About Ben Coker

Overview

Ben Coker’s career spans more than five decades and integrates science, education, business creation, consultancy, systems thinking, publishing, coaching, and therapy. The consistent thread throughout his work is an ability to understand complex systems – technical, organisational, and human – and translate that understanding into practical structures that enable progress and transformation.

He has founded, owned, led, and advised multiple businesses across diverse sectors, often operating ahead of mainstream adoption of new technologies or ideas. His work combines analytical rigour with creativity, commercial awareness with human insight, and strategic thinking with grounded execution. In recent years, his focus has increasingly centred on individual transformation, coaching, and therapeutic work, while remaining informed by extensive business and organisational experience.

Foundations in Science, Education, and Leadership

Ben began his professional life with a strong scientific foundation, graduating from the University of Liverpool with a BSc in Life Sciences. His academic training instilled a disciplined, evidence-based approach to analysis and problem-solving that continues to inform his work.

Early roles in secondary education and student leadership developed his ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, manage groups, and take responsibility within structured environments. These experiences laid the groundwork for a career characterised by learning agility, clarity of explanation, and leadership within evolving systems.

Business Creation, Printing, and Publishing

During the 1970s and early 1980s, Ben co-founded and led Anvil Press (Liverpool), later Peter James Printing Ltd. He built the company from inception into a successful printing and publishing business serving the student market and a wide range of commercial clients.

The business produced advertising-funded student guides, books by local authors, and national contracts for design and print. Ben was responsible for production, operations, management, and commercial development. Anticipating major technological change, he successfully exited the business by selling its assets, demonstrating strategic foresight and disciplined decision-making.

IT, Systems Analysis, and Programme Management

In the early 1980s Ben retrained in information technology, moving from paper-based industries into systems analysis and programme management. He worked with United Biscuits Management Services on the transition of sales systems from manual to IT-based processes.

He later joined ICL plc, progressing to Senior Programme Manager. His responsibilities included managing large portfolios of concurrent projects, introducing early graphical project planning systems, implementing controlled communication processes, and contributing to corporate quality systems leading to ISO9001 accreditation. His MBA dissertation examined the real-world uptake of quality initiatives across the organisation.

Consultancy and Public Sector Transformation

Ben became a self-employed management consultant in the early 1990s and subsequently established Business Developments Limited to support public sector and large-scale organisational work.

His consultancy focused heavily on transport and infrastructure, particularly the UK rail industry. He contributed to civil engineering reorganisation, asset management, performance regimes, Year 2000 programmes, safety reviews, and accident investigations. A defining feature of his work was bridging the gap between documented processes and operational reality through extensive engagement with front-line staff.

Education, Mentoring, and Network Leadership

Alongside consultancy, Ben served for approximately 20 years as a distance learning MBA tutor at Warwick Business School, supporting senior managers in applying theory to practical business challenges.

He also held leadership roles in business networking organisations, Toastmasters, and community governance, gaining deep experience in mentoring, facilitation, and organisational stewardship.

Scuba Diving Training and Operations

Alongside my main business and consultancy work, from 1979 to 1994 I was also heavily involved in recreational scuba diving instruction. As an Advanced Instructor I served as Diving Officer for the Merseyside branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club and later co-founded Manchester Scuba School.

As a PADI Instructor and later Master Scuba Diver Trainer, I trained recreational divers in the UK and abroad, including organising qualification trips to Malta and liveaboard trips to the Res Sea. This work required operational management skills, discipline, safety awareness, calm decision-making, and clear instruction under pressure, qualities that have carried through into my later work as a consultant, coach, and mentor.

Network Marketing and Recurring Income Models

From 1999 onwards, Ben developed significant expertise in network marketing, building and leading large teams and customer bases with Amway and later Utility Warehouse. He consistently ranked among the top personal customer gatherers nationally.

Approaching the model with a conventional marketing perspective, he developed a rare objective understanding of its strengths and limitations. This work reinforced his expertise in recurring income, relationship-based business, leadership without hierarchy, and behavioural motivation.

Coaching, Therapy, and Personal Transformation

From 2013 onwards, Ben shifted his primary focus towards coaching and therapy. He is a qualified transformational coach and a clinical hypnotherapist trained in Rapid Transformational Therapy, alongside additional modalities addressing deeply embedded belief patterns.

His work supports individuals in understanding mindset, releasing limiting beliefs, clarifying vision, and aligning identity with purposeful action. He works with both personal and business ambitions, recognising that sustainable success is rooted in personal clarity.

Writing, Speaking, and Thought Leadership

Writing and speaking have been constants throughout Ben’s career. He has written professionally for nearly 50 years and continues to produce educational and inspirational content, including a regular e‑zine and practical books and workbooks.

He is an experienced public speaker who has delivered hundreds of lectures, training sessions, and inspirational talks to audiences of all sizes, combining authority with accessibility.

Current Focus

Ben’s current work integrates transformational coaching and therapy, business strategy and mentoring, publishing and education, emerging technology advisory, and speaking and facilitation. His distinctive strength lies in synthesis – connecting systems, people, ideas, and purpose into coherent, practical paths forward.