Description

Host: Julie Williams MSc- Executive Coach & Founder of Lighting Fires
Guest: Alex Weller- Founder of Above Digital

In this episode of The Lighting Fires Podcast, supported by Henley Business School, Julie sits down with Alex Weller, founder of Above Digital, whose career spans more than 30 years of evolving brands and building digital experiences, from early work with Universal Music and PepsiCo to today's bespoke websites and branding projects.

Alex describes himself as someone who never liked planning, and for a long time avoided it. Yet through coaching, reflection, and a shift in mindset, he discovered how simple planning, can be transformative. Their conversation explores the tension between wanting freedom and needing structure, why business owners often resist planning, and how Alex found a way of doing it that finally worked for him.

Julie and Alex talk about:

• The pressure of running a business when you're the person responsible for everything

• How creating small pockets of time and space is essential for new ideas and long-term thinking

• Why planning doesn't have to be complicated, and can actually feel grounding

• The unexpected ways coaching continues to shape decisions years after the sessions finish

• How to identify the clients you're best placed to serve

• Why keeping simple notes about your business journey becomes a powerful tool for future planning

• The importance of understanding your own preferences when shaping how you lead

Alex reflects on the pivotal realisation that even when plans feel "pie in the sky," writing things down gives you something valuable to look back on, a narrative of your business that helps you make sense of where you've been and where you want to go next.

Julie also shares coaching insights on finding focus, noticing what's working, creating space to think, and building a plan that feels motivating rather than overwhelming.

Whether you love planning, avoid it, or feel stuck somewhere in between, this conversation offers fresh perspective on how to steer your business with more clarity, confidence, and ease.

Henley Business School

Interested in a career in coaching? Find out about the Professional
Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School here.

Be sure to mention the Lighting Fires Podcast if you do contact Henley Business School.

Connect with Julie

Website: lightingfires.co.uk
Email: julie@lightingfires.co.uk
LinkedIn: Julie Williams MSc

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five star rating and review, it helps more listeners find these real-world leadership tools and stories.