21st Nov 2025
Meet the Member – Thrive with Claire Leahy
Name, business name
Thrive with Claire Leahy
Tell us about your businesses, the inspiration behind it and when you launched it?
I am a licenced Thrive Programme Coach. I launched my business in January 2025 after working through the Thrive programme with my daughter a few years ago who was struggling with emetophobia. The programme had such a significant, life changing impact on my daughter and our family life that I later took the decision to do the programme myself and then trained to be a licenced programme coach. I left my 25 year corporate career in HR and Learning and Development in 2024 to focus on following my passion in coaching adults, children and families to overcome emetophobia and anxiety related mental health challenges. I wanted to make a difference in peoples lives.
Best piece of advice you were given at the start of your business journey?
To speak to at least 3 different people every week just sharing and talking about what you do.
What has been your biggest lesson/ challenge faced so far and how did you overcome it?
I love coaching but have realised that part of building a client base is to utilise technology and social media. That was something I wasn’t familiar with and that involved me testing and trying out what works. I approached it without a clear strategy on my posts with broad posts about what mental health challenges I could help people overcome. As I have developed my business and clients, I have become clearer about my love of working with children and parents, of supporting people to overcome emetophobia and of supporting children who may be school avoidant.
What is your number 1 business tip for success?
Keep going, keep having those conversations, keep loving and talking passionately about what you do as it will eventually build your clients and people will understand how you can help them.
What are the big business goals for the next year?
To grow both personal clients to a minimum of 6 new clients a month and to introduce the Thrive programme within Scottish schools.
How can the GGC Business membership help?
To help increase my visibility through social platforms, to grow a network of wider support with members and for me to increase focus through attendance at some of the events throughout the year.
What’s the dream?
To have the Thrive programme known as the programme which can support people to overcome emetophobia and for schools to be able to access this programme to truly transform the lives of those children who are currently struggling.
Fave mantra to get you buzzed up for business!
If not now then when!
Shout out to another local business you admire!
Vicki Heijnen at Blackbirdeleven (https://blackbirdeleven.com/) Vicki is not only a lovely person but has been an amazing help in supporting me with the tech stuff that is not my bag and has an amazing talent in supporting small businesses to grow by handling all those things that they don’t have the time or space to do. Your wing woman!
Three fun facts about you!
I have a police commendation award, I can usually be found in a wet field with my kids ponies and I love an annual trip to Ibiza with my friends.
