In this episode of Coach Class, I was joined by Ieva Eksts (PCC) — a career and leadership coach based in Kotka, Finland, who supports international leaders, teams and individuals navigating change across cultures, countries and identities.

Ieva shares her journey into coaching, from supporting international students at Durham University Business School, to moving to Finland, building a coaching practice, and developing her skills through Barefoot Coaching. Along the way, she reflects on the role of supervision, what motivates her most, and why coaching face-to-face gives her energy.

This is a thoughtful conversation about clarity, confidence, leadership, and the subtle cultural differences that shape how people work, communicate and collaborate.

Through ievolution coaching, she supports professionals, leaders and expat partners to gain clarity, build confidence, and stay motivated through career growth, leadership development and international transitions.

Her work includes:

• 1:1 coaching
• Group and team coaching
• Workshop design and facilitation
• Leadership development and communication support

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How Ieva arrived in coaching — and why moving to Finland became the “kick” to begin
• Why she wishes she’d had career coaching when she was younger
• How her international career shaped her coaching style
• The value of supervision — especially for independent coaches
• Why face-to-face coaching gives her energy (and what it’s like to witness life-changing moments)
• The difference between coaching individuals vs teams — and why teams are more challenging
• Working cross-culturally: leadership expectations, communication styles, and subtle differences
• A brilliant reflection on culture through sauna, equality, and shared human connection
• Where Ieva wants to head next: more team coaching and collaborations

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