Well-known names from the worlds of business and sports leadership have praised a new work by first time author and Staffordshire-based executive coach Sarah Brennand.

Balancing Act: Mastering Work, Wealth, and Wellbeing blends research from neuroscience and behavioural science with real-world stories. Contributors include Olympic athletes, military leaders, CEOs, financial experts, entrepreneurs, and professionals, and Sarah, from Yarnfield, near Stone, documents how she and her interviewees balance leadership alongside parenting, transition, or a redefined view of success.

Her own busy career is combined with being a mum of three. “I live the balancing act I write about,” explains Sarah, “Raising a family alongside career growth has shaped my understanding of resilience, priority and the discipline required to perform under pressure. It has taught me as much as any formal role or qualification.” 

Interviewees include Adam Burgess, who originally trained with Stone Canoe Club, and won Silver in canoe slalom at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Early reviews include praise from Wigan Warriors Rugby League Head Coach Matt Peet and former Dragon’s Den panellist Sarah Willingham.

Super League and Challenge Cup winner Peet said: “It cuts through the noise and speaks directly to the reality of leading people while trying to be at your best yourself.”

Entrepreneur and investor Sarah Willingham, a former Newcastle-under-Lyme School pupil, described Balancing Act as “practical, sustainable and refreshingly honest about what it takes to build a life that actually works.”

Sarah Brennand is founder of L7 Executive Coaching and Co-Founder of Illuminare Executive Education, organisations delivering leadership and business solutions across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

She said: “My work centres on strategy, performance and the ability to operate with pace and alignment in environments that demand both.”

“Balancing Act, published by De Gruyter in February 2026, builds on my work, exploring a question many people quietly wrestle with: how do you sustain performance at work without burning out the rest of your life?”

Sarah says the answer is grounded in strategy, not slogans.

The book introduces a clear framework for navigating pressure across career, finances, health, and family life. At its core is Sarah’s Calibration Model, now used by leaders and organisations around the world to bring clarity, focus, and alignment when demands pull in competing directions.

The book’s distinctive visual style also draws on local talent. Illustrations were created with the support of Luisa Phillips, a digital designer and illustrator, based in Stone, Staffordshire, who has worked with Sarah for over a decade.

Sarah said: “Luisa’s work brings creativity and warmth to complex ideas, helping readers engage with the models and tools in a way that feels accessible and human.”

Balancing Act: Mastering Work, Wealth and Wellbeing is distributed internationally and available through over 70,000 retailers worldwide.
The book links to a wider Balancing Act ecosystem, including a podcast launched by Sarah in 2026, an online resource hub with free downloadable tools from the book, and ongoing leadership and performance programmes delivered through Sarah’s companies L7 Executive Coaching and Illuminare Executive Education 
Further information, downloadable resources from the book, and the Balancing Act podcast can be found at www.balancing-act.co.uk. Or by contacting Sarah on [email protected].

Sarah is available to speak at local business events, leadership forums, schools, and community groups, sharing practical insight on performance, resilience, and navigating pressure without losing balance.

Her talks draw directly from Balancing Act and her work with leaders across business, education, and sport, and are tailored to the audience in the room.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Nigel Howle; telephone 0776 2043436, email [email protected].