Real leaders, real shifts
The best measure of coaching is what changes for the person being coached. Here are leaders Stefan has worked with, in their own words, alongside the kinds of shifts this work tends to create.
Real people, lightly anonymised
Every quote on this page is genuine, given by someone Stefan has coached. We use first names and last initials, and describe roles rather than employers, to keep confidence intact.
We have not dressed these up with invented numbers or claims they did not make. Coaching is personal and confidential by nature, so instead of dramatising specifics, each story explains the kind of work behind the words: the situation a leader in that role tends to face, what coaching focuses on, and the shift that follows.
The throughline is consistent. People arrive carrying a challenge they have been holding alone, and leave with clarity, a plan they own, and someone in their korner while they act on it.
Three leaders, three different leaps
A change manager finding steadier ground, a senior creative rebuilding self-belief, and a consultant turning trust into momentum. Different roles, the same kind of work.
“I was incredibly happy with my experience of having Stefan support me through my different professional challenges. Stefan was very skilled at guiding me through not only what my issue or challenge was, but action items for me to act upon and grow personally and professionally.”
Andy E.
Change Manager
- The situation
- Change managers carry a hard brief: keep delivery moving while people around them feel unsettled. The challenges that surface in this kind of role tend to be less about the project plan and more about navigating competing pressures, difficult stakeholders, and the doubt that creeps in when you are the one expected to hold steady.
- What we worked on
- The work focused on naming the actual issue underneath each challenge, then turning that clarity into concrete action items, things to do and try before the next session, rather than advice that fades by Friday. That mix of honest reflection and owned, practical next steps is the heart of how Stefan coaches.
- The shift
- Progress showed up as both professional and personal growth: a clearer read on the situation in front of him, a steadier way of working through it, and the confidence that comes from acting on a plan instead of improvising.
“I wholeheartedly endorse Stefan's services to anyone seeking personal growth and development. Without his unwavering support, I am certain that I would not be able to look back on the past few weeks with a genuine sense of pride in my accomplishments.”
Cyd B.
Senior Designer & Brand Manager
- The situation
- Senior creatives who also carry brand and people responsibility often deliver strong work while quietly underrating themselves. The brief here was personal growth and development: building the kind of self-belief that lets capable people actually own what they achieve, rather than move straight past it.
- What we worked on
- The coaching leaned on steady, unwavering support through a stretch of real effort, helping turn pressure into momentum and progress into something visible. It is the slower, relational side of coaching: not a quick fix, but consistent backing while the change takes hold.
- The shift
- The result was the ability to look back on a demanding period with a genuine sense of pride in what had been accomplished, a shift in how she saw her own work, not just what landed on the page.
“Working with Stefan as my professional coach has been a game-changer. His genuine connection and rapport-building skills instilled trust and motivated me to tackle my goals head-on. Setting meaningful objectives together led to immediate, positive results, surpassing my expectations.”
Steve M.
Consultant
- The situation
- Consultants juggle their own targets, client demands, and the discipline of getting meaningful things done without a manager setting the pace. The work started where good coaching always does: building genuine rapport and trust, so the goals that followed were real rather than performative.
- What we worked on
- From that foundation, the focus moved to setting meaningful objectives together and holding to them, the positive accountability that keeps momentum going between sessions. Connection first, then clear goals, then the follow-through that turns intention into action.
- The shift
- The change landed quickly: immediate, positive results that surpassed expectations, and goals tackled head-on rather than circled around. A game-changer, in his words, driven by trust and a plan he owned.
The pattern behind every result
The roles differ, but the shape of the work rarely does. This is the rhythm that turns a hard situation into visible growth.
Name the real issue
Most challenges arrive tangled. The first move is separating the actual problem from the noise around it, so the work has somewhere clear to point.
Build trust and honesty
Genuine rapport comes first. Without it, goals stay performative. With it, you can be candid about what is really getting in the way.
Turn insight into action
Every session produces things to do and try, owned by you, not advice that fades. That is how a conversation becomes a change in how you work.
Hold the line between sessions
Positive accountability and steady support keep momentum going, so the growth sticks long after a single session ends.
The kinds of outcomes you can expect
Individual stories are personal. The patterns across the research are not. Here is what coaching reliably moves, with the figures and their sources so you can judge for yourself.
Performance that lifts
Better leaders make sharper calls, communicate more clearly, and get more from the people around them. The research backs this up: roughly 70% of people who work with a coach report better performance, relationships, and communication.
Source: ICF
People who stay
Poor leadership is the number one reason people walk: about 83% would leave, or have left, a job over poor culture. Develop the people doing the leading, and the culture that keeps good staff tends to follow.
Source: SEEK
Teams that feel backed
Coaching is a signal as much as a skill-build. Around 85% of employees say an employer-funded coaching and mentoring program shows that their employer genuinely cares about them.
Source: Randstad RiseSmart
A return you can see
This is an investment, not a cost. Of the companies that could measure it, 86% said they at least made back what they put into coaching.
Source: ICF
These are figures from 4 independent sources, not Growth Korner marketing. They describe the direction coaching moves people, not a promise about any single engagement. Your own result depends on your situation, the work you put in, and the fit between you and your coach, which is exactly what the free strategy call is there to test.
Coaching pays its way
The numbers are consistent across the research: people stay, perform, and grow when their development is taken seriously.
of employees
say an employer-funded coaching and mentoring program shows that their employer cares about them.
Source: Randstad RiseSmart
of people
would leave, or have left, a job due to poor culture. Poor leadership is the top reason people walk.
Source: SEEK
of coachees
improve their work performance, relationships, and communication through coaching.
Source: ICF
of companies
that could measure it said they at least made back their initial investment in coaching.
Source: ICF
Better leaders build the kind of culture people do not want to leave. Invest in the people doing the leading, and retention, engagement, and results tend to follow.
In their words
Leaders who took the leap
“I was incredibly happy with my experience of having Stefan support me through my different professional challenges. Stefan was very skilled at guiding me through not only what my issue or challenge was, but action items for me to act upon and grow personally and professionally.”
Andy E.
Change Manager
“I wholeheartedly endorse Stefan's services to anyone seeking personal growth and development. Without his unwavering support, I am certain that I would not be able to look back on the past few weeks with a genuine sense of pride in my accomplishments.”
Cyd B.
Senior Designer & Brand Manager
“Working with Stefan as my professional coach has been a game-changer. His genuine connection and rapport-building skills instilled trust and motivated me to tackle my goals head-on. Setting meaningful objectives together led to immediate, positive results, surpassing my expectations.”
Steve M.
Consultant
Common questions, answered
Still weighing it up? The fastest way to a clear answer is a free 30 minute strategy call. No pressure, no script.
Book your free strategy callWho is coaching with Growth Korner for?
Mostly first-time and emerging leaders: people who have just stepped into managing others, or are about to. We also work with established managers, business owners with people responsibility, and organisations developing their next generation of leaders. If you are navigating the shift from doing the work to leading the people, you are in the right place.
What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?
Coaching is a thought-provoking partnership where you set goals, uncover insight, and create actions you own and are accountable for. Mentoring is an experienced guide sharing wisdom and direction from real experience. Stefan blends both, drawing on years of leadership at adidas HQ and his certification as a professional coach, so you get the right mix for your situation.
How are the sessions run, and how long are they?
One-on-one coaching and mentoring sessions run for around 60 minutes and are held in person in Adelaide or via video conference, whichever suits you. We meet on a regular cadence agreed up-front, working on the development areas you identify, such as communication and feedback, delegation, or handling difficult situations.
What does the free strategy call involve?
It is a relaxed 30 minute conversation, at no cost and no obligation. We talk through where you are, what is getting in the way, and what success would look like. If it is a fit, we map out a tailored program. If it is not, you still leave with clarity. Either way is fine.
Do you work with whole teams and organisations, not just individuals?
Yes. Alongside 1-on-1 coaching, Growth Korner offers team coaching, group facilitation, and themed workshops tailored to your organisation's goals. These are designed to lift self-awareness, improve communication, and strengthen leadership across your people, with content shaped to fit your business.
Is the coaching tailored, or a fixed program?
Every program is tailored to your individual and business needs. We start from your real challenges and goals, then build a strategic framework around them. There is no one-size-fits-all package, because the change you need is specific to you.
Where is Growth Korner based, and do you work remotely?
Growth Korner is based in Adelaide, South Australia, and works with leaders locally and right across the country. In-person sessions are available in Adelaide, and video conferencing means distance is never a barrier to getting started.
How do I get started?
Book a free strategy call through the form on this page with a little detail about your role and what you would like to work on. We will be in touch to arrange a time, and take it from there. Your next big leap in growth is just a message away.
Ready to write your own shift?
Every story here started the same way: a free 30 minute strategy call. We talk through where you are, what is getting in the way, and the one change that would make the biggest difference, with no pressure to go further.