About Me
Who I Am
Hi. I’m Sam Marshall, owner of Clear Horizons Coaching and I’m here to help anyone who feels lost in the fog of their life or career to find their way forward to brighter and better things.
I’ve always coached people in some form or other, as a line manager or mentor; or in sports teams; but I only realised it was something I wanted to do for a living back in January 2023 when I went on a course in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).
The personal development and growth I experienced on that course helped me look at myself and the world differently and lit a passion and determination to help others through coaching. Since then I’ve used the knowledge, skills and experience I have to help people secure jobs they didn’t think they could get; rid themselves of limiting beliefs they had held since their teens; and live their lives free from anxiety, frustration and the nagging doubt of imposter syndrome.
I’ve left the corporate world behind because I love running my own business and working with people who:
- Are ready to make changes & want someone by their side
- Need help to shift their perspective on the things getting in their way
- Are committed to taking action
This role is the most fulfilling of my life. I know that the changes people make when they work with me transform their careers and lives. If you are ready to leave the fog behind you, and move forward with confidence towards a clear horizon, book a FREE Discovery Call and let’s talk.
My Coaching Journey
My career has always been about problem-solving, whether as a software developer fixing issues with IT systems or as a business architect helping organisations change to reach their strategic goals. I’ve worked in operations taking mortgage arrears calls, and led teams of change professionals. Behind the fancy job titles and role descriptions there’s been another recurring theme – helping people.
But I’ve never known what I want to be when I grow up. I never had a career plan. I just followed my nose from one opportunity to another. And mostly it worked out. I’ve had a very rewarding career in financial services for c.30 years. Most people would say that I’m a pretty successful person who’s got it together.
In truth, there’s a slightly different story. Not knowing what I wanted has held me back. And not knowing whether I could do what I wanted prevented me taking opportunities earlier. I’ve dithered about whether a job was right for me (or me for it). I spent too much time thinking about all the ways I didn’t meet the requirements of roles, or believed that I wasn’t able to do them, and stayed stuck in the same place for longer than I should have. I constantly felt like I wasn’t achieving everything I was capable of but I didn’t know what to do about it.
In 2022 I felt completely stuck. I wasn’t fulfilled by my role and I knew something had to change. I remembered the 4 day course I had done in 2020 on NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and how much I had got out of it. I decided to invest time, money and effort into my personal development and booked myself onto an NLP Practitioner course in January 2023.
Those 9 days have changed my life. I looked at my life from a different perspective and realised that I had more choices left to make. I suddenly saw how many limiting beliefs I was holding and how easily I could choose to get rid of them. And I realised I could help others do the same. Not only that, but I thought about the times I have truly felt in ‘flow’ in my life and realised that it was always about problem-solving and people.
Helping people + Problem solving = COACHING
I set myself a goal to run my own coaching business. And here I am.
Beyond Work
I’m English by birth and almost Welsh by residency, having lived in Cardiff for the last 25 years after meeting my lovely Welsh husband. My kids are in their teens and our parents in their 80s so I know all the challenges of supporting the different generations, but I wouldn’t change a thing – my family is the most important thing in my life.
When I’m not working I can usually be found doing something active. Running and yoga have been passions of mine for a long time, along with walking and (more recently) wild swimming and bouldering. I’m a country girl at heart (courtesy of a childhood in Devon) and getting outside is critical for my mental and emotional wellbeing, whether that’s a walk in my local park or camping in the countryside. I’m also a passionate sports fan, avid reader of books, love cooking curries and playing board games with my family.
