Personal and Business Coach, Bob Foster, Bristol, 0117 9561162

A few words about me

Born, bred and schooled in Bristol, I left Bristol University with a 2.1. degree in Microbiology thinking that I would spend my life as a scientist. I spent the next four years working in Canterbury and Minnesota before finally realising that working in the lab wasn't my cup of tea after all.

During the next few years I searched for an occupation that interested me. I worked in sales and marketing, in the photography and publishing industries. Finally, my interest in science and the natural world won out and I moved back to Bristol to work for Avon Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Earth.

I managed a small company within FoE called Energy Services. During this time I learnt about managing a small business with part-time employees and free-lancers. I worked hard and the company had a good reputation. We gave energy conservation advice to householders and small businesses, although our main income came from insulation work subsidised by government grants. When the government abolished the grants at short notice, we stopped trading.

The next phase of my education was spent learning about I.T. working for a local training company and a company that installed computer networks. During this time I realised how much I enjoyed teaching and helping people find solutions. So what did I do? I left and set up on my own as a private tutor.

For the next ten years I taught and developed a keen interest in accelerated learning methods. I worked with teenagers studying for exams and adults aiming to better themselves or pass professional qualifications. And I also kept my science hand in by working as a consultant for a local ecological consultancy - back in the lab again!

I wrote and delivered courses on literacy for workers moving into the lower levels of management. This was a revelation! It was so much fun - the first time I had worked in the 'corporate' arena - and they were all human beings after all. Nothing like being thrown in at the deep end though - I quickly became aware of good and bad training practice.

The move to coaching was gradual. While teaching, I was aware that I enjoyed helping teenagers make the big decisions about what courses to take and what goals to set for their education and their careers. I carried this over to my work with adults. Then I discovered the British Coaching Academy. I called them, handed over my credit card details, walked off down the street and booked a holiday in Crete. I felt that I had made a fundamentally important decision.

I graduated from the Coaching Academy in 2000 and started to absorb a huge amount of information, learn new skills and meet many amazing people.

Although I worked with almost anyone who was committed to change, I found that many people expressed dissatisfaction with their careers or with how they were spending their time. It seemed that the big question was, "What do I really, really want to be spending my time doing?"

I also worked with many small business owners and learnt a great deal about marketing and building reputations. I like to work with anyone who wants to set up their own home-based business and get out of the rat-race. In particular, I recognise the need to have a creative outlet - so important if your day-job is largely intellectual or routine. My outlet is photography, and I've just committed to creating images of a professional standard - portraits, still-life and landscape... new website coming soon!

I'm currently single, and live in Frenchay, Bristol. I have a fourteen year old daughter who lives close by. Naturally she's amazing and fun to be with and heading for a great life. She's into acting and dancing and teaches me more than I teach her! My father, brothers and sisters all live close by.

Since living in the USA and listening to bluegrass music, I've wanted to learn to play acoustic guitar - if progress correlates with sore fingers, I'm doing OK!

I have a practical interest in the public understanding and debate about science; I help run Science Cafe at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol, which meets every last Monday of the month: www.sciencecafe.co.uk.

I can't imagine retiring!

P.S. - I don't like pigeon-holing people, but if you are interested in the Enneagram personality test, my predominant traits appeared to be Achiever, Enthusiast, Investigator, Individualist and Peacemaker, with Achiever just a nose ahead. I wonder what it all means?

free enneagram test