About Martina BartolomucciMy Journey from management to coachingMy Journey from management to coaching

A career shaped by people

I spent more than 15 years in corporate management, reporting directly to CEOs and COOs, leading teams of up to 50 people through mergers and a company’s growth from start-up to scale-up.

What I valued most was seeing people grow: recognising and nurturing strengths they were only beginning to see in themselves, supporting their development while delivering strong performance and business results.

For me, it was simply my way of being a manager.

Moving to the UK

Having lived, studied and worked across different countries, I know that moving involves more than adapting to a new place. It can challenge your sense of identity, confidence and direction.

In the UK, I encountered coaching as an established profession. I recognised some of my own values in its principles, while discovering a distinct methodology and professional discipline.

This led me to train professionally with Barefoot Coaching through its ICF-accredited Level 2 programme in Business and Personal Coaching.

How my background shapes my coaching

My background in management and engineering has shaped a structured way of thinking and the ability to step back and see the bigger picture.

In coaching, that helps me listen to what is being said and notice when it may be useful to pause, explore or consider a different perspective.

Sometimes that means asking a challenging question. Other times, it means allowing a thought the time it needs to take shape.

The purpose is never to lead someone towards my answer, but to help them get closer to their own.

Seeing the person beyond the role

I believe people should be seen as individuals, beyond their roles or job titles.

Our decisions and the changes we face are shaped by our experiences, relationships and circumstances.

Recognising our strengths, understanding what matters to us and exploring the choices available can change how we approach those moments.

That belief shaped the way I led people, and it continues to guide my coaching today.