sheprd – Coaching & Mentoring

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Welcome weary travelLer

Hi, I’m James, Founder of sheprd.

If for whatever reason you’ve found yourself here, then it’s possible you might need a coach. Perhaps you’re a struggling business owner severely lacking direction, or maybe you’re unable to generate enough revenue to keep your company buoyant. Maybe you’re feeling underwhelmed or unappreciated in your current job, desperate to find a career that’s more aligned to your passions, values, health and wealth.

No matter where you are or how challenging things may seem, I’m here to guide you through, around or over any obstacle, setting you on a course to fulfilment, happiness and success.

Your journey begins here…

Welcome weary travelLer

Hi, I’m James, Founder of sheprd.

If for whatever reason you’ve found yourself here, then it’s possible you might need a coach. Perhaps you’re a struggling business owner severely lacking direction, or maybe you’re unable to generate enough revenue to keep your company buoyant. Maybe you’re feeling underwhelmed or unappreciated in your current job, desperate to find a career that’s more aligned to your passions, values, health and wealth.

No matter where you are or how challenging things may seem, I’m here to guide you through, around or over any obstacle, setting you on a course to fulfilment, happiness and success.

Your journey begins here…

“It was shepherds who were the first to recognise a king that the rest of the world refused to acknowledge. So it’s not surprising that kings would talk to shepherds”

Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

business

Coaching

Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely place because everything is on you. As a business owner myself, I have grown to understand the importance of learning who I am, what my capabilities are, which path to take in order get the best results, and most importantly..

career

Coaching

I will help you realize your true potential by identifying obstacles, and navigating a path around them. Together, we will make vital adjustments in your current trajectory, leading you towards a direction that’s more impactful and aligned to your financiaL…

leadership

Coaching

Leadership coaching is a specialised form of professional guidance focused on helping individuals, typically executives, managers, or emerging leaders, develop and enhance their leadership skills and abilities. Leadership coaches work with clients to …

SALES

Coaching

Are you in the midst of building a new salesforce? Would you like to improve the performance of your existing team to help them achieve their targets? Do you desperately need one to one training to help you increase your revenue numbers for the next…

Why choose me as your coach?

Is it appropriate for me to disclose that I’ve encountered personal challenges and setbacks during my journey? Yes, absolutely! I proudly ware my losses as a badge of honor because to truly understand the euphoric highs of business and career success, one has to have faced the emotional anxieties, disappointments and frustrations of extreme hardship, loss, and even bankruptcy. These difficult times in the chapters of my life, have provided me with invaluable insights which I share with my clients so that they can avoid making similar mistakes. As the old saying goes “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Never was a truer word spoken!

So, if you’re looking for an empathetic coach with genuine real-life experience who has wondered the wilderness and overcome adversity, only to lead themselves to greener pastures, then look no further.

I AM HERE TO HELP

Strategic Planning
Business Scalability
Revenue Generation
Brand Strategy
Financial Forecasting
Sales Growth
Leadership Motivation
Talent Development
Performance Management
Self Confidence
Mindset Transformation
Imposter Syndrome
Career Planning
Personal Development
Setting Bounderies
Limiting Beliefs

Masood Naseeb

Chief Executive Officer

Elysian Real Estate

Dubai, UAE
James is an endearing character who has helped me throughout my business journey. Over a 15 year period he has continued to support my real estate company, providing guidance, strategic…
Business

…planning, manpower development, sales training, brand evolution, and most importantly helping me to attract key people that become vital to the growth of the organization. His unique approach to challenges and consistent professionalism helped me to become one of the leading property brokerage firms in Dubai and for that I’m grateful. I would be more than happy to recommend James to any business leader.

Firas Al Masada

Chief Executive Officer

Fäm Properties

Dubai, UAE

I was introduced to James at a critical time for fäm. We were approaching our 10 year anniversary and I was struggling to increase my sales team from 70 to 100 people…

Business

…James understood my need to grow the company and after a diligent analysis of our entire business he set to work on building a strategic roadmap and action plan. James’ initiatives included the restructuring of our HR department, local and international recruitment events, building the fäm Academy, rolling out KPI’s for the entire salesforce, developing underperformers to meet and exceed targets, disruptive marketing activities and leadership coaching. Today, fäm Group is the largest real estate firm in the UAE, with over 500 sales people in 15 offices throughout Dubai. James was a vital component to fäm’s brand strategy, financial growth and human capital, and I would highly recommend him to any business looking to expand or individual wanting to advance their career.

Imran A. Sheikh

Chief Executive Officer

BlackOak Real Estate

Dubai, UAE

People say change is hard. It is, but has proven to be more achievable when you have someone like James as your business coach and consultant to guide you through the process…

Business

… Although I am one of three active partners in the company, none of us had the expertise or knowhow to remold and optimise our firm into a more structured and efficient business. Since day one, the interaction with James was about identifying our strengths and weaknesses, raising awareness of blind spots, and becoming more self-aware as leaders. His extensive knowledge of sales planning, attracting talent, performance management, brand development and marketing within the real estate sector sets him apart from any coach or consultant in the market. I would highly recommend James to any business owner seeking to elevate and maximise their organisation.

Karim Yazji

Chief Executive Officer

Ask Real Estate

Manama, Bahrain

James was referred to me as someone who could help unlock the true potential of my firm, and provide a positive impact. I was a little skeptical whether he could fulfill my requirements…

Business

…through just virtual meetings. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as he set to work with pace, immediately identifying strengths and weaknesses within the organisation, creating an impressive strategy and roadmap. Moreover, he was able to offer additional coaching to my sales team, and was instrumental in helping me identify areas with the company such as weak brand and poor career growth. I further leveraged on his experience by attracting talent to scale up my sales team. James was able to transform my business thanks to his insights in marketing, which helped me generate more leads, and improve my lead to sale conversion. Within a few months my company started showing a sharp increase in revenue and I am confident that we would not have achieved this without his help.

Marius Klerk

Chief Executive Officer

iventionair

Netherlands & UAE
I had a mandate which involved setting up a new company in the UAE. My team and I were all industry experts in the Netherlands but we had no experience of doing business in the GCC…
Business
…James had a wealth of knowledge and time in the region, and together we set about building a commercial strategy to support my short, medium, and long-term objectives. Having James as my business coach and consultant was invaluable to supporting the launch of my business, helping me to zero in on problems that I had not foreseen, while guiding me to prioritise important tasks, and focus on commercial aspects of the company which I had overlooked. In short, James was always there to give me guidance, and no matter the concern, he could always find the way out, turning every negative into positive. For any international business owner planning to set up in the Emirates, someone like James will help smoothen the transition.

Marian Fletcher

Founder

The Climate Consultancy

Dubai, UAE

James played a pivotal role in refining the sales strategy and enhancing the overall profitability and sustainability of my company. His expertise in sales, people management and…

Business

…business operations allowed him to support my company in a very holistic way, ranging from support refining my brand to advice on how to grow my team, develop my sales funnel and articulate my company’s mission and vision. His deep insights into business operations were evident, as was his passion for supporting entrepreneurs focused on the sustainability and social impact space. What distinguishes James is his personalized commitment to his clients’ success. He didn’t offer generic solutions; instead, he worked closely with me to develop a comprehensive plan addressing both short-term gains and long-term stability. His patient explanations and clear communication made him a delight to work with and I would wholeheartedly recommend him to other entrepreneurs needing guidance on how to scale their business.

Mags Byrne

Chief Executive Officer

EStars

Dubai, UAE
As business consultants and mentors go, James is certainly up there with the best of them. He took the time to understand my business objectives, providing me with sound advice which he…
Business
…has obviously developed throughout his time as a coach and business advisor in the UAE. Being a startup in a new country was an extremely daunting experience for me, and I was very apprehensive of making decisions in the early stages of the business. However, once I connected with James I immediately felt at ease, confident in the knowledge that I could leverage on James for support. James also helped me to source good people whom I recruited, and in addition provided me with a human resource support service to which I was very grateful. James will be a great asset to any new startup business owner as they will soon discover when retaining his services.

Servane Collette

Managing Director

Invicta Med

Manama, Bahrain

James was referred to me as someone who could help unlock the true potential of my firm, and provide a positive impact. I was a little skeptical whether he could fulfill my requirements…
Business
…own business but there were still gaps. James’ unwavering support, advise and resourceful approach to certain challenges I faced helped me push through barriers with ease. His wealth of experience in supporting startup businesses like mine proved to be invaluable. He has a particularly talent when it comes to commercial strategy and business development, and even when there were occasions of disappoint, James was able to see the silver lining, turning every negative into a positive learn curve. On a personal level, he is a very empathetic, passionate and approachable person, and to this day is still someone I go to for advice.

Mehrin Mohsini

Communications Manager
Dubai, UAE
I have known James for almost 15 years and its thanks to him that I was able to change my career not once but multiple times. He is someone I repeatedly turned to over the years, especially…
Career

…when I feelt lost and need guidance with my career and my life. He’s patient and guiding, and has a tremendous network of people who admire him. After years of constantly moving from job to job in various industries I finally cracked into the world of luxury hospitality (without a hospitality background). This was thanks to James who helped me identify my strengths and gave me the confidence to win a senior role with a 5 Star hotel, which was the perfect career stepping stone that helped me to secure my current dream job. I consider James as one of the best career coaches out there, and I would recommend him to anyone who’s looking for a new start or promotion.

Gamal Anwar

Senior Partnerships Consultant
Dubai, UAE
Before I met James, I used to feel anxiety and a lack direction in my job. I would constantly question my capabilities, while feeling sidelined from important tasks, unable to see a future career…
Career
…in my role or the company. James took the time to listen and understand my concerns, helping me to see beyond the challenges, and giving me hope and encouragement throughout our time together. He has a unique style of coaching, and is able to immediately identify the negatives, dealing with problematic areas head on. He gave me enormous confidence, and helped me to focus on new objectives, always delivering sound advice in a way that was more like a friend than a mentor. Since meeting him I have been promoted, and saw my income increase which as you can imagine felt great. We have stayed in touch and continue to be friends, and so if you need a good coach I would highly recommend James.

Deema Barakat

Sales & Marketing Director
Dubai, UAE
James has played and an important role in the development of my career, spanning over many years, in both the UK and the UAE. He was instrumental in teaching me the fundamentals of…
Career
…negotiating and was one of my first sales coaches. I struggled to find work when I first arrived in Dubai, but thanks to James’ unwavering support, I was able to secure a great job, even though I was underqualified. He has a natural ability to put people at ease, and is a maestro at identifying concerns, building confidence, and motivating people. He has always been there for me, as a trusted advisor, and is always willing to listen and offer guidance. James has a rare gift and is always helping people without expecting anything in return. I’ve met many coaches throughout my career, but none of them come across as authentic, sincere and goal oriented as James, and so, I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to move their career to the next level.

Ahmed Raafat

Sales Manager
Dubai, UAE
Meeting James was what you might call a life changing experience for me. I had been suppressing many past issues which naturally affected my work and everyday life. The….
Career
…moment we met he intuitively knew I was not where I wanted to be, and within the hour, he had managed to tear down the psychological brick wall which had been manifesting in me for some time. He asked me all the right questions, which as uncomfortable as they were, I needed to hear and answer in order to move forward in my career and true self. I’m a very focused individual, and have worked very hard to get to where I am. I pride myself on having done all the heavy lifting, but I’m humble enough to say, there are people like James who even for a brief moment, have helped me on my journey. He is someone I would look to as confidante and friend, and would recommend him to anyone looking for a supportive career coach.

ABOUT ME

Since moving to Dubai in 2005, I have gradually built a reputation as a go to business advisor, leadership coach and trusted career mentor. My knowledge and experience in business strategy, revenue growth, human capital and branding, has directly contributed in shaping hundreds of organizations and business professionals in the UK and throughout the Middle East. My legacy thus far is reflected by the countless companies who have flourished under my guidance, and the numerous careers I have helped mold over these past two decades.

I’m also an advocate for Corporate Social Responsibility and I’m always championing local conservation initiatives. So much so, that I’m a volunteer Board Member with AZRAQ, a UAE ocean protection NGO and as part of my ongoing commitment to support sustainability and climate change, I always try to encourage my clients to align themselves to CSR practices. www.azraqme.org

ABOUT ME

Since moving to Dubai in 2005, I have gradually built a reputation as a go to business advisor, leadership coach and trusted career mentor. My knowledge and experience in business strategy, revenue growth, human capital and branding, has directly contributed in shaping hundreds of organizations and business professionals in the UK and throughout the Middle East. My legacy thus far is reflected by the countless companies who have flourished under my guidance, and the numerous careers I have helped mold over these past two decades.

I’m also an advocate for Corporate Social Responsibility and I’m always championing local conservation initiatives. So much so, that I’m a volunteer Board Member with AZRAQ, a UAE ocean protection NGO and as part of my ongoing commitment to support sustainability and climate change, I always try to encourage my clients to align themselves to CSR practices. www.azraqme.org