Balancing parenthood and career: How coaching helped a marketing executive return to work with confidence
Hollie Hemsworth
Digital Marketing Executive
Company: Mercia Group
Coach's Name: Rhiannon Rowley
Coaching Programme: Hollie received 4 hours of coaching support following her maternity leave with NFP coach Rhiannon Rowley
What is your current job role and what are your main responsibilities?
"I’m a Digital Marketing Executive at Mercia, where I’ve worked for a total of five years in two different areas of the business. In my current role, I lead marketing campaigns from start to finish and take the lead on promoting our 2025 training programme. It’s a position that requires creativity, organisation and the ability to juggle multiple projects at once."
How did you find out about NFP’s parental transition coaching support?
"I began the coaching programme shortly after returning from maternity leave. Balancing work with parenting felt like a real challenge, and I often found myself under pressure to excel in every role I played, both at home and in the workplace. Coaching felt like the right opportunity to help me navigate that balance and invest in myself as a professional."
What were you looking to achieve from the coaching?
"I wanted to feel supported by someone who could relate to my situation, ideally another mother who understood the demands of managing both career and family. I had a lot of conversations abouts career growth and salary improvements, and how to have difficult conversations with management about progression and career.”
What about NFP’s approach worked for you?
"Having a dedicated space to reflect with someone who would challenge my thinking and question my assumptions was hugely beneficial. As a new parent, so much of my focus was on my child, so being encouraged to look inward and think about my own future was invaluable. The coaching was flexible, which meant that if work pressures were too high, sessions could be rescheduled. That flexibility made it feel like the programme was there to support me, not add to my workload. I felt valued, seen, and genuinely supported throughout."
What were the key lessons or takeaways from the coaching?
"One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of open, honest communication, which is something I’ve always believed in and continue to practise with my management team. I also learned that it’s okay to let certain things take a back seat when life gets busy. As a new parent, it’s easy to feel like success in one area means falling short in another, but I realised that’s completely normal and something we all experience."
What outcomes have you experienced as a result of the coaching?
"I came away from the programme with a much greater sense of confidence in myself as a marketer, as a colleague, and as a mother. I now feel comfortable discussing salary and career progression, understanding that these conversations are a natural and important part of working life."
What would you say to a person or organisation that may be considering this type of support?
"I’d recommend coaching to absolutely everyone. In just four hours, I gained insights and strategies that I wish I could access every month. It’s an incredibly valuable experience that I believe would benefit anyone."
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Support your people through parenthood with confidence. Discover our parental transition coaching, which guides expectant and returning parents (and their managers) with clarity, flexibility, and career momentum.