Episode Sixteen - The business of life & coaching - Through body, mind and intuition
'When I heard you say, a new identity, what I realised was it's a return to identity, so it's a back to myself. Now I understand it's a return to what I really feel as if I should be doing and where I belong’.
Aly King-Smith, Coach, founder of Clearworks, mum, wife, friend and outdoor sporty cat
From a life-changing pilgrimage along Offa's Dyke to building a new home and business in North Devon, Aly reflects on how nature became more than a backdrop; to her guide. Her decision to leave the Midlands after twenty years was the answer an inner yearning to return to the mountains, the sea and, ultimately, herself.
Drawing on her background in physiotherapy, commercial leadership and more than a decade coaching senior leaders in STEM and biotech, she explores profound shifts she's witnessed in the business world. Today's leaders are no longer asking, "How do I achieve more?" but "Who am I becoming?" and "What legacy do I want to leave?"
We dive into why taking coaching outdoors transforms quality of thought, how movement helps ‘unstuckness’, and why reconnection with our own bodies may be the first step towards reconnection with the living world. Aly shares her trust in intuition through subtle signals, patterns and inner "knowings" that emerge when we slow down and pay attention, then how she gently weaves these insights into her coaching practice.
The conversation touches on Aly's belief in reciprocity with nature and her commitment to building healthier communities through the recently founded North Devon Pickleball CIC, a not-for-profit initiative with a simple but ambitious vision: to get more people moving, connected and less lonely.
From pilgrimage, systems thinking, leadership, community and the more-than-human world, this conversation is an invitation to redefine success focused on productivity performance, to a deeper belonging, relationship and a return to what matters most.
Listen here.
About
Aly King-Smith has been leading Clearworks since 2013, working with lead teams in the STEM sector. Drawing on two decades of creating businesses, scaling initiatives, and shaping teams, she works alongside leaders to launch & lead projects and teams, clarify vision, and build high-performing cultures.
Aly is a lifelong advocate for sports and the outdoors and started her career as a physiotherapist. She champions healthy, happy, high performance and rages against the burnout epidemic that grips so many leaders now.
Aly lives & works in North Devon. Now in her mid-fifties, she has a deep interest in the wisdom that we’ve forgotten as humans, the information in our bodies, communities and in nature. After feeling the massive benefit of a long trail walk two years ago, she now encourages leaders to include walks, especially long walks (or pilgrimages) into their work together. Connecting STEM leaders who live in their heads, back to their bodies and their intuition, is bringing a real shift at Clearworks.
Website: https://clearworkscoaching.co.uk/
Insights
- Bewitched by the novel… The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, fact-based drama about women accused of witchcraft by the church, because they didn’t fall apart when the men perished..
- Inspired by the quote… The day after Trump got back in, by my friend and Coach colleague Pete Mosley: “Gather Yourself, roll up your sleeves and shine like you have never done before. Do what you can with whatever you’ve got"
- Self-described relationship with nature… It’s the only thing that can save us
- Favourite pastimes… Hiking & running with our daft dog and my husband, kayaking, playing competitive tennis and coaching pickleball. Serving a massive meal to our gorgeous kids & their partners & friends.
- Behind the scenes image... This is the perfect combination for me: Family (my son in Canada where he’s working) Mountains: Whistler mountain with the last days of snow, the harness for the fun zip lining, sunshine and fresh air. Pure joy.