Graduate story: Martin Sealy

Managing Director, MS Impact Group Limited

“I work to help people appreciate their potential and push themselves to achieve it, despite situation, context or circumstance, in ardent pursuit of their true purpose in life”.

“We learn very powerful lessons in childhood.  Central to my upbringing was the faith and support of my parents who, like many Afro-Caribbeans that came to Britain in the 1950s and 60s, and had a strong belief that if you worked hard, everything else would take care of itself.  This was a generation of people who quietly took a huge risk – gambling the security of what they knew to try and give themselves and, above all, their children, a better life”.

“These were courageous people that set such an example I remain inspired today. I think it’s part of the reason that I’ve always had this belief that I have to prove myself, to challenge myself, to be worthy of such a heritage”.

“As a life-long learner, I’ve remained in pursuit of new ideas, ways of thinking.  For decades I have been finding different methods and collaborations to help others.  My career to date has straddled two of my passions, ‘technology and behavioural change’.  These twin passions have been the genesis behind the creation of the MS Impact Group Consultancy and my role as co-founder of Audacious International Coaching collaboration”.

“I’ve always been inspired by extraordinary people, the leaders who knew they had the potential to help others, but faced adversity and self-doubt.  It’s clear to me that too often we surround ourselves with people who strangle our potential.  So, I make it my purpose to create a positive environment for people, to enable them to understand their potential and overcome obstacles that may be holding them back”.

“I first came to NLP in 2008, when I was at a turning point in my career.  I was part of a firm that was going through a lot of changes, like so many other businesses during that tumultuous period.  I was working incredibly long hours, and most weekends, and still not feeling like I was getting to where I wanted to be, professionally or personally”.

“Studying NLP with ITS was, and I really mean this, the most profound intellectual and spiritual awakening for me.  Whatever your ostensible reason for taking the course – transitions in your life, emotional disruption, quitting smoking or getting a promotion – you end up going so much deeper.  I felt like my whole life became a textbook to be examined and really understood for the first time.  When you work at this level of introspection – when you yourself become the material for the course – it is the foundation that creates permanent change.  You live the understanding you gain and thus enable further strategies for continuous change”.

“Through an on-going study of NLP and behavioural change, the world would never look the same again to me.  I put aside the external accolades of traditional corporate work and focused instead of making a difference based on my own values and beliefs. Channelling my own inspiration into subsequent relationships and connections. I found the courage to do my MBA and develop my own business ideas  – working with technology and behavioural change, giving life to possibilities that might otherwise not have been discovered.  Working across many different countries and different cultures, dealing with wide ranging challenges, from this new and unique perspective.

The work I do in a voluntary capacity provides a further richness to my life and desire to give back.  Working in the discipline of professional public speaking, with Toastmasters International, a group that helps people over come their fears public speaking.  It’s hard, especially for confident people, to appreciate how utterly terrifying the idea of public speaking still is to so many.  Against this backdrop of inherent fear the role of reframing and enablement towards the field of new possibilities, is quite profound and particularly rewarding”.

“As part of Audacious International, I also work with the Prince’s Trust as a coach.

To be able to help leaders with a mission and purpose themselves, who then go on to help the young and disadvantaged, is just wonderful.  I find myself at a point in my life, where I’ve never enjoyed my work more or been as comfortable and confident in my ability to impact positively, the widest range of people across cultures and behavioural situations.  That’s my ripple effect”.