Why I Do What I Do

I spent years trying to be someone I wasn’t at work. I was tiptoeing around people and holding back my voice. Along the way, I discovered what really drives me, and why I now do what I do.

I used to work in HR. And while I had some roles and teams where I was mentored and given amazing opportunities, there were at least three roles where I kept hearing: “you’re too much,” “not enough,” “too loud,” “too quiet.”

Part of it was because I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. I was trying to show up confident, even though inside I still felt like I was tiptoeing around people. Even when they gave me no reason to. I cared so much about people’s feelings and reactions that I suppressed myself for years.

Slowly, I learnt what confidence actually meant. It wasn’t about being amazing at everything. It was about trusting my ability, knowing I’m not perfect, and realising my voice matters. Even in a room of 10 people, having 10 opinions only makes the team stronger.

After my mum passed away, I felt lost in Manchester. I applied for a promotion to give myself a challenge and to keep busy. But moving to a different team made me realise that a promotion outside of HR wasn’t the same (wow, we work so hard in HR, don't we!!). I ended up with more time to think and I wasn’t happy.

So I moved to London. And I found an amazing company that taught me what diversity, confidence, and trusting yourself really mean. I learnt that no one is perfect, mistakes are okay, and feedback isn’t personal.

It was there that I noticed something special: our early-career and those stepping up to the next level employees. With the right support, they could become incredible but I saw some of them struggle in interviews. Not because they couldn’t do the job, but because they couldn’t fully show who they were and the value they bring.

That’s what led me to job interview coaching. I started informally, and then I fell in love with it. Coaching isn’t just about structuring answers (although we do work on that too) - it’s about confidence. Helping clients see their own value, trust their voice, and show up as themselves. Confidence is the thing that most often gets in the way. Even when clients don’t realise it.

That’s why after moving back to Manchester, I set up Coached by Beverley. I still support people with job interviews (shameless plug: my interview success package works!), but my real obsession is confidence coaching. Whether it’s my two-hour workshop, my six-month programme, or one-to-one coaching, I am OBSESSED with seeing my clients transform.

Going back into a standard HR role isn’t for me. So here I am. This is me. And if my 25-year-old self could see me now, she’d be so proud.