Somerset Artists benefit from free business coaching with Becky Wright New Leaf Life Design

April 15, 2012 - PRLog -- 10 Somerset visual artists have just completed a six month coaching programme aimed at helping them develop business skills to cope with our turbulent economic climate.

The coaching was delivered by Becky Wright at New Leaf Life Design with IT Social Media support from Alex  Roland Your IT Now. Each participants also had the opportunity to attend two sessions of group work networking and a full days action learning to encourage the development of a network hub. All coaching was held at Rumwell Hall where New Leaf is based.

Somerset County Council Creative Economies Funding helped to part support the initiative. In the participants evaluation it was cited that:

The experience overall was overwhelmingly a positive one
All participants said they would recommend the programme to someone in a similar position to themselves.
The coaching programme helped participants most significantly in the area of marketing and both motivated them and gave them a more positive outlook on their work.
Business planning skills were significantly improved, some businesses having a written plan for the first time following this programme
All participants felt that the programme had a positive effect on their personal development
The programme has helped raise morale, sees participants more positive and able to set personal development targets.

Some comments made on evaluations:
“The whole coaching process has been the single most important business exercise I have participated in. It has improved my own understanding of my own business, opened my eyes to ideas I had not considered but most importantly made me consider my own position within my working life and start to create plans and goals essential for creativity" Shane Whitehead Art of a Fine Nature

“All Positives no negatives time very well spent...Having produced a business plan I now know the numbers and i am in a position finally to make informed business decisions." Barnaby Adams Cuckooo Design Studio


“I can now recognise potential new areas to develop and the ability to envisage my designs and ideas on completely different products."  Lorna Siviter Illustrator
“ It felt very kindly and nurturing treating me as a creative individual to be treasured..." To realise that your business is only as strong as the energy you put into it and taking time out of making and doing art to set up systems eg IT Marketing, accounting, invoicing is time and energy well spent." Liz Green Potter Yeovil     

"I am more confident about dealing with the recession, I have a better profile and more connected to potential contracts.....
I definitely feel less stressed and more objective, I can take a step back and reflect in a positive way rather than being overwhelmed." Bromwen Gwillim Public Artist   
           
“"An excellent experience that has really helped me and my business. I believe this is a great asset to other artists and would strongly recommend them to do this programme.....I feel very much more inspired and proactive towards my life goals and have increased my confidence dramatically."  Rob Ahob Goblin

 "The experience of reflecting back with someone all my ideas thoughts and insecurities has been invaluable....I have been given specific time through the coaching to really consider my working life and goals. Being more confident about my work has allowed me to make plans, produce work and realise my market potential.........The coaching has really kickstarted by business and the ideas I have for this, it has empowered to continue with my goals, I have a clear business idea and start up plan." Helen Allcock notinthegallery.com


Becky Wright Coach said, " I am delighted with all the positive comments made by the 10 coaching participants, it was such a valuable coaching programme and I hope we can repeat the process later this year if funding is available to do so."

Some video testimonials clips.
http://youtu.be/wk9vyWV3duU



The report can be viewed at: http://www.newleaf.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/New-Leaf-Cre...

The photo shows a few member of the Creative Economy Coaching group on the evaluation day with coach Becky Wright sitting in the middle.

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New Leaf Life Design is a vibrant modern coaching and counselling company based at Rumwell Hall near Taunton Somerset TA4 1EL.