When I came to Sophie for coaching, I was navigating a career spread across project management, civil society and government dialogue, policy analysis and communication, with no clear professional identity.

Two transformative shifts define my experience of Sophie's coaching. The first was a deliberate pivot into Health and Safety, and Environment and Social Safeguards, a specialisation that unlocked consultancy contracts with IDB, high-profile assignments with ExxonMobil (Guyana), the Caribbean Development Bank and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, and a field in which I now operate as a specialist. The second occurred in 2025 when Sophie coached me through a landmark career transition from working mostly in the Caribbean to securing an international posting in South Korea as an Environmental and Social Lead Specialist at the Green Climate Fund - the world's premier climate finance institution - through a rigorous five-stage six-months interview process. I believe neither would have happened without Sophie's coaching.

I continue to work with Sophie today as I settle into this new environment and pursue the goal of being the sought-after Health and Safety and Environmental and Social Lead Specialists within the institution. I would recommend her without hesitation to any institution looking to give their talent pool an advantage or professional who is looking to add value to their profession or is at a career crossroads. Sophie doesn't just support your next step, she helps you build the foundation for every step after that.

Kevin B, Incheon, South Korea

Working with Sophie was a truly valuable experience. When I started coaching, I was looking for greater clarity and confidence in my professional direction and decision-making. Through our work together, I gained new perspectives, developed practical strategies, and felt more confident in moving forward.

 What stood out most was Sophie’s combination of strong coaching expertise, professional experience, and genuine empathy. She created a supportive space while also asking the right questions to challenge my thinking and help me find my own solutions.

 The impact of our sessions was both immediate and lasting, helping me approach challenges with greater confidence and focus. I would absolutely recommend Sophie to colleagues seeking a thoughtful, skilled coach who can support meaningful professional growth.

Carolina L, Washington DC - USA

I work in a fast-paced organization where everything and everyone felt like a priority. Last year the organization was short staffed, and I started to struggle to prioritize the increase work requests and often felt overwhelmed. I engaged in formal coaching with Sophie Makonnen to navigate these challenges. From the very first session, Sophie was professional and supportive, guiding me to find my own solutions instead of handing me ready-made answers. This approach not only enabled me to tackle my prioritization problems but also helped me to uncover related challenges such as time management and communication. The most rewarding part of the experience was the perspective shift I experienced. Changing how I view situations, how I feel about them and how I respond is my everyday routine now. I would highly recommend Sophie Makonnen’s professional coaching service to anyone who may be experiencing the same challenges because they can definitely benefit from guidance in a similar high pressure environment.

Mark P - Georgetown, Guyana

At the beginning of my coaching, my main challenge was to better understand my goals and to feel more confident in certain situations.

Through our work together, I learned to organize myself better, to step back and to believe more in my abilities. I noticed an improvement in the way I make decisions and handle everyday challenges.

What I found most valuable in this experience was the attentiveness, the support and the accompaniment tailored to my reality. I felt understood and encouraged throughout the entire process.

Yes, I would recommend this coaching to a colleague, as it allows you to grow both personally and professionally, in a caring and respectful environment.

Cherline E, Ottawa - Canada

My main challenge was navigating a power imbalance with shareholders who used their political influence to intimidate me and my business partner, making it difficult to assert our interests. To address this, I sought Sophie's coaching to build the confidence and communication skills necessary to engage with them assertively.

Sophie's approach empowered me to harness my strengths and strategic mindset, the very foundations of my company. This transformation bolstered my confidence and communication skills, enabling me to handle intimidating situations with poise.

This was, without question, the most significant turning point of my experience.

I highly recommend signing up for Sophie's coaching. The most invaluable aspect of my experience was the profound awakening of a deep belief in my abilities (which I had always overlooked), which empowered me to face both corporate and personal challenges with renewed strength and purpose. I truly believe you would benefit immensely from her coaching and insights!

Kerri G, Georgetown - Guyana

When I began coaching with Sophie, it was after a promotion that placed me in charge not only of a large team, but also of a significant budget. The level of responsibility was new to me. Although I had held management roles before, I had never carried responsibility on this scale.

I found the transition very lonely. It was difficult to supervise so many different people, each with their own interests, priorities, and mandates. My day-to-day work was also marked by frequent crises because of the nature of my role, and I had to learn how to respond to them while protecting my team so they could continue doing their work.

The most significant shift for me was realizing that leading my team did not mean carrying every problem or responsibility on my own. Through coaching, I learned to self-regulate in moments of pressure, delegate more effectively, step back, and reconnect with my own inner resources so I could stay above the fray.

I also learned to trust my intuition in how I organized my days, to prioritize more clearly, and to distinguish between what was important and what was urgent.

Sophie’s patience and understanding of the institutional environment were critical to this process. I would certainly work with Sophie again if I were facing another professional transition, and I would recommend her to anyone navigating a significant shift in responsibility, leadership, or organizational complexity.

This support helped me step more fully into my leadership role, with greater clarity, calm, and confidence.

Corinne T, San Jose - Costa Rica

Coaching with Sophie has helped me turn my aspirations into concrete action while also identifying and developing areas where I can grow. It has encouraged me to put myself forward more, which has helped me build stronger relationships with my peers.

Coaching has also strengthened my confidence in managing my team’s performance. It has helped me better motivate and inspire them, while creating space for them to find their own solutions to challenges.

I would recommend one-on-one coaching with Sophie because it has enabled me to contribute more meaningfully to the organization and to better understand my capabilities, strengths, and personality. I see coaching as a valuable tool that I will continue to use to maximize my potential.

Emily D, Toronto - Canada

My one-to-one coaching with Sophie helped me recognize my value more clearly and strengthened my confidence in handling difficult situations and working with different people.

Kai L, Montreal - Canada

Coaching with Sophie helped me make meaningful changes in my professional life. These changes strengthened my self-confidence and expanded my sense of what is possible. I now have a clearer understanding of what I bring to the table and how to make the best use of my experience, skills, and knowledge.

Sandra V, Montreal - Canada

Coaching has helped me feel, that I am on a career path that truly reflects what I want. I now have clearer goals and a stronger belief that what I want to achieve is possible, as long as I trust myself and take practical steps toward it.

The process has been energizing and motivating. I had heard that Sophie takes a genuine interest in her clients and their ambitions, and my experience confirmed this. I felt supported, understood, and encouraged to move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Aminata D, Lomé - Togo

Working with Sophie was an incredibly valuable professional development experience. I had been feeling stuck, as though my career had been sitting on a shelf. Through coaching, I realized that there were many more possibilities available to me than I had seen before, and that my skills were both valuable and transferable.

Sophie has a real talent for helping you look at what you do from a different perspective. That gave me the confidence I needed to dare, move forward, and take meaningful next steps.

I would certainly recommend coaching to anyone who feels ready for a career shift but needs the right support and encouragement to take the next step.

Valerie B, Laval - Canada