ABOUT MICHELLE
I've sat in every seat.
Business owner. Franchisee. Head office leader. Founder. Trainer and speaker.
Today, I help businesses grow by developing the people who lead them. I work with franchisors, business owners and leadership teams to build confident leaders, strengthen performance and turn good intentions into action through practical coaching, training and development.
For 26 years I've been on every side of the table, and I've supported more than 1,000 business owners along the way. So when you tell me what's going on in your business, there's a good chance I've seen it before. Often, I've lived it.
I also know what it costs to hold everything together when nobody else can see how heavy it's got. That's why I do this work.
Book A Cuppa & a Natter
Three seats. One career.
THE OWNER
I launched my first business on an army base in Germany while my husband served. I rebuilt it around the UK with every posting, then built and ran three franchises in Wales from scratch.
THE LEADER
I spent 17 years in franchise development, recruiting and growing owners, then leading at head office level across hundreds of franchise groups.
THE FOUNDER
In January 2025 I started Michelle Reade Coaching, to give business owners the support I wish I'd had.
MY STORY
From the outside, it looked like success.
For years, my job was helping other people build businesses they were proud of. I was good at it, and I loved it.
Then I took a role that looked perfect on paper and fell apart in reality.
I cried in the car on the way to head office and blamed the traffic. I pinched my hand under the table in meetings just to hold it together. I'd built my whole working life around everyone else's success and never stopped to ask whether mine was working for me.
Eventually, I broke down completely.
Taking time off gave me the space to see what needed to change. When my daughter told me she wanted to go to university, I knew I had to build something of my own.
Then, sitting on a client's sofa, I heard her say, "I can't believe you're not building your own business after everything you've done."
She was right. That was the moment.
Here's what burnout taught me: it wasn't a sign I couldn't cope. It was a sign that the way I was working had to change.
I see the same thing in the owners I work with now. They aren't failing. They've built something real. But the business has grown, and the way they lead it hasn't grown with it.
"You couldn't ask for a more dedicated, supportive and knowledgeable mentor."
"Michelle has helped me gain a much better understanding of my business, identify opportunities for growth, and given me the confidence to make positive changes. She genuinely cares about the people she works with and is fully invested in helping them succeed."
Elena Mlajiceanu
Managing Director, GoodOaks Homecare Mid Sussex
HOW I WORK
We don't start with hustle. We start with honesty.
What's working? What's costing you more than it should? Where's the gap between the effort you put in and what you get back?
Then we fix it. Not by making you work harder. By helping you lead better.
Most coaches stay at 30,000 feet. I get into the detail with you. The numbers, the difficult conversation, the loan application, the cashflow review, the decision you already know the answer to. Whatever you need that day, that's the hat I wear.
And I keep my client list small on purpose. It's not a programme with 200 people in it. It's me, properly in your business, for as long as you need me.
MY APPROACH
The Courage to Grow™ framework
Clarity
Know where you're going and what needs to change.
Confidence
Make decisions without second-guessing yourself.
Connection
Build a team and client base that grows with you.
Courage
Do the thing before you feel ready.
PRESS, PODCASTS, STAGES & RECOGNITION
In the news and on stage
Finalist, UK StartUp Awards 2026 · Board Director, Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce · Member, TOP Networking Poole
Speaker and trainer at the STA Conference, Womanifest, Utility Warehouse and Chamber of Commerce events
BOURNEMOUTH ECHO
THE INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ENTREPRENEUR
The Silent Exit: Why High-Performing Franchisees Are Drifting Away →
DORSET BUSINESS MATTERS PODCAST
Episode 14: 17 years scaling franchises, and the identity shift of going it alone →
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
THE EMPOWERMENT COACH, WITH DONNA MARTIN
When Success Stops Feeling Like Success: watch on YouTube →
Burnout, starting again, and finding my way back to what matters.
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Away from the desk
Most days start with a cuppa in my favourite mug, scribbling ideas before the world wakes up.
When I'm not working, you'll find me walking the beach with Fudge. Sand in my shoes, fresh air and space to think. It's where I reset and come back with my best ideas.
I've always been someone who sees potential in people before they see it in themselves. Most business owners don't need telling they're not good enough. They need someone to remind them what they're capable of.
I'll challenge you when you need it, back you when it's hard, and remind you of your strengths on the days your confidence takes a knock.
You might be surprised what's possible when you stop carrying it all on your own.
Start with A Cuppa & a Natter. Thirty minutes, no pitch, no pressure. Just a proper conversation about where you are and what would make the biggest difference.
Book A Cuppa & a Natter