Support For Women in business

I’m Laura Connarty-Duncan GAICD, a leadership coach for women in senior roles. I work one-to-one with CEOs, executives, directors and senior leaders who carry teams, budgets and boards, and who are ready to lead with more clarity and less cost to themselves.

I’ve sat where you sit. I bring 20 years of senior leadership, board experience as a company director, training in life, business and leadership coaching, counselling and psychology. 

You get an experienced partner who understands leadership, and the extra expectations women in leadership still carry.

Read more about me, on my about page.

Women usually come to me when:

• They have no space to process everything they’re carrying

• They’re successful, but stretched, and can feel burnout coming

• They’re stepping up: a new role, a board seat, a restructure or a bigger team

• They’re in a season of change at work, at home, or in midlife

• They’re tired of being the strong one who holds everything together

• Leading with influence: decisions, difficult conversations, boards and stakeholders

• Confidence and presence: owning the room without performing a version of yourself

• Capacity and boundaries: managing the load at work and home so you can sustain it

• Career direction: your next role, promotion, board pathway or transition

• Strategic thinking: governance, strategy, change, people and culture, risk

1. Discovery call: a confidential conversation to see if we’re the right fit

2. Your plan: we agree your goals and what success looks like

3. Coaching sessions: online or in person, at a pace that suits you (minimum six sessions)

4. Between sessions: support when something big comes up, so you’re never waiting weeks for a sounding board

• Clarity on what matters, and what to let go

• A confidential space to think out loud

FAQs 

What does a leadership coach do? A leadership coach is a confidential thinking partner. I help you get clear on your priorities, handle hard decisions and conversations, and grow as a leader, without losing yourself in the process.

Who is leadership coaching for? Women in senior roles: CEOs, executives, directors, senior managers and emerging leaders stepping up, in corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations.

Can my employer pay for coaching? Often, yes. Many organisations fund coaching through professional development budgets. I can provide a proposal for your manager or HR team.

Coaching with me is tax deductible.

Do you coach online or in person? Both. Most sessions run online across Australia. In-person sessions are available on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

How is this different from therapy? Coaching focuses on your leadership, goals and next steps. I’m trained in counselling, so I can hold space for the hard stuff, and I’ll suggest other support if it’s needed.

 Ready to lead without carrying it all alone?

Let’s start with a confidential conversation about where you are and where you want to go.

• You’re great at what you do, but running the business is a different job

• You’re doing everything yourself and the to-do list never ends

• Sales are up and down, and you’re not sure what’s working

• Maybe you never had formal business training, and you’re figuring it out as you go

• You’re ready to grow, but you don’t want to burn out doing it

• Strategy and direction: your vision, goals, priorities and a plan you’ll actually follow

• Sales and marketing: positioning, messaging, pipeline and offers that sell

• Money and pricing: pricing with confidence and understanding your numbers

• Operations and systems: processes, tools and automation that free up your time

• People: your first hire, contractors, partnerships and leading a small team

• You as the founder: confidence, boundaries and leading your business, not being run by it

• Founder Strategy Session

Let me help you gain the clarity of what you need

• Founder Partnership (6 months)

Regular sessions, online, plus sos, call text and email, feedback, roadmap, document review, dedicated trello board. Your business partner, advisor, coach, & mentor. 

• Founder Course

Self-paced online training, for deep learning in your own time then we come together for the feedback, coaching and advising.

Comprehensive Start-Up, SME or check in did you miss the basics?

The foundational work, that if you skip you can't succeed. Mindset, alignment, your motivation, goals, research, setup, positioning, marketing, finance, sales, business development and mindset.

Need hands-on help as well as coaching? 

See Consultancy & Advisory for fractional COO and done-for-you strategy.

• Hands-on business experience: leading business across all areas: ops, risk, compliance, policy, growth, training, technology, projects, events, customer success, marketing, business development, sales, partnerships, reporting and people & culture

• Board Director and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)

• Certified Business Coach

• 2,000+ women in business supported 

• Practical and honest. 

What does a business coach do? A business coach helps you set direction, make better decisions and build the habits and systems to grow. I combine coaching with practical advice from years of running businesses and teams.

How much does a business coach cost in Australia? It varies widely. You get what you pay for. My founder support starts with a $350 strategy session, and my six-month partnerships start from $3,000 + GST.

Business coach or mentor: what’s the difference? A mentor shares their experience. A coach helps you find your own answers. As your partner, I do both, plus advise - depending on what you need.

Do I need to be established to work with you? No. I work with women at the start-up stage and with established founders ready to scale.

Do you give legal, financial or HR advice? I’m not a lawyer, accountant, tax advisor or financial advisor. I do share general information from trusted sources, plus general business advisory and coaching advice back by 30+ years of experience. For specific matters, I’ll point you to the right professional.

Let’s build a business that works for you.

Book a discovery call and let’s talk about where your business is and where you want it to go.