A man in a business suit standing outdoors with a city skyline in the background, in black and white.

James Gibb, Founder of Deep Life Journey

Consultant & Writer

Ten important words people should heed more: “I don’t know enough to have an opinion about that.”

There are many things I don’t have a settled opinion on for exactly that reason. The ones I do return to seriously, through both my work and my writing, are the ideas that shape how we think, how we communicate, and how we live.

Deep Life Journey brings together my work as a consultant and writer. It is home to my essays, my photography, and the strategic services I offer to clients.

Clarity in Communication.
Depth in Thought.

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Contact Me

James the Writer

Essayist & Photographer.

I write essays on the ideas that shape modern life, drawing from cinema, literature, and culture. My writing has appeared in publications including Arabian Business. Each Friday, I publish Deep Life Reflections, an essay built around one idea worth your time. I’ve written more than 150 essays.

My photography was recognised as a finalist in the Berlin Photo Awards 2025. Over more than 15 years behind the camera, I’ve built a body of work shaped by memory, atmosphere, and reflection.

Explore My Writing

James the Consultant

Strategic Consultant & Coach.

I work with individuals and organisations on positioning, value, messaging, narrative, and clear communication. As an ICF-accredited coach, I also partner with senior leaders, executives, and creatives at key moments of growth, change, or reinvention, helping them define the next chapter with greater clarity and conviction.

My background includes 25 years of global experience in marketing, communications, and strategy, including senior roles at Dell Technologies, board-level experience, and small business ownership.

Work With Me

Deep Life Journey is grounded in the belief that life is best approached deliberately: by thinking clearly rather than reacting, by building craft in how we speak, work, listen, pay attention, and make things, and by treating identity as something tested, chosen, recalibrated, and recommitted to over time.

It is also shaped by the moments that disrupt any neat idea of who we are — career change, loss, health scares, or even success that no longer satisfies. Deep Life Journey is interested in how we meet those moments without easy answers or false certainty.

It is not self-help or therapy. It does not promise transformation or trade in hacks. It will not appeal to people looking for certainty or to be told what to think.

But for those who value critical thinking, reflection, and the steady building of craft, Deep Life Journey offers a serious and human way of engaging with life as it is.

Deep Life Journey is where all my work comes together.

The practical and the personal.
The visual and the written.
The professional and the creative.

What Clients Say

  • James provided invaluable strategic support as I transitioned from corporate leadership to a portfolio of board, advisory, and founder roles. His insight, clarity of thought, and ability to shape complex experience into a coherent narrative have been instrumental in helping me define and communicate this next chapter with purpose.

    Aongus Hegarty
    Independent Director | Chair & Strategic Advisor | Former President at Dell Technologies

    [Strategic Consulting]

  • James helped me step back and rethink how I was presenting my work to the world. Through a full strategic review, he brought clarity to my proposition and created a series of recommendations that aligned my messaging with the true value I offer my clients. His ability to understand complexity and articulate a consistent brand voice was exceptional.

    Russell Hemmings
    Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist & Author

    [Strategic Consulting]

  • James played a key role in bringing clarity and direction to how we introduced Lakeside Capital to the market. He led the strategic development of our launch brochure, shaping the messaging, voice, and design to reflect our values and vision with precision. He understood exactly what we needed and delivered it. I highly recommend James. He really brings tremendous value to any organisation he works with.

    Tommy Geary
    Executive Coach | Business Advisor | Investor

    [Strategic Consulting]

  • Working with James has been transformative. His structured yet friendly approach built trust while helping me tackle complex challenges in my role as Chief Executive. He helped me discover solutions on my own, improving my decision-making, work-life balance, and personal growth. I highly recommend his coaching to new or established leaders.

    Christopher Glasgow
    Chief Executive, Glasgow, U.K

    [Strengths-Based Leadership Coaching]

  • James is everything you could ask for in a coach. Working with him, I discovered my strengths and how to put them to use. I left each session with a positive outlook, learning a new insight about myself and equipped with steps to move closer to my goals.

    Michelle Thacher
    Instructional Design Manager, Florida, United States

    [Strengths-Based Leadership Coaching]

  • Despite being disciplined and organised, I struggled with prioritisation — balancing my roles as a mother and entrepreneur. James is calm, empathetic, and knows exactly when and how to challenge you. Each session provided clear actions and new insights, improving my communication and confidence.

    Ana-Maria Iliescu
    Business Owner & Coach, Dubai, UAE

    [Strengths-Based Leadership Coaching]

  • James was the keynote speaker at our inaugural Annual Scientific Convention, delivering a powerful talk to over 200 senior healthcare professionals. He shared three meaningful strategies for cultivating intention, balance, and focus, all brought to life through clear ideas and his own personal story of resilience. His message left the audience both moved and inspired.

    Dr. Shine Ashokan
    Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon, King’s College Hospital London Dubai

    [Keynote & Guest Speaker Talks]

  •  James delivered a fantastic talk as part of our Global Wellbeing Week, speaking to a global audience of Dell finance professionals. His story, which focused on resilience, mindset, and personal growth in the face of major surgery, was both inspiring and practical. James has an excellent ability to speak from the heart while delivering insights that stay with you long after.

    Barry McNamara
    Finance Operations Senior Director, Dell Technologies

    [Keynote & Guest Speaker Talks]

  • James spoke at our People of the Future event in Dubai, where he explored the power of reframing as a tool for moving beyond limiting beliefs. He shared his story with humility and insight, offering the audience practical strategies for living with greater intention and depth. His talk was thoughtful, inspiring, and clearly appreciated by everyone present.

    Olga Saphoznikova
    Documentary Director & Producer

    [Keynote & Guest Speaker Talks]

Explore the Deep Life Library

Deep Life Journey is home to my creative work: my frameworks, photography, and essays on work, culture, identity, and the ideas that shape how we think and live.

Deep Life Paths

Practical frameworks for living with intention.

Explore

Deep Life Essays

Explorations on life, identity, and change.

Explore

Deep Life Reflections

Inspired by literature, cinema & culture.

Explore

Deep Life Photography

Visual stories from a decade of craft.

Explore

Latest Deep Life Reflections

Featured
Thinking vs Understanding Yourself
Thinking vs Understanding Yourself

Introspection can clarify your life—or distort it. The difference is whether it produces insight or just better self-justification.

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Let Me In
Let Me In

Memory is less about recall and more about reinterpretation. And it gets more painful the more we understand.

Read More →
The Man Who Wouldn’t Lie
The Man Who Wouldn’t Lie

Society doesn’t punish us for lying. It punishes us for refusing to play the game.

Read More →