How (and why) I got to be here 🚀

Something that surprises people is that I have a PhD in laser physics - what? hold the press! Yep, it's not a typical route into executive Coaching and Facilitation, but, I do! And it's a huge part of what fuels me and my approach to this day.

Why I got into Physics

I’ve always been fascinated by how things work, energy, light, and how complex systems of things are connected. And I’m a very creative, imaginative person. This is where my love of physics came from – I discovered I am naturally talented in scientific subjects at school, but I was also drawn to art, design and creative areas. The way physics deals with the whole scale of size, from the sub-atomic, to the whole universe, and the capacity to imagine what goes on in these wild extremes and use them to make sense of the world around me, that really drew me in. I was absolutely fascinated by the science of light, in particular. I found I could imagine and create new materials and solutions to invent lasers for a range of applications for my PhD, which led me to a career in scientific research – starting in a laser lab.

A picture of one of the lasers I engineered during my research career

How I show up in the world

I have an outgoing, people-focussed personality. I love connection, and I’m fascinated with what makes people tick. Others instantly recognise and re drawn to my enthusiasm and energy for those around me. I get real joy from being with and helping people. I am open-minded, patient, compassionate, positive, enthusiastic about possibilities, joyful and committed.

So where did that take me

It was clear that spending time in a dark room twiddling knobs on a laser (although super cool and fascinating) wasn’t my real calling in life – I was getting my buzz from working in a team doing science outreach with schools and local communities on the side, and presenting at conferences, meeting collaborators and networking. So my adventurous spirit took me to a new career, as a funder, working with the research and innovation community to look to the future and find those big, exciting ideas to fund.

It was in this part of my career, which spanned 17 years, that I discovered my natural talent, skills and strengths in working with people, and in particular, technical specialists, academics, researchers, policy makers and specialist professionals. I also re-connected with my love of nature (this needs to be a whole other blog post!!) and passion for sustainability.

I have discovered the power to connect with people, unlock their potential, and help them translate their ideas into practice. I enable groups to grapple with complex problems and find pragmatic, achievable solutions that help organisations make sense of their challenges, decide plans of action and realise their ambitions.

So here I am, the founder (and sole member) of Hannah Collins Unlimited, an Executive Coach, Facilitator and consultant, stepping into her next chapter.

Like what you read? why not check out my Executive Coaching or team coaching/group facilitation offers, or book a free chemistry call!