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Support for Founders, Leaders and Experts
Running a business as a founder or leading a team on your own can be a very lonely experience — especially if you don't have anyone to listen, support, and offer you critical feedback.
There are big highs and crushing lows. The responsibility can feel overwhelming and stressful. Indecision and inertia can become paralysing. If this feels familiar, maybe working with a coach is for you. Let's find out.
As founders, leaders, and experts, you have the power to call the shots, make quick decisions, and shape your own entrepreneurial adventure. But let's face it; this journey can be challenging. Do any of these feel familiar?
You're always too busy, and the sheer volume of work and responsibility can become overwhelming and lead to inertia.
Knowing what to do and when is key. But, even with a team, you find it hard to know what to prioritise as you're pulled in multiple directions every day.
Covering all aspects of the business can be challenging, and you feel like you lack expertise in certain areas which prevents you from moving forward.
Ineffective planning and prioritisation causes you to waste time, miss opportunities, and have difficulty accomplishing what needs to be done.
Without external accountability, you struggle to stay motivated, maintain momentum, and achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
The absence of a co-founder, supportive network or regular collaborators leads to feelings of isolation and reduces your access to insight, feedback, and growth opportunities.
The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way.
Over the last five years, I've worked 1–1 with founders, leaders and experts who felt exactly like this. We've tackled many of the issues above and worked out a way forward together. Coaching will help you:
We all have hidden aspects of ourselves, such as biases or limiting beliefs, that we may not recognise or acknowledge. Uncovering these insights allows us to grow and improve in new ways.
Being open to fresh ideas and seeing things from different angles will help you broaden your understanding and gain a whole new level of insight into yourself and your work.
Having a clear plan instills confidence in your decision-making and actions, while cultivating a positive mindset unlocks the potential for growth, resilience, and success.
It's a long journey but moving forward with determination empowers you to make meaningful progress, overcome challenges, and reach your goals with confidence and purpose.
In our regular 1‐1 sessions, we'll tackle your challenges, celebrate the little victories, and work towards positive outcomes for you and your business. Coaching isn't about "telling you what to do" but helping you find the best path to achieve your desired outcomes.
Every client I work with has a unique profile, but each one probably identifies with one of the following more than the others:
You founded and run your own business full-time. Most likely, you're a solo founder doing all the things and either using contractors or building out a team to deliver the work. You love what you do, but the stress is real, and you're working too much. You look at your competitors, and they seem to have it figured out, and you wonder why you're not on a better track. You need insight, experience and someone who can help you identify your blindspots and highlight your superpowers.
You might be new to leadership, having moved from an individual contributor role. Achieving your wins through your team and not doing the work leaves you wondering how you make an impact. You're expected to just get on with it — it's not easy. You need help figuring out the transition and understanding how you contribute. Alternatively, you might be a seasoned leader in need of new perspectives and different ways of working with your team.
You're a one-off. There's nobody like you. People hire you because you possess a unique skill that nobody else has. Perhaps you feel underpaid and overworked and have trouble showcasing your true value to the market. Clients are giving you orders and not listening to your input — it's frustrating and demotivating. You may be thinking of leaving a well-paid job to start out on your own but feel scared and don't know where to start. You need a way forward, a plan that will turn you from order taker to order giver.
I take a client-centred approach to my coaching services, tailoring them to meet your specific needs. Whether you require a series of four sessions to work through a particular issue, ongoing support during a transitional period in your work life, or prefer the flexibility of ad-hoc availability, I am here to help.
Alternatively, if you are seeking support for multiple team members or need an external advisor to help your leadership team grow as your business scales, I can provide the expertise and support you need.
To determine the best approach for you, let's start with a conversation. During this discussion, we'll explore where you currently stand, where you envision yourself in the future, the challenges you're encountering, and the type of engagement that aligns best with your goals.
Hello! I'm Keir Whitaker, a UK-based coach and advisor working with founders, leaders and experts running digital and creative businesses.
Hosting duties at Craft+Work — My intimate event for founders, leaders, and experts
I've been involved in the tech and ecommerce scene for the past 20 years. From working independently to collaborating with agencies, big corporations, and startups (including an exciting 7-year stint at Shopify), I've experienced many successes and failures that taught me invaluable lessons. Today I channel this knowledge and expertise into coaching clients from across the globe.
You can learn more about my background and expertise on my about page.
Michael Salvo
Founder Whitecap SEO
1-on-1 business coaching with Keir has been a godsend, and has really accelerated our ecommerce marketing agency to the next level. Keir is thoughtful and dedicated, and the strategic guidance, insights, and direction he provides is incredibly valuable. I believe every Shopify Partner can benefit greatly from working with Keir.
Sudheer Bayanker
Investor MLVeda
Keir's advice and coaching has been invaluable. As someone who has worked with a number of executive coaches, I can attest that Keir's style is authentic and he really leans in to see you succeed. If you're a new business owner or an existing one looking to find that higher gear, I'd recommend connecting with Keir.
Jeremiah Prummer
Founder & CEO KnoCommerce
Working with Keir was an absolute pleasure. We worked together for more than 6 months, during which time he helped me process pricing strategy and positioning. Without changing a single feature we were able to reposition our plans and increase revenue from new users by more than 150%. Needless to say that's had a massive impact on our go-to-market strategy and scalability.
Patrick McCarthy
Founder Digifly
Working with Keir to help grow our agency has been nothing short of incredible. He has provided unparalleled 1-to-1 coaching and helped us address key areas of the business including our offer and pricing structure. If you are an ecommerce agency working with Shopify, I can't recommend Keir enough.
Björn Forsberg
Founder FORSBERG+two
Keir brought his wealth of experience and knowledge to help plan the marketing strategy and roadmap for my Shopify apps. His insights have been invaluable in growing the business, and in a way that was perfectly tailored to my goals. Keir not only brings his wealth of knowledge, but his great personality and humour. A pleasure to work with.
Chathri Ali
Former COO Recharge
Keir was instrumental to the success of our third annual user conference, ChargeX Summit 2019. His ability to curate our speaker list, as well as prepare speakers for each keynote and panel, was invaluable. Adding Keir to our event was like adding a superpower boost to our team.
Keith Matthews
Founder Milk Bottle Labs
We have had the pleasure of taking Keir's advice many times at Milk Bottle Labs. As a regular contributor to our Milk Bottle Labs Podcast, Keir always shares one golden nugget of Shopify knowledge leaving listeners both entertained & educated. Keir is, without doubt, one of the most professional, passionate, energetic, dedicated, and trustworthy individuals I have met since joining the Shopify ecosystem.
If you need help and support, and you think I can help, let's start a conversation. Click the button below and fill out my survey. After receiving it, I'll be in touch to book your free, no-obligation 60-minute consultation.
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