing and my accountability buddy Kate has been fab.
Key takeaways for me that I will continue doing;
- journaling, amazing way of getting out of my head and writing down my millions of ideas to help get clarity – I will continue to do this.
- re-frame the negative thoughts, remember how far I have come, what I have achieved and be kind to myself.
- confidence is just an illusion, everyone has nerves, the more you do something the more confident you become – 5,4,3,2,1,JFDI
- nothing is as hard as you think it is going to be, ask questions, be curious, network and find someone that knows the answer.
- Believe in myself!! I am unique, I am the point of difference, people will come to me for being authentically me and my unique set of skills.”
Sarah Atkins | Creative Coach
“I joined Ruth’s group coaching so that I had the accountability and support I needed to get going with a new business venture.
It has been really great, Ruth is very attentive and even though you are in a group she gives very one on one attention to any issues or problems you are experiencing. I’ve met some incredibly inspiring people in the group, and the support and encouragement have been amazing.
I wouldn’t have the self-belief or tools that I now have to start my business without this experience! I highly recommend the programme to anyone teetering on the edge of starting like I was, but without the self-belief to take the leap!”
Liz Patient | Pilates Instructor
“Ruth is a true master of online coaching and a living example of confidence being created through consistent action.
She not only knows the insides of how to create an effective strategy for an online coaching business but will also be there for you when it comes to ensuring that you have a strong mindset to back it up.
I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent being coached by Ruth and continue to appreciate her input into the development of my business as the time goes on. Thank you, Ruth!”
Aleksandra Szwiling | Mindset coach
“I began building my coaching business alongside my consulting business in 2017 with the aim of transitioning to a 50/50 model by the end of the year.
I had a couple of big challenges, the first was that my consulting work always took precedence as, quite simply, it generated more income and a girl has to pay the mortgage. The second was that I just didn’t really know where or how to start building a coaching business. I already had a few 1-1 clients through my network but to be successful and sustainable I needed to significantly grow my client base. I knew I had to build an online coaching offer, it’s the only way to truly scale in my view. Ruth was recommended to me by a friend, and as I was about to begin a demanding full-time consulting role, I knew I would need support to prevent coaching falling by the wayside. I love coaching and I wanted to hold onto my dream!
I signed up to Ruth’s signature programme, it felt like a big commitment but I was genuinely surprised by the enormous value I got from the programme. Working with Ruth 1-1 helped me focus in on my ideal client, get clear on my business goals and strategy including the exact steps I was going to take to get there. She helped me address those pesky limiting beliefs that were holding me back (not that I knew it, until Ruth challenged me on it) and supported me to develop a more focused, productive and positive mindset.
On top of that, the knowledge, short-cuts and 101 guides plus regular guest experts that I have been able to access through Ruth’s membership hub has been quite incredible. It would take hours to navigate and learn the latest on digital marketing, strategy, finance, brand and legal and here it all was at my fingertips, easily digestible and with a community of incredible, supportive women to ask the beginner questions to. I’m looking forward to working with Ruth throughout 2018 and seeing my business truly fly.
My only wish is that I’d found Ruth sooner!”
Caroline Rae | Career Coach | carolineraecoaching.com
“I joined the EE group programme as I was looking for a tribe of women in the same position as myself, starting/growing their businesses plus the motivation to get things moving as at the time I was at the start of my entrepreneur journey.
I got all that and more! The group calls have been so useful to help with the specific challenges or questions I was up against each week and I learnt so much from Ruth as well as the other women in my tribe. I have connected with useful suppliers and got great advice, built my confidence, been motivated to keep taking action each week and I am so happy with what I have achieved after 3 months.
My business is up and running, I have exceeded my objectives for the number of clients I am working with, I am clear and confident about the strategy for my business over the coming months. Most of all I believe in myself, my business and I’m so excited for the future of it!
If you’re debating whether to sign up I would say DO IT! You will not regret the investment because the value you get from the programme is priceless!”
Helen Workman | Empowering Women Coaching | helenworkmancoaching.com
“I started working with Ruth just before I launched my coaching business. I was feeling isolated, stressed and overwhelmed with all I had to do (I’d never had any experience running a business before).
I only wish I had found Ruth sooner! She has helped me understand what’s needed to set up and run a business, improve my confidence immensely and make some huge positive shifts to my mindset.
This work allowed me to set up much-needed structure in my business (and personal) objectives, finances and strategy, and led me to my biggest win so far: I doubled my goal and acquired 4 wonderful ideal clients within a few weeks – 100% conversion from discovery calls – without paying for any advertising.
With both her training and coaching, Ruth really offers everything that someone starting in a business would need, and I was so happy to finally shut out all the noise that had been confusing me about the ‘right’ way to set up a business and focus on what Ruth offered.
However, I would say that the biggest benefit from working with Ruth, and what I’m most grateful to her for, is how she’s helped me find my own way.
She’s supported me to believe in myself, feel confident in my decision-making and to create a business that is authentically me. I’m very excited to see how my business continues to develop with Ruth’s support over the next months.”
Kelly Campino Bradford | Coach | kellycampino.com
“I have had the greatest pleasure of working with Ruth since August this year.
I had very little direction with my Educational Toy and accessory business and felt completely stuck. Ruth gave me the clarity I needed by teaching me how to journal, plan and step up my focus.
Ruth set goals for me to reach in a given time frame which made me accountable for my own achievements. The thing is, I trusted Ruth’s advice and had a new found desire to drive my business forward!
I cannot recommend Ruth’s coaching service enough, she is brilliant.”
Kaye Wilson | Edge Ahead Toys | edgeahead.co.uk
“This programme has converted me to coaching.
When I first spoke with Ruth I was just starting to set up my business and was rather at sea, not really knowing what I needed to do. I was very sceptical and not at all convinced that coaching would help me. I came at it with an “it can’t hurt to have a chat” mindset. So, we had the chat and within minutes I liked and trusted Ruth and was sure she and her programme could help! And I was right. I have gone from a theoretical business to one with clients.
Ruth has helped me grow in self-belief and to navigate my way through a variety of blocks. She’s asked pertinent – and often challenging – questions and made suggestions about what might help me find my way.
I’m really not looking forward to the end of the programme as I have come to rely on Ruth and the lovely, safe and supportive community this programme has created. ”
Penelope Baker
“I started thinking about coaching as I felt I needed a change in my professional life; having to work full-time as an employee and care for a young family is very challenging.
I approached Ruth as I resonated the most with her. She had been in my position when she decided to work for herself and could see where I was coming from and how important being there for my children was for me.
Ruth helped me find my own potential and develop a clear focus on what I want my life to look like in the future. She was very supportive, understanding and non-judgemental and her approach helped me build up my own confidence and believe in myself.
I am now more positive about the capabilities I have as a person and about how things will turn out. I can’t wait to reach the point that I will look back at how all this started and feel grateful for finding Ruth to work with.”
Katerina Bollanou | Coach
“I joined Ruth’s programme to learn marketing strategies for attracting new clients, to refine my business model, get clear on what’s holding me back from getting new clients and to understand more about social media and how it can work for my coaching business.
I chose this programme specifically because I had got to know, like and trust Ruth over a period of time and loved her honest, supportive, genuine approach. Not to mention her generosity in sharing what works for her and being happy for you adapt it and make it your own. Ruth has a wealth of knowledge, qualifications, life experience and experts from various fields on tap, that she freely offers to the group.
During the programme, I have finally worked out who my dream client is, have a business model that is true to who I am and how I work; I am far more productive and have set working hours, so procrastinate less. My confidence has increased around technology and I faced my Mailchimp demon and created a landing page, opt-in and email automation! I’ve been thinking about it for longer than I care to mention and recently got on and did it in a couple of weeks. I feel so empowered and ready to break through the next demon – Facebook lives! Knowing I could ask questions in the group if I needed help was reassuring. I have been coaching for many years and now feel like it’s a business and not just something on the side.
It can be lonely being an entrepreneur and connecting with like-minded women in the group has solidified how important it is to be part of a support network and to share ideas, successes, wobbles, challenges and learn from others experiences. The weekly laser coaching calls and workbooks were invaluable and you have lifetime access to them. I loved having so many ‘touch points’ with Ruth and she always replied personally to questions and was very active in the group.
To anyone who is considering the programme I would say, take advantage of the 15min call with Ruth to explore if it’s right for you and if you connect with her and have a desire to start or grow your own business, then just go for it! You will learn SO much, connect with great women and have all the support and accountability you need to move you forward.”
Donna Edwards | Life Coach | yourfuturevision.co.uk
“Each individual session was genuinely invigorating. Ruth’s technique allowed me to formulate ideas and potential realistic options relating to forward steps with more clarity, and guided me through several difficult crossroads using increased personal insight – resulting in measured decision-making.
Approaching various components of life using a structured, sensible method allowed for more clear thinking about each topic, and agreeing to tackle the ‘homework’ each week helped improve my motivation and maintain my commitment.
Over the course of 6 sessions potentially major changes were made to certain (wide- ranging) aspects of my life which I had felt to be ‘stuck’ at for some time. I found Ruth to be a really effective ‘active listener’ – facilitating my own thinking without impressing her own opinion or judgement.
I have already sung Ruth’s praises highly, and intend to recommend working with her to friends in the near future.”
Michelle
“I decided to have some coaching to help me direct my efforts not long after launching a new business. This job is a complete lifestyle change from my previous work in media and I was struggling with how to get a good work life balance with having two very young children, direct my efforts effectively in the times I had allocated to work, and ultimately make the business a success.
Coaching has given me great benefits. Ruth was my motivator, my sounding board, my visionary and my guide all at the same time.
She listened to my frustrations and then gently guided me to redirect my thinking in a more focused way so I left each call with goals and paths to explore before we spoke again. She took account of my family situation and scheduled the calls to allow enough time for me to work on my actions while knowing a catch up was not far away. It was great having an outside voice who wasn’t directly familiar with me or my type of business to give a different viewpoint from my long-suffering family!
The coaching has had a direct impact on my business, encouraging me to have the right mindset about it and focusing on the right things has led to me recently winning the “Top TinyTalk New Teacher” award for 2016/17 and I am thrilled! But the most important thing is my classes, having the right mindset about the ‘back end’ of my business has also helped me to focus on how to make my classes the best they can be and I continue to use the tools Ruth gave me to try and improve all the time. ”
Becca Wilson | Tiny Talk
“Investing in coaching with Ruth was the best decision I made.
I was completely lost; I knew I didn’t want to go back into teaching but this was looking like my only choice. I was contemplating one other option but going around in circles thinking about what to do and worrying about investing time and money into a new business and it going wrong.
From the start of my coaching with Ruth, I felt calmer. She challenged me from the word go (in a good way!) and made me accountable, setting me targets and asking me to think in different ways.
I found the confidence to set up as a VA a few months later and I am loving every minute! I wouldn’t have done it without the coaching I had with Ruth.
She is genuinely passionate and cares about her clients and their outcomes. I will definitely invest in more coaching with Ruth when the time comes to aim for my next big career goal. Thank you so much for everything!”
Kate Johnson | Virtual Assistant | katejohnsonva.co.uk
“Working with Ruth has been fantastic for my self-confidence and my business development.
She’s empathetic and understanding but also held me to account and encouraged me to find creative solutions to my problems, particularly around reaching my target customer and refining my niche.
I’m in love with my business again and truly believe it will be a success, thank you so much, Ruth!”
Virginia King
“Through my work with Ruth I gained a new-found confidence in my abilities, I came away clearly aware of my priorities and what I needed to do to reach my goals. Ruth was encouraging and supportive throughout our work together, but also always challenged me to go further. Ruth is an attentive listener and asks the critical questions to help unblock yourself. I am still building my business based on insights from our work together.
A wonderful bonus of working with Ruth is that her heart is truly in it. She is authentically and fully vested in her client’s success. She is beyond generous with her time, advice, materials, online videos. Our sessions finished months ago, yet she still checks in and last week I even received an inspiring book in the mail from her! How incredible is that!”
Mary Katherine | Ethical Business Owner
“I recently left corporate life and set my own consultancy business up changing the way that organisations work. Within my consultancy work, I coach leaders, managers and employees and I’ve previously had coaches myself, both in my corporate life and since setting my business up. I know how great coaching can be and personally I have really valued the support, motivation, self-awareness development and sound boarding that coaching provides.
I’d reached a point with my new business where I really needed to define my next steps, focus on where I wanted to go, what was important and make the time to achieve my plans against the demands of a busy consultancy and home life. It’s easy to just allow life to run along in its own direction but for me I needed to build my confidence in me as a business woman, to take greater control of the future and own it. I also needed some support, someone to talk to about my thoughts, ideas and feelings and who could help me develop those into an action plan I could deliver.
I consciously sought out a female coach who through her own experiences would have empathy with and an understanding of my life and its demands. I followed Ruth on social media for quite a while before I made contact and am so glad I did make contact.
Ruth has helped me define what I want to do and – importantly – why. She’s helped me develop my inner confidence, overcome some of my limiting beliefs and challenges and face up to some blind spots. I’ve always enjoyed developing my self-awareness and this has been an enlightening, empowering and energetic coaching experience.
Ruth has guided me through an intense period, keeping me focused on where I need to go but helping me accept and adjust when unexpected challenges and demands have arisen. I’ve have a positive mindset and Ruth has helped me develop that further but also has helped me work through my values and beliefs, which has been really interesting.
The biggest impact of working with Ruth is she has helped me feel a real sense of direction and purpose, helped me feel in control and reignite my motivation for success. Most of all she has helped me believe in me. I’m feeling more confident about my ability as a business woman – I’ve still got a way to go with my plan but I am achieving it and feel I am making progress.
My mindset is also greatly enhanced – I am more relaxed, have a new inner calm, greater self-confidence and I am determined to achieve my success goals.
I’ve really valued having Ruth walk alongside me on my coaching journey with her pragmatic, informed, honest, funny and warm style.”
Liese Lord | Liese Lord Consulting Limited
“I discovered Ruth Kudzi Coaching after spending too much time (around 5 years) and money on trying to ‘find myself’, I never did during this time as I now realise I needed 1:1 coaching to figure it all out. In October last year I felt pretty low with no purpose or direction and thought there was no other option for me but to return to full-time work to a job I didn’t enjoy and never seeing my children.
Early into my coaching sessions I realised with Ruth’s help and honest manner that I clearly lacked the confidence, tools and mindset to find and achieve the life which I truly wanted. Three months have now passed with Ruth guiding me through these tough issues and setting regular goals and I finally know what I want to do, the life I want to live and how I will achieve that over the next 12 months. I look forward to chatting with Ruth each session as she is so easy to talk to and really understands the struggles mums face.
Ruth has given me the tools to enable me to learn so much about myself and to move forward both confidently and with purpose and in a way that is sustainable rather than just a temporary fix. I have reviewed everything I do and ditched anything that is not helping me move in the direction I want, I can work during school hours and achieve anything else that is important to me. Best of all I have had the confidence to set-up my dream business. I have some way to go but during my time with Ruth alongside working on her fantastic business modules I have been able to plan and make this a definite reality for me. I can honestly say for the first time ever I truly feel like I have the life I have always wanted and I will be passing this knowledge on to my two girls. I would not of reached this point in my life without Ruth’s help. Thank you so much x”
Krissie Kitson
“I started working with Ruth in February 2017, having just returned to my IT role from maternity leave.
Although I enjoyed my job I felt ‘stuck’ between the security and regularity of the corporate culture and the desire to do something more flexible, making money for myself and doing something I loved – fitness and working with Mums.
Our initial sessions explored the things holding me back and I was surprised to learn I had an unusual money mindset, and fear of failure. When we de-constructed these blockers, I was able to see that I was holding myself back both personally and professionally.”
Fast forward 7 months and becoming aware of those inner challenges, I have now set up my own business, working around my children and surpassing my business plan expectations in the first 3 months. It has been a huge amount of work but I am thankful for the sessions with Ruth and truly believed without her coaching and business experience I would not have made the leap and been as confident in my own ability.
I also stopped procrastinating about my wedding and married my husband in August of this year. Ruth is a great coach, knowledgeable businesswoman and has a genuine interest in her clients.”
Kathy Shawyer | Buzy Lizzy
“After 16 years working in four different roles for the same company, it was time for a change, so I resigned from my senior post and for the first time in my life I didn’t have another role to go to. Change is exciting but also scary and I made the decision to work with Ruth to help me focus on where I wanted to go next, what I wanted to achieve and how to go about it.
The sessions make you really think about what you are aiming to achieve. You answer the questions you put to the back of your mind, clarify your thinking and it motivates you to keep moving forward. Goals and objectives might change as you make progress but it is all in the right direction, supporting the change you want to make for your life/work/business.
When you suddenly stop working in a high-level role you can face a loss of confidence and a what should I being doing now mentality? For me, coaching has provided me with a fantastic channel to work on developing strategies to set up as an independent consultant whilst also being open to salaried roles. I have become more comfortable with the idea of flexible working and making sure that whichever direction my career moves in, it has to be interesting, challenging and exciting, but most of all allow for family life.”
“It’s always been my dream to have my own business and although I was always thinking of ideas, I could never find the motivation to convert my ideas into a reality.
I contacted Ruth for a free 30-minute call after seeing her Facebook ad pop up on my feed. After our first meeting, I was convinced that this was the assistance that I needed. I had the idea, but I needed to structure, to plan and learn how to make my idea a viable business. Ruth recognised my passion and excitement for my idea and helped me learn to believe in myself and my idea.
For me the fear of leaving the security of a well-paid job as well as the fear of failure were my primary stumbling blocks. Ruth taught me that it was ‘ok’ to be scared and achieving your dreams was possible with some hard work. The biggest change I made was to start taking care of myself and give myself the time to organise and gather my thoughts and goals. I’m now in the process of having my website built and am looking forward to an exciting future.
Thank you, Ruth, for helping me get my act together”
Salma Khan
“Ruth has been instrumental in helping me set up my business and take it (and me) through those first few daunting weeks.
I initially chose her for the solid business guidance that she could provide, but actually she very quickly identified some confidence issues that were slowing me down and worked with me to identify my goals and give me both the belief and knowledge that I needed to turn a basic idea into a real business.
Leaving my secure job of 13 years was never going to be easy, but each session with Ruth helped me focus my mindset and really gave me the drive and determination to turn my business idea into reality.”
Rupa Shah
“I joined the programme to get a better understanding of launching a new business and making it successful. I have learnt a massive amount of practical things (I now know what a sales funnel is for example!) but what has really made the difference to me, has been the weekly group coaching calls.
Speaking every week has made me accountable and has definitely pushed things forward quicker than if I had been doing this alone. Taking the course has been such a positive experience for me, and I would encourage anyone who is setting up their own business, or who might be in the future, to take it – trust me – you won’t regret it.
I have a background in TV production and am currently launching my new business as a TV and Media Coach; helping people navigate the freelance world, progress in their careers, and achieve a work/life balance in industries that are notoriously hard to do so.”
Louise Allmark-Kent | Media and TV Coach
“I joined this programme to build on my business and get a clearer idea about which direction I wanted to go.
I have been able to dig deeper about the how best I can serve my clients and also manage my time more effectively. I am working on my website structure and leads with greater clarity and understanding.
I have loved the range of topics covered as they are all important in working together to create a strong business foundation.
Ruth is very down to earth and real and this allows you to open up to the work of being authentic which is crucial in your business development. She is a strong coach and the group calls are very beneficial in getting to core issues and accountability. The weekly modules are also well laid out and structured, making them easy to follow but also challenging, in the right way!
I believe this course has truly helped me run my business more efficiently so that I can serve my clients in the best way possible, so I would recommend this to anyone wanting to establish or build on their small business, as you will get results.”
Penelope Blissenden | Healer & Life Coach | penelopeblissenden.com
“I must admit, I was a little bit skeptical about coaching. A couple of people had mentioned it to me though, and had found it enormously beneficial. So when Ruth got in touch, I thought ‘oh go on, I’ll give it a try’. Thank god I did.
There are no bones about it, Ruth is actually brilliant. (No, she hasn’t paid me to say that) Goodness knows how much I tossed and turned, changed my mind, debated unrealistic propositions, realistic growth, lost interest, gained momentum, made plans, dropped plans – I really felt that in those short few weeks that I ran the ultimate gamut of a start-up business owner. At every turn, Ruth was not only there, guiding me back to the important points, creating plans, setting goals and giving me structure when I was creatively all over the place, but also offered support – emotionally and pragmatically. At each meeting, after choosing the focus of your session, Ruth helps to keep you on track with your progress, and grow through the process. Her post-session emails are incredibly useful as a guide for the week, and I printed them off and sat them on the wall in front of my desk to remind me of the goals that week. Not all were always met – things change, and Ruth is fabulously non-judgemental and flexible; there’s no answering to anyone here, it’s about you, and your plan.
Importantly, she has that skill that is very special; she’s able to draw out ideas where you thought that you were at the end of the road. You know that blank space we all enter as entrepreneurs, as business owners, when the fatigue sets in and the ideas start to run dry? That is the point that Ruth is at her best. Because she encourages you to look in 4d, in the box, outside of the box, (no-where near the box, maybe), to find the answer. She helps nurture your instinct, and your love for your business – and for me, gave me a whole new perspective on The Motherload, a renewed vigour for our community at exactly the point I needed it.
Thank you Ruth. I’m a huge convert to coaching, and have since recommended it to many people – and will continue to do so. ”
Kate Dyson | CEO The Motherload | the-motherload.co.uk
“When I started working with Ruth I had just been made redundant whilst on maternity leave and didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I eventually went back to work.
Ruth helped me focus on my skills and passions enabling me to make a decision that I wouldn’t have been able to make on my own. She also made me realise that as a new mum ( and eventually a working mum) I needed to make time for myself… however small!!
I now have the drive to totally change my career and the confidence to ensure that I can do this! Thank you so much for the coaching, each session made me think about me and how I can change to make my life what I want for both myself and my family”
Nicola Davis
“I can warmly recommend Ruth’s coaching sessions to any start-up business owners, as well as to more established leaders. Her approach is friendly, encouraging and stimulating.
Ruth is particularly skilled in targeting the core of any issues preventing a business from blooming. She will guide you to analyse, reflect and find strategies of your own. What’s even more valuable, you will learn how to do this by yourself and become independent in your journey. Sense of achievement is probably the greatest reward for a business owner and an ideal basis to keep progressing.
I believe Ruth’s coaching is a gateway to achievement and progress.”
Arianna Wills | EOS Dance | eosdance.co.uk
“I can say hand on heart that working with Ruth has helped turned my hopes into reality. I am launching a freelance graphic design, illustration and production business.
Since working with Ruth I have gone from feeling overwhelmed and held back by fear of failure to successfully starting my business, feeling confident and most importantly finding paying clients! She has helped me; Recognize and resolve my irrational fears, Create a positive mindset, Find hidden depths of self-belief, Get organized and accountable, Structure my business plan, Plan my marketing and social media campaign and much more.
We have regular phone meetings that really help me structure my plans for successfully achieving my business milestones and maintaining positive mindset.”
Julie Thompson | Julies Graphics | juliesgraphics.co.uk
“When I started working with Ruth back in February, I had an idea for a business with a small and safe ambition. Thanks to Ruth’s coaching, I now have a bigger and bolder vision for my business, a plan for how to get there and the confidence that I will make it happen.
Ruth also helped me find a confidence and self-belief that I had lost over the past few years as a result of following a career path that wasn’t the right fit for me. I’m so glad I made the decision to invest in one to one coaching with Ruth as I know without a doubt that I wouldn’t be about to take the brave step of leave my current job and launching my business if I hadn’t.”
Sarah Tessier | Nourished Mother | sarahtessier.com
“Ruth is down-to-earth, warm and encouraging. Her mindset work has been a game-changer for me. Rather than telling you what to think, she gives you the tools and techniques to make a major shift to become happier, more confident and ultimately more successful.”
Gail Emerson | Social Media Consultant
“Having followed Ruth on Facebook for a few months and bought her Passive income course and Confidence course, I was determined to secure a winning place on the EE course by going all out on the Employee to Entrepreneur challenge. And I did get my place on the course!
There’s something about Ruth that really resonates with me. She is down to earth but very professional. She is not all woo, like some other coaches I’ve worked with. Her motto is Mindset + Strategy = Results, which is very much in line with how I like to work.
When I started the Employee to Entrepreneur course, I was a Stay At Home Mum with an online support group for women whose partners have Asperger’s Syndrome. I knew I wanted to grow this into a business but didn’t have the confidence or the knowledge of how to do this.
The course modules were very thorough and spending a few weeks at the beginning to do mindset work really helped to lay the foundations for my business. The subsequent weeks’ modules were more content based and again very thorough, and I am going through these workbooks as and when I get to each point in my business.
The main thing I appreciated about the Employee to Entrepreneur course was the weekly group call. Ruth pulls no punches! She comes right out and asks those difficult questions that you need to answer in order to overcome stumbling blocks, and in my case I had quite a few surrounding mindset and confidence.
She also is very good and getting you to commit to taking action each week and holds you accountable. The first couple of weeks I felt bad that I hadn’t followed through with my actions. I was slightly nervous that I’d get told off for not doing the work, but Ruth made it clear, it is all on me; she couldn’t do the work for me. I soon got into the flow and actually looked forward to my weekly “kick up the bum” from Ruth.
My confidence in myself and my abilities as a Life Coach have grown considerably. The turning point came when I was being very tentative about seeking clients, and I just remember Ruth’s words: “Why not?!”. I stepped out of my comfort zone, put myself out there and got 3 Discovery Calls booked that week! Since starting the EE course, I now feel I have a viable business. I’ve launched two online courses, 6 clients for coaching calls and am about to start working for a life coaching qualification.
I am definitely no longer an employee but an entrepreneur”
Amy Stammers | Mindset & Self-Care Coach | refillingyourcup.com
“When I first met Ruth, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had been going in circle, indecisive about my next career step, and had no idea how to move forward. After the initial call with Ruth, I was sold. I left the session feeling excited again about a future that I had felt stuck in for months, With Ruth’s help, I had laid out 4 possible career directions I was keen to explore.
After only two months working with Ruth, I have been able to rule out two out of four choices, and have decided to focus on setting up my own business. I have recently incorporated my own limited company, and I am making a fresh start for 2017!”
Colombine Gardair | Consultant
“Working with Ruth has transformed how I feel about my business, my abilities and what lies ahead for me. I feel energised, inspired and motivated by all the possibilities that I am starting to turn into reality.
Before speaking with Ruth I had started to really question whether continuing with the art side of my business was viable and whether I had sufficient talent to truly succeed. Even after my introduction call with Ruth I had so much more clarity and felt really excited and inspired. I knew instantly that the decision to work with Ruth was an invaluable investment. It was the 1st step in taking myself and my business more seriously and committing to making it a success.
After each session since I have felt similarly inspired, reassured and have a clear set of tangible actions that I am excited to progress with. Ruth is professional, hugely knowledgeable and inspiring, and perhaps most importantly for me she is incredibly warm and easy to relate to – probably because it was not so long ago that she was in a similar situation hence can really empathise!
I love the fact that working with Ruth has equipped me with a mix of invaluable tools – everything from mindset approaches to the more practical aspects like setting up my website and Instagram account. So thank you Ruth, and I feel excited about continuing to work with you and seeing what the future holds for me and my business. It has been an investment I have hugely benefited from and feel very happy to have decided upon.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Ruth to other mums who are wanting to unlock their true potential and positively transform their attitude and business.”
Becca Wood | Artist
“Ruth has really helped me focus on the direction I want to take my business and steps that I can take to get there.
She’s given me a good kick up the backside in the nicest possible way to get on with it. And she’s helped me set myself a realistic timeframe with feasible goals as well as organise my time so that it’s achievable without me feeling overwhelmed.
I feel like I’ve laid some excellent groundwork to compete at the level I’m aiming at.”
Rachel Rimell | Photographer | rachelrimellphotography.co.uk
“Ruth has really helped me crystallise why I started my business, something that’s pretty crucial right now as I am at the stage where the euphoria of setting up on my own has subsided and reality is starting to set in. She has also helped me structure and focus my decisionmaking, which has undoubtedly contributed to an increase in my client base.
She has definitely been a worthwhile investment. I am looking forward to my further sessions with Ruth and using her support and guidance to help continue to grow my business.”
Tanya Gaffon | Marketing Consultant | distinktiv.co.uk
