“We have worked with Gill over four years and her coaching has had a significant impact on our Senior Team in that period. We have repeatedly seen step changes in our senior people’s productivity and potential as a result of her interventions”
Laurence Walker, Chief Executive, SSP Ltd, Halifax. A Times Fastrack 100 Company

“Gill can see way ahead of me in the process of managing change, often when it is beyond me, not just because of her professional acumen, but also because personally she has a sixth sense which enables her to walk in another persons shoes.” “When Gill first met me she met a motivator and showed me that I needed to become a leader”…..“I often find myself referring back to her approach and her words”
Director, creative and cultural organisation

“You’ve opened my mind to greater possibilities and helped me to learn to be more self aware…I have a genuine feeling of regaining control of my life…I’ve found you to be extremely effective…You’ve helped me get my sparkle back!”
Deborah Anderson, Head of Communications, Tyne & Wear Museums & Operations Director, Northern Film and Media

“It helped to give me a picture of how I was perceived throughout the business and it forced me to think about my future aspirations. Gill is very good at making you look to the future!!"
Group Financial Controller

“I found clarity of purpose professionally as a result of the work we did and it was really good to have a sounding board. The benefits of the programme will outlast the programme itself – three months on I am 80% towards achieving the goals I set myself, and much more confident that I will reach them ahead of time”
Serial Entrepreneur

“Before the coaching started I spent too much time fire fighting and not doing the correct tasks with Gill’s help I have changed my approach to team and task management which has led to a significant increase in my productivity and also personal happiness. I really enjoyed the whole experience”
Operations Manager

“Gill brings a wealth of business knowledge and experience with her coaching. Our sessions were open and relaxed and having the ability to explore issues openly without judgement proved a very valuable experience”
Senior Programme and Change Manager

“Thank you for helping me tame my gremlin”
Zoe Sladdin, SSP

“Gill brings a lovely gentle style to her engagements, which is both supportive and challenging in the right measure. Only afterwards to you realise how profound the impact of working with her has been. She helps you untangle issues that have had you going round and round in circles for ages and set yourself on the right path for you”
Professor, destined for senior management position, Northern University

“Gill Thewlis from Aperté worked with CM Solutions to help us develop our business plan and marketing plan. I very much enjoyed her open, supportive and friendly approach. Developing a new business can be a little lonely at times, so it was motivating and encouraging to have Gill's support. She also helped us with very sound advice in prioritising our potential clients and in developing a plan to reach them. She stressed the need to be strategic and also to build on networks and relationships that we already had. I felt that Gill has a very good understanding of the issues facing people setting up in business and that she has excellent skills in business and marketing which made a significant contribution at the planning stage to CM Solutions.”
CMS – Nicky Edmonds - Director

“Gill was very good value and we got on well. It was useful to talk over our project with someone who has a more entrepreneurial approach….having a sounding board reinforced my thinking”
Timandra Gustafson, Director Axis

“If it hadn’t been for Gill the company would not be here today. We have gone from facing bankruptcy to profit and growth…she clearly knew what she was talking about and could explain things in an understandable way”
Clare McManus, Director, Eventus

“Working with Gill gave me structure and discipline that I hadn’t previously had. The work we did gave clarity to my proposition and enabled me to find an investor to take the business to the next level. I’ve worked with a number mentors in the past, but none really looked at what I wanted the way that Gill did”
Ashley Tate, MD uletstudents.com

“Over the last three years Aperte has provided Rural Arts with excellent support in organizational development, business area review and more recently with the feasibility and development of our building base The Old Courthouse in Thirsk. Gill has a calm and objective presence with a strong business focus, which is both challenging and motivational. She has helped provide Rural Arts with a firm strategic steer enabling us to grow both our services and personnel. Gill’s independent eye always provides a fresh, creative and exciting perspective and she will be working with us to extend our reach and build new partnerships in East Cleveland in 2010”
Angela Hall, Director, Rural Arts

“Gill Thewlis recently carried out a strategic review for Kalasangam, a Bradford based company that promotes the dance, music, drama, visual arts and crafts of South Asia. This was the first time that I had worked with Gill and I found her focused, analytical, and very aware of the issues that confront companies working in the cultural sector. Over a relatively short period she was able to get inside the organisation and focus on the key elements that underpin their work. This clarity of thought, and the mechanisms she adopted to engage with all those involved, has resulted in a most valuable assessment which the Board has now agreed to take forward into the detailed planning stage.”
Murray Edwards, Non-executive Director Kalasangam. Executive Director Wakefield Theatre Trust

“Intelligent and thoughtful preparation for our Board Away Day, which enabled an environment and process for useful debate. The day acted as a catalyst for a re-structure of my Board, which is allowing more strategic thinking and a closer working relationship with staff members”
Mark Skipper, Chief Executive, Northern Ballet Theatre

“Aperté has provided bespoke structured support for our unique and complex operation across a period of rapid growth and change. Doc/Fest is now a stronger organisation and its management team more empowered and confident to tackle the future in a difficult climate. This is the result of the ongoing work we are doing with Gill.”
Heather Croall, Director, Doc/Fest

“Gill quickly got to the heart of the issues in our business and helped us to tackle them. Her style was supportive yet direct – when something needed to be said or challenged it was – and that helped us move forward, particularly in areas where personal attitudes were impeding progress. Gill was also effective in keeping the team and each individual on track and ensuring that the “homework” got done. One of the issues in a small business is that there is never time to work on things outside of the “day job”, but Gill helped to keep us focused and to deliver process improvements quicker than we could have achieved alone. Gill also brought us valuable insight from her previous business experience. Overall Gill’s contribution to Rare via the project was to make us think about solving business issues in a more structured and effective way and to become much more process improvement focused. Tackling some of the “unspoken issues” has created a better team culture."
Steve Bellingham, MD, Rare Creative