TESTIMONIALS
Early in my career, a supervisor told me that I would receive the clients I needed for my own learning, and that each one would teach me something new.
She was right.
Over the years, I’ve had the honour of working with extraordinary individuals and teams, often over many seasons of their leadership and lives. I’m deeply proud of the relationships we’ve built, the progress we’ve made, and the quiet transformations that continue long after our work together ends.
Below is a selection of testimonials from some of the clients I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years.
Sonya Lennon, Designer and Entrepreneur
“I undertook a formal programme of individual coaching with Fiona over six months, followed by ad-hoc check-ins as needed. When I first came to her, I was at a crossroads, facing some tough calls in my business and wanting to understand the role I played in the situation I found myself in. My goal was to identify and unhitch the limiting beliefs and behaviours that were holding me back, and to understand the work I needed to do to chart a better course. I had been actively looking for the right coach and when a friend spoke about their experience with Fiona, I just knew she was the right fit, even before meeting her. A chemistry meeting only confirmed what I already knew. I had no fears or expectations going in; I approached the process with an open mind, which benefited the work enormously. Fiona is extraordinarily wise, compassionate and challenging. She pushed me in ways that were uncomfortable but never unkind, asking the exact questions I didn’t realise needed asking. Through our work, my mindset and approach have shifted. The challenges in business and life haven’t disappeared, but I feel more comfortable in my position. I have softened and relaxed, and my ambition is now strategic rather than emotional. I understand myself and my weaknesses better. I set myself goals; some have been achieved and some haven’t, and that’s ok. I’ve already recommended Fiona to others. Working with her allows you to tap into your deep-held, subconscious system beliefs, unhitch the ones that no longer serve you, and lean into a thriving mindset.”
Elaine Rooney, Fexco
We regularly engage Fiona to deliver Executive Coaching to some of our senior leaders as part of our leadership development strategy. Fiona distinguishes herself for her ability to connect quickly with senior leaders, and her balanced approach of challenge and support. She quickly builds trust and rapport, and the feedback from participants is consistently positive. What we value about working with Fiona is her ability to tailor each coaching journey to the individual, while still aligning with our broader organisational goals. She brings structure, insight, and a deep understanding of leadership dynamics."
Joanne O'Grady - Founder & CEO, Clever Clogs
"I have been working with Fiona as an Executive and Leadership and Team coach for the past 7 years. Fiona has totally transformed how I approach running and driving my business, empowering me to make the changes that need to be made and to address the not so easy challenges of running a successful SME. Most of all, Fiona has shown me how leadership can, and should be, enjoyable. I love going to work everyday and I credit Fiona with making that change."
Karen Hennessy - CEO, Real Leaf Farm
"In my work with Fiona, I was given the gift of truly knowing my value. There’s no element of ego in that - just a deep understanding of the value I deliver in anything I turn my hand to. When I first came to Fiona, I was in a startup and under immense stress. I thought I needed help figuring out my next career move. But what unfolded went far deeper. There was a lot of unpacking - beliefs and worries that had been masquerading as something else entirely. Fiona created a space that was safe, challenging, and deeply insightful. Some sessions were spent in the dark - literally- because my migraines had become nearly constant. Now, I’m in a much better place. My body was creaking, saying, ‘Will you slow down or turn your brain off for a while?’ And finally, I listened. She helped me stop second-guessing, stop procrastinating. I just get in, do it, believe in myself, and move on. Every day, I benefit from what I learned from my work with her - from how I show up at work to how I parent my children. I now ask myself, ‘What do I want?’ And I stand in that with clarity and strength. I’ve gone on to negotiate major career shifts, assert my value in high-stakes meetings, and take bold, aligned action - because now I truly believe in myself. The value I’ve received has been way beyond the financial investment. You can’t put a price on living your life in a more holistic, empowered way. I am now living life with ease. And for that, I will always be grateful."
Sarah Murphy - CEO, The Business Post
"Working with Fiona as I transitioned into the role of CEO helped me develop the clarity, confidence and mindset to supercharge and sustain both my professional and personal growth. Fiona has been a true game-changer in my journey. Her guidance has helped me refine my leadership style and vision, build resilience in high-stakes decisions, and show up with a level of professional authenticity and vulnerability that has brought out the best in my team, my peers and other stakeholders. Fiona is set apart by her ability to blend deep insight with practical, actionable strategies. Our sessions challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, embrace my strengths, and turn obstacles into opportunities. The transformation I’ve experienced from working with Fiona has been nothing short of extraordinary and I cannot recommend her highly enough."
Dervla Cunningham - Senior Sales Manager
"I honestly had no idea how powerful coaching could be until I worked with Fiona. I went into it thinking it might just be a nice support but what I experienced was transformational. At the time, I was working in a senior position, juggling high expectations, complex dynamics and the pressure to constantly deliver. I didn’t always feel seen or heard in the way I deserved. Fiona helped me change that. Through our work, I developed the confidence and clarity to own my voice, speak up strategically, be seen and recognised for the work I was doing. What I loved most was not just the insights to how others behave and what they need but real actions I could take to positively change outcomes - not just for me but for everyone. Fiona is compassionate, challenging and really has true wisdom. The results were so incredible for me that I referred friends; each with completely different challenges and every single one of them has had a life-changing experience too with Fiona too. I am very grateful."
Cathriona Edwards - Psychotherapist and Communications Specialist
"Fiona O’Connor is a true gem. Full of heart, and skill, verve and knowledge, and crowned with generosity and empathy. And this is from a psychotherapist who prizes empathy above all else. I spent a year being coached by this wonder woman. It was the best investment ever in myself; my soul, my heart and my work. If you’re looking for someone to hold the space so you can be guided and indeed co-create the way to be returned to yourself - Fiona is your woman."
Shane Kinsella - Key Account Manager, Baird McNutt
“I had given myself a goal to change career - and after three years, I wasn’t getting there. I was regressing, getting more confused and less confident. I knew I needed professional help. A friend I respect deeply recommended Fiona. Fiona’s approach was very different than I imagined a coach to be. Her method is deeply intuitive. She provided me with tools to understand how my beliefs were shaping my thinking - whether they were supportive or actually obstacles to my development. Every week, I left a session with a personal breakthrough. Real, transformative insights that stayed with me. I’d spend the next week working and thinking hard, dreading that the next session might not go as deep - and yet it always did. Week in, week out. As a result, I have a new approach to how I look at my life. I have more clarity around what matters to me - my values, my boundaries. I feel empowered. I have a lot more time and love for myself. And I use what I’ve learned through my work with her, every day - in my personal life, in my work, and in how I now face the future. The benefits of coaching with Fiona have been immense.”
Lisa McDonald , COO Storyful
"Fiona’s coaching empowered me to realise my true professional potential. I have transformed from a manger to a leader. The insights I gained from working with her helped me to extend my executive presence outside of my direct reports to the wider organisation."
Murtagh McWey - Head of Supply Chain, Glanbia Agribusiness
"Fiona had already led a significant change program in another part of our business (within both the HR and the Finance functions), and the quality of her work as known to me, so I knew I could partner with her to deliver something similar - driving high engagement, removing silos, and, most importantly, creating a space where higher performance ambition was embraced without team members feeling like pawns. That was down to the coaching environment she created throughout the process. It was a powerful coaching engagement - long before coaching had become common in our industry. Through the coaching process, there was a significant widening of the lens through which our team viewed both the customer and value creation, while simultaneously reorganising the work into more efficient programs. By the end of the engagement, we had successfully shifted from a concentration of responsibility under specific individuals to a unified management team. This unlocked the full capability of the team and reduced time spent on chaotic firefighting, allowing for greater strategic focus and more structured decision-making. As a result, our information and data reliability increased, our results more predictable - and ultimately, performance improved. Fiona created an environment of equal challenge and support—one where it felt safe not to have all the answers. There was often a healthy tension, sometimes uncomfortable, but always grounded in trust. This allowed us to seek out better solutions from within the business and to continue iterating, knowing that engagement levels were high and the process was genuinely collaborative. I think what Fiona brought to the engagement was - challenge paired with reflective space, encouraging more courageous thinking and bolder decisions on all the key issues. I think many of us have experienced high-pressure, consultant-led sessions where strong egos dominate, and teams are pushed towards predetermined solutions that are clearly sub-optimal. Yet, because of hourly costs or the force of one individual’s opinion, organisations feel compelled to adopt a version of ‘best practice’ imported from another context or industry. And then predictably, as a result, over time, the business reverts to its original ways of working. Fiona’s approach is fundamentally different. Through her coaching approach and her personal style, our team was empowered to generate our own solutions - grounded in the reality of our business and based on our knowledge and expertise. The outcomes were then owned by the people who were to implement them. And although the process could be both challenging and uncomfortable at times, it created a more aligned, resilient, and purpose-driven team - one that remained committed to the change long after the coaching engagement ended. The coaching challenged our traditional operating model and led to significantly better ways of working across the organisation. For individuals - including myself - it revealed personal development gaps and blind spots. Some seemed minor at first, but once addressed, they led to real growth both personally and professionally. I personally became more open to alternative approaches, and more willing to support teams and individuals in leading with authenticity - in ways that align with their natural style. That shift was directly shaped by the experience of working with Fiona. For anyone thinking of working with Fiona I would say - Expect to be challenged and supported in equal measure. You may find yourself making decisions and implementing them, even under pressure and beyond your comfort zone , but always in a people-centric process that brings key stakeholders with you. Fiona’s coaching style is deeply engaging. Even the most challenging or resistant stakeholders find themselves fully involved. The process creates momentum quickly—because it becomes clear that the organisation is moving forward, with or without you. Transformations I never imagined possible were achieved through consistent expectation-setting and honest, well-intentioned feedback. Once Fiona is engaged, and procrastination is set aside, real progress follows. And importantly, the impact lasts. Long after she has left, the seeds of a high-performance culture continue to flourish - because the mindset for growth and advancement has taken hold.
Karena Walshe - Key Account Director Global Partnerships, Web Summit
“Before working with Fiona, I felt stuck in my career with no clear path forward. I’d never taken the time to pause and truly reflect on my professional vision or identify the unique strengths I could bring to my work. I wanted to transition into a completely different role but had absolutely no idea where to begin or how to make such a seemingly impossible career shift happen. Honestly, I’d been spinning my wheels for years without taking any concrete action. Fiona came highly recommended by a peer I deeply trust and admire. My biggest fear was that the coaching wouldn’t lead to any meaningful change—that I’d remain just as stuck as before. Instead, my entire life transformed. I discovered my own agency, switched careers, and even moved to a new city. I loved Fiona’s holistic approach. Rather than focusing solely on career identity, she worked with me as a complete human being. This created a safe space for complete honesty and opened up possibilities I’d never even considered. Where do I start with what’s changed? Professionally, I finally took the leap I’d been contemplating for three years, switched jobs twice, and moved to London. More importantly, I gained an awareness of my own agency, power, and capabilities that I’d never experienced before. Day-to-day, my capacity and confidence as a manager and leader has skyrocketed. I can approach difficult conversations with clarity rather than avoidance, make decisions more decisively, and I’ve developed a much stronger sense of my professional worth when negotiating opportunities. If you’re considering working with Fiona? Go for it. You’re in such safe, exceptional hands.” Individual Coaching Client
Rachel Collier - CEO, Young Social Innovators
“Fiona facilitated the YSI Leadership Team to realise its potential and ability to give positive, cohesive leadership during a time of significant organisational change and growth. She provided excellent individual and team coaching over a period of around 6 months, building individual and team confidence and resilience. Fiona was extremely professional in her executive coaching approaches; she was challenging and yet caring about the team to help it perform effectively yet with clarity of purpose. We are grateful to her.”
Michelle Johnston - Founder, Squirrel 9
"Fiona O'Connor has been my executive coach for years, and has guided me through a great deal of impactful professional and personal growth. I was genuinely excited when she offered me a spot on one of her retreats. It was a great opportunity for extended focus with Fiona, and to share experiences and challenges with other retreat attendees. I was also very much looking forward to stepping away from my daily grind into a different kind of space. The retreat itself was held on an absolutely gorgeous forest estate in County Leitrim. The thought and consideration that the estate designers put into creating their lodges and amenities absolutely mirrored Fiona's efforts in planning the retreat. This resulted in a holistically, thematically congruous experience where the whole was so much more than its parts. Lodging was thoughtfully placed in its environment and absolutely sumptuous. The area was inviting, tranquial, and reflective; perfect for personal reflection as well as the group activities that Fiona had planned. And the food? Stunning. It was provided by Fiona's husband, Pete, who created a varied and exciting mediterranean-inspired menu which left us all well fed and thoroughly spoiled. Fiona has an amazing ability to create a welcoming and safe environment. From the start we agreed on a group contract to establish the kind of retreat we wanted, and to outline how we wanted to interact with each other. That foundation allowed everyone to feel supported while sharing experiences and exploring new ideas and ways of thinking. Fiona's toolkit is vast, and she strikes a great balance between structure and adaptability. There were activities like yoga, sound baths, forest walks, and movement sessions interspersed with personal and group activities. Nothing felt rigid or forced. If one activity didn't suit, you were on to the next one soon enough - and the experts that Fiona engaged from the local area were simply phenomenal with their knowledge. Fiona encouraged us to journal, reflect, and spend time on our own and with the group. It was very thoughtfully done. The retreat gave me some much needed space to think about how I show up professionally, and how I can achieve my ambitions.One of the most important breakthroughs for me was around growing my presence and thought leadership; finding the confidence to share my ideas and words with a much larger audience without second-guessing myself. The encouragement and feedback I had from Fiona and the retreat participants was extremely important, and has helped me move beyond a self-imposed barrier, resulting in a lasting impact on my professional and personal life. If you're feeling stuck or looking for new ways to reflect and grow, I'd absolutely recommend attending one of Fiona's retreats. They're ideal for people with a growth mindset, who are open to new experiences, and who want to explore possibilities in a safe, supportive space. "Flourishing with Fiona" is a true retreat from the world. It's nourishing (in many ways),special, and a wonderful way to develop fresh perspectives on life"
