How Time Flies When You’re Having Fun!

Thirteen today!

… Because New Insights Africa turns thirteen today!!

And in doing so, we move beyond the dark perils of our ‘annus superstitious’ and emerge into the promising light of our fourteenth year of operations!

Okay, I admit I’ve used a little \’artistic license\’ here 🙂

I’m not prone to Triskaidekaphobia – or fear of the number 13 – but the optimist in me was bent on finding a good excuse to celebrate and embrace the future, given the depressing news that we all wake up to every day in these troubled and confusing times.

Longevity

As I wipe my eyes and reflect on how quickly the last 13 years have passed, I am reminded that New Insights, internationally, can boast even greater longevity.

The ‘founding father’, Neil Asher, now a well known international businessman and world citizen, started New Insights way back in 2003.

Chef’s special … kangaroo??

The company has its origins in Australia, where British-born Neil had been working as a chef in a number of upmarket establishments.

As anyone who has followed the pursuits of the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White or Robert Irvine will know, that is not a career for the faint hearted!

Suffice it to say that his roller coaster existence as a well paid but overworked chef, sent Neil off the rails and looking for some serious direction and guidance.

He was to find that in the form of an Aussie life coach!

Intrigued and inspired

Neil was intrigued and inspired by the many powerful new insights that he began to confront about life in general and his very own role in it.

Before long, he knew that his days working as chef were over. This was a career that had effectively been foisted upon him, rather than being one that he had purposefully chosen to give vent to his passion.

During the currency of the coaching sessions, Neil saw his life coach transitioning into a role model for his soon to be re-invented life.

As he looked to the future, he felt inspired to take the many insights and revelations that his coach had been instrumental in opening his eyes to, package them effectively, and find a way to deliver them to the world!

New Insights is born

In 2003, after a trip back to his birthplace and many months of investment in research and development later, New Insights UK (and the original New Insights Life Coach Training Programme) was borne.

The Universe works in fascinating and unpredictable ways …

Three years later, while confronting a looming fork in my own, very different career path, I was to meet up with Neil for the first time for lunch in a London restaurant.

Life coaching, what’s that?

A close relative back in South Africa had fallen on difficult times and my wife, Jenni, suggested I enlist the services of a life coach to help build that individual\’s confidence and self esteem.

To bridge the yawning gap in my knowledge about life coaching, I fell back on ‘uncle Google’ who guided me, seemingly unwittingly, to the New Insights website.

To cut a long story short, one thing led to another and I soon found Neil prescribing a good dose of life coaching for my own situation that I shared with him over a long lunch.

A powerful tonic

Just as Neil had experienced in Australia, I was soon bowled over by the simple, yet powerful tonic that was life coaching and – more specifically – the coaching system that Neil had designed.

In 2007 I returned to South Africa to start New Insights Africa after six years working at the London head office of a multinational corporation. The launch was timed for July 9th to coincide with Jenni’s birthday and cause for a double celebration!

Taking over

My enthusiasm for New Insights grew from strength to strength and in late 2011, I took over the UK operations from Geoff Fairfield, a wonderful, caring man who had followed in Neil’s footsteps but whose other business investments had stretched his time and attention a little too far.

Having overall control of New Insights allowed me the latitude to bring consistency to the brand and to refine, develop and expand the product and service for an international audience.

Pride and gratitude

As I reflect today and look forward to celebrating with Jenni I feel, above all a sense of great pride and gratitude …

… Pride in the quality, consistency and laser like focus on life coach training that I believe the New Insights brand represents today … and gratitude for the many wonderful people I have had the privilege to deal with over the past 13 years – coaches, trainee coaches, loyal readers of this enduring Blog, and others.

At New Insights I like to think we have maintained an unwavering commitment to bringing personal freedom, confidence and growth to people from all walks of life through a network of genuinely well trained, well equipped, certified life coaches.

A rich experience

This authentic and rewarding pursuit has brought a great richness of experience over the years for which I am truly appreciative.

How time has flown while we have been having fun!

Thanks everyone 🙂