James Pickles

I lead the new business function at Byrne Dean, bringing almost 35 years experience of helping customers and clients solve their problems.

Much of my career was spent in the consumer research sector until in early 2019, while leading my record-breaking sales team, seemingly out of nowhere, I experienced an almost total physical and mental breakdown leaving me too ill to function for over 9 months.

Following my recovery I retrained as a certified Performance Coach (AoEC Practitioner Diploma, 2021) and Mental Health First Aider. I learned that not all of my successful habits were sustainable and that there can be plenty of early warning signs.

Between 2020 and 2025 I created and delivered over 60 interactive and impactful talks, workshops as well as group and 1-2-1 coaching sessions, helping high performers and their teams stay that way, sustainably. Trusted by some of the UK’s highest performing brands such as Coca-Cola, M&S, British Heart Foundation, GSK and many more.

I use my experience of stress related illness to help others better recognise the signs, signals and symptoms of unhealthy stress in order that they can take earlier positive action for themselves and those around them. It’s really hard to perform well, if we’re not well and we are all our own support structure – resilience is a team game.

The chance to combine the work that the team at Byrne Dean deliver and my experience inside and out of high pressure environments seemed like too good a marriage to pass up.

My non-work time is largely spent trying to be a good dad to two teenagers, playing padel and squash, growing things in the allotment (sometimes on purpose) and generally remembering not to cast too much of my happiness into tomorrow.