Steven Sparling
I am a coach and trainer working with founders, entrepreneurs and freelancers, particularly within the creative industries. My areas of work include: brand storytelling, pitching & presenting, sales conversations, leadership & mindfulness, and creative entrepreneurship.
I am also an academic, researcher and writer on creative industries, creative entrepreneurship and leadership.
I have worked at the intersection of creativity and business for decades. Here’s some of my accomplishments:
- As an Executive, Leadership and Performance Coach, I have worked with dozens of founders, entrepreneurs and C-suite leaders to strengthen their brand storytelling and presentation skills, prepared clients for two TED-Talks, as well as addressed life/work balance and career development challenges. The many referrals I’ve received from previous clients speaks to the impact of my coaching.
- I have held leadership roles in academia and industry including as Head of Department, Creative Industries at the Kingston School of Art (Kingston University), Associate Executive Director of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (representing over 6,000 live performance workers in Canada), Course Leader at the London College of Music (University of West London) and Head of Marketing at Personal Presentation.
- I have a PhD in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship from Goldsmiths, University of London, an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship from the University of East Anglia, and a BFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Concordia University. I have additional qualifications in Journalism (London School of Journalism), Mindfulness (McMaster University and the UK College of Mindfulness Meditation), Content Marketing (Copyblogger), Theatre Arts (MacEwan University), and Business and Entrepreneurship Coaching (Transformation Academy).
- I am a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA) and a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA).
- I have been Faculty at the Kingston School of Art (Kingston University) and the London College of Music (University of West London) and also held teaching contracts at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Sheridan, Randolph Academy of Performing Arts, University of British Columbia School, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire. I have delivered guest talks, given workshops and taught masterclasses at numerous institutions in Canada, the UK, Holland, Lithuania and South Africa.
- As an actor, singer, and dancer I appeared in well over 1,000 live performances in theatres across Canada and the UK. I appeared in the West End in Scrooge at the London Palladium in 2012/13 and toured and worked in regional and fringe theatres as well as cruise ships, cabaret, concerts, opera, dance, film, tv, recordings and voice over. I co-produced and sang on an album of Stephen Sondheim duets, It Takes Two. I was even a roller skating telephone call (with a helium balloon on my head) in an industrial performance for a Canadian telecom company.
- Working as a journalist and freelance copywriter, I was regularly clocking over 100,000 words per year of published material and appearing regularly in print and online for global publications. I was a ghostwriter for several clients writing thought leadership materials.
- Previously I was an Examiner for PRINCE2, the industry leading project management qualification.
A thread that runs through all of my work is that I love to learn new things and I am always taking courses. I also enjoy cooking, drinking wine, travel (especially Italy and France), reading and music.
How can I help you? Contact me to arrange a free 30-minute consultation.