Jeremy Graham-Clare: Transforming Lives, Including My Own

From 14-hour days to building a business with purpose

Jeremy Graham-Clare knows first-hand how easy it is for business owners to become trapped in the day-to-day running of their businesses. After experiencing the pressures of long working hours himself, he discovered how the right systems, support and business coaching could transform both a business and the life of its owner.

Today, as an ActionCOACH UK franchise partner in St Albans, Jeremy is building a thriving coaching firm, helping local businesses grow and creating employment opportunities in his community. Along the way, he has achieved something equally important: reclaiming valuable time with his family.

His story demonstrates how an ActionCOACH UK franchise can provide the foundations to build a successful business while making a meaningful difference to others.

A successful career, but a different ambition

Jeremy’s commitment to professional development began early. After completing a postgraduate degree in management, he went on to work in the operations teams of major organisations, including Capita and Deloitte.

However, his ambition extended beyond the corporate world. In 2008, he launched an IT support company with a couple of friends and sought the support of a business coach to help them grow.

The results were impressive.

“In 2008, I started an IT support company with a couple of friends and sought the expertise of a business coach. It felt great to actually see things changing for good in front of our eyes. In just three years, we grew to a team of 26 and a turnover exceeding £3 million.”

Jeremy also completed an MBA, which provided valuable learning and professional development. Yet he felt there was a gap between traditional management education and the practical knowledge required to build and run a successful small business.

“Although it was a brilliant learning experience, it didn’t teach me anything substantial in regards to running a small business. It was designed more for an employee than a business owner.”

His experience reinforced his desire to build another business of his own. This time, however, he wanted a model with proven systems, established processes and the support needed to avoid reinventing the wheel.

He began exploring franchise opportunities.

Why Jeremy chose an ActionCOACH UK franchise

During his research, Jeremy came across a name he already recognised: ActionCOACH.

He had encountered the brand while looking for a business coach for his previous company and had seen the value that professional coaching could bring to business owners. What he had not previously considered was becoming a coach himself.

The more he learned about the franchise opportunity, the more convinced he became that it was the right direction for his next venture.

“I have plenty of experience that stood me in good stead as a business coach, but the ActionCOACH systems would save me at least five years of groundwork if I had started from scratch. I was mightily impressed with them being the world’s number one and the most credible name out there. The proven systems were enough to seal the deal.”

For Jeremy, the attraction was the opportunity to combine his existing business experience with a proven business model, comprehensive training and access to an established network of coaches.

Rather than having to develop his own coaching methodology, marketing resources and business systems from the ground up, he could draw on the experience and resources already available through ActionCOACH UK.

He was ready to get started.

Training, systems and support from day one

Once his franchise was awarded, Jeremy began the pre-training programme with real enthusiasm.

“I felt like a child waiting to play around with a new Lego set. I’d spent so long wondering what it would be like to have those systems in place for me, I was keen to get going.”

The pre-training included a substantial collection of videos and learning materials featuring ActionCOACH founder Brad Sugars. Jeremy immersed himself in the stories, practical insights and examples of success from across the network.

The comprehensive training programme gave him the knowledge and resources to begin developing his own coaching business with greater confidence.

“The whole training programme was extremely comprehensive so, combined with the business model, it was enough to set me up. I had access to hundreds, maybe thousands, of resources and, to this day, I regularly look back on some of this material to rejuvenate my coaching.”

For Jeremy, this access to proven systems and ongoing learning was a major advantage. He could build on his previous experience while developing the additional skills required to become an effective business coach and franchise owner.

Building a coaching business in St Albans

Jeremy launched his ActionCOACH business in January 2017. With the training completed and the support network behind him, he set about building his client base and establishing a presence in the local business community.

In February 2019, he took another significant step by investing in the exclusive territory licence for St Albans, giving him the opportunity to develop his business across a substantial local market.

From the outset, Jeremy was ambitious about the difference he wanted to make.

One of his early initiatives was to establish his own BNI networking group. This helped him secure his first major client and became an important part of his business development strategy.

He also set himself a wider goal: to help create 1,000 jobs in the local area.

For Jeremy, this was about more than growing his own firm. It was an opportunity to put the ActionCOACH philosophy of abundance into practice by helping businesses grow, develop their teams and create new employment opportunities.

To support his ambitions, he recruited three team members to assist with sales, marketing and business development.

This allowed him to build the foundations of a coaching firm rather than simply create another job for himself.

Growing through uncertainty

Jeremy’s business continued to develop despite the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During lockdown, he reported maintaining average monthly turnover exceeding £30,000 from his clients. His experience highlighted the value of having established business systems, ongoing coaching support and a strong professional network to draw upon during challenging times.

Jeremy is clear that the support available through ActionCOACH UK has played an important role in his journey.

“I think I speak on behalf of a lot of franchise partners when I say our UK co-founders, Ian and Julie, are the epitome of the ActionCOACH culture. The feeling of community and support I receive from those two and their team is simply staggering.”

He particularly values the positive, solutions-focused culture shared throughout the network.

“There is always a positive, can-do attitude resonating from them and that is shared in abundance throughout the network. They live and breathe ActionCOACH and it shows in their genuineness; everything they do is coming from a place of wanting to help.”

For Jeremy, this sense of community means he does not have to build his business in isolation. He can access guidance, share experiences with other franchise partners and draw on the wider network's knowledge as his firm grows.

Transforming lives, starting with his own

While Jeremy is proud of the progress his business has made, he considers the impact on his personal life to be one of his greatest achievements.

Before discovering business coaching, he was accustomed to working 14-hour days. His professional commitments left little room for the family time he wanted to enjoy.

Building his ActionCOACH UK business has enabled him to approach work differently.

“Perhaps, though, it’s my personal life that has felt the greatest impact and to say it has been transformed would be a complete understatement.”

Jeremy can now take his children to school and pick them up four days a week, giving him more opportunities to be involved in family life.

For him, this is an important reminder of why he chose to build his own business in the first place. Financial performance and business growth matter, but so does having the freedom to enjoy the rewards of that success.

His experience also gives him a valuable perspective when working with clients who feel overwhelmed by their own businesses. Having experienced the pressures of long working hours himself, he understands why building effective systems, developing a strong team and creating greater independence from the owner are so important.

Creating opportunities for the local community

Jeremy’s ambitions extend well beyond his own business.

When he established his ActionCOACH firm, he set out to help create 1,000 jobs in the St Albans area. By the time of the original interview, he had helped his clients create more than 100 job opportunities.

“I’ve helped my clients create over 100 job opportunities – it’s wonderful to know my business is making a positive difference to so many people.”

Each new role represents more than a business statistic. It reflects the potential for stronger local businesses, new career opportunities and greater economic activity within the community.

Jeremy’s work demonstrates how business coaching can have a ripple effect. By helping business owners improve performance and build more sustainable companies, he can contribute to growth that benefits employees, families and the wider local economy.

His goal is to continue expanding that impact as his coaching firm develops.

What's next for Jeremy?

With his business established and his ambitions firmly in place, Jeremy is focused on building a team that will allow him to operate at a more strategic level.

His plans at the time included recruiting three additional office staff and an employed coach, helping him develop a larger firm with a strong client base while moving closer to his goal of creating 1,000 local jobs.

The long-term vision is to build a business that continues to grow without requiring Jeremy to manage every detail personally.

This reflects the same principles he teaches his clients: create effective systems, build a capable team and establish a business that can operate successfully without depending entirely on its owner.

By applying those principles to his own franchise, Jeremy is working towards a business that combines commercial success with the freedom to spend time on what matters most.

Could an ActionCOACH UK franchise transform your future?

Jeremy’s journey shows how the right franchise opportunity can help an experienced professional take a new direction, develop a successful business and make a lasting difference to others.

His background in corporate operations and entrepreneurship gave him valuable experience, but it was the combination of ActionCOACH UK’s proven systems, comprehensive training and supportive community that helped him turn that experience into a business coaching career.

Today, his story is about more than growing a coaching firm. It is about helping business owners create better businesses, generating employment opportunities and enjoying a more balanced family life.

If you have experience in business, management or leadership and want to use your skills to help others succeed, an ActionCOACH UK franchise could offer an opportunity to build a business with purpose.

Ready to explore the possibilities?

Watch our overview video to discover more about becoming an ActionCOACH UK franchise partner.