Coaching

CA(SA) coaching for trainees, professionals, and the teams that develop them - grounded in neuroscience, the Enneagram, and the reality of performing under pressure

Deepa’s work focuses on a small number of critical shifts: self-awareness, emotional and behavioural regulation, personal responsibility, working relationships and consistent performance. Rather than adding new frameworks, sessions concentrate on recognising existing patterns and changing the behaviour that follows from them.

Daylight Edge coaching is structured around the LIGHT™ Model, a framework Deepa developed over a decade of coaching professionals and CA trainees in high-pressure environments. Each session is self-directed: you set the agenda, and Deepa provides challenge and support in equal measure.

Before coaching begins, Deepa recommends completing an Integrative Enneagram assessment. It gives both coach and client a shared starting point on patterns, motivations and development areas, so sessions can focus on what matters most from the outset rather than spending early conversations on discovery.

Coaching works best when there’s real buy-in and a clear desire to change. Deepa acts as a sounding board, offering challenge alongside encouragement, with sessions spaced to allow time for reflection and progress between conversations.

The work in numbers

Over 20 years experience translates

coaching hours

assessments completed

Enneagrams/ PDAs completed

Prospective APC/ IAC/ CFA candidates coached

WHAT WE OFFER

Coaching for CA Trainees & Grads

The technical preparation is only a component of what trips people up. What matters most is performance under pressure, managing uncertainty and showing up consistently across three years of articles. The coaching meets you wherever you are in the contract, from your first rotation to Board Exam prep.

What coaching during articles looks like

A structured combination of team and individual coaching across the full training contract. Individual sessions are spaced deliberately: 4 in Year 1, 3 in Year 2, and a career-focused session in Year 3, so insights get implemented and reflected on over time rather than delivered in one sitting.Because coaching is sustained across the full contract, you’re never navigating the journey alone.

Board Exam coaching - first-time candidates

Three structured coaching sessions focused on the non-technical factors that determine APC outcomes – how you think under pressure, manage your time on the day, and regulate your response when uncertainty hits. Most candidates are technically prepared. This is about making sure that preparation translates into performance.

Board Exam coaching - repeaters

Four sessions designed specifically for candidates who have been through the APC before. We start where you are – understanding what happened, what patterns may have contributed, and what needs to shift. The focus is on building a different relationship with the exam rather than repeating the same preparation.

Coaching for Professionals & Leaders

1:1 and team coaching grounded in the Enneagram and neuroscience, for professionals who want to change how they lead rather than add another leadership framework to what they already know.

What a coaching engagement looks like

Engagements typically run across 10 -12 sessions, spaced 3–4 weeks apart. Each session is structured but led by you, focused on what matters most in your professional life right at the time. Between sessions, active reflection and implementation are part of the process. Deepa works with a small number of clients at any one time so each engagement gets proper attention.

Team coaching ideally runs alongside individual sessions, building shared language and peer accountability within the cohort. If you’re joining as a team, the professional development workshops pair naturally with your coaching engagement. If you’re joining as an individual, Deepa periodically runs group sessions open to individuals.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

From the people we've worked with

“Deepa was my coach for IAC and APC. She helped me identify areas that I need to work on, identify my strengths, and actively recognise the relationship between everything I do in a single day with my output. Another interesting thing was her helping me link my Enneagram to my studies which helped me be more aware.

In all my sessions with her, I came out more aware, confident that I can do well and looking forward to the next session. I can’t express well enough how supportive she is — outside of the sessions, after working hours, and after the assessments she would check up on me to make sure I am okay. Her impact is lasting.”

“I had the privilege of working with Deepa during my SAICA APC journey in 2025, where she played a pivotal role in my development beyond technical competence.

Her coaching extended far deeper than academic preparation, as she focused on strengthening the professional skills required to succeed both in the APC and in practice as a CA(SA). Through her guidance, I developed critical competencies such as emotional intelligence, time management, reflective thinking, effective communication, and the ability to approach complex scenarios with clarity and confidence, even when I didn’t feel too confident in my APC journey.

What stood out most for me from her coaching was discovering parts of myself as a professional and leveraging them to be successful in my professional career, as well as her ability to challenge my thinking while maintaining a supportive and encouraging environment. She consistently provided practical insights, actionable feedback, and real-world perspectives that enabled me to refine my approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

Her impact has been lasting, not only in helping me successfully navigate the APC, but also in shaping how I approach my role as a professional in the workplace. I would highly recommend Deepa to any aspiring CA(SA) seeking to strengthen the non-technical skills that are critical for long-term success.”

“Deepa brings an exceptional combination of technical competence, emotional intelligence and genuine care for the people she works with. Throughout my SAICA training journey, she consistently created a supportive yet challenging environment — one that encouraged reflection, accountability, and continuous growth.

What truly sets Deepa apart is her ability to ask the right questions. She doesn’t simply assess performance — she seeks to understand context, mindset and progression. Her feedback is thoughtful, balanced and always aimed at enabling long-term professional maturity rather than short-term compliance.

Beyond her technical expertise, Deepa is an outstanding coach and human being. She approaches each engagement with empathy, professionalism and integrity, making even stressful assessment processes feel constructive and empowering. I am incredibly grateful for her guidance and support.”

Clients working with Deepa typically report:

Clearer decisions when under time pressure
Less reactivity when workload or scrutiny increases
A working understanding of their own patterns, especially where they slip under strain
More consistent follow-through after each session

If you’re a CA trainee preparing for board exams, a professional navigating a career transition, or a training office investing in your people, book a 20-minute conversation to explore what’s possible.