Welcome to this growing library of inspiring & helpful career change & job love stories

"... just realise that to be happy in a job it doesn’t have to be glamorous, or high flying, or high paid even, if it gives you fire in your belly then its not going to feel like work and you should embrace it."

Ok, you're in for a treat here! Lucy, (my incredibly creative & funny sister-in-law) absolutely LOVES her job! I love hearing her talk about her work because she's so passionate about it & so grateful to have found a position she loves for the right employer. A qualified florist, Lucy spent 7 years at home raising 2 children and now works in a local Garden Centre.

"I have more flexibility with my time, I am not wasting money on public transport, we were able to get a dog, I get to exercise more, my confidence has grown, I have the power to help other business owners and to drive my own life forward." 

Whilst Hannah's passion for marketing has always been with her, she's moved within the wide scope of the field, and now loves running her own social media consultancy.  I think Hannah's innate talent for creativity has played a huge role in her happiness and success in Marketing, and it just shows what happens when you do work that aligns with who you are!  

"I love working for a small business, where you feel like you can really make an impact on the way things work and there’s a real sense of collaboration and a united vision for the company"

From the beauty industry to apprenticeships, there is so much good energy in this story, it will motivate and inspire you.  Check out how Sarah unravelled what she wanted to do next; it's a mixture of good groundwork and some intuition too!  (If you're stuck, basically do what she did!)

"Time will pass anyway- how often have we looked back and thought “wow, I can’t believe that was 3 years ago already”? Wouldn’t it be great to look back and think "I’m glad I used those 3 years how I did?"

Lindsay absolutely loves her job as a Clinical Lead Dietitian in the NHS!  My top favourite takeaways are 1) you don't know what you don't know - so do some digging, don't assume something isn't possible for you!  2) commitment, determination & passion pay off! and 3) the perspective of time; as Lindsay says "In the grand scheme of things and in the length of our working life, 1 year or even 5 years is not that long and totally well worth it if it means you can spend xx amount of years doing the job you love :-) "  I love Lindsay's story, it's inspiring, warm, and reminds you of what's possible with the right mindset.  

“I feel like there is so much pressure on women to be a great mum while also smashing it at work that choosing to opt out of that can feel like a radical act."

From broadcast journalism in BBC radio, media relations within the charity sector and now a career break, Rachel's story touches on the balancing act that comes from being passionate about both a career and raising a family.  What I love is that she reminds us that we don't have to do everything at once, and actually, by accepting and appreciating the phase of life that we're in, we can experience more joy and be far more present.  How bloody refreshing!  With so many frazzled families trying to do it all and have it all, this is a very welcome reminder that there is always another way (and you can choose to do something different)!

“"Sometimes, the only option is to move on but there are jobs in my past where I know now that I could have developed internally if I’d talked about it with my manager." 

With a love of Marketing from the beginning, Emma gives us a real glimpse into that world and the variety it offers.  She tells us honestly about her journey and I think highlights why sometimes working for someone else gives you more freedom than having your own business.  Emma shares some really valuable insights, reflections and advice.  This is such a lovely and very honest read, I really felt like I was on the journey with Emma when I was reading it.  Enjoy!

“I feel more in control of my life.  I get an enormous amount of job satisfaction and feel like I’m really making a difference." 

From HR to Counselling, Julie's story shows both pragmatism and bravery!  In her successful HR career, she says there was "never a dull moment!"  But personal circumstances gave way to a new perspective when Julie sadly experienced more than one loss in her life - "I know it’s a cliché but it made me reprioritise my life."

“I have always wanted to have my own business, even from a young age.  We used to have a bit of a family joke about what my next business idea would be, as I was constantly coming up with something new!” 

From a 3 year “uni stopgap” in animal welfare & a brief stint in debt collection, to HR and starting her own product based business (all while raising 3 small children), I’m delighted to introduce Charlie!  Charlie’s story is honest, inspiring and incredibly humble.  

"Be open to any opportunity that you hear about, as you never know where it may lead."

From Pharmaceuticals & a Management Consultancy business, to COVID-19 vaccine manufacture, let me introduce Alice, a self-confessed manufacturing geek, with a career story that has left me feeling inspired and motivated! There are so many nuggets of wisdom here, Alice will inspire you to be brave and take action!