Why I tore it all down after 5 years in biz - my story from redundancy to rediscovery and finding my Purpose and Profit Niche™️

I used to feel like a fraud when I told people redundancy was the catalyst for my leap into self-employment, not my deep desire for change.

In the early stages of pregnancy with my second daughter, I felt I had little choice. I remember thinking. “Who on earth will employ a pregnant mother of one, on a part-time basis for just a few months before she is due to give birth?”

My biz was born out of panic and necessity, not inspiration and courage.

Panic stations and what next?

Miraculously, I secured a 4-month employee engagement contract just days after being made redundant. Despite trying to switch off (easier said than done!), my confidence and self-belief were in tatters. My redundancy process had been traumatic for various reasons - aside from the obvious - and returning to a corporate 9-5 felt impossible. 

I craved more. 

More meaning. More freedom. More time to spend with my young family. More time in nature. More time to create and learn. More autonomy. More happiness. More of what lit me up.

I wanted to do work that made a real dent in the world. I also wanted less pressure, less conflict, less responsibility, less capitalist, alpha-male, corporate BS and far less political game-playing. 

My wake-up call

Becoming a mum for the first time in 2014 – like for so many of the women I've worked with over the years – gave me a huge dose of perspective about what was important to me; and what was important in life generally.

Of course, motherhood isn’t the only thing that forces people to take stock. COVID, for example, rocked the world to its very core and there’s been a palpable shift in people’s definition of work happiness. Check out any of the numerous articles on The Great Resignation to see the stats for yourself.

All I knew was that pursuing a career that looked ‘good on paper’, that often made me unhappy, took me away from my young family and lined someone else’s pockets, was most definitely not my definition of ‘work happiness' anymore.

Doing it my way

Doing ‘my own thing’ felt like the obvious next step. I could choose my clients, and the kind of work I did, and maintain autonomy and freedom—values that were incredibly important to me. The prospect of working this way blew my mind.

I began offering corporate culture consultancy and leadership coaching, alongside my first love, coaching; working with individuals to shape happier more impactful work lives.

My business evolution

The first incarnation of my coaching business in 2018, was as a career and confidence coach for mums returning from maternity leave. 

Over the next couple of years, I tried different niches on for size with different messaging, content, offers and dream clients (because your niche isn’t like a dog. It can be just for Christmas!) This playful experimentation was a huge source of joy in the early days but I soon gravitated to working with founders and female leaders seeking to change sectors or leave the corporate world to do their own thing. My goal was to help them define their own Work Happiness Blueprint™️and take action aligned with their true selves.

Then in 2021, it hit me…

After years of feeling out of place in corporate, I realised I was out of alignment again. 

Traditional career coaching no longer felt authentic. So - almost overnight! -  I decided to call time on my 5 years as a successful career coach and shake the corporate hangover for good.

I shifted my focus to helping talented women create businesses aligned with their core values, innate talents, work and life experiences, personality and purpose. Designing a YOU-shaped business became my mission. Helping others find their own Purpose and Profit Niche™️.

I still wholeheartedly believe that you can find more ‘work happiness’ by changing industry sectors, tweaking your role, playing to your strengths, adjusting your work patterns and working on your mindset. And for many people that is more than enough.

But this would never have been enough for me. 

Call me selfish, idealistic or demanding however, I’m not sure I could go back to a corporate 9-5 now I’ve tasted ‘true work happiness’ (although never say never, right?!) I just know that since starting my business, work (and life, for I feel they are one) keeps getting better and better. (She says, touching wood furiously!)

I totally get the path to entrepreneurship isn't for everyone and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted (hello feast-and-famine rollercoaster!) but, for me, it’s been the best career move I’ve ever made.  

How do you know if you're out of alignment with your work happiness? 

And if you are, how do you know what your Purpose and Profit Niche™️ should be?

Reflect on your daily joys

Think about what truly lights you up each day. What tasks do you love doing so much that you'd do it for free? What gets you inspired? If your current niche doesn’t include these moments of joy, it might be time for a change.

Get clear on your core values

Your biz should reflect who you are - not who you think you should be to succeed. If you feel disconnected and out-of-sync with your true self or like you're compromising your values, it's a sign to reevaluate. Getting clear on your core values will bring you more satisfaction and allow you to create heartfelt content that resonates and attracts a steady stream of perfect-fit clients (and income).

Seek feedback and support

Don’t go it alone. If you're on the brink of jacking it all in to go back to your soul-sapping 9-5, I urge you to hold your nerve. Engage with coaches, mentors or peers who can provide fresh perspectives on your strengths and help you see (and believe in) your valuable gifts, experience and skills (this happens to be my superpower btw!). When you’re feeling stuck, all it takes is a little nudge from others to realign you with your purpose and reignite your passion.

I share my story not to gloat, but to inspire you. I promise you that if I can do it, you can find your truest, most authentic Purpose and Profit Niche™️ too and grow a coaching or consulting biz that works for you (not the other way around).

And if you need a hand making your own business dreams come true, whatever stage you're at on your journey, I’m here to help you.