Coaches On The Couch

Rachel Birchmore and Louise Rodgers

Leadership

Belonging

Whitby Wood

Greenflip

Turner Works

The Brain At Rest

UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (ukreiif)

Motivation

Grief and Loss

Neurodiversity

Mentoring

London, United Kingdom

Culture

Carbon 13

Machine Learning

Google

Make Architects

Let Them Theory

Sarah Wigglesworth Architects

Sustainable Design

Coaches On The Couch is the podcast from the coaches behind Step Up (stepuplondon.com) the leadership development programme for architects and built environment consultancies. Co-hosts Rachel Birchmore and Louise Rodgers bring their experience and knowledge of the sector and coaching insights to explore the world of work and progressive leadership through conversations with special guests. Our pub... more

12 ratings

Publishes	Monthly	Episodes	96	Founded	6 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Business

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Latest Episodes

Jonny Wong, director of dMFK. “"Self-awareness in leadership is not about introspection, it is about understanding the effect you have on others in the room."

Louise and Rachel chat self-awareness with Jonny Wong of dMFK and he shares how learning more about himself, his immediate colleagues and the role they each play in the team, supports the business to grow itself and its people.

Coaches On The Couch ... more

4 Jun 2026 • 35 min

Pauline Blanchet, founder of Aral Sea Productions, Cumberland Lodge Fellow and producer of COTC. “I have always been interested in built environment megaprojects and how they impact communities.”

As Rachel and Louise approach the 100th episode of the podcast, they talk to its producer Pauline Blanchet about the intersection of film-making and built environment leadership as explored through Coaches On The Couch.

Coaches On The Couch is co-h... more

7 May 2026 • 30 min

Sean Hatcher, creative director of MCM "Part of my role is to develop and propagate not only creativity and ideas but also our people."

Sean Hatcher of MCM talks to Louise and Rachel about the ‘sliding door’ moments of his early career and how creativity is faring in a world of major disruptors, such as AI and globalisation.

Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and R... more

16 Apr 2026 • 29 min

Rachel Birchmore, coach and co-host "These four new services… are all to do with the way we coach and the theme that links them together is ‘humanity’.”

Louise and Rachel introduce the four new strands of specialist coaching they are now offering, aimed at tackling the barriers to people not just surviving, but thriving, at work.

26 Mar 2026 • 31 min

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Recent Guests

Jonny Wong

Director of DMFK

DMFK

Episode: Jonny Wong, director of dMFK. “"Self-awareness in leadership is not about introspection, it is about understanding the effect you have on others in the room."

Pauline Blanchet

Award-winning documentary filmmaker, researcher, founder of Aral Sea Productions

Aral Sea Productions

Episode: Pauline Blanchet, founder of Aral Sea Productions, Cumberland Lodge Fellow and producer of COTC. “I have always been interested in built environment megaprojects and how they impact communities.”

Sean Hatcher

Creative Director at MCM Architecture

MCM Architecture

Episode: Sean Hatcher, creative director of MCM "Part of my role is to develop and propagate not only creativity and ideas but also our people."

Chris Bryant

Co-founder of Alma-nac

Alma-nac

Episode: Chris Bryant, co-founder of Alma-nac “Behavioural change is the missing piece in the architects’ toolkit. It should be the starting point, rather than an afterthought."

Nathan Spencer

Managing Director of UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiif)

UKREiif

Episode: Nathan Spencer, MD of UKREiif “The culture we have created makes people want to remain in the business for the long term. We are proud to have a team that is sticking together.”

Sebastian Wood

Managing Director of Whitby Wood

Whitby Wood

Episode: Seb Wood "The core of reflection is to have a form of honesty with yourself, and honesty about the situation you are in".

Sarah Wigglesworth

Architect; founder of her eponymous practice (est. 1993); advocate for gender equity in architecture

Sarah Wigglesworth Architects

Episode: Sarah Wigglesworth, Architect. “I felt that architecture had crowded out so many other things in my life and I was eager to try to explore all the things I had pushed away.”

Chloe Phelps

Founder of Grounded Architects and director at BPTW

Grounded Architects, BPTW

Episode: Chloe Phelps, founder of Grounded Architects and director of BPTW. "It was an opportunity to still be a small, nimble, female-led practice, but with some clout behind us."

Ken Shuttleworth

Founder and director of Make Architects

Make Architects

Episode: Ken Shuttleworth, founder and director of Make Architects. “I wanted people to benefit from the profitability of the company from the start.”

Hosts

Rachel Birchmore

Host of the show and leadership coach; co-host focusing on human-centered coaching and leadership development in the built environment.

Louise Rodgers

Co-host and leadership coach, focused on collaborative coaching, belonging, and coaching services for architects and engineers.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 12 ratings

Inspiring!
I love this podcast - great guests, insightful questions and inspiring answers from built environment industry leaders. Every episode sparks new ideas - essential listening for future built environment leaders!
Apple Podcasts
5
Isabelle K 2021
United Kingdom4 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience finds the conversations authentic and actionable for improving team dynamics and belonging.

High-quality insights into leadership, culture, and mentoring in design firms.

Shows practical coaching approaches that work in real studio settings.

Inspiring guests and questions that spark new ideas for built environment leaders.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Chloe Phelps, founder of Grounded Architects and director of BPTW. "It was an opportunity to still be a small, nimble, female-led practice, but with some clout behind us."

Q: How do you see leadership evolving in this context, and what do you want to bring to BPTW at the board/director level?

Leadership is moving toward listening and collaboration, with a focus on female-led design and inclusive governance; Chloe aims to influence culture and maintain alignment with Grounded's principles while contributing to BPTW's future direction.

Chloe Phelps, founder of Grounded Architects and director of BPTW. "It was an opportunity to still be a small, nimble, female-led practice, but with some clout behind us."

Q: What differences do you think joining a large practice made, and how do you maintain Grounded's voice within that structure?

Joining is a natural fit where Grounded can contribute entrepreneurial energy and nimbleness, while BPTW provides the bench depth; Chloe stresses that Grounded's voice remains intact through open dialogue and clear political and design values.

Chloe Phelps, founder of Grounded Architects and director of BPTW. "It was an opportunity to still be a small, nimble, female-led practice, but with some clout behind us."

Q: Tell us just a little bit about the process that you actually go through to sell to somebody like BPTW. How does that work?

The process is about testing waters with potential partners, sharing values early, and demonstrating how collaboration can work before formal agreements, focusing on alignment and mutual benefit rather than a big pitch.

Sarah Wigglesworth, Architect. “I felt that architecture had crowded out so many other things in my life and I was eager to try to explore all the things I had pushed away.”

Q: What reflections do you have on endings and legacy two years after closing the practice?

Endings are opportunities for new beginnings, and the process of stepping away was gradual, allowing time to acknowledge achievements, support juniors, and reframe personal identity beyond the firm. The experience showed that leadership and impact can continue in different forms, not just through a named practice.

Chris Bryant, co-founder of Alma-nac “Behavioural change is the missing piece in the architects’ toolkit. It should be the starting point, rather than an afterthought."

Q: How did you address sustaining behavioural changes after initial adoption?

We created climate action boards with cross-level representation, set regular targets, held monthly check-ins, provided simple, trackable action plans, and used live energy data to show progress and reinforce gains.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Coaches On The Couch

What is Coaches On The Couch about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations center on leadership, culture, and human-centric practices in the built environment. Episodes frequently explore self-awareness in leadership, inclusive belonging, mentoring, and transforming firm cultures through coaching, storytelling, and reflective leadership. The show tends to feature senior architects, designers, and industry leaders who share practical lessons on psychology, teamwork, and sustainable practice, with a notable emphasis on humanity, belonging, and organizational culture. A standout trait is the focus on actionable coaching concepts and real-world studio dynamics, making it a valuable resource for listeners aiming to lead teams more effectively in design and construction contexts.

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Which podcasts are similar to Coaches On The Couch?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Coaches On The Couch:

1. Detailer
2. Bespoke Careers Podcast
3. Scaffold
4. A is for Architecture Podcast
5. About Buildings + Cities

How many episodes of Coaches On The Couch are there?

Coaches On The Couch launched 6 years ago and published 96 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Coaches On The Couch?

Recent guests on Coaches On The Couch include:

1. Jonny Wong
2. Pauline Blanchet
3. Sean Hatcher
4. Chris Bryant
5. Nathan Spencer
6. Sebastian Wood
7. Sarah Wigglesworth
8. Chloe Phelps

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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