Angie Beeston

Associate Tutor (Management and Business Training)

"For me, it's about the learners walking away from the session feeling confident with new tool kits in their bags, able to adapt their style and approach, whilst remaining completely authentic."

What led you to work for PETA?

My career started in the ceramic industry, with suppliers to companies around the globe, shipping hazardous materials, then to Royal Doulton, initially as PA to CEO and Directors, moving through the ranks to Account Manager. I moved to Spode China, responsible for multi-million sales and marketing responsibilities. My customers were small business owners, so this introduced me to the world of business, cashflow and development at another level.

Travelling all over the UK, regularly driving 60,000 business miles a year, I changed career to a Toyota dealer, heading up a new project to be Business Centre Manager. From 2, we became an 11-strong team of sales, service, drivers and administrators, winning Customer Care Above & Beyond Awards and nominated for Fleet Awards in the industry for sustainability initiatives.

I changed direction, moving to Business Link as Business Adviser, giving me a greater understanding of processes, legalities,  and ways of developing small/medium sized businesses in every sector.

Having loved this job so much, when an opportunity came to move into my own space 14 years ago, I took it - leading me to be an Executive Coach, Business Mentor and Leadership Specialist.

As PETA offers business focused learning and programmes, this was a natural fit and a huge passion of mine, so I joined the associate team about 10 years ago!

What is your role at PETA and what drives you to do what you do?

Associate Tutor, delivering Leadership & Management programmes and business courses.

But more than that, working with the students, it's about flexing my approach, so sometimes I become a coach, mentor and facilitator, not only a trainer. As tutors we have  a huge responsibility to ensure every individual feels they are part of the sessions, that they take something away from it that can be used in their role to improve, change or just make tings more understandable. 

Learning new skills is exciting and a massive opportunity to develop yourself and others. The impact learning has on us is huge. I personally undertook my Post Graduate Business Degree part-time, over several years whilst working full-time, and I never fail to be inspired by those I meet doing the same, giving time, commitment, energy, and focus, whilst balancing family, work life and often many other personal challenges.

I'm a strong believer that we can always be learning and have a passion to be looking for new thinking, ways of adapting our approaches in business to ensure it is relevant for today's professional environments. The best part of this job is seeing those lightbulb moments of new thinking and helping individuals to have confidence to try something totally different. 

What knowledge and experience do you draw upon for your role?

Having previously worked in many different roles including sales, marketing, commercial, operations, manufacturing, and business development, all of these areas have given me a sense of how to work with people, to get the best from individuals and help to understand ways of ensuring learning and confidence is given to others for them to polish their skills.

How do you approach your role on a day-to-day basis? What skills are required?

As an Associate Tutor, I spend much of my time working on lots of different projects, often away from a classroom or virtual environment. No two days are ever the same, I work with so many different companies, individuals and teams, delivering business coaching, mentoring, training, leadership projects, facilitation of strategy sessions, etc. I spend lots of time diagnosing wider company issues, which help me to create the best approaches for individuals to achieve organisational goals, and work on themselves too.

Key skills include listening, questioning, focus, compassion, caring, non-judgemental and being curious, working with others to ensure they start to become more self-aware and the impact they have on others. Building strong professional networks is very important and communication is a huge part of this.

What is your teaching style? 

Having spent so much time being the other side of the desk, I pride myself on creating innovative, inclusive, safe, collaborative sessions, which are relevant, identifiable, and fun, vital to help the learning process.

For me, it's about the learners walking away from the session feeling confident with new tool kits in their bags, able to adapt their style and approach, whilst remaining completely authentic.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I love the outdoors, living by the coast means I can get out in nature every day, walking, cycling, swimming are very important to me. A real chance to switch off from business and give me calm headspace.

I'm a proper bookworm, and love losing myself in stories, writing letters/postcards for a cancer charity and care homes around the UK, sewing, painting and crafting. I do love a bit of art!

For many years I was a Volunteer Dementia Champion, helping to spread awareness of how to support individuals living with dementia. Three years ago, I became a Trustee and Vice-Chair for The Geranium Trust, a Somerset-based charity created to combat loneliness for individuals, supporting communities from LGBTQ+ through to special needs, the elderly and families/carers of those supporting relatives in palliative end of life care. Trustees and volunteers from the charity plant Woodland Trust trees annually on its site in the Somerset countryside.

What are your personal values, and what is important to you?

Honesty, kindness, courtesy, respect and compassion.

Fundamentally, we need to be more aware of our fellow human beings and be supportive, kind and understanding to help others.

We can all make positive impact by being caring.