About us

Who we are

Training, Personal Development and Coaching

Make your employees happier and more productive to get the best performance from your team

  • Stress Management
  • Mental Health Awareness
  • Substance Abuse
  • Performance Management
  • Leadership Skills Training
  • Confidence Building
  • Assertiveness Skills
  • Communication Training
What we do

Empowering Workplace Performance: A1 Personal Development's Proactive Approach to Training and Coaching

A1 Personal Development, a premier team of training and coaching consultants, prides itself on a proactive methodology to boost workplace performance. We’re not just about delivering training; we’re about creating changes that make a difference. Through our bespoke services, we aim to challenge and change potentially detrimental psychological patterns that can hinder employee performance.

Our services include comprehensive awareness programs, designed to help organizations identify and counter negative psychological tendencies. By encouraging a greater understanding and responsibility around such issues, we aim to nurture healthier, more productive work environments.

We also recognize the critical role of talent retention in the success of your business. As such, our services are designed to help you create an engaging, supportive, and rewarding environment that not only attracts high-quality talent but also motivates them to stay.

But we don’t stop there. Our commitment extends to ensuring the well-being of your staff. We believe that a happy, satisfied employee is a productive one, and so we strive to help your business adopt strategies and practices that look after your team’s mental and emotional health.

Finally, all our services converge on a singular, ultimate goal – to optimise your business productivity. By focusing on the performance, well-being, and retention of your staff, we help unlock their full potential, thus driving the growth and success of your business. At A1 Personal Development, we’re not just about creating positive change; we’re about ensuring that change makes a tangible difference to your business.

Discover More

Stress Management

Increase employee productivity with our stress management programmes

Mental Health Awareness

Improve employee performance with our mental health training

Substance Abuse

Discover how to prevent substance abuse from affecting your company's success

Performance Management

Get the most out of your people with our performance courses

Our team

Joe Hennessy

Co-Founder

A company director with over 15 years experience running several businesses, primarily in the construction industry. It was here I discovered a passion for dealing with people, getting the best out of employees as well as dealing with client expectations when delivering high end building projects. Now a fully qualified peak performance coach and mentor I have helped people from different backgrounds, from corporate business sales staff to mentoring schoolchildren through our Alternative Provision programme. Coaching extends to my personal life, combining with my other passion and coaching my twin sons’ football team.

Chris Gibson

Co-Founder

Starting off my career as a personal trainer at an exclusive hotel in Berkshire, I served as a premier fitness instructor and personal trainer with expertise in advanced personal training, fitness testing, and health appraisals. My role involved optimizing sports nutrition, strength and conditioning training for athletes, and providing general lifestyle management services. I had the opportunity to train numerous clients, many of whom belonged to the film industry.

With a background in martial arts, including boxing and Thai boxing, I began working in security. I started with nightclub door security and then moved on to rapid response concert security. Subsequently, I provided close protection services for individual high-profile clients, travelling internationally to various parts of the globe, including Dubai and Thailand.

Driven by a strong personal interest in psychology, I travelled to California to study neurolinguistic programming, timeline therapy, and hypnotherapy. Upon returning, I completed a performance coaching and teaching package. Later, I pursued qualifications in psychotherapeutic counseling and advanced corporate stress management, which involved extensive independent research on addiction, relationships, and Cluster B personality disorders. During this time, I collaborated with Britain’s stunt professionals, assisting with performance psychology and consulting on training and supplementation.

As I progressed in my career, I transitioned to consultative work, delivering presentations on performance, personal safety, stress management, and physical intervention for a risk management agency. My clients mainly comprised blue-chip companies in the retail sector, including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, and Wilkinsons.

In addition to my work, I dedicated time to studying physical restraint instruction, and I earned certifications in conflict management and various fight systems, such as Krav Maga, Systema, and other combatives.

Currently, I serve as the Director of A1 Personal Development, where I teach courses and run coaching sessions aimed at raising awareness about stress, mental health, and substance abuse.

Furthermore, I hold the position of Director at Heads Up Coaching & Therapy, where I specialize in therapy and coaching, offering one-on-one support, particularly in the areas of addiction, personal development, and Cluster B personality disorders.

One of my proudest achievements is the creation of my own personal protection system called “Heads Up Personal Protection.” This system, which is simple, effective, and easy to use, can be taught in one-on-one sessions or in group settings.

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