- What is your name and what is the name of your business?
My name is Gary Morgan and my business is Gary Morgan Coaching.
- What does the business do and who are your customers?
I work primarily with organisations—typically SMEs—to professionalise their sales function. This involves reviewing their sales processes, looking at the customer journey, and identifying and fixing any commercial “leaks” that may be holding them back.
In many cases, I act as a fractional Sales Director. Smaller businesses often don’t need, or have the budget for a full-time sales director so I provide strategic commercial expertise on a part-time basis—usually 3–4 days per month. This gives them consistent, high-level support while helping to build the commercial structure needed to grow to the next stage.
What slightly sets me apart in this field is my background in coaching. Alongside developing sales strategy, I can also work closely with directors to strengthen their leadership capabilities—particularly where they may not have had prior development. This added layer of support can be really helpful for both the individual and the business.
As an emotional intelligence practitioner, I’ve seen how dramatically the sales landscape has changed since COVID. Selling is no longer purely transactional—it requires a much deeper understanding of people. Emotional intelligence now sits at the heart of effective sales and leadership.
With the social impact of the pandemic—remote working and missed school years for many—there is an even greater need to consciously build these skills. That’s why emotional intelligence underpins everything I do: helping people develop self-awareness, communication, and authenticity, so that sales are conducted with integrity rather than as purely transactional exchanges.
- What’s the history of the business & what’s your role within the business?
After many years in the corporate world, I founded Gary Morgan Coaching 18 years ago, and it grew quickly. As demand increased, I built a team of consultants and coaches to support me.
However, about eight years ago, I realised the business model wasn’t giving me what I wanted. I was out networking, winning the business, but other coaches were often delivering it, which at times created a disconnect and slowed things down.
I decided to restructure the business, rebranding it to focus solely on myself, with a smaller, more selective client base. This made the process much simpler and more effective for everyone—clients knew exactly who they would be working with, and I could ensure a consistent, high-quality experience.
- How long have you had a virtual office here at Freshmill and why were you looking for one?
I was probably one of the first adopters of the virtual office back then in 2019 when Freshmill opened! I was looking for something virtual because I didn’t want my home address displayed everywhere. Freshmill was recommended by a friend who I networked with so I came in to have a look and I loved it! It has always reminded me of a private members club. It has got that high-end feel, but it’s also really inviting and laid back. The staff are excellent, it doesn’t matter who I deal with, they are always great.
- Does Freshmill work well for you and your business, and do you use any other services we offer?
So I have used Freshmill for meetings, I have been here to many networking events, I have my virtual office here and I also like to hotdesk here now and again. Really, I have covered all bases! It is a great environment and I very much enjoy visiting Freshmill.
- What is the most important lesson you have gained from your career so far?
I think for me it is about having structure. Structure will always outperform hustle and charisma. Enthusiasm is great but it can burn out, and this often happens because there is little or no structure. It also creates frustration for employees who need to know where they stand, but with no structure that is so difficult. It is the biggest lesson for me. Have structure in your day. Set yourself intentions, goals for the day, the week, the month and stick to those. Have some accountability.
- Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
From a professional point of view, I would love to be the go-to fractional sales director in the Sussex/Surrey area. I am doing really well at the moment and I get recommendations all the time, but to have built that reputation further so that I am the obvious choice across the area would be great. There are so many businesses out there that could benefit from the help of a fractional sales director and I could make a difference to so many more businesses.
From a personal perspective I just want to continue to be fit and healthy, keep up my fitness regime, my running and enjoying that.
- What advice would you give your younger self just starting out?
When you get older the adult mind is exhausting! I wish I could tell my younger self to not take life so seriously. I think it is important to remember the beauty of Ying and Yang. I was taught this in therapy as an adult, but I wish I had known it as a young man. What it means is when there is darkness, when life is tough, and there will be times like that, there is always that glimmer of light. And conversely, when life is amazing, things are flying, everything is great, just be aware, there will always be a bit of darkness. In life generally, nothing is all good or always all bad. I wish my younger self had recognised that sooner.
- What is your favourite quote/mantra?
My favourite quote is in fact my own quote I believe! – although saying that I cannot be sure someone hasn’t said it before me! The quote is, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s what you apply’. What that means to me is, lots of people know stuff, knowledge is great. You need knowledge otherwise you cannot apply it. But with anything in life, and in business particularly, it is all very well having the knowledge, but unless you actually apply it, nothing will change!
Again, this links back to the emotional intelligence I mentioned earlier. With social media lots of people talk constantly about self-awareness and understanding their weaknesses, but unless they take action to apply change or improve that situation, nothing will improve.
- If you could, who would you switch places with for the day, and why?
This is a difficult choice but I am going to go with Nile Rodgers- because he is such a talent. He is a talented musician himself but also just to have access to his notebook because he has literally worked with all the greats – Bowie, Madonna… Diana Ross and so many more. I saw him a couple of years ago at the South Bank, they did ‘An evening with…’ and the stories he told were amazing – to have those memories for the day would be incredible.
