To celebrate International Women’s Day, Sussex Exclusive has been catching up with some of the many interesting women of Sussex.
What strikes you when you start chatting to Laura Osman is her warmth and humour. She is big on smiles, loves to find out more about you and is clearly a very smart and highly accomplished woman, with an intriguing background. Laura is a qualified senior coaching practitioner and associate lecturer at the University of East London. For the last ten years, she has worked with a wide range of organisations, from global brands through to the NHS. But as you’ll discover in this interview, her journey to becoming a coaching queen began in the mountains near Valencia.
You have a creative background …
Acting came first, it gave me a deep understanding of presence and communication. Then I trained as a Drama teacher which made me realise how much I loved helping others to find their voice and confidence.
Tell me about your adventures with a camper van
My husband, Jay and I were working long hours, missing precious time with our young girls. We wanted an adventure and more time together. So, we left our jobs, sold our house, bought a VW camper van, put the kids in the back, and set off with no real plan. We travelled through France, Spain, and Portugal, living in the van before settling in the mountains near Valencia, where we lived for five amazing years. Looking back, it was a bit of a bonkers thing to do but I’m glad we had the courage to go for it.
When you were living in the mountains, you had a eureka moment about your next big career?
The one precious thing that leaving the UK gave us, alongside a hefty dose of family time, was time to think about what we loved and wanted from life. I decided I wanted to bring together my love of people and my performance and facilitation skills to build something unique and have loads of fun in the process.
You created BEAM, a business to make people brave… share more!
I coach and train leaders and teams to get the results they want. It’s not easy. It requires brave conversations and leaning into listening, empathy, and self-awareness. It means people stepping out of comfort zones and being vulnerable, which takes courage. Whether I am coaching someone 1-1 or facilitating a room of 100 people, I find that using my methodology, Beamology™ helps me build that space, with the focus on connection, courage, and playfulness. A safe environment helps people to be brave.
Tell me about some of the clients you’ve worked with and the projects
I step into many different worlds. From team coaching with global brands, to shaping leadership programmes for education trusts, coaching NHS leaders, and supporting culture change in a London borough council. I have even delivered training for a rave bingo company, which as you can imagine, was fun. Different organisations, yes, but the heart of my work is always the same. I help humans bring out the best in themselves and each other.
You’re enthusiastic about helping women especially to find their voice, celebrate their accents and embrace their backgrounds
Too many women have learned to soften, shrink, or edit themselves to fit in. As a working-class girl from Merseyside with an accent, I used to feel as though I had to mould myself to fit in. Over the years, I have learned to love and accept myself and I’m passionate about helping other women, do the same. In May, I’m hosting ‘Confidence Camp’ in Horsham, a workshop designed for women who are ready to step into their power, set clear boundaries and ask for what they need, without carrying guilt. All profits are going to ‘Safe in Sussex,’ a charity supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse.
What’s next for BEAM?
I want to keep working with organisations that genuinely care about people. We know AI is here to stay so creating cultures of trust, human connection and belonging is going to be more important than ever.
How do you keep your petrol tank full when you spend your working day supporting others?
No ice baths or 5 am yoga! Very simple things bring me joy, for example, hugging my kids, eating Paella, keeping the adventures going in Marv, our campervan. Dancing and screeching to Kate Bush songs in the kitchen. Our house is very lively; we have a lot of fun. I love a good laugh…laughing is what refills my tank the most.
What has been your biggest challenge as your own boss and your greatest joy?
Running a business is hard graft. My biggest challenge is accepting that I can’t carry everything on my own. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD which came as a shock to me, not so much to family and friends! It has helped answer a lot of questions. I’ve also learnt to ask for help with certain tasks which has been a real game changer.
My greatest joy is doing the work I love every day and witnessing those magical moments of growth and transformation in others.
Who do you turn to for support and guidance?
My husband, Jay, is my rock. He makes me laugh and keeps me sane. I’m also the oldest of seven and my six siblings are my secret weapon. If I’m having a proper wobble, I give one of them a call. They’ll say ‘Laura, Stop being a divvy, remember who you are, remember you are loved and get out there.’ Which is usually just what I need.
Any unfulfilled ambitions?
Just to make work better for everyone on the planet! That’s not too ambitious, is it? Honestly, my greatest ambition is to be the best mum I can be to my three girls. If I reach the end of my life knowing I did that, I can look back and be proud that I got the important things right.
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