The Unexpected Path to My First Coaching Client

How Helping One Person Led to a Coaching Career

Sometimes, the most unexpected opportunities lead to life-changing transformations. 

In 2015, my partner asked if I could help a young man named Daniel enter private service. He had a background in hospitality but lacked experience in the private sector. 

Daniel was eager but uncertain, and I was about to guide him toward an answer he wasn’t expecting.

Daniel had been a concierge at a five-star hotel, but after the hotel was sold to Middle Eastern developers, he struggled to return to the industry. He took a job as a telephone operator at The Dorchester in London, but deep down, he wanted more. He thought private service was the answer—until he experienced it firsthand.

I invited Daniel to a prime London townhouse where my friend, a house manager, worked. Over tea, I asked my friend to walk Daniel through the daily tasks of a houseman. Then, we discussed how the role would change when the principals were in town. Daniel listened intently. He observed the grandeur of the house. He absorbed the responsibilities. Then, something shifted.

After the house tour, I asked Daniel, “Now that you know a bit about this role, how do you feel?” 

He looked at me and said, “I’m not interested in this position anymore.”

I was surprised. I asked him why.

He replied, “I got influenced into private service because of my experience in hospitality. 

But when you asked what brings me joy, I realized it was being a concierge. 

"That’s what I loved. That’s what I want to do.” 

This moment changed everything.

Daniel asked if I could help him return to his vocation, and I agreed. We scheduled coaching sessions where we analyzed why he had struggled to secure a position.

The issue wasn’t his skills, passion, or experience. It was how he presented himself. Daniel was unknowingly applying based on what he thought employers wanted, but he wasn’t communicating his true value in a way that resonated with them.

As an international candidate from Hungary, he was fluent in English but struggled to position himself for the UK market. Once I helped him understand how employers saw him and how to frame his strengths effectively, everything changed.

Using the exact strategy we worked on, Daniel secured a concierge position in just 12 weeks. Within 8 months, he landed the role he truly aspired to. 

Daniel invited my family and me for dinner on the terrace of a five-star hotel in London. 

That night, I saw a man who had found his way back to his passion—and I realised I had just coached my first paid client. This satisfaction and fulfilment gave me a joy and satisfaction, and as Daniel found his element, I got a taste of what brings me joy.  

Today, Daniel is one of London’s leading concierges. His transformation wasn’t about gaining new skills—it was about aligning his identity with his true strengths and communicating them effectively.

Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come when we stop chasing what we think we should do and start embracing what truly makes us come alive. 

Success isn’t just about working hard—it’s about presenting ourselves in a way that fits the market we want to serve.

If you feel stuck in your career, maybe it’s not your skills that need work—it’s how you position yourself.