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Empowering you with coaching wisdom shaped by my own journey
Empowering you with coaching wisdom shaped by my own journey
Decades of leadership experience has equipped me to guide CEOs, founders, and leaders to become the best version of themselves so they can bring out the best in others.
Decades of leadership experience has equipped me to guide CEOs, founders, and leaders to become the best version of themselves so they can bring out the best in others.
MY STORY
A career built on helping other leaders thrive
Where I started
Where I started
My journey began back in the ‘90s when I joined a boutique marketing agency straight out of university. I was made a manager within 6 months of joining and a director within 4 years. I worked on multiple accounts, including Virgin and Vodafone.
My journey began back in the ‘90s when I joined a boutique marketing agency straight out of university. I was made a manager within 6 months of joining and a director within 4 years. I worked on multiple accounts, including Virgin and Vodafone.
Age 29
At 29, I became Managing Director of the agency and took responsibility for strategy, finance & HR, alongside the CEO founder. As well as overseeing client services for the whole agency, I project-managed a private equity investment, a sale to a larger agency, and a management buyout.
2007
2007
In 2007, I launched my own business working alongside a number of CEO founders as an advisor, consultant, non-executive and executive director, and coach. My focus was on business improvement, process efficiency, people management, and nurturing talent.
In 2007, I launched my own business working alongside a number of CEO founders as an advisor, consultant, non-executive and executive director, and coach. My focus was on business improvement, process efficiency, people management, and nurturing talent.
2023
"Linda, the bad manager", my alter ego, was brought to life in 2023 to shine a light on the kind of behaviours that derail teams and destroy morale. She’s exaggerated… but not that exaggerated.
I created Linda to raise a smile, raise awareness, and show that I’ve been there. I’ve seen it, coached it, and yes, even done some of it myself — because when you’re leading without support or guidance, it’s easy to fall into bad habits.
Through humour and painfully relatable scenarios, Linda helps us hold up a mirror — so we can lead better, with more clarity, empathy and intent.
2024
2024
I wrote my first book and launched a podcast - both called “How to Lead”.
I provide practical, no-nonsense advice
for leaders who want to improve their management skills. It’s like having a
pocket leadership coach, packed
with real-world tips that can help you navigate leadership challenges.
I wrote my first book and launched a podcast - both called “How to Lead”.
I provide practical, no-nonsense advice
for leaders who want to improve their management skills. It’s like having a
pocket leadership coach, packed
with real-world tips that can help you navigate leadership challenges.
2025
I was listed at number 15 in a list of the “Top 60 Leadership Influencers in 2025”.
With over 30 years of business and leadership development under my belt, I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of leaders overcome their challenges, offering a unique blend of empathy, expertise, and a touch of humour in my coaching, and
MY STORY
A career built on helping other leaders thrive
Where I started
My journey began back in the ‘90s when I joined a boutique marketing agency straight out of university. I was made a manager within 6 months of joining and a director within 4 years. I worked on multiple accounts, including Virgin and Vodafone.
Age 29
At 29, I became Managing Director of the agency and took responsibility for strategy, finance & HR, alongside the CEO founder. As well as overseeing client services for the whole agency, I project-managed private equity investment, a sale to a larger agency, and a management buyout.
2024
I wrote my first book “How to Lead” in which I provide practical, no-nonsense advice for leaders who want to improve their management skills. It’s like having a pocket leadership coach, packed with real-world tips that can help you navigate leadership challenges.
2023
"Linda, the bad manager", my alter ego, was brought to life in 2023 to shine a light on the kind of behaviours that derail teams and destroy morale. She’s exaggerated… but not that exaggerated.
I created Linda to raise a smile, raise awareness, and show that I’ve been there. I’ve seen it, coached it, and yes, even done some of it myself — because when you’re leading without support or guidance, it’s easy to fall into bad habits.
Through humour and painfully relatable scenarios, Linda helps us hold up a mirror — so we can lead better, with more clarity, empathy and intent.
2007
In 2007, I launched my own business working alongside a number of CEO founders as an advisor, consultant, non-executive and executive director, and coach. My focus was on business improvement, process efficiency, people management, and nurturing talent.
2025
I was listed at number 15 in a list of the “Top 60 Leadership Influencers in 2025”.
With over 30 years of business and leadership development under my belt, I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of leaders overcome their challenges, offering a unique blend of empathy, expertise, and a touch of humour in my coaching sessions.
LEARNING THROUGH HUMOUR
Meet “Linda” the bad manager
Meet “Linda” the bad manager
"Linda" is my toxic manager character on TikTok, who shows us all just how bad leaders can be!
I use “Linda” to illustrate common leadership pitfalls through humour and relatable scenarios with the aim to get viewers to reflect on their own management styles.
You can see what “Linda” has been up to on TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
"Linda" is my toxic manager character on TikTok, who shows us all just how bad leaders can be!
I use “Linda” to illustrate common leadership pitfalls through humour and relatable scenarios with the aim to get viewers to reflect on their own management styles.
You can see what “Linda” has been up to on TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
EXPERIENCE THAT COUNTS
Why leaders choose me
Why leaders choose me
From managing a £5M/yr agency at age 29 to seasoned leadership coach, my decades of experience, passion for SMEs, and a healthy dose of humour enable me to support and inspire growth for those determined to succeed.
From managing a £5M/yr agency at age 29 to seasoned leadership coach, my decades of experience, passion for SMEs, and a healthy dose of humour enable me to support and inspire growth for those determined to succeed.
300+
Clients
helped by my personalised approach to coaching – engaging, uplifting, and transformational.
30+
Years
working alongside multiple CEO founders and being a director of several organisations, and now the author of "How to Lead".
Associate Certified Coach
The International Coaching Federation is the largest worldwide resource for professional coaches.
20+
Media Appearances
including events, podcasts, and webinars, sharing insights on leadership, productivity, and growth.
Agencies, consultancies and businesses I've helped succeed
Agencies, consultancies and businesses I've helped succeed
Agencies, consultancies and businesses I've helped succeed
I’d recommend Kate if you’re looking for coaching that’s grounded, thoughtful, and useful in real situations.
I worked with Kate during a period of change at work, and found her approach really helpful. She’s straightforward, asks...
Frances Morton
DEI Specialist
A brilliant session with lasting impact
An enormous thank you to Kate Nicholroy for a brilliant session. She completely nailed the brief and delivered exactly w...
Jessica Flanagan
Zanoo
The structure and accountability that made the difference
I worked with Kate on a six-month one-to-one coaching programme and found the whole experience very worthwhile. I was a...
Mary Brosnan
Managing Director
I’ve seen real changes in how I lead
I worked with Kate in one-to-one coaching over the past few months, and have to admit that I got loads more out of this...
Will Baker
Managing Director
Frameworks that actually move you forward
I have been lucky enough to have Kate as my personal leadership coach, and to have her lead team development sessions at...
Suzanne Moss
RHS Director of Learning
Solid actions that make a true difference
We love inviting Kate to facilitate development workshops. Her insight and expertise is invaluable in shaping the day an...
Suzanne Moss
RHS Director of Learning
Reigniting a sense of purpose
After working with Kate over the past three years through one-to-one coaching, she was the obvious choice when we were l...
Josh Macaulay
Director and Clinical Lead
From insight to lasting leadership change
Working with Kate has been transformative in how I lead and see myself as a leader. Our 1-2-1 coaching sessions over the...
Trudi Flanagan
Chief Executive Officer
Insightful, practical, and inspiring
Your Linda alter ego is brilliant, but even more impressive was your leadership talk – insightful, practical, and inspir...
Andrew McConnell
Civil Aviation Authority
Kate helped me strengthen my leadership confidence, sharpen my influence and lead with greater clarity
I worked with Kate over a six‑month one-to-one leadership coaching programme during a period of change and ambiguity. Sh...
Rachel Whittaker
Head of Sustainable
With Kate’s support, I have moved from doing the work, to leading it properly
Working with Kate has been incredibly valuable. Stepping into a broader leadership role brought a level of complexity an...
Robbie Mason-Grieshaber
Head of Marketing
Creating space for strategic thinking
The programme gave me a wide range of practical, usable leadership skills that I could apply immediately. I particularly...
Anna Gillings
MD
The practical frameworks have been invaluable
The Digital Academy helped me sharpen what good leadership really looks like - not copying someone else, but building th...
William Hoar
Operations Manager
Supporting people to find their own solutions
The Digital Academy helped me see that many of the things I already do align with recognised leadership behaviours, whil...
Zaina Reinink
People Manager & Leader
A whole new leadership language
Before the programme I was stuck in fixer mode, overthinking and carrying everyone’s feelings. Now I’m far more resilien...
Liz Mills
Head of People
Learning to lead more intentionally
I had the pleasure of working with Kate through her six-month Leadership Accelerator programme, and the experience excee...
Trevor Mason
Team Leader
Heard, supported and challenged in the right way
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Kate, and I can confidently say she is simply brilliant at what she does...
Bradley Eccleshare
Fractional CMO
Kate cuts through the noise and gets you leading with real clarity and confidence
Working with Kate over the last six months has been hugely valuable. Kate has a rare ability to cut through the noise, h...
Paul Devlin
Chief Executive Officer
Kate helped me transform how I lead - and my team noticed the difference
I never really appreciated the value and power of taking external professional advice. I’ve always worked for myself or...
Andy Baxter
Managing Director
Building new habits straight away
The mix of short, powerful videos and thoughtful workbooks made it easy to build new habits straight away. I came away f...
Jasmina Mularska
Group Product Manager
Leadership that grows people
I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Kate for her incredible support throughout the Leadership Accelerator I recentl...
Robert Sangwa
Head of Programmes
Kate is thoughtful, insightful, and full of practical wisdom
Working with Kate over the past year has been one of the most grounding and impactful experiences of my professional lif...
Rachel Saywell-Burr
Founder
Kate combines tailored coaching with practical tools that actually work
I had the pleasure of working with Kate as my leadership coach over the past year, and I cannot recommend her highly eno...
Cassie Quartermaine
Head of Live
Challenged, supported and transformed
Kate is an exceptional leadership coach who truly transforms the way you think, lead, and grow. Working with her over t...
Maxine Eunson
EMEA Client Sales
Challenged and supported in equal measure
I had the pleasure of joining Kate’s Leadership Accelerator course and a six-month coaching program, and the impact I ob...
Maria Bedkowska
Medtech Marketeer
Incredibly engaging
Having seen the hilarious TikTok reels created by Kate Waterfall Hill her book How to Lead was at the top of my Christma...
Kristy C
Practice Manager
A workshop that encouraged honest discussion
We had a great facilitation workshop with Kate. It felt like a safe environment and having gone in quite closed minded a...
Stephanie Bevan
Marketing Manager
A great balance between engaging and informative
I found the session very informative with lots of ideas. There was a great balance between keeping the delivery engaging...
Jon Childs
A collaborative space for problem solving
Super insightful and great for problem solving ways of working - Kate was great at getting everyone to open up and helpe...
Heidi
Senior Account Director
Safe, open and approachable facilitation
It was positive to have a safe place to have discussions that are challenging with the wider team Kate was very approach...
Daisy Hoppen
Founder
Constructive guidance and insight
Highly recommend Kate for a workshop. Her guidance and insight was constructive and we are excited to implement the chan...
Marion Abramov
Agency Director
Gentle support through difficult discussions
Kate was open and gentle enabling sometimes difficult conversations — we’re leaving with tangible positive next steps!
Tessa Griffith
Director of Talent and Brand
Helping teams explore new approaches
Kate was extremely insightful and offered an interesting and very thoughtful approach to our workplace, offering a new p...
Brogan
Account Director
More proactive, more consistent, and far more confident
Reflecting on the coaching program, I'm genuinely pleased with the strides I've made in delivering effective feedback an...
Alex Shaw
Director
Insightful and educational
Had a great session with Kate on the art of influencing and having difficult conversations. Very insightful and educatio...
Lou Stewart
Communications Manager
A toolkit that stays with you
Thought provoking but action led. Love the toolkit and theory elements. Will remember to stay strong.
Sally-Ann Roberts
Culture & Engagement Lead
Every session with Kate leaves you clear, focused and ready to act
Kate has been a fantastic coach. So approachable and easy to talk to, each session meant I came away with a focused appr...
Beccy Gibson
Managing Director
I can handle awkward conversations
As a founder and director of a growing start-up business, Kate’s book has been a true eye-opener for me - full of golden...
Dan Chapman
Co-Founder of Extracted
A pocket leadership coach
Kate's 'How to Lead' is a game-changer! It's like a pocket leadership coach, packed with practical tips you can use righ...
Joanna Lott
Business Coach
A must read for all founders
This is a must-read for all Founders - and in fact all leaders. Some great insights and, as you'd expect from Kate, lots...
Sally Wilson
Found & CFO
WHAT THEY SAY
My coaching approach
I've always found it excruciating to write about myself. It just doesn't feel like a comfortable thing to do. So I asked a coach who I admire greatly to help me and this is what she said about me (I'm blushing as I copy and paste this but she insists I must!):
Kate is not just a leadership coach, but a trusted ally in the journey of executive growth and advancement. Drawing on her personal insights from years spent in senior management, she guides executives, nurtures talent, and enables each client to carve out their own solutions to the most taxing leadership challenges.
Her approach is multi-faceted, covering leadership impact, self-leadership skills, team development, and career advancement. Kate's coaching is designed to ignite confidence, clarity, motivation, and a re-energised sense of purpose, enabling her clients to push boundaries in their professional lives and instigate meaningful and sustained change.
Kate's uplifting coaching style is an equal mix of empathy and results-focus, offering full support as well as constructive challenge, all done in a partnership spirit and delivered with professionalism that’s sprinkled with levity. Kate creates a reassuring, safe harbour for her clients to investigate their goals, tackle obstacles, and unleash their true potential.
Clients who choose to have a series of sessions enjoy the benefit of having a level of accountability and the momentum to keep moving forwards. Clients will be equipped with the essential tools to navigate intricate scenarios, make informed decisions, and reach leadership milestones with assured confidence and fulfilment.
Well, I can't top that. I'm off for a lie down.
IN THE MEDIA
Media, events, podcasts and webinars
Media, events, podcasts and webinars
The Telegraph Interview
I spoke to The Telegraph about assessing the impact of a middle manager.
People Management Interview
I talked to the CIPD's official magazine about the use of TikTok style content to deliver Learning & Development programmes.
The Power Within Podcast
I joined Keith Power on his podcast to talk about how I use humour to encourage better leadership.
The iPaper Weekly Expert Column
I was invited to be the iPaper's weekly expert giving advice on how to manage Gen Z staff.
EDGE, The Institute of Leadership Magazine
I was put in the hotseat by EDGE Magazine to talk all things leadership.
ITV Interview with Jonathan Wills
I talk to ITV about the success of my social media alter ego, 'Linda, the bad manager' and what makes a good leader.
Sunemployment Column
I shared my advice with The Sun readers on how to lead people older and potentially more experienced than you.
Muddy Stilettos Interview
Smash your career goals: I share my tips with Muddy Stilettos on how to lead like a pro in 2025.
Inclusive Growth Show Podcast
I join Toby Mildon to talk about how leaders can move beyond superficial values to truly embody inclusivity in their organisations.
BBC Radio Surrey, Sussex and Kent
I talk to Adam Dowling at BBC Radio Surrey, Sussex and Kent about how Linda the Manager came about, and my new book "How to Lead".
Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It! Podcast
I talk to Siân Harrington about why leadership so often falls short in today’s workplace.
Truth, Lies and Work Podcast
I join Leanne and Al Elliott as they explore the nuances of workplace culture and generational differences in today's work environment.
HR Magazine
A comment piece in HR magazine on how Gen Z are teaching leaders how to lead: When did setting boundaries become a character flaw?
Showing Up Podcast
I join Vicki Knights on her Showing Up podcast to discuss how I created Linda the Bad Manager and the secret to turning online engagement into real-world clients.
Women Disrupting Podcast
I join Yasmin Ariff to discuss my newly released book, "How to Lead", my alter ego 'Linda, the Bad Manager’ and how one of my most viral TikTok videos ended up back firing.
Accidental Managers
I join Roly Walter to talk about what makes an "accidental manager", and how organisations can support them in becoming effective managers.
Corporate Wellbeing Expo Interview
What's the link between good leadership and employee wellbeing (and engagement)?
The Anatomy of a Leader (Podcast/YouTube Guest)
I talk to Maria Hvorostovsky about toxic bosses, the inspiration for my TikTok character, Linda, and how to be a good leader.
Women in the Coaching Arena Podcast
I talk to Joanna Lott about building a coaching business , from discovering your own unique skills, to engaging your audience.
On the edge with April Mahoney (Podcast Guest)
I talk to April on her On The Edge podcast, about the ebbs & flows of employer/employee dynamics.
Tech World Human Skills (Podcast Guest)
I talk to Ben Pearce on his podcast about leadership and how to grow to become a great leader.
Unleash the Power of People Podcast
I talk to Chris Webber about how to have those difficult conversations to build trust from difficult relationships.
McCann World group "The Truth About Work"
McCann Worldgroup shared insights on the future of work and employer branding.
The Jobs for Women Show (Podcast Guest)
I talk to Zoe Haydn Jones about how knowing your values helps you define your boundaries and stop people pleasing.
Why Employees Leave (Webinar Guest)
I talk to Luke Fisher about how to create more engaged teams in this webinar (which also features Linda, the toxic boss).
The Pursuit of Purpose (Podcast Guest)
I talk to Pete Al Alkawi about how I help good people to become great leaders - understanding their values and purpose.
How to Stop "Doing" and Start Leading
I discuss with Jay Neale from Agency Works how to juggle the challenging demands of leading in an agency environment.
How to Create & Track Habits (Contributor)
Habit tracker apps might just be the key to transforming your routines (and life!) once and for all.
The Leadership Enigma Podcast
I explore the challenges faced by individual contributors and small consultancies (with Adam Pacifico in this podcast.
The Parent Equation Podcast (Podcast Guest)
I share my working parent journey with Ayesha Murray and talk about my views on everything.
A GIFT FOR YOU
Free Intentional Leadership Guide
Elevate your impact, find joy in leadership, and live a life you love.
Kate Waterfall Hill. All rights reserved.
Kate Waterfall Hill. All rights reserved.
Kate Waterfall Hill. All rights reserved.