My six highlights of six years (and how they could help you)

This week marks six years since I founded my business. Since I stepped away from the world headhunting and ceased being an employee.

Each year I like to take a moment to reflect on my progress and how I feel about it all. This time, I want to focus on the positives and share with you my six highlights:

1. Seeing my clients' determination, successes, and light bulb moments. This privilege is why I do what I do. Nothing beats the feeling when I share in that moment with a coachee who has a breakthrough.
2. Choosing to invest in my development constantly. Since 2013 I have qualified as a Coach, a Strengths Profile practitioner and a Mental Health First Aider. I have taken some time out to be a student again studying Social Media Management. I have more things on my list (Insights or Myers Briggs - what do you think?) I don't have to present a business case to someone and ask for permission to invest the budget. I get to choose, and I love it.
3. Evolving my business offering to allow me to play to my strengths and say no (nicely) to the things that don't. I started my business predominantly consulting in the recruitment and talent space, and the coaching grew steadily. I now offer coaching, development workshops, speaking and sessions and no longer do any consulting work. As part of this I have grown a fabulous small team of freelancers who support me in a range of areas including diary management, website maintenance, process improvement, social media content creation and research analysis. (A huge thanks to you all.)
4. The autonomy. Every Monday I rejoice that I am not required to attend a weekly team meeting. Ditto that no one gets a say in my working arrangements. I can work wherever, whenever and however I want, including...
5. Being able to live abroad with my family and take my business. During 2017-18 I was able to move to Chile and 2020-21 Singapore. I have enjoyed building a portable business working with clients all round the world. I have made more wonderful friends and made new business connections and seen such a range of amazing places.
6. The variety of work I do. As a business founder, the coaching and development work is just one element. I also spend my time writing blogs and articles, networking, marketing and developing my business, writing social media posts, designing sessions, reflecting and reviewing, and doing research projects.

But that's enough about me. How does this help you?

I invite you to reflect on a couple of coaching questions:

?If you could design your perfect role and accompanying lifestyle, what would it look and feel like?

?What one step could you take today to move towards it?

Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past six years. I really appreciate it and am so happy that I get to do what I do. Of course there are challenges, but today I choose to focus on the positive. ??

Ellie

xoxox