ABOUT US

Grounded in experience. Unlimited in ambition.



You hear a lot about the challenges of starting a business — the trials, the setbacks, the failures. (Especially the failures.) But what happens when you've made it? You have a scale-up that's growing — and now, a whole new set of challenges. Many of them, as you've probably noticed, revolve around people.

We understand. We've been there. And we know how to help.

We partner with founders, CEOs, investors and HR leaders to remove the friction that's slowing growth. That means building leadership capability, aligning teams, embedding scalable systems, and creating clarity on what matters most. Change for us is a means, not an end - it's measured in growth, profit and impact.

Our purpose Icon Our purpose

Transforming the way we do business, so work works for everyone.

Our mission Icon Our mission

We enable leaders and their teams, to create thriving, people-centric organisations that foster innovation, growth and ambition.

Our impact Icon Our impact

Faster growth. Aligned leadership. Energised teams. Stronger margins. We don't prepare for transformation: our work IS the transformation.

ABOUT US

Our Story

From bold beginnings to trusted partner for some of the world's most ambitious businesses.

We're proud that over 90% of our work is either repeat business or via referral. Our clients love working with us and we've delivered award-winning programmes, scaled teams across Europe, and supported leaders from agile scale-ups to large corporates.

Here's how we got here…

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Team outdoor meeting

The Beginning

  • Start Inspiring is founded, with a core purpose: to make work work for everyone.
  • Kelly qualifies as an executive coach.

First Growth Wins

  • First clients onboarded – LDD Construction, Activate Group, Marshalls, Knauf, blu-3.
  • Delivered strategy development, execution, leadership development and coaching.
  • Supported Haki with their growth roadmap through fractional HR leadership.

Scaling Up Ourselves

  • Award-winning leadership programme launches.
  • Team expands to four; we qualify as resilience and mental fitness coaches.
  • Expansion into Europe with Uber, plus partnerships with Coca-Cola, Saint Gobain, MPL and others.

Building Recognition

  • Leadership programme achieves CMI accreditation.
  • Kelly earns PGCert in Business & Personal Coaching.
  • Associate Network launches; Start Inspiring Community is born.
  • Clients include Anyvan, Siemens, Epam, Plentific, Okarno, Sciensus.
  • We sponsor a summer club, giving local children somewhere safe to eat, play and learn

A Record Year

  • 12 new clients signed, including LCap Group, Enfuce, OAG, Bauder, HFMC Wealth.
  • Launch of Management Training Programme.
  • Anna Philcox joins the team, making an instant impact.
  • We sponsored Jo for the Three Peaks Challenge raising funds for MND

So Far

  • Beyond the Boardroom podcast launches.
  • 12-week coaching programme goes live.
  • Work with Heaps + Stacks, Royal Pharmaceutical Company, Post Office, MBS Group.
  • Continue to grow through referrals, results, and reputation.
  • Donation to Pilgrims Hospice
  • Work Experience for HR Trainee

Our Philosophy

We Inspire. We Challenge. You Grow.

Everything we do at Start Inspiring is founded on a simple guiding principle: To help our clients achieve their goals, however innovative or ambitious, and to bring to life what they were bold, visionary or crazy enough to believe was possible, and dare to attempt.

Our solutions are designed to help leaders turn ambition into action. We bring clarity, unlock energy, and create the velocity that drives sustainable growth. That's our formula - and it works.

We Inspire

We believe every ambitious business — and the people behind it — deserve to feel unstoppable. We ignite energy and clarity of purpose, inspiring innovation, commitment and performance. When people are equipped to turn possibility into progress, success follows.

We Challenge

Growth doesn't come from playing it safe. It comes from curiosity, courage and the willingness to learn together. We challenge constructively and back you fully — helping you and your people step beyond comfort zones, build resilience and create a forward-thinking culture where challenge drives success.

You Grow

When your people grow, your business thrives. Sustainable velocity comes from harnessing collective energy and shared purpose. We help you optimise performance — intellectually, creatively and purposefully — so growth feels energising, connected and built for lasting success.

WHO WE ARE

Meet the team

Kelly Wakeman

Founder & CEO

Kelly Wakeman

Kelly Wakeman

Founder & CEO

Kelly is a pragmatic, people-focused leader who creates simplicity from complexity. Commercially sharp and strategically driven, she builds systems that deliver growth while keeping people at the heart of the journey. Combining the discipline of a results-focused operator with the energy of a coach, she inspires others to perform at their best.

Annie Ives

Growth Partner

Annie Ives

Annie Ives

Growth Partner

Annie brings over 25 years of experience helping businesses and people grow. She works with leaders and boards to create and deliver transformational growth plans that inspire real change. With global insight and hands-on expertise, Annie's approach is practical, people-centred, and full of energy.

Emma Fair

Operations & Client Relationship Coordinator

Emma Fair

Emma Fair

Operations & Client Relationship Coordinator

Emma is the engine behind every project, ensuring things run smoothly from the first conversation to the final delivery. With 25 years of experience across law firms, agencies, and charity events, she combines sharp organisation with genuine care for people. Emma builds the systems and keeps the lines of communication open, so every client`s experience with Start Inspiring is seamless and stress-free.

Jon Sparks

Leadership Development Consultant & Coach

Jon Sparks

Jon Sparks

Leadership Development Consultant & Coach

Jon has spent more than 20 years designing and delivering leadership programmes that unlock potential at every level. Drawing on psychology and human behaviour, he helps people lead themselves, others, and their businesses with confidence and clarity. His passion lies in sparking growth that makes a lasting difference.

Karina Rook

Change & Transformation Consultant & Coach

Karina Rook

Karina Rook

Change & Transformation Consultant & Coach

Karina leads the movement for holistic high performance, helping organisations unlock their potential by bridging compassion and commerciality. Founder of Quantum Mastermind and author of The Luminary Business Blueprint, she has guided companies like EDF and Smart Energy GB through cultural transformation, integrating mind, body, and spirit with business strategy.

Simon Wakeman

Growth & Transformation Consultant & Fractional COO

Simon Wakeman

Simon Wakeman

Growth & Transformation Consultant & Fractional COO

Simon helps founders and leaders scale businesses and build resilient organisations. As a consultant COO and executive coach, he combines operational know-how with people expertise, underpinned by the B3 framework速 he developed for high-growth tech companies. With 25 years' experience as a founder, MD, COO, and NED, he brings a broad perspective on purposeful growth.

Darren Stevens

Legal Consultant

Darren Stevens

Darren Stevens

Legal Consultant

Darren has over 20 years' experience supporting leaders across government, education, healthcare, and the third sector. He provides trusted guidance to CEOs, HR directors, and business leaders navigating complex, risk-based decisions. A qualified coach and accredited mediator, Darren helps leaders make confident decisions that drive impact while staying true to their values.

Cara Bell

Velocity & Performance Coach

Cara Bell

Cara Bell

Velocity & Performance Coach

Cara Bell is a certified executive coach specialising in the retail and customer related industries. With over 25 years of experience as a senior retail buyer for leading brands such as Disney, Waitrose and Paperchase, Cara brings a deep industry knowledge and commercial expertise to her coaching and consultancy practice.

Dan Symonds

Velocity & Performance Coach

Dan Symonds

Dan Symonds

Velocity & Performance Coach

Dan has built his career within customer facing projects with organisations to shape cultural change using advanced communication techniques for optimised performance. Dans experience in training delivery, talent, development of future leaders, and bespoke blended design creation has had fantastic results. His focus has always been on helping people grow in ways that make a real difference at work developing skills that continue to grow and develop after the training has occurred.

Hannah York

People and Organisational Development

Hannah York

Hannah York

People and Organisational Development

Hannah specialises in cultural change and transformation, building people systems for high-growth environments that balance high level performance whilst helping organisations and people excel in effectiveness and culture. With 18 years experience in people and organisational development, Hannah has a fantastic track record within customer facing projects whilst being commercially grounded in approach to design

Lisa Robyn Wood

Velocity & Performance Coach

Lisa Robyn Wood

Lisa Robyn Wood

Velocity & Performance Coach

Lisa Robyn Wood is The Middle Manager Coach and the founder of GRIP Coaching Ltd. After progressing through management roles in the UK Energy and FMCG sectors, a senior middle management promotion sparked imposter syndrome and led her to coaching. The experience rebuilt her confidence and unlocked opportunities she had never believed were possible. This transformation drives her mission today.

Will Grover

Velocity & Performance Coach

Will Grover

Will Grover

Velocity & Performance Coach

Will is a versatile coach, facilitator and trainer who is passionate about unlocking human potential. Using highly experienced customer facing techniques, interactive NLP for advanced communication and positive psychology, he delivers coaching and workshops with humour, humility, and a genuine enthusiasm. People-centric and highly collaborative, Will listens deeply, observes keenly, and partners closely to drive meaningful change—specialising in blended delivery