January 20, 2025
9
mins

A Little Bit About Me, Maximy's CEO

Hello! I’m Sheena, CEO of Maximy.

I’m a first-generation immigrant, raised in a close-knit Gujarati community in Essex. As the eldest of three, responsibility has always been at the core of who I am. I’m the one that looked after everyone else. According to my school report, aged 6, I was “bossy”. I think we call that assertive now. What I didn’t know at the time was that that was the start of my leadership journey - a drive to guide, influence, and support.

I took those "big sister" vibes to my graduate programme at Accenture, where I quickly realised that while I had a strong sense of responsibility, there was so much more to leadership that I needed to learn. 

Over the years, I've worn many hats across a variety of industries, but no matter the role, I've always been drawn to one thing: helping people thrive in complex, ever-changing environments. Whether it was embracing new technologies, adapting to shifting organisational cultures, or managing times of transformation, my journey has always circled back to one core focus: human performance.

While my background is in technology, it is people who truly energise me. I found myself deeply curious about what drives them, what shapes their behaviours, and how I can help evolve those behaviours to help them succeed in new ways. This curiosity led me to a natural path of coaching, even though I didn’t fully recognise it at first. It wasn’t until my teams pointed it out to me that I realised how deeply I was investing in their growth. This insight fuelled my drive to get formally qualified as a coach.

Through my work in innovation, I’ve realised that leadership and innovation are deeply intertwined. We are all works in progress, constantly evolving experiments. By leveraging insights about ourselves, we can experiment with new ways to unlock our potential — continuously learning, adapting, and using those insights to create fresh possibilities for our future.

Leadership also extends to my side hustle: being a mum to two incredibly spirited kids, Quinn and Axel. These two are, without a doubt, here to test my limits in every imaginable way. Mum leadership is demanding, relentless, and often exhausting, but wow are they worth it. They are these magical little forces of nature, full of curiosity, boundless energy, and zero emotional regulation. It’s truly a gift to watch them grow into little humans with free will. They remind me daily of the power of potential — the way raw energy and curiosity, when nurtured, can evolve into something extraordinary. And as they evolve, in order to lead them to the best of my ability, so must I. I just wish there was a user guide!

In many ways, the lessons I’ve learned as a mum mirror those I’ve learned in my professional life. Leadership, like parenting, is about guiding, supporting, and believing in the potential of yourself and others — whether it’s a team member or a child. It’s about nurturing growth, learning without judgement, creating space for exploration, and embracing the messy, wonderful journey of discovery.

What brought me to Maximy? 

As fate would have it, Eliot first introduced me to Maximy while I was training to be an ICF executive coach. And then I met Rob. 

Rob had me at hello. He is a visionary with a bold dream to change the world through Maximy. His passion is contagious and his ambition audacious. He has this rare ability to make the complex and impossible seem not only achievable but simple. I was immediately captivated by the challenge ahead and the opportunity to be part of something truly extraordinary. 

The need for Maximy is clear.  

After nearly two decades in business, I’ve had the privilege of working with over 50 C-suite leaders and organisations. Yet, I find myself wondering: how many of them have truly asked themselves whether they are performing at their highest potential in every role? Far too often, the focus is on immediate survival, responding to disruption, or driving strategic transformation for the organisation. Yet, the critical question of maximising the potential of every leader, at every level, often goes overlooked. While the goal may be growth, the scale, pace, and sustainability of that growth will be limited without an ongoing commitment to developing the leadership within the organisation.

It’s not uncommon to encounter boards and leadership teams that, despite their individual strengths, fail to work cohesively or function as a unified force. Teams frequently operate in silos, marked by a lack of trust and insufficient communication. Meanwhile, individuals are unclear about expectations, which undermines both performance and morale. The result? Opportunities for true growth and organisational success are stifled, not because of external challenges, but because the internal leadership potential has yet to be fully realised.

This is where Maximy will play a pivotal role in supporting the transformation agendas of boards and organisations, helping them realise their future potential by unlocking the full value of their most underutilised asset: their people. 

But Maximy is not just about business leaders. It’s about each and every one of us. 

What struck me most, in my first meeting with Rob, was the profound impact Maximy could have on my own children. Having kids changes everything—it shifts your perspective on the world and deepens your desire to leave it better for the next generation, without needing personal accolades. I began to imagine my children as the little leaders of tomorrow, with incredible self-awareness, navigating the world with all the tools and resources they’d need to be the best versions of themselves in every role they took on. They will be unstoppable.

How could I say no to building that kind of future for them?

My hope for Maximy 

As I step in to lead Maximy, I am deeply aware of the responsibility before me - but I am not alone on this journey. With Rob and Eliot by my side I am confident we will achieve remarkable things in 2025 and beyond. We are building on a solid foundation thanks to the incredible work of Rob, Deborah, and Eliot, and now it’s time to accelerate that momentum and turn our shared vision into reality. Deborah, our co-founder and a highly accredited Master Coach and trainer, dedicated two years to carefully identifying, assessing, and building our network of renowned coaches. Alongside Deborah, Rob and Eliot developed science backed content and methods, analytics, and highly impactful and award winning programmes. I wholeheartedly believe we have the vision, we have the network, we have the resources and tools, and most importantly we have the heart and will to see this through. 

Imagine a world where everyone knows themselves, truly. From a young age, you know who you are, what you value, what you’re good at and what you could become and most importantly, how you’ll get there. You never have to worry or second guess yourself. You are assertive, self assured and confident in your potential and how you will continuously reach it. You’re capable of creating the environments and cultures to help others thrive. Now extrapolate that to everyone, in every role they have, because this journey is available to everyone.  The possibilities for success, wellbeing and positive impact for individuals and as a collective are endless. It will transform lives. It will transform businesses. It will transform families and communities.

Are you ready to maximise your potential?

Connect with me on Linkedln.

You’ve got one shot at life

Maximy it!

Discover how we can help you and/or your organisation with your leadership journey to enhance your impact today.