National Coaching Awards 2025: Reflections from a Mentor of the Year Finalist
7 February 2025 - BIRMINGHAM
Last week I had the privilege of attending the National Coaching Conference and National Coaching Awards in Birmingham, not only as a delegate but as a finalist for Mentor of the Year.
When the finalist announcement landed late last year, I felt an enormous sense of gratitude. Every day I am lucky enough to work with incredible female leaders and professionals, helping them amplify their voices, showcase their achievements, and step confidently into the recognition they deserve. Being shortlisted felt like a celebration of their journeys just as much as mine.
The build-up
I headed to Birmingham with excitement and a rare excuse to get dressed up. The day began at the Future of Coaching conference, which brought together an inspiring line-up of speakers including Gus Bhandal, Alex Merry, Sam Bramwell, Daniel Priestley, Bev Thorogood, Mark Reynolds and Jonathan Peach. Each offered fresh, practical insights, from podcasting strategies and corporate perspectives to mindset shifts and tackling the LinkedIn ick, the latter from the brilliant Gus, a friend and exceptional LinkedIn trainer.
It was not just about the learning though. The warmth of the community struck me immediately. I was reunited with my ex-colleague and travel companion Angela Spencer, finally met my colleague Roz Hobley in person, and got to cheer on business coach Kate Davis as she passed on her National Coach of the Year title. The kind of day that reminds you why community matters.
The awards
Walking into the awards ceremony as a non-coach, I will admit I felt a flicker of imposter syndrome. Did I really belong in a room filled with so many established coaches and industry leaders? That doubt disappeared quickly. The energy was inclusive, uplifting and genuinely celebratory in a way that felt earned rather than performed.
Although I did not take home the award, I was genuinely thrilled to see Pascale Rochefeuille crowned Mentor of the Year. Her work is inspirational and deeply impactful in her communities. A truly deserving winner. Watching Angela win her category and seeing so many colleagues and peers recognised was just as meaningful as being up there myself. Perhaps more so.
What I took away
The conference and awards reminded me of something I think it is easy to forget when you are running a business alone: we are never truly alone in this. Being surrounded by passionate, values-driven professionals, each on their own journey to create positive change, left me feeling re-energised and proud of what I have built.
I did not bring home a trophy. But I left with new connections I know will matter, fresh thinking to bring to my clients, and a renewed sense of why this work is worth doing. Sometimes that is the more valuable outcome.
Being in that room, among women and men who have dedicated their careers to helping others grow, was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. My work is built on a simple belief: that brilliant women deserve to be seen, recognised and remembered at the level they have already reached. The National Coaching Awards was a celebration of exactly that spirit. I left more committed to it than ever.
Laura Taylor is an executive LinkedIn strategist and ghostwriter working with senior women and C-suite leaders on visibility, reputation and authority. Based in Liverpool, working globally. ©️
