Phil Coley is a leading business sales growth specialist having learned business the hard way, from a successful corporate career to thriving consultancy business to running his own business interests; BUT he has failed as well and had to pick himself back up and start again.
Phil, a former The King’s School Gloucester pupil, had excelled at sport and represented the national side in rugby, athletics, and football. He also ran the 100m at just over 11 seconds against Marcus Adam, who became a GB sprint specialist and trained with Linford Christie. Phil credits his time at the school, along with their Air Cadets squadron where he travelled and learned a range of skills, for keeping him out of trouble and providing a promising career path.
In a recent interview Phil said: “I had been a bit of a tearaway as a teenager and got in with the wrong crowd where I lived. I could very well have ended up in prison had it not been for the direction the school and sports gave me. I made several friends at school and also through the Air Cadets, a few I am still in touch with today, nearly 40 years on.”
After leaving school and not being ready for more education, Phil began his business life selling newspaper advertising in the days before the internet. He developed into a leading salesperson regularly hitting targets and soon had a thirst for more. After three years of ad sales and making money Phil wanted to follow his passion for sport and people, attending St Mary`s University and studying sport science majoring in sport psychology, culminating in attending the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
After graduating Phil then worked with many different sports teams and individuals including Olympians, World and European champions, and with teams including Gloucester Rugby, the LTA and clients further afield in the USA as well.
Through a twist of fate, whilst on the sidelines of a squash court, Phil was approached by a business leader in the retail industry that led to Phil training over 100 sales managers on all things leadership and team dynamics, alongside sales. This proved to be a pivotal point for Phil who then was able to combine his sales training and people development in business. In time, this saw Phil working with leading blue chip companies - many within the new sales arena of call centres, consulting for the likes of Microsoft, Mercury, Telewest, NTL (to become Virgin Media), Vodaphone, Capita and many others in the UK and overseas.
Starting a 'business services' consultancy in 2007 led to a turbulent few years; riding the financial storm of 2008 and then over stretching himself in 2014 leading to a business collapse in 2015 alongside a heart seizure…things had to change.
Today Phil, working closely with his business partner Mark Pearce, has a number of successful business interests including a sales & marketing agency, accountancy firm, recruitment company, digital publishing and wellbeing business. The lessons learned through the many years, experiencing highs & lows, choosing the right business partners and having a structure in place for success has lead to Phil working with many small and medium sized growing businesses.
Working with Phil you can expect to have clear direction, be challenged to think for yourself all whilst working closely with Phil on your goals and day-to-day activity.
Phil and Mark have developed the SIMPLE programme which helps business owners have their own 'playbook' based on 6 key pillars. Phil works with business owners in a number of different ways; be that coach, mentor, non exec director or consultant to get the very best out of you and your business.
