Comeback Coach

Hosted by Jessica Chivers

Business Education

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Episodes

130

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

COMEBACK COACH is for bright minds returning to work from maternity leave, other extended breaks and facing pivotal career moments. Hosted by chartered coaching psychologist and executive coach, Jessica Chivers, you can eavesdrop on one-time coaching conversations and hear real comeback stories. She’s exactly what you need when being in the role you’re capable of and performing at your best isn’t straightforward.

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60 recent

June 10, 202646 min

129. COACH - Anna - back from maternity leave and on a bold mission to work with Melinda Gates and scale female philanthropy

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, you’re about to eavesdrop on a coaching conversation with a woman who wants to do big things in the world of philanthropy. She has a bold ambition to work with Melinda Gates and create a movement that leads to many, many more big female philanthropists around the globe. Female financial empowerment is her driving force and I gave her my ear to help her think about how she moves from where she is now to where she wants to be. She works as a senior fundraiser in the UK and USA and is a mother of two girls age 4 and 19 months. If you are a mother in a senior role who is looking to go further in your career you might like to be part of the second Raising & Rising one day career leadership retreat in London on Monday 12th October. It’s a space for ambitious women to think deeply about their next career step and formulate plans to achieve it alongside being the parent you want to be. It’s designed and hosted by me and my colleague parenting coach and author Anita Cleare. We’re both seasoned coaching professionals working with senior women in corporate roles for over 20 years and the first cohort was made up of women who’s employers had sponsored their places. MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

May 27, 202632 min

128. COMEBACK - Donna Nichol - Leaders CAN take long holidays - trusting your team and building their self-trust before you go

Ask me a QMy guest today is Donna Nichol, from Chloe James Lifestyle who started her career in fashion buying and gave into her urge to open an independent store of her own 16 years in the place I call home: St Albans.Earlier this year Donna took a month out of her business to go travelling with her husband and when I saw her photos on Instagram and just how happy the break had made her I thought I need to get her on the podcast to show other business leaders whether in corporate life or running small businesses that they can do this too.I wholeheartedly believe – and research bears it out – that top performers know how to rest and sometimes an extended period of rest or change of scene such as a sabbatical or extra long holiday is exactly what we need to stay fresh and energised about leading in business.RESOURCES & REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODERaising & Rising Leadership Career Retreat for Mothers.Chloe James (Donna's business)Chloe James instagramJessica's e-mail: jc@talentkeepers.co.ukMORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

May 13, 202620 min

127. JESSICA - The psychology of coming second – what to do when you don’t get the job – how to leverage the visibility you’ve gained in the recruitment process.

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, this episode is for anyone who's just come second in a recruitment process for a job really wanted. LINKS REFERENCES IN EPISODEExecutive coaching for 'overlooked professionals'.Raising & Rising register of interest.Raising & Rising career retreat (for mothers in senior roles).Comeback Community employee experience.I’m Jessica Chivers, a chartered coaching psychologist, author of “Mothers Work!” and executive coach who is on a mission to get more women into top jobs. I’m so pleased you’re here and listening to this JESSICA episode of COMEBACK COACH. These episodes are where I get into the psychology of something I think could be of value to the Bright Minds I coach in service of fuelling their careers. If you’re looking for help returning to work after a break then please dig into to the massive library of COMEBACK episodes where you’ll find oodles of practical inspiration in the stories of my guests. You can also DM me your Qs on Instagram using the handle @comebackcommuk and if you are a Head of L&D, Head of Talent or Chief People Officer seeking coaching for returning employees take a look at our website www.talentkeepers.co.uk for how the Comeback Community employee experience programme drives engagement and supports line managers to have the right conversations with their team member who’s taking leave. Also on the website you’ll find our approach to executive coaching for leaders at five pivotal moments including promotion and when preparing for Partnership. MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

April 29, 202646 min

126. COMEBACK - Helen Rickards - Allianz/Lloyds of London - springing forward from redundancy after 25 years - using LinkedIn effectively - networking - perimenopause

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, my guest today is Helen Rickards, who last year was made redundant from the German insurer Allianz after 25 years. It was traumatic. She’s now back in role at Lloyd’s of London and she’s loving it. You are about to eavesdrop on a wonderfully uplifting tale of how Helen got back to work. We talk about networking, the nuts and bolts of making LinkedIn work, what it’s like to be suddenly without structure and purpose, how the perimenopause affects self-worth and the moment she knew she wanted to work for her new CEO. MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

April 15, 202631 min

125. JESSICA - Psychology of identity + missing work mojo after maternity leave - who am I now? Will my career drive come back? Mental TLC for new working mums + dads

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, this episode is for anyone who is currently grappling with a drop in motivation at work or a loss of drive to push forward in your career after a break from work – a break that has shifted your identity in some way. I want to let you know that it’s normal. And that your drive is still there. It’s just staying quiet for a while – and that accepting it will take time for that mojo to resurface is the kindest thing you can do for yourself.I’m Jessica Chivers, a chartered coaching psychologist, author of “Mothers Work!” and executive coach who is on a mission to get more mothers into top jobs. I’m so pleased you’re here and listening to this JESSICA episode of COMEBACK COACH. These solo episodes are where I get into the psychology of something I think could be of value to the Bright Minds I coach and they’re in service of fuelling their careers. If listening sparks a question or you’d like to say hello and tell me how the episode has moved you, you can DM me on Instagram using the handle @comebackcommuk or e-mail jc@talentkeepers.co.uk. Resources flagged in the episode:My book, Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work (Hay House, 2011).How to settle quickly when promoted into a new peer group: https://www.talentkeepers.co.uk/newpeergroup/Strengths Profile that we use with coachees returning to work from a break: https://www.strengthsprofile.com/Comeback Community employee experience programme: https://www.talentkeepers.co.uk/comeback-community/Log-in to Comeback Community for our coachees: https://comebackcommunity.co.uk/Executive coaching for pivotal career moments: https://www.talentkeepers.co.uk/executive-coaching/MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

April 1, 202646 min

124. EXPERT – Psychologist Suzy Reading – tending to self - why mums fantasise about a hospital stay – toxic resilience - not expecting others to intuit our needs

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, my chat with Suzy was deeply engaging for me as a fellow psychologist – and therapeutic at times - and I think it’s a great big, warm, virtual hug for anyone who is wrung out from taking care of children, partners, direct reports and all the other people who you give to in your life. We talk about themes connected to Suzy’s latest book, How to be selfish, which is about vocalising your needs and your wishes and tending to yourself. You can get more of Suzy on Instagram @suzyreading.I hope you take some learning from it.Register interest in joining the next Raising & Rising career leadership retreat for mothers in senior roles. Free Career Fuel diagnostic tool and report.MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

March 18, 202628 min

123. JESSICA - Audacity at work - How to make audacious asks to accelerate your career and change corporate systems that weren't built for women

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, this is an episode written from the heart on my 47th birthday about audacity being a behavioural muscle we can develop in service of fuelling our careers and getting more women into top jobs. I'm Jessica Chivers, a chartered coaching psychologist, executive coach and author of "Mothers Work!"** TELL ME ABOUT YOUR AUDACIOUS ACTS & ASKS AT WORK - link to Google form or copy and paste: https://forms.gle/aUjrEiTAxbQtHzzm6 ** Register interest in joining the next Raising & Rising career leadership retreat for mothers in senior roles. LinkedIn State of Women in Leadership report 2026The Village by Stylist.MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

March 4, 202640 min

122. COMEBACK – Rakhi Sachdeva – Microsoft – missing work on maternity leave – stretch in your career before you feel ready – “hype me” folder – self advocacy

Ask me a QMy guest today is Microsoft’s AI Workforce Lead for Government who recently returned to the business after her second maternity leave. Rakhi Sachdeva moved from India to the UK in 2015 and she’s risen in one of the world largest technology companies without a traditional tech background. Rahki is a wonderful example of the power of not waiting until you feel fully ready before you put yourself forward for opportunities at work - and on that note, if you are a mother in a senior role who is feeling stuck or torn about whether or when to push for the next significant step up I would love you to be part of the second Raising & Rising cohort in London in October. It’s a very special one day leadership career retreat for 12 women with me and parenting expert and author Anita Cleare and you can find out more at www.talentkeepers.co.uk/rising. MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

February 18, 202647 min

121. EXPERT – Helen Beedham - Freedom at work – stay interviews - retaining your best people – why do we make brilliant individual contributors people managers?

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds and welcome to the first episode of season 10 of COMEBACK COACH with the author of the brand new book, People Glue: Hold onto your best people by setting them free. If you have ever craved more freedom at work, if you are a business leader worried about losing your best people or if you are a Chief People Officer tasked with generating a new talent attraction and retention strategy, this is for you. As a coaching psychologist who works with employers to help them keep and fuel their most talented people at pivotal career moments I found Helen’s book fascinating. And as a person who’s highest value is freedom, I lapped this up. Links to things we talked aboutRetaining talent diagnostic for HRHelen’s people manager development listHelen’s Freedom IndexSigal Barsade and companionate love at workPeople Glue by Helen BeedhamMORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.

December 28, 202524 min

120. BONUS – coaching success stories – Meena Santhosh, Selina Tyler & Karina Langan (coaching commissioner) from three asset management firms on comeback coaching for maternity leave

Ask me a QHello Bright Minds, this is the third of three bonus episodes of season nine where I’m lifting the lid on what the people I and my colleagues coach, actually get from coaching. I’m Jessica Chivers, a chartered coaching psychologist and executive coach of 20 years. I’m the founder of a boutique coaching business called The Talent Keeper Specialists, and this year we turned 13 and completely refreshed our website. We added a new page called Success Stories where you can watch short films of real coachees honestly reflecting on their experiences of executive coaching. You’re about to hear from three women in the world of asset management; Meena Santhosh, Selina Tyler and Karina Langan. I first worked with Meena when she was at BlackRock and we’ve had three coaching engagements – one after each of her three maternity leaves and she’s now at Robeco. And then you’ll hear from Selina Tyler who’s had fantastic career progression since we first worked together when she was at Federated Hermes. She’s now the Head of UK at Jupiter Asset Management. Both Meena and Selina had their coaching paid for by their employers and you can watch more success stories and read about the five professionals we coach at www.talentkeepers.co.uk. The third person you’ll hear from is Karina Lanagan, who is the Head of HR at TT International, another asset management client of The Talent Keeper Specialists. Karina talks about the power of comeback coaching from an employer perspective and the positive ripple on line managers.I hope it’s a useful listen and as ever, if you have questions or comments you can e-mail me jc@talentkeepers.co.uk or DM on Instagram using the handle @comebackcommuk. MORE FOR YOUDM Jessica on instagram @comebackcommukGet Jessica's FREE fortnightly note, Pivotal.Watch our coaching Success Stories. Take our new FREE Career Fuel diagnostic - and get a personalised free report.Read Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work by Jessica Chivers.Contact us about executive coaching.