who is who
Who is Anna Findlay
Anna Findlay is a leading U.K.-based career coach and founder of Career AccelerateHER™, empowering women and quiet achievers to build confident, purpose-driven careers through clarity, visibility, and strategic growth.
The Moment That Changed Everything
There was a time when Anna Findlay believed that doing good work would speak for itself.
Smart, diligent, and humble, she kept her head down and her output high. Yet as the promotions passed by and her potential remained unseen, she began to ask herself a question that would alter the course of her career:
“What if visibility, not effort, is the real currency of growth?”
That moment of realisation marked the start of a transformation that would take Anna from an overworked designer earning £60,000 a year to a confident, fulfilled professional earning over £200,000 — and later, to one of the most recognised career coaches for women and quiet achievers in Australia.
“She doesn’t just coach; she recalibrates your thinking,” said Leonardo Freixas, a Top 20 LinkedIn Creator. “Anna cuts through the noise with empathy, precision, and truth. She listens deeply, challenges gently, and delivers value that sticks.”
The Foundation Years
Anna’s story began not in a boardroom but in the world of design. Armed with a Bachelor of Design from the Auckland University of Technology, she built her early career through roles in UX research, service design, and experience strategy across diverse industries. Her time with organisations such as LPA Lighting, Bupa, and the Australian Taxation Office refined her skills in systems thinking, human-centred design, and leadership through empathy.
But design offered her something deeper than career progression — it gave her the ability to see patterns where others saw chaos.
“Anna has a rare talent for bringing clarity to ambiguity,” said Dr. Sarah Van Dam, who worked alongside her. “She makes complexity manageable and teams stronger. Her mix of strategic thinking, facilitation, and empathy makes her exceptional.”
Those years in design became the groundwork for her coaching philosophy. Anna saw how talented professionals — particularly women — often worked twice as hard yet remained invisible in rooms where decisions were made. It wasn’t a lack of ability. It was a lack of positioning.
“Even as the world’s biggest socially awkward introvert,” she often shares, “I learnt how to position myself powerfully — and get paid well for it.”
Turning Insight into Impact
Out of that realisation, Anna created Career AccelerateHER™ — a 90-day coaching programme designed to move women from feeling stuck and undervalued to thriving in roles that match their potential.
Her methodology is both strategic and human, blending behavioural science, design principles, and performance psychology. Each phase — from Career Clarity to Value Visibility, Dream Role Magnetism, and Sustainable Success — builds confidence through structure and action.
Clients describe the experience as transformative.
“Anna is an empathetic, no-nonsense leader who helped me challenge my thinking and push towards real progress,” said Jacinta Russo. “She doesn’t hand you the answers — she asks the right questions until you find them yourself.”
Sarah Sneyd, another client, recalls, “Anna helped me secure my dream role with a £20,000 increase and another pay rise within a year. Her advice was strategic, empowering, and perfectly tailored to my organisation’s politics.”
Behind every story is Anna’s unique mix of clarity, compassion, and candour — qualities that have made her one of LinkedIn’s most-followed career voices, ranked #3 Career Coaching Content Creator in Australia.
Her posts read like modern manifestos for ambitious women navigating modern work. In one that reached tens of thousands, she wrote:
“Working harder isn’t the answer. Working strategically is.”
Another simply read:
“Stop apologising for outgrowing places that no longer fit.”
These messages strike a chord because they come from lived experience — a woman who has walked the path her clients are now travelling.
Quiet Strength, Bold Results
To work with Anna is to experience equal parts challenge and care. She believes progress is built not by force, but by insight. “She’s the real deal — generous, direct, and super smart,” said Tim Yeo, coach and author of The Quiet Achiever. “Even as a peer, I’ve learned from her clarity. If her clients get even half of what she gives to colleagues, they’re lucky.”
Her empathy translates into action. Rekha Jillella, a fellow coach, recalls reaching out to Anna with a tentative question about her own posts:
“She didn’t just respond — she sent me detailed voice notes filled with actionable advice. She had nothing to gain, but she helped me anyway. That’s who she is: genuine, generous, and deeply committed to others’ growth.”
This authenticity is why her influence extends well beyond coaching. As Renae Okao, who worked with Anna at ATO Design, observed:
“Her leadership transforms how people approach self-advocacy and professional development. She helps others see themselves differently — and that’s where the real change begins.”
Redefining Success: The Future Vision
Anna’s vision for the future is clear: to create a world where women no longer need to “play small” to be accepted. Through Career AccelerateHER™, she’s shaping a movement — one rooted in confidence, clarity, and sustainable success.
She teaches that ambition and wellbeing can coexist, often reminding clients,
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish — it’s strategic.”
As she expands her impact through workshops, speaking engagements, and corporate programmes, Anna remains grounded in her purpose: helping others see that their value doesn’t depend on external validation — it’s already within them, waiting to be claimed.
Her approach blends design thinking, storytelling, and strategy — a unique formula that turns insight into momentum. Or as Marika Ponton, one of her professional collaborators, put it:
“Anna is the definition of a true coach, even outside formal sessions. She’s proactive, empathetic, and makes you believe in your next step before you even take it.”
Beyond Visibility
Anna Findlay’s journey is not about career reinvention alone — it’s about reclaiming one’s voice. She represents every professional who has ever been told to “wait their turn,” every quiet achiever who’s done the work but remained unseen.
In transforming her own story, she has become the mirror and the mentor that countless others needed. Her philosophy is simple yet profound:
“Your uniqueness is your power — never shrink to fit in.”
Through her work, Anna isn’t just coaching careers; she’s rewriting what leadership, confidence, and success can look like when they’re built from authenticity.
And in doing so, she’s proving that sometimes, the quietest voices lead the most powerful revolutions.
