From humble beginnings near Wolverhampton to pushing through barriers in male-dominated
industries and enjoying corporate careers within well-known UK brands, while overcoming the hardest of personal adversities, identical twins Karen Powell and Lesley Heath have always looked at every knock, success and adventure as an opportunity to learn and to grow.
Like many before them, they began their journey with the belief that things could be better. The conflicts
they encountered throughout their professional careers and the fragility they experienced in their personal lives left them wanting – needing – something different for themselves and others. They knew they had to use their professional and personal experience to bring about a change – one that would empower and equip women to be the best version of themselves
without labels and judgement. With their desire to help one million women be their best, they left their secure corporate careers behind, and together, formed their boutique consultancy , A Matter of Choice. Their ethos was based on what they’d learned about self-belief and reflective practice in their personal and working lives, and observing how changing one’s mindset can impact the choices and decisions which shape our future. While applying these learnings using accepted coaching practices, they quickly saw the transformation in those they were working with – as well as the effect it had on
those around them. Their bespoke approach to their clients has grown in popularity thanks to their no-nonsense and personable manner. They have drawn in crowds at their women’s conferences designed to grow confidence, have written cutting-edge reports on shifting mindsets within leadership and continue to coach and bring out the best in those they work with.
At the start of the pandemic, they started to collect realtime journals from ordinary women who felt they had lost their ‘normality’. A vision for a small collection of journals quickly grew into a desire to create a more holistic coaching companion using proven reflective practice techniques to guide ordinary women to be the best they can be.
Lesley has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Liverpool University, as well as a Masters in Law. She is married with 2 daughters and 2 step daughters