About - let's meet here...

When the stakes are high and your next move matters, you deserve guidance that’s clear, strategic, and discreet.

Sam Waterfall

Founder & Executive Transitions Coach

MEET YOUR COACH

From Corporate Marketer to Career Coach:

A Journey Born from Wanting to Help

Hello, I'm Sam!

My name is Sam Waterfall, and I didn't set out to become an Executive Career Coach and Career Transitions Specialist.

I grew into this role—because my work is a unique blend of two things: deep caring and strategic marketing expertise.

My career began in the corporate world, where I fought fiercely to land one of just 8 graduate roles in brand marketing at Procter & Gamble, the global home of brand marketing. From there, I rose through retail marketing, buying, and new product development at Walgreens Boots, before moving into B2B marketing at Kraft Foods, where I was part of the team launching the first sustainable coffee into McDonald's.

But Everything Changed One Afternoon in 2003

Boots HQ in Nottingham underwent a massive reorganisation. In a single day, 3,000 jobs were cut to 1,500. I kept my job, but my team—the Strategic Marketing Unit—was slashed from 73 people to just 3. Out of pure survivor's guilt, I tried to help my colleagues who were facing redundancy.

A few asked me to review their CVs and give feedback. Looking through my marketer's lens, I could see they had so much more to offer than their CVs were showing. I offered some edits. After helping four people, someone suggested I could charge for this service.

That wasn't my intention. I was only trying to help.

But I got such a buzz from helping and making a real difference that a seed was planted. That's when Obvious Candidate was born—from a place of wanting to help.

Building Expertise Across 3 Worlds...

Since that pivotal moment in 2003, my career has spanned three distinct worlds: corporate, consulting, and entrepreneurship.

After my corporate years, I became a Brand & Innovation Consultant, working with clients across 6 continents and over 50 countries. I've guided new brands and product development for global names including Tetra Pak, GSK, Benecol, Mars, PepsiCo, and Nestlé.

Most recently, I've brought everything I learned into the world of startups and entrepreneurship—launching businesses in probiotics and healthy snacking.

But alongside all of this, for the last 23 years, I've been honing my skills as a coach.

I trained formally at The Coaching Academy in 2007-2008, studying Life Coaching, Executive Coaching, Small Business Coaching, NLP, and DISC personality analysis. But my real expertise comes from something far more valuable: over 12,000 contact hours with clients across 6 continents and more than 60 countries.

During those thousands of hours, I've seen patterns repeat. Similar problems recur. I've identified what works and what doesn't. And from this deep well of experience, The Obvious Candidate Method has evolved—a battle-tested, proven system that has helped over 1,500 personal clients land the right next role.

I've also impacted many thousands more through my books—including the Amazon Kindle bestseller "The 7 Essential CV Upgrades" and "HIRED! - The Essential Guide To Interview Success"—as well as through my work with Durham University Business School, Newcastle University Business School, and for 7 years with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York.

I've delivered a TEDx Talk, appeared on multiple podcasts, and partnered with community leaders in New York to deliver back-to-work coaching programs.

And I'm proud to say my clients have landed roles with some of the world's most sought-after employers: The International Olympic Committee, the United Nations, The World Economic Forum, Nike, British Airways, Apple, Google, Amazon, AWS, Meta, McKinsey & Co., Tiffany & Co., and the world of Private Equity. Beyond this, my clients have accepted employment offers at smaller businesses, charities, social enterprises, and many have made the move to establish and run their own ventures.

For Senior Executives & Business Leaders

If You're Facing Redundancy, Stuck in a Search That's Taking Too Long, or Feeling Unsatisfied and Underpaid...

I understand where you are right now.

Maybe you've been made redundant.

Maybe you've reached a point of frustration and decided it's time to move.

Perhaps you're stuck and lacking confidence.

Or maybe you've been with your company for years and realize that recruitment has changed dramatically since your last job search.

Maybe you're applying and trying—but getting nowhere.

The emotions are real: anger, frustration, fear, impatience. I see it all the time.

Here's what I want you to know: In my role as an Executive Coach, I'm also part Inspirer, part Motivator, and part Therapist. I do a lot of listening in the early stages. I operate without judgement. My job is to be your guide ... to help you navigate the uncharted waters of your job search together ... because I've been here many times before.

The reality is that in most searches, there are ups and downs. Moments of jubilation and, yes, moments of crushing disappointment. Part of my skill is knowing when to wear each hat - when to coach, when to inspire, when to teach, and when to simply listen.

But whichever hat I wear, I bring kindness, empathy, humility, positivity and hope.

Sometimes things can look bleak. In those moments, it's my job to inject hope. To lift and elevate your spirits. It can be demanding work. But trust me, it's also hugely rewarding when someone feels inspired to dig deeper and believe in themselves again.

And that's what invariably leads to the win. The right next role. The offer after a run of rejections. That's when the big wins arrive as the reward.

The Results Speak For Themselves

In just the last 12 weeks, my clients have achieved 24 offers, 22 of them with significant pay rises. Three of those pay rises were over £100,000. Two were over £150,000.

Last year, I coached a client to an elusive promotion to VP level with a £300,000 package, working at the intersection of global payments and corporate relations.

I've worked with one client on four separate occasions, helping them move from banking to fintech to digital payments to gaming, taking their package from $80,000 to $2million in less than a decade.

But the money, while important, is just part of the story. The real win is in building careers forward, finding the right next chapter for each of my clients.

Let me share two stories that illustrate what's possible:

The Aspiring Pilot with Sky-High Dreams

One client was an ambitious aspiring commercial pilot. All his dreams thwarted by the intensity of competition for training places with leading airlines and the shutdown of travel due to the pandemic. It was heartbreak. Instead of flying planes, he was flipping burgers in a dark kitchen.

Much of this was outside anyone's control. But we strategised to make sure we were doing everything we could so that when the world returned to travel, we'd be as competitive as possible. Every bit of research. Every bit of study. Every bit of ground-based experience. Everything was set up to maximise his chances when the major airlines started hiring again.

The coaching made sure every ounce of energy was directed toward the goal. We practiced and trained for interviews so he could thrive under pressure.

First, he landed a training contract with easyJet. After a few years, he secured his dream role as First Officer with British Airways.

None of this was easy. But we got there.

The Finance Director Who Became CFO

Another client was a Finance Director seeking his first CFO position. He had been earning $180,000. We worked across the full 7 Steps of the Obvious Candidate Method: defining criteria for success, updating his resume and LinkedIn, polishing networking materials, and preparing meticulously for interviews.

Multiple rounds later, he received a tremendous offer at $300,000.

But instead of accepting the win, we stuck to the plan and negotiated using the Obvious Candidate Offer Negotiation Framework. Two emails later, he settled on a package worth $330,000.

We'd made the leap to the C-Suite. And while we hadn't quite doubled his income, we were celebrating a pay rise in excess of $150,000—about 83% more than where he started.

The Obvious Candidate Method: A Proven 7-Step System

Most people get job searching wrong. They think it's sensible to keep all their options open. But here's the paradoxical truth I've learned over 23 years and 14,000+ coaching hours:

Job searches progress much faster when you begin by narrowing down your search and doing the hard work to personally define what you really want.

Lack of clarity leads to resistance. By contrast, clarity and a strategic approach not only speed up results but also open more of the right doors.

It's a truth hiding in plain sight from most job seekers. But it plays out time and time again.

That's why The Obvious Candidate Method follows a specific sequence—seven battle-tested steps that take you from "What next for me?" through to landing the right next role with a pay rise:

Step 1: Explore Options & Define Your Direction

We pause and work out where you really want to be before we set off. We use metaphor to explore careers across space, time, and boundaries. We face into the stark reality that our time is limited and careers need to progress with pace. We explore sectors, roles, companies, market trends, skills, talents, and passions. The output is three critical lists that guide the search, evaluate options, and avoid pitfalls. This is true adventure and exploration territory.

Step 2: Harvest History & Gap Analysis

We extract and document the very best of your experiences. And we get real about what's missing. This is no place for false positivity. If more experience, qualifications, or training is required to advance, we identify it and set about bridging that gap so we can move forward to the goal.

Step 3: Create a High-Impact CV / Resume

We torch the traditional approach and create a document that's less biography and HR record, and far more marketing document and positioning statement. This CV opens doors, stands out, and gets you invited to interviews.

Step 4: Optimise LinkedIn

We work meticulously through every section of your profile to attract the right attention and win with the LinkedIn algorithm. Your profile needs to outrank rivals so you're readily found as The Obvious Candidate. Then we ensure the words win hearts and minds when real people review the detail.

Step 5: Strategic Job Search

We take the marketing materials from Steps 2-4 and put them to use targeting the role we defined in Step 1. I show you how to work across four job search methods. We employ the "Dream 30 Method" of strategic networking: laser-targeting the 30 people best placed in the world to help you land the right next role. It leverages laws of networking and persuasion. And it works at speed.

Step 6: Advanced Interview Preparation

We make sure that having worked so hard to win the interview invitation, you ace your performance under pressure. We leave no stone unturned. We use advanced analysis tools to understand your interviewers' personalities before you meet them. We have answers planned for all topic areas.

Step 7: Offer Negotiation

When the offer lands, we never say yes immediately. We move into negotiation mode. And this is the fun part. It's very rare we don't add between +10% and +40% to the offer. It's not unusual for us to double incomes with just a few carefully worded emails. My aim is always to obliterate my fee. I want you to see a substantial return on your investment in working with me.

Beyond The 7 Steps...

Beyond the 7 Steps of the core process, I offer "First 90 Days" Coaching to help you start strong and ace your probation period. Many clients continue the relationship for longer, moving into annual programmes of ongoing support and executive coaching. For some we also explore them moving to Fractional or Portfolio Career patterns where they choose to balance lucrative work with more than one employer to build a way of working that best suits their expertise, ambitions and lifestyle choices.

Private Client Coaching: My Commitment to You

Here's what makes my Private Client Coaching Package very special:

It's not a set number of sessions. It's a commitment from me to work with you until you land the right next role.

Sometimes that's 3 months. Usually 6-9 months. Occasionally longer. But I never give up on you. We work together, through one-on-one video calls, group coaching sessions, and messaging support between sessions, until you land the right next role.

I work with senior professionals and business leaders at all levels: C-Suite, SVP, VP, and Director level. My clients have achieved outstanding success across an enormous breadth of sectors, from Disney, gaming, entertainment, and luxury travel to Private Equity-backed SaaS scale-ups and tech giants.

I'm UK-based but work globally via video across any and all time zones. I currently have clients in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and California.

Join me. Land the right next role faster than you ever thought possible.

Book a Discovery CallReady to begin? Take Action. Let's Change Your Career For Good

For Companies & HR Leaders

Supporting Your People Through Transition ... With Professionalism, Care, and Peace of Mind

Restructuring is never easy. When you're facing the difficult reality of letting team members go, you want to do right by them. You want to protect your employer brand. You want to ensure departing colleagues have the best possible chance of landing well.

That's where I come in.

I provide a complete "done-for-you" service, guiding individuals from exit to offer. When you work with me, you're purchasing peace of mind. You outsource the careful looking-after to me. I do the hand-holding from there onwards.

My approach is professional, compassionate, and results-driven. I help HR teams and business owners feel good about a difficult process ... knowing that their people are being genuinely supported through what can be a deeply unsettling time.

Outplacement Services:
Customised Support from Exit to Offer

I offer fully customizable outplacement packages:

- Unlimited duration programs for Senior Leaders

- 3-6 month packages for mid-level and more junior team members

Each program is tailored to the individual and includes training across the full Obvious Candidate 7-Step Method, plus one-on-one coaching support.

My Track Record with Companies

I've provided outplacement and career services for leading organizations including:

- Virgin (UK) - Trained an entire outgoing marketing team on the Obvious Candidate Method with 1:1 coaching

- O2 Telefonica (UK & Ireland) - Delivered a keynote presentation for 4000 UK leaders at Twickenham stadium. Provided custom training at all O2 sites across the UK and Ireland.

- Daqri (Los Angeles) - A Virtual Reality technology scale-up; provided combination training and 1:1 coaching during restructuring

- Major UK Charity (1000+ employees) - Worked with multiple C-level outplacements from Exit to Offer. In particular coaching one C-level leader through the full emotional journey from shock at redundancy to landing a fantastic, bigger role just 7 months later with a 40% pay rise. I've worked with this organisation on three separate occasions. Each time helping candidates land excellent new roles.

- American Express (UK) - in house corporate training

- L'Oréal - in house corporate training

- Sandvik - Executive coaching and performance coaching

In every case, the departing employees landed well, and the organisations maintained their reputation as employers who genuinely care about their people.

Additional Corporate Services

Beyond outplacement, I provide:

Executive Coaching for Senior Leaders - Custom coaching solutions to help leaders perform, meet expectations, or navigate challenging situations with additional support.

Interview Skills Training for Managers - I train managers and directors on how to interview successfully and hire the right people.

LinkedIn Training - In-house sessions to help employees make better use of LinkedIn for professional development and networking.

Internal Applications Support - Training to help your team members navigate internal promotion processes more effectively.

Let's Talk About Supporting Your People

If you're facing a restructuring, planning outplacement support, or looking for executive coaching or training solutions, I'd welcome a conversation about how I can help.

My approach is professional, discreet, and deeply human. Your people, and your reputation, are in good hands.

Book a Planning CallReady to plan your Outplacement or Executive Team Coaching? Let's Talk

Beyond the Work

I'm a Trustee and Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the national charity Missing People ... work that's deeply meaningful to me and reflects my commitment to helping people in their most vulnerable moments.

I'm also a runner. I've completed 5 marathons and recently finished my first 50k ultra marathon. Running has taught me about endurance, resilience, and the simple need to put one foot in front of the other even when it hurts (a lot) and you want to stop ... lessons that translate directly to career transitions.

I live just outside London with my wife and two daughters.

And every day, I'm grateful to do work that makes a real difference in people's lives.

Ready to Take the Next Step

Whether you're a senior executive looking for your right next role, or a company leader seeking support for your people during transition, I'd love to hear from you.

This could be the beginning of your next chapter.

Book a Discovery CallReady to begin? Take Action. Let's Change Your Career For Good

Clients Land Jobs at the Most Sought-after Employers

Testimonials

"Deciding on which CV expert writer I should go ahead with was definitely a gamble. When I saw Sam’s work and profile it just clicked. This is exactly what I wanted. He gets into your shoes and makes it happen. My CV looked amazing after Sam had worked on it. I was totally “in love” as it looked amazing. He guides you with extremely minor details to seeing the bigger picture of how you, as an Individual would sell yourself to recruiters. The coaching that he provided on LinkedIn effectiveness has just added up to my confidence level. For those who really want to invest and get the right CV and

as Sam says “it is your career life we are handling”, he is definitely the guy to do it. Sam, the work you do is truly superb! Thank you so much. I just can’t wait to share my success story with you soon.”