For Business Owners Stuck in Their Own Heads
Creative thinking, strategic direction and intentional action for creatives and leaders who need a different perspective from someone who actually gets it.
No rigid frameworks. No one-size-fits-all advice.
Just calm, strategic support that works with how you think and live.
Going round in circles? You're probably in the right place.
If you’re banging your head against a business brick wall, full of ideas but unable to see the way through, or making decisions in isolation when you know you need a sounding board and that’s usually when people come to me.
Creatives come to me when the business side isn’t playing to their strengths. They’re struggling to attract the right clients, unsure how to position what they do, and need someone who thinks like them but can also see the commercial picture clearly.
Leaders come to me seeking a trusted strategic partner. Someone who understands business, thinks differently, challenges their thinking and isn’t afraid to tell them what they actually need to hear.
What most people have in common: they want a fresh perspective from someone who understands their world and knows how to guide them forward.
What working with me looks like
My job is to step away what you think you “should” be doing and get back to what actually works.
That might mean untangling your offers, sharpening your positioning, strengthening your foundations, or finally making that decision you’ve been avoiding.
I’ll ask the questions you haven’t considered. I’ll play devil’s advocate. I’ll tell you what I genuinely think, not what’s comfortable to hear.
That’s usually the part people didn’t realise they needed and the part they value most.
"It's really good to discuss different ideas with someone who is prepared to challenge your thinking, your goals and your (lack of!) plan. You really encouraged and inspired me and also gave me the confidence to keep going… in a no-nonsense approach, which is how I like to work."
— Lucy Clarkson, CEO, Blossom & Grace
Ways to work together
1. The Energiser Sessions
Focused 30/60-minute sessions for getting clarity, validating ideas or getting unstuck on something specific. Good when you need to think something through with someone who won’t just tell you what you want to hear.
2. The Business Soundcheck
A full or half-day intensive to audit your business, strengthen the foundations and come away with a clear action plan. Particularly useful if something feels off but you can’t quite put your finger on why.
3. Your Wingwoman
Ongoing partnership for implementation, accountability and strategic guidance because you don’t have to figure all of this out alone.
A bit about me
Hey, I'm Louisa van Vessem!
I’m a business mentor, consultant and facilitator, based in the North West of England. I’ve been self-employed since 2017 and bring 15 years of experience across HR, recruitment, strategy, analysis and executive support in both corporate and SME environments.
That breadth means I can see the bigger picture as well as the detail. I connect dots, spot patterns and help you work out what actually matters right now.
My lived experience shapes how I work just as much as my professional background. I’m neurodivergent, I’m solo parenting and my son is autistic. I understand fluctuating energy, competing demands and navigating a world that wasn’t built for how our brains work. Clients often tell me that’s the part that makes them feel genuinely understood, not just managed.
Alongside client work, I co-host the Exploring Inclusive Tourism podcast and co-founded the Creative Business Club.
“Louisa’s creativity knows no bounds. She has an innate ability to think outside the box, constantly challenging conventional thinking and exploring new perspectives. Her approach to brainstorming is refreshing and inspiring, as she effortlessly combines her vast knowledge with a natural curiosity that fuels her imaginative thinking.”
Nadine Powrie – Nadine Powrie Consultancy
What I stand for
Everything I do comes back to five things:
Impactful: making a difference, big or small.
Inclusive: all voices matter and are heard.
Innovative: staying curious and challenging assumptions.
Integrity: always do the right thing.
Intentional: every action has a purpose.
Fun: enjoy the journey and keep it interesting.
Questions people often ask before getting in touch
A business mentor works alongside you. They help you think more clearly, make better decisions and feel more confident about the actions you take. When you find the right mentor, they will ask you questions you might not have considered, they might play devil’s advocate to challenge your thinking and they will help you gain a different perspective.
Think of it as having a trusted partner who is keen to help you achieve success in a way that’s right for you with no hidden agenda.
Good question!
Honestly, people often need a blend of the two. A consultant usually focuses on a specific problem or is needed to delievr a piece of work. Whereas a mentor is more focused on your thinking, the decisions you make and will help guide you.
If you’re unsure as to what you need, you feel stuck or you need help seeing the bigger picture, mentoring is probably a better fit.
If you have a specific need/challenge and greater depth is needed to help solved a problem, this is where consultancy support comes in.
I’m often described as a mentor, coach, consultant and facilitator rolled into one because of the approach I take.
I work with a lot of neurodivergent business owners – some have an official diagnosis and others don’t. I’m also neurodivergent (officially diagnosed autistic at the age of 43, and I suspect I have ADHD). I also have an autistic child and lots of my friends are neurodivergent.
It means that I understand that each neurodivergent person is different in how they think and work. The way I work with someone is based on understanding what works best for you rather than expecting you to fit around my style.
It’s why I love to understand what makes my clients tick because that helps me understand the best approach to take.
Getting unstuck will be different for everyone and it’s why I don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach.
Getting unstuck usually starts with understanding what the root cause is which is often quite difficult to figure out when you’re stuck and the cause isn’t always what you think it is.
Sometimes it might be that you need to gain clarity, other times it might be imposter syndrome or a confidence issue or something else.
The fastest way to figure out the cause, is to talk it through with someone who sees the patterns you can’t spot. They will ask the right questions and they will tell you what they honestly think.
“What’s different about Louisa is that she genuinely ‘gets’ you and wants to help you succeed. She has a refreshing no-nonsense approach and brings a wealth of experience to the table for you to devour.”
Eleanor Goold, Copywriter
Kreativ Copywriting
If something doesn't feel right, let's talk.
You don’t need to have it all figured out before we speak.
