Surviving & Thriving
Co-leading through uncertainty

Natalie Wilkins and Debbie Croft founded Thriving Talent in 2015 when they decided to combine efforts, merging their coaching and consultancy practices. Their shared vision is to challenge the status quo, creating inclusive cultures where diversity thrives.  Over the last 6 years they have built a thriving business with clients ranging from Deloittes and Credit Suisse to the International Olympic Committee and CERN. 

When the pandemic hit, they found corporate budgets on hold impacting the pipeline that supports their team. However, they also recognised their “Caring and Career” work particularly being more important than ever as people adapted to home working, combining family and work. 

Key lessons

1. Adapting to the market and needs of the community, while staying true to purpose.  While their paid work was impacted, the need for their support was ever more important, ramping up their social media activity sharing inspirational, practical and supportive content to help people through unique and fast changing times. 

2. Being bold, taking the time to invest and build.  Natalie and Debbie united around the decision that rather than cutting back on costs, they would use the opportunity to invest for the future, building their team and business development work. 

3. Looking out for each other’s wellbeing. Both during the depth of the uncertainty,  and the time since when the business has been ramping up to higher revenue levels than before, they actively support each other, including calling each other out when one is overworking.