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Academic Coaching

When your dissertation stalls, it’s rarely about effort.

Unclear direction, a chapter that won’t come together, a deadline that’s creeping closer — I help MSc, PhD, MBA and DBA students work out what’s actually going wrong, and what to do next.

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My Services

Welcome to academic success!

Writing a dissertation or thesis is a complex journey that often feels overwhelming. With my academic coaching, you’ll have the expert PhD guidance you need to succeed, whether you’re just starting to explore your thesis topic, or tackling your final draft. As an experienced academic coach, I’m here to support you through every step of the process.

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Services

These services are customisable to your needs. Book a free introductory call to find out more!

Free Introductory Call

A 15 min introductory call to find out more about how coaching can benefit you and enable your academic success.

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30 min video call (600 ZAR)

Get quick, targeted advice for specific questions or challenges in a 30 min power session.

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60 min video call (1200 ZAR)

A comprehensive coaching experience, addressing any aspect of your project in a 60 min deep dive.

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Content review (>1500 words) (1200 ZAR)

Get insights on structure, flow, clarity, and impact to refine your work. This is an offline service and no meeting is included.

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Content review (1500-3000 words) (2400 ZAR)

Get insights on structure, flow, clarity, and impact to refine your work. This is an offline service and no meeting is included.

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Content review (3000-5000 words) (3600 ZAR)

Get insights on structure, flow, clarity, and impact to refine your work. This is an offline service and no meeting is included. Book multiple slots if your work is >5000 words.

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Offline custom support (1 hour) (1200 ZAR)

This is an offline service for prearranged custom support such as assisting you with finding literature, constructing online surveys or preparing for statistical support.

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Offline custom support (2 hours) (2400 ZAR)

This is an offline service for prearranged custom support such as assisting you with finding literature, constructing online surveys or preparing for statistical support.

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Book Now

Offline custom support (3 hours) (3600 ZAR)

This is an offline service for prearranged custom support such as assisting you with finding literature, constructing online surveys or preparing for statistical support.

Learn More
Book Now

Why choose academic coaching?

Whether you’re asking yourself “How do I write a thesis?” or you’re stuck in the middle of your research, having an academic coach provides the support and direction you need. My goal is to help you feel confident and organised, guiding you through everything from planning your thesis topic to perfecting your final draft.

Tailored solutions to suit your needs

Get Personalised Support at Any Stage  

Writing a dissertation or thesis involves many stages, and I offer coaching to support you at each one. Through organising your ideas, structuring your chapters, and learning how to write a dissertation step-by-step, I’ll help you stay on track and focused.

My Academic Coaching Services Include:

One-on-one sessions: Personal guidance to help you clarify your goals and create an actionable plan. For example, this can include Chapter Planning or Thesis Topic Development, where we will brainstorm and refine your topic to align with your interests, field requirements and feasibility.

Content Review: Receive detailed feedback on your work to ensure it’s clear, cohesive, and polished. This is not a writing service, and no writing will be done on your behalf.

Customised services: From helping you find appropriate literature for your literature review, supporting you through your qualitative and quantitative analysis, and running a defence preparation session, I’ll be there every step of the way!

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Why work with me as your academic coach?

As a PhD-qualified coach, I’ve guided over 250 students through their thesis or dissertation process. My experience includes helping students with quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods projects navigate every aspect of the academic process in a holistic way, so they can move forward with clarity and motivation.

MSc Student Distinction

I submitted on time, and I got the result yesterday. I got 75%, a distinction! I was very pleased to see my result after months of hard work.
I can’t but attribute this result partly to your help and support, which ignited my energy and helped me start. I realized it was the beginnings that always seem the hardest. You showed me the way, and I followed.

Anonymous

PhD Student Testimonial

I found Nikki’s support invaluable during the final stages of my PhD. Her careful proofreading helped sharpen the academic tone of my dissertation, improved clarity, and ensured that the narrative remained tightly aligned with the research gap and overall contribution. Her feedback was constructive, efficient, and always respectful of my voice as a writer. I’d highly recommend her to any postgraduate student looking to elevate the quality of their work.

Working with Nikki was one of the most rewarding parts of my research journey

Working with Nikki was one of the most rewarding parts of my research journey. The thesis process can often feel isolating, especially when supervisors aren’t always available to offer hands-on guidance. Nikki stepped in with generosity and expertise — patiently walking me through the technical aspects of quantitative research at a time when I had been referred only to a textbook.

Her ability to simplify complex concepts not only strengthened my understanding but made me genuinely fall in love with research. She checked in regularly, offered practical advice, and shared her deep knowledge in ways that transformed what could have been a lonely process into an engaging and inspiring experience.

I only wish I had met her earlier in my research journey — her guidance made all the difference. I’m deeply grateful for her support, mentorship, and humanity throughout the process.

Invaluable Coaching Support

I am deeply grateful for the invaluable coaching support I received during the course of my master’s research journey. Nikki’s guidance, expertise, and insightful feedback played a crucial role in shaping the quality and direction of my research. From clarifying my research topic and research questions to refining my methodology and strengthening my analysis, the coaching support empowered me to approach each stage with greater confidence.
This support not only enhanced my understanding of the research process but also helped me navigate challenges with resilience and clarity. I truly appreciate the patient coaching, always on approach and follow-through by Nikki, which made a significant difference in my overall experience and the successful completion of my dissertation

Anonymous

MSc student

Nikki deserves extra acclaim for helping me stay in academia

Most praise and kudos for Nikki likely comes from students that’re still working through the academic landscape.  My own testimony for Nikki is a little different as I’m on a different path.  I’ve recently completed my second degree, 21 years after finishing my first one.  To say that I was rusty, well, that’d be an oversimplification.  Nikki was an overwhelmingly positive influence for my major project, bringing me up to speed on research techniques, literature reviews and so on.  All of this, you’d expect.

Nikki deserves extra acclaim for helping me stay in academia.  I’ve identified what I feel is a gap in the literature for my trade and am interested in contributing to industry knowledge.  Nikki shifted gears from providing academic support to providing insights into the peer-review scientific journal process.  Her ability to cleanly explain what’s required for publication has been pivotal.  I don’t always recall I’m submitting for publication and not a syllabus guided course.  It’s a mentoring relationship I’m looking forward to continuing as I further my work.  Thanks very much for the help.

Steven Andrews

Thoughtful and Effective Coaching

I have been working with Dr. Phair for over a year as a doctoral student. She helped me review my application, refine my research proposal, and provide detailed feedback on my assignments. She guided me through every step of the process, from planning my project timeline to tackling my literature review.

An inside joke between us was that I sometimes met with her more than my extended family. Her support, patience, and expertise have been invaluable. I wouldn’t have made the same progress without her. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking thoughtful and effective coaching.

Anonymous

DBA student

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Start your journey to academic success

Ready to make progress on your thesis or dissertation? Book a free 15-minute consultation today to discuss your needs and see how we can work together to achieve your goals. 

With academic coaching, you’ll gain the skills, confidence, and focus you need to complete your thesis or dissertation with success!

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