Johanna Parnis England

About Johanna 

Business has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I grew up in a family where conversations around the dinner table weren't about television or sport—they were about business. We spoke about customers, opportunities, challenges, relationships and decisions. Without realising it at the time, those conversations shaped the way I think and sparked a passion that has stayed with me throughout my life.

Although I always knew I wanted to be part of the family business, it wasn't the path that had been planned for me. As the only girl with three brothers, I wasn't expected to become part of the management team. I had no formal business education when I started—just curiosity, determination and an enormous willingness to learn.

I joined the business at the very bottom and immersed myself in every part of it. Over the years I gained experience across manufacturing, international shipping, ship ownership, logistics, agency, contracting, negotiation and representing our organisation with partners and clients around the world. Every role taught me something new, and every challenge helped shape the leader I was becoming.

Starting my career in the late 1980s also meant learning to lead in industries where women were still very much the exception. I often found myself walking into rooms where I was the only woman, knowing I would have to work harder to earn credibility and respect. Rather than allowing that to hold me back, it became the motivation to keep stepping outside my comfort zone, take on new challenges and prove—both to myself and to others—that I belonged there.

Looking back, I realise that while I loved the business itself, what I loved even more was the people. I found enormous satisfaction in helping others grow, encouraging members of our team to continue learning, supporting their development and creating an environment where people could build confidence alongside competence. Long before I became a coach, I was already passionate about developing people.

After more than three decades as a business owner and director, leading through growth, change, uncertainty and complex decisions, I recognised that the experiences which had shaped me most weren't just commercial—they were deeply human. Leadership is rarely about having all the answers. It's about understanding yourself, building meaningful relationships, making difficult decisions with integrity and bringing out the best in others.

That realisation led me to executive coaching.

Today, I combine over 35 years of business and leadership experience with professional coaching and emotional intelligence to support executives, business owners and leaders who want to lead with greater confidence, clarity and authenticity. Whether I'm coaching one-to-one, facilitating leadership programmes or speaking to organisations, my goal is always the same: to help people understand themselves more deeply so they can lead others more effectively.

I still believe in the values I learnt around that family dinner table—integrity, hard work, curiosity and treating people with respect. They continue to shape how I coach, how I lead and how I live.

 

 

Johanna Parnis EnglandBusiness has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family where conversations around the dinner table weren't about television or sport—they were about business. We spoke about customers, opportunities, challenges, relationships and decisions. Without realising it at the time, those conversations shaped the way I think and sparked a passion that has stayed with me throughout my life. Although I always knew I wanted to be part of the family business, it wasn't the path that had been planned for me. As the only girl with three brothers, I wasn't expected to become part of the management team. I had no formal business education when I started—just curiosity, determination and an enormous willingness to learn. I joined the business at the very bottom and immersed myself in every part of it. Over the years I gained experience across manufacturing, international shipping, ship ownership, logistics, agency, contracting, negotiation and representing our organisation with partners and clients around the world. Every role taught me something new, and every challenge helped shape the leader I was becoming. Starting my career in the late 1980s also meant learning to lead in industries where women were still very much the exception. I often found myself walking into rooms where I was the only woman, knowing I would have to work harder to earn credibility and respect. Rather than allowing that to hold me back, it became the motivation to keep stepping outside my comfort zone, take on new challenges and prove—both to myself and to others—that I belonged there. Looking back, I realise that while I loved the business itself, what I loved even more was the people. I found enormous satisfaction in helping others grow, encouraging members of our team to continue learning, supporting their development and creating an environment where people could build confidence alongside competence. Long before I became a coach, I was already passionate about developing people. After more than three decades as a business owner and director, leading through growth, change, uncertainty and complex decisions, I recognised that the experiences which had shaped me most weren't just commercial—they were deeply human. Leadership is rarely about having all the answers. It's about understanding yourself, building meaningful relationships, making difficult decisions with integrity and bringing out the best in others. That realisation led me to executive coaching. Today, I combine over 35 years of business and leadership experience with professional coaching and emotional intelligence to support executives, business owners and leaders who want to lead with greater confidence, clarity and authenticity. Whether I'm coaching one-to-one, facilitating leadership programmes or speaking to organisations, my goal is always the same: to help people understand themselves more deeply so they can lead others more effectively. I still believe in the values I learnt around that family dinner table—integrity, hard work, curiosity and treating people with respect. They continue to shape how I coach, how I lead and how I live.

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