Testimonials
Read and hear what our students are saying about their experiences training with Optimus. We have students who enrol that are right at the start of their journey and are brand new to coaching all the way through to full time experienced coaches.
Louise Roberts
Ruth Wood
Executive and Leadership Coach
"The financial impact has been quite significant actually. I am charging way more than I would have been comfortable doing before. I've well and truly more than earned back the cost of the course. So the ROI for me is well worth it. I think as well from a credibility perspective, I am able to work with organisations in a different way and at a different level "
Darren Micallef
Coach and Mentor
The one thing that I can say that Optimus has done extremely well, and there are many, but the one that comes to mind is the mentoring piece that is provided... We have an intimate one on one time with a mentor to sort of go through different and allows us to ask questions and to really be coached by somebody else through the whole process. And then we had the group mentoring which was also a nice little added feature."
What made you sign up to the professional coach diploma?
“My background is in education, and I am still involved in that sector. They want professional qualifications and professional experience and I think credibility is really important.
I think first and foremost you were the person who encouraged me to sign up: this is because I know how awesome you are and I know how seriously you take coaching. The second reason was because of the professional nature of it. I wanted to go into corporate and into schools. And to work in these sectors, you need to get a professional certification.
It's everything that I thought it would be and probably, even more.
I love the flexibility around it and I've met some amazing people.
I love the feedback part and I think that's very important: it's amazing to have someone to listen to you, give you advice and also motivate and boost.
I would say: if you're considering coaching, I would definitely book a call with Ruth.”
“I've been looking for a long time on and off for coaching. At that point in time I felt like the coaching was quite surface and didn't go into depth and I really wanted that at the time but I've always kept my eye out to see what else is out there and it has evolved over the years. Coaching training has definitely got better and better. I did my research, and I wanted something that was kind of an all in one package, that gave you the business mentoring, personal mentoring training, not too big a cohort where it felt personal and it felt like you could kind of feel like a bit of a community vibe, the direct route to the accreditation, no hidden costs no kind of, oh by the way, you now need to pay £500 or £1000 to get accredited or get mentoring. Everything's transparent, everything's there. For me the breadth is a big thing. I'm an integrative therapist. I have been for the last 10 years and I look for breadth and I look for being able to draw from different traditions and develop my own style and to be encouraged to do that. When I saw this training, it didn't take me long to kind of sign up to be honest.
It has exceeded my expectations. I knew it would be good training, I knew I wanted to get that practice and the skills but I think growing as a person has been a nice surprise. I feel like I've got more confidence. I've made some really nice friendships and relationships on the course which I don't think you could do on the bigger trainings. We started in October, and we're in January now and in three months I can feel the difference. I can see how my brain is thinking about these theories and the triad practice is so important. Every week we're doing that so you feel like you're learning and you're putting it into practice every week. For me, it's exceeded it. I don't normally put myself up for these videos or to kind of like promote people's things but I was really happy to come on here and answer any questions. If anyone's on the fence, feel free to drop me a message or if I haven't answered your questions today because I'm happy to talk about what a great experience has been.
I'd say, yes, it's an investment. And you know, everyone has to think long and hard about where you put your time and your money, but the me. If you want something comprehensive, well rounded, you want an experience to be able to grow as a person, to grow as a coach, to be more business minded, and to have a community of people around you and great trainers and mentors. This for me, hands down is the best training out there. And I think just three months down the line, I don't regret it at all, if anything, I'm happy to sort of encourage other people to jump on it and do it, it's really worth it is more than worth it.”
What has your experience been so far?
“ When I was introduced to The Kudzi Coaching Academy & what was on offer, it was a must do moment! Since stepping into the learning arena, the diploma course & all that’s on offer, has far exceeded any expectations! The support is immense, the culture created is truly unique. The skills I'm learning is exactly what I needed!”
How are you hoping to use the course?
“I know this training will give me the foundational understanding & subsequent skill sets to excel as a coach, combined with the broad range of disciplines that will further serve my clients. To me the accreditation is a seal of dedication to help my clients create the life they so desire.”
What would you say to anyone considering the course?
“Over the coming years there’s going to be a shift in the Coaching landscape, that being, it will become the norm & expected that if you operate as a coach you must be qualified & accredited, to be taken seriously & to be able to build a sustainable coaching practice. My advice to anyone thinking about whether to do this training is, don’t think it, just do it! Your investment will be returned back to you many times over, in so many ways. You will absolutely love what you will discover!”
“Before I started the coach training I was looking to refresh and develop my coaching skills and get a recognised qualification. The part of the coach training that I most enjoyed has been putting coaching into practice within the sessions and observing others coaching (Ruth and my peers). Now that I am further along the coach training, I already feel more confident and 100% sure I have chosen the right thing. A transformation that I'm most proud of is that I am a better coach.
The part of the coach training that I most enjoyed has been getting to know the other students, reading and learning about the different models. Now that I am further along the coach training, I already feel more confident in my abilities and knowledge of coaching. A transformation that I'm most proud of is getting comfortable with talking within groups.”
What made you sign up to the coach training?
"I got into coaching last year and I knew that I wanted to get a qualification. I did look at other programs, but when I had the consultation with you I realized everything I was looking for is all blended in your course and I thought it was the right thing for me to do.
On the course, I literally come out of every session thinking "wow lightbulb moment". It's been so great because I've discovered a lot about myself.
I am not only learning tools about how to help other people. I'm learning tools to help myself.
When I need some self-coaching I can definitely do that and every week I learned something new for me to add.
It is helping me a lot from my previous business when I was coaching with no tools. Now I have more tools in my bag than I could ever ask for."
What would you say to someone considering signing up?
"If you're looking for something that's not going to just only help your clients, but help you as well, I would definitely sign up for it. It's helped me in more ways than one, in terms of all the different tools that we're learning different methods that we’re learning.
I'm self-coaching myself every day and I'm finding that I'm actually becoming a better person by using the tools from the course that I'm learning.
I love the Community. If you want just more than a course, more than a community, then definitely sign up."
“I can 110% recommend Ruth's coach training. It came at a perfect time for me as I was looking to branch out with the services I offered clients and it has worked out really well.
The sessions were well-timed and well-paced, with the right amount of support and feedback. I was part of a fantastic cohort of women I found the online format engaging and convenient. With lots of opportunities to work with Ruth and others on the course, as well as mentoring sessions, we were able to learn a huge amount over the seven-month duration.
If you are looking for a coaching course that really delivers and a trainer who cares, this is it!”
“I did my due diligence before I signed up for Optimus Coach Academy. I spoke to people who had been on other courses but the one thing that kept coming up was that to be properly accredited you had to fork out more money after the course. I wanted an all-in-one accredited course with someone who was respected in the industry.
I spoke to Ruth and I had a chat with many of the alumni; every single one of them was glowing about the course and extremely positive. I am on the course now and it has been a great experience.
I have grown as a person, not just the coaching knowledge but everything else that comes with it. I almost don't recognise myself. I am a different person and I will be a different person by the time I finish with the confidence to go out into the world as a credible coach.
The community and support in the groups is great, the coaching triads where we coach and get feedback on our coaching is priceless, we get coaching practice every week and the course is continually improving.
100% Just do it.”
“The part of the coach training that I most enjoyed has been getting to know the other students, reading and learning about the different models. Now that I am further along the coach training, I already feel more confident in my abilities and knowledge of coaching. A transformation that I'm most proud of is getting comfortable with talking within groups.”
What made you sign up to the coach training?
“When I was looking for coach training there was a lot out there to choose from. I felt overwhelmed looking at all of the programs and didn't know what to go for. After speaking to someone who knew you, recommended you and us having a call, I immediately felt that you were the right choice – as I felt that you were invested in me and my success.”
What's your experience been like so far in the program?
“When I joined the course I was a beginner and I have grown so much already in such a short space of time. I think this is down to the training and the support you get on the course; For example my amazing mentor Sandra, the sessions and the community. I can't sing your praises highly enough! The course is absolute value for money and I believe it is life-changing.
It is the sort of thing which works whether you are a beginner or more experienced: I see people on the course who have been coaching for years and want to upscale. It great to see the variety of backgrounds and experience.”
What made you sign up to the coach training?
“I was actually signed up with another training provider when your advert popped up, I think from the coaching Community about the training. And the more I looked at the content that your course provided the more I was convinced I’d signed up with the wrong one.
It includes things on positive Psychology and Neuroscience, but also the practical business element side because it's not great learning to be a fantastic coach, if you don't actually know how to market yourself and then run and sustain a business.
Then I was hooked. I cancelled the other training and hopped on board with you for the October cohort.”
What's your experience been like so far in the program?
“Fantastic right from the start, right from that sort of first initial contact. It's been exciting getting books through the post, and those books have quite literally changed my life. They are at the top of my reading list now.
And then the course content is really thorough. The trainers are just great people, and they're all there to help.
One of the things that I really love the most is how much coaching practice we do as part of the training. Then we are ready to take that out into real life and it doesn't feel scary. It doesn't feel daunting. It just feels natural because we're practising so much of it through the sessions which I think is really important.
We go into these Triad groups and we formed such lovely relationships across those groups that it's really nice.
I should probably mention how amazing everyone that's in the cohort is. It's nice to go and see them every week and to watch people progress.
It’s also really nice having that blend of people at different levels.”
What about the mentoring sessions?
“Oh my goodness. How could I not mention my mentor? I have Lucy Power and oh my goodness! I feel so lucky to have Lucy as my mentor because she's just an incredible woman. When you look at her bio and her career it’s inspirational, it really is and when you spend time in those mentoring sessions with her it unlocks so much.
It's fantastic.”
What's going on for you business-wise?
“So I have set up my business, which is coaching personal and professional development and I work with leaders right from future leaders into emerging leaders and also those semi-established leaders.
This has just been incredible for me. Because it gives me the skills, the knowledge, and the confidence I need. I've been on an incredible journey myself throughout this coach training that I think if I wasn't on, I wouldn't be able to serve my clients anywhere near as well as I do which is really powerful, really great.”
What would you say to somebody he was thinking to sign up for February?
“Let's start with whether I sign up with Ruth or do I sign it with someone else? Do your research and I will be shocked if your research throws up something that looks better than Ruth’s course because I did a lot of research!”
So in terms of should I be trained or should I not be trained?
“It's something that I actually feel quite strongly about. Now before signing up with you (because I was thinking about moving to coaching), I'd probably read a good six to eight books about coaching but it's still nothing like the training and also the training allows you to become accredited.
It allows you to become insured which is really really important. It helps to elevate the status of the industry. We've invested the time and the money in ourselves in preparing ourselves better and to be able to serve our clients properly.
I would just say go for it. Honestly, you won't regret it. It's such a diverse curriculum. It's a really supportive environment. You can get access to the coaching Hub as well, which is full of incredible resources to make use of. You know, that in itself is invaluable.
So Go for it. What have you got to lose?”