Shropshire life coach Louise Presley-Turner took the leap from the workplace to set up in business and is now on the cusp of her first book deal.

Bridgnorth-based Louise, who runs her own coaching business called The Game Of Life, is currently writing her first self-help guide, which could be published next year.

Louise said: “Life coaching in the UK is now recognised as playing an important role in the success of both private individuals and businesses alike. Indeed many successful people such as politicians, entrepreneurs and famous stars have their own personal coach to help them achieve success.

“I’ve been coaching now for two years. I started out coaching part-time along side my full-time position as marketing manager for a large automotive organisation.

“It wasn’t until my coaching business was established and I had enough clients on my books that I took the leap of faith and left my full-time job to pursue my coaching career further. It was scary, but looking back the best decision I have ever made.”

Louise added that she became a life coach after becoming fascinated with self-development and reading a wide array of books from standard self-help books to books on neuro-linguistic programming, quantum physics and spirituality.

“I’m always hungry for more knowledge. I fell upon coaching after reading a book that was written by a successful British coach and you could say I had my epiphany. I made a decision that I wanted a career shift and started my coach training in 2006 with an approved training school accredited by the International Coaching Federation.

“Coaching is somewhat of a new industry and has only come into its own over the past five or ten years. Many blue chip companies now incorporate coaching as part of their training programme, but it’s not just large businesses that use life coaching, private individuals also benefit from coaching to help them achieve their own personal success.

“It’s important to point out that coaching isn’t therapy, coaching is about finding positive solutions to life’s challenges. It’s about helping people to achieve life-changing goals using a variety of coaching tools and techniques.

“It’s so much more than just giving people a kick up the backside and galvanizing them into action, it’s also an inward journey whereby clients learn to understand themselves better.

“In almost all cases clients simply want to be happy, whatever that means to them and to change their life for the better. But some of the more common goals are people progressing their career, setting up their own business or growing their current business, increasing self-esteem, living their dreams, finding love and much more.

“As people become more disillusioned with life and the rat race, they are seeking alternative ways to live and this is where coaching comes in, as it gives people the tools they need to turn their life around.”