Jo Riches is a qualified coach who uses her own experience working in IT for 25 years to help women navigate the challenges of work and, in her words, “stand tall in bare feet”.
“I have first-hand experience of the frustration of not being listened to and not being valued for my true worth,” she explains. “I use that to guide my clients to make transformations in their lives and shape the careers they truly deserve.”
Who does Jo Riches work with?
While not exclusively, Jo works predominantly with women – with a specialising for women in tech. They tend to be “women who have found themselves lacking confidence, stuck somewhere in their careers and not having enough self-belief,” she says.
Jo believes that lack of confidence is generally triggered by something at work, but it could also stem from more complex places. “Either way, what it means is they don’t feel the same way they used to about themselves – and I want to help them feel better!”
How does Jo Riches help her clients?
Jo says she “wants women to feel good about themselves, to feel empowered and strong and resilient.” This is essential for them to thrive in a cohesive and collaborative environment.
She says she often has to address “imposter syndrome” and help women take control of their own life direction. Ultimately, that means building self-awareness and “connecting with who they are”.
Often, this process means more than simply improving their professional performance – it means becoming more confident in all areas of their lives.
How does Jo Riches approach coaching?
“I generally start with where they are right now,” Jo explains. “We need to reflect a bit, and that means all areas of their life. What’s going on in their personal life, relationships, health and wellbeing – because all of that impacts how we feel at work.”
She relates a story of a recent client who has changed career directions and felt inexperienced. “We had to work through what the root cause is,” Jo says, “I do a lot of work around timelines, and reconnecting women with what they’ve done in the past. It really helps people see themselves anew and find the hidden gems that make them brilliant – and own that.”
