Coaching for folks in techwho want more power, more credit, and less bullshit.
You're good at this. That's not the problem.
The problem is the part where you are doing the work, managing the politics, masking through the nonsense, and still getting treated like a maybe.
You might already be doing the job without the title, the credit, or the money. You might be ambitious as hell and bored of being underestimated. You might be exhausted from making yourself easier to digest, and done waiting for permission to stop.
Support from £300.
Or maybe nothing is on fire. Maybe you have just realised you want more than this, and you are done trying to earn it the hard way.
As a VP Engineering, ILM certified Executive Coach, neurodivergent, queer and disabled person, I help folks in tech get unstuck or levelled up.
Sometimes that's one super-focussed conversation. Sometimes you need someone who already knows the context while you navigate the thing that keeps coming back to you at 3am in the morning.
We will work out what is real, what is noise, what is costing you, and what the hell to do next.
Who I Work With
I work broadly with folks in tech who are ready to stop circling the same ceiling and start moving. I specialise in people who are talented, capable, and tired of rooms that keep asking them to prove the obvious. Often that includes neurodivergent, queer and disabled people, because the systems were not built with us in mind, and the workarounds get exhausting.
"I want power, visibility, or progression without having to become smaller, smoother, or easier to digest."
"I'm doing excellent work and somehow still getting treated like a maybe."
"I am so obviously hitting a ceiling here it may as well have my forehead print on it."
"I am burning out, I have had enough, and I do not know what the move is."
"I know something has to change. I just need help working out what, and in what order."
"I am masking so hard I can barely hear myself think."
"I keep being praised for resilience when what I actually needed was support."
"I keep doing senior work while everyone acts like promotion would be a wild experiment."
"I cannot work out whether I need confidence, boundaries, accommodations, a new job, or a nap that lasts six months."
"I am rebuilding self-trust after being managed, ignored, or underestimated into confusion."
Why work with me
I've led teams, held power, and been in enough genuinely difficult situations to know what they look like from every angle. I've coached people through missed promotions, hard pivots, burnout, bad bosses, and the quieter thing: wanting more and not quite knowing how to go get it.
Whether something's on fire or you just know you're capable of more than this, what I bring is the same: focus, directness, good humour, and someone who has been in most of these situations and came out knowing what actually helps.
I'm autistic, which means I don't do performative nonsense. You get someone who will get to the actual thing faster than you expect, and be genuinely in your corner while we do it.
What happens in a session
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01
We dive straight in
You don't need to have it packaged. Bring it raw, bring it half-formed, bring it at the point where you've been turning it over for three weeks and getting nowhere. We're working it from the moment we start.
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02
We get to the heart of it, fast
You tell me what is going on. We work out what the actual problem is, what the real constraint is, and where the pressure is really coming from. Not the version you've been telling everyone else.
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03
We work out the next steps
This is not an hour of talking about your feelings. We look at what you're about to do, what it will kick off, and whether it's the right call.
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04
You leave with something real
You leave knowing what you think and what you're doing next. Most people are surprised how much shifts in an hour.
Still thinking "yes, but what even is a coach?" I wrote the fuller, swearier explainer here: What's A Coach Anyway?
I can't diagnose you, because coaching is not a medical assessment. I can help you make sense of what you are noticing and work out what to do about it.
Still thinking "yes, but what even is a coach?" I wrote the fuller, swearier explainer here: What's A Coach Anyway?
What happens next
Pricing
Most clients expense this through their L&D budget. It fits within a standard allowance. If you are self-funding, there are options worth knowing about.
£350
The Decisive Hour
One session. When you need to think clearly before you act.
- You have a decision, a conversation, or a situation you want to get right.
- We get to what's actually going on fast. Not the surface version. The real one.
- You leave knowing what you think, what you're going to do, and why.
£800
The Campaign
Three sessions. When one conversation won't be enough.
Save £250 vs. booking separately
- You make a move, see what it kicks up, and get support on what comes next.
- I already know the context. No re-briefing, no starting over.
- For the situation that has more layers than you thought when you started.
£250/mo
The Advisory
Not a crisis. A corner. Someone who already knows your situation, every month, without you having to explain it again.
- Weeks 1 and 3: you send me one email. I read it and either acknowledge or come back with 2-3 questions or observations.
- Week 2 is yours. Use it. Do the thing.
- Week 4: 30 minutes on a call. I already have the context from your week 3 email. We get straight into it.
- No re-briefing. No starting over. I already know your situation.
New to working with me? No problem. We'll start with a short discovery call to make sure it's the right fit before anything is booked.
Let's do thisAll sessions are subject to my disclaimer and terms.
Real folks. Real results.
Growth and clarity
"Val brought a rare combination of honesty, humour and practical strategy to our coaching sessions."
I've worked with Val both as a colleague at Thirdfort and as my career coach since 2023, and she's had a significant impact on my career.
When I started working with Val I was unsure which direction I wanted to take my career in, and was failing to thrive in my work environment. She helped me identify my core values, what I actually wanted from my career and how to make the most of my current situation. That clarity made a real difference to my future career plans and day to day working life.
Val brought a rare combination of honesty, humour and practical strategy to our coaching sessions. Providing a valuable sounding board for ideas, she knows when to challenge and when to offer advice.
If you're an engineer, manager or technical leader looking for a coach who genuinely understands the industry from the perspective of neurodivergent woman you need to speak to Val. Five stars, no notes.
One of a kind
"I spent half an hour talking to Val and everything changed"
When Val started coaching me, I was at the lowest ebb of my career. Demoralised, dejected, more than a little pissed off. I was absolutely ready to throw in the towel. Then I spent half an hour talking to Val and everything changed. I think I still have whiplash from how suddenly she changed my situation.
She saw me at a point when I'd almost stopped being able to see myself. She recognised something worth backing and gave me the space to start proving it. For the first time in a long time, I know where I'm going - and that's because of Val.
I cannot thank Val enough. I will continue to ask myself "What would Val do?" - to lead with kindness, honesty and humanity. I look forward to working with Val again.
New leadership role
"She coached me through the practical issues and emotional regulation needed to excel."
I've always believed that when you move into a new situation, the best thing you can do is reach out to folks who have been there and done it. Little did I know when I reached out to Valerie the huge impact it would have on me.
She coached me through the practical issues and emotional regulation needed to excel in this role, and avoid traps common with folks moving into more leadership-oriented positions from technical backgrounds.
Safe and inclusive
"It gave me the space to grow, learn, and become a better version of myself in an environment that truly felt safe and inclusive."
Val is truly an inspiration to look up to. I had the privilege of being part of the incredible engineering culture she built at Thirdfort. She has this amazing ability to create a high-performance yet supportive and psychologically safe environment where engineers feel valued, trusted, and empowered to do their best work.
It gave me the space to grow, learn, and become a better version of myself in an environment that truly felt safe and inclusive. Any company would be beyond lucky to have her.
