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Coaches On The Couch is the podcast from the coaches behind Step Up (stepuplondon.com) the leadership development programme for architects and built environment consultancies. Co-hosts Rachel Birchmore and Louise Rodgers bring their experience and knowledge of the sector and coaching insights to explore the world of work and progressive leadership through conversations with special guests. Our publication 'Learning from Lockdown' marking 12 months of the podcast is available at http://www.stepuplondon.com/shop/cotc-the-book Produced by Aral Sea Sounds https://www.aralseaproductions.com/

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Check latest episodes from Coaches On The Couch podcast

Maria Loreto Flores, Eleni Stathi and Rachael Davidson of Women in Architecture "Behaviours that potentially I experienced ten years ago are not appropriate now."

2026/09/17

Louise and Rachel are joined by representatives from ZHA, HTA and SMITHS to explore mentoring. We hear more about Women in Architecture’s mentoring programme and learn how mentoring is structured in these three very different organisations. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Dorian Proudfoot, CEO of Donald Insall Associates “I know I don’t know all the answers, I know I need to navigate through using others’ skills too”

2026/09/10

Rachel and Dorian explore how leadership of conservation projects informs his approach to leading practice and people, and why this experience is particularly important in our increasingly uncertain world. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Russell Curtis, director of RCKa "There are obvious problems, that we all know about, and they need to be called out, and we need to do something about them."

2026/07/09

Rachel, Louise and Russell talk about the power of being provocative, weathering a ‘lumpy’ market, and finding joy in challenging times. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Jonny Wong, director of dMFK. “"Self-awareness in leadership is not about introspection, it is about understanding the effect you have on others in the room."

2026/06/04

Louise and Rachel chat self-awareness with Jonny Wong of dMFK and he shares how learning more about himself, his immediate colleagues and the role they each play in the team, supports the business to grow itself and its people. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Pauline Blanchet, founder of Aral Sea Productions, Cumberland Lodge Fellow and producer of COTC. “I have always been interested in built environment megaprojects and how they impact communities.”

2026/05/07

As Rachel and Louise approach the 100th episode of the podcast, they talk to its producer Pauline Blanchet about the intersection of film-making and built environment leadership as explored through Coaches On The Couch. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Sean Hatcher, creative director of MCM "Part of my role is to develop and propagate not only creativity and ideas but also our people."

2026/04/16

Sean Hatcher of MCM talks to Louise and Rachel about the ‘sliding door’ moments of his early career and how creativity is faring in a world of major disruptors, such as AI and globalisation. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Rachel Birchmore, coach and co-host "These four new services… are all to do with the way we coach and the theme that links them together is ‘humanity’.”

2026/03/26

Louise and Rachel introduce the four new strands of specialist coaching they are now offering, aimed at tackling the barriers to people not just surviving, but thriving, at work.

Chris Bryant, co-founder of Alma-nac “Behavioural change is the missing piece in the architects’ toolkit. It should be the starting point, rather than an afterthought."

2026/03/13

Chris Bryant of alma-nac explains to Rachel and Louise what the practice discovered about behavioural change when it applied architectural thinking to a project aimed at making schools more energy-efficient. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Nathan Spencer, MD of UKREiif “The culture we have created makes people want to remain in the business for the long term. We are proud to have a team that is sticking together.”

2026/02/19

The first episode of 2026 features Louise and Rachel in conversation with Nathan Spencer, Managing Director of UKREiif. They chat about his leadership journey; the values that underpin the culture of the organisation, including its commitment to D&I; and what’s next for this rapidly growing brand. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Seb Wood "The core of reflection is to have a form of honesty with yourself, and honesty about the situation you are in".

2025/12/11

For the last podcast of the year, Rachel and Louise are joined by Seb Wood, of international engineering firm Whitby Wood, for a chat about the importance of reflection for leadership, and for life. There is also a Christmas book recommendation! Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Sarah Wigglesworth, Architect. “I felt that architecture had crowded out so many other things in my life and I was eager to try to explore all the things I had pushed away.”

2025/11/27

In conversation with Rachel and Louise is Sarah Wigglesworth, MBE, who reflects on the 2023 closure of her eponymous practice and shares how she continues to build on that legacy, including through her work with Part W. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Rachel Birchmore, AreBe and Step Up. “Changing the way we plan meetings so that people get a moment between them can give the brain time to reset. There is no reason why meetings need to be an hour.”

2025/11/07

Louise and Rachel talk books! Some nuggets from books they have been reading (on their respective couches of course); from the neuroscience of resting the brain, to the benefit of talking to horses, via the Let Them theory. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Chloe Phelps, founder of Grounded Architects and director of BPTW. "It was an opportunity to still be a small, nimble, female-led practice, but with some clout behind us."

2025/10/16

Chloe Phelps, director of BPTW, discusses her journey to this role, via her own practice, Grounded. She tells Rachel and Louise why she made the decision to become part of BPTW, what difference being part of a larger practice makes and how she feels this is something we will see more of. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Ken Shuttleworth, founder and director of Make Architects. “I wanted people to benefit from the profitability of the company from the start.”

2025/10/02

Ken Shuttleworth of Make Architects reflects on his 50 year (and counting) career in architecture and chats with Louise and Rachel about not having his name above the door; founding one of the first EOTs in the sector; and leading a multi-generational practice. Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com

Carl Turner, founding director of Turner Works. “Growing the practice and bringing in more people was part of a strategy for me to be less involved in the day-to-day."

2025/09/11

Carl Turner, founder of Turner Works, talks to Rachel and Louise about the thinking behind his year-long sabbatical. How did he prepare for it, what did he do with it, and what’s next for Turner Works? Coaches On The Couch is co-hosted by Louise Rodgers and Rachel Birchmore who are exec and leadership coaches. They design and deliver bespoke leadership development programmes and coaching for architects, engineers and other consultancies across the built environment. For more information, please visit www.StepUpLondon.com