"The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can” Neil Gaiman.
It all started with a spot of cloud-watching on a giant jumping pillow in Kaikoura, New Zealand.
During my second maternity leave in 2019, my husband and I took our two kids on a nine-week trip to four countries (Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore). It was bliss, and insane. But this is when the story really started…
And my lightbulb moment. What was stopping me from creating the life I wanted?
Hello! I’m Sarah Lennon, Founder of Story Coach - a Career and Facilitation Consultancy helping humans to create bold new chapters. Whether it’s support with your career chapter after kids have entered the picture or with your team connection, I can help.
A giant jump.
It was that giant jumping pillow that led me to take the leap to create the life I wanted, a leap that led me to partner with people like you who are looking for more. Because this doesn’t have to be how the story ends. Because you deserve it.
Career transitions and brave moves. This is my sweet spot.
An ACC accredited Coach with the ICF, my journey to coaching began back in 2014. Having read every personal development book out there, I decided to make my first leap, completing a ICF Accredited Diploma in Executive, Business and Life Coaching.
Looking back. This was a pivotal point for me. It was the first place where I felt I ‘belonged’ and the first time in my career that everything made sense. Can you relate to that feeling? Joining the dots looking back.
So in 2019, on that bouncy pillow while on maternity leave from a corporate job in tech, I knew that change was once again coming.
After more than a decade moving up and around the corporate world in roles spanning tech, media, nonprofits and hospitality, the time had come for me to bet on myself and my own story.
And so Story Coach was born in July 2019…
Struggling to understand why you’re so frustrated in your career after becoming a parent? I can help.
I’ll help you acknowledge what’s important to you. Digging deep we’ll connect to your values, what lights you up on both personally and professionally. It’s your story. It’s time to make it count.
Stories are everything to me. Both the internal ones we tell ourselves (often on repeat) and the external ones we choose to share with the world.
Stories enable us to connect, engage and feel alive. I love them so much I even focused on them for my thesis at University - the stories of local bus drivers! A story that was so powerful it was broadcast on national radio.
It’s time…
Across our lifetimes we spend 90,000 hours at work.
It’s time to value our time in our careers, whatever stage we’re at. The thought of anyone staying in a job ‘just because’ or because of fear is my why. It’s why I’m so passionate about what I do.
I believe the perfect equation in career coaching is a mix of introspection coupled with action. That’s what I’ll give you. A mix of career coaching (the deep stuff), fused with strategy (that plan of action), all based on your own foundations - your stories.
I’ve been in your shoes - unrecognised, frustrated, tired and unmotivated. Even more so after returning to work after maternity leave. It has to be ‘worth’ something - your time.
You’re a professional wanting more - and why wouldn’t you?
More than just 9-5, you deserve to grow. To make an impact. To be recognised and ultimately to do something that lights you up, every single morning.
Whether you’re looking for 1:1 support or through a group workshop, I can help. Workshop Facilitation is a huge string to what I do here at Story Coach too. You can learn more about it here.
What could the next chapter look like for you?..
I’ll help you to see your strengths, build your confidence and see the route forward.
Sometimes you just need someone to help you see the wood from the trees. I’m that person. A Career Guide.
It’s time to own your career story.
Five things to know about me
Feeling Heard
The biggest compliment I’ve received since embarking on Story Coach 4 years ago is that I create spaces where people feel heard. It is an absolute privilege.
Life is all about seasons
Life for me is about seasons - no, not necessarily Autumn, Winter etc. Rather each period of your life is representative of a season to teach you something. A season of change is generally where people reach out in the search for a coach.
Happy on the road
Travel is something that drives me. It will always be a constant for me - coupled with learning, it enables me to experience new cultures, new connections and new food. The seed is planted for a year-long trip as a family of 5. Watch this space!
I’m channelling Beverly
Family is part of my core. I am the quintessential 'Irish Mammy' and proud of it - think Beverly Goldberg *hero*. I believe in being 'life ambitious' rather than simply ambitious in your career and this is something I’m sharing with my husband and three kids.
When I’m in, I’m in
Tenacious, ambitious, determined, passionate - all words that came up from others when they had to describe me. At first, I was a bit shook. ‘Is that me?’ I thought. The people I had surrounded myself with, knew me deeper than I originally thought or expected. And they all said this same one phrase - ‘when you’re in, you’re in’. I can’t but go all in. It’s part of who I am.