Women Who Made a Big Change in Their Lives

It’s 4 am and the alarm goes off. The struggle is real… Reluctantly, I get off bed trying not to wake my husband up and head to the bathroom. Still groggy and asleep, I wash my face, brush my teeth and jump into the shower. Feeling fresher now, I put on my clothes and quietly go downstairs. I can only enjoy a few sips of my tea before leaving the house. It’s still pitch black outside and I walk fast to the Tube station. Another long hectic day awaits me before having to rush back home. I try not to be late at school to pick the kids up and fix them a quick dinner. Evening comes, they go to bed and I barely saw them. Tomorrow will be another rush day…

It hasn’t always been like that though. Still, 13 years passed before I even realised it. A long time, right? But looking back, it has been a rewarding journey. Everyone around me knows that I’m the ambitious hard-working type of woman who loves to challenge herself. Coming from a different country, I managed to overcome the language barrier pretty quickly. And over time, I even landed a well-paid position in a prestigious company. Sure, there were ups and downs – like in every job – but I enjoyed working my way up from Assistant Maître d’Hôtel to Reception Manager. Yet, something was missing and I didn’t feel completely fulfilled.

As a matter of fact, the idea of a career change crossed my mind in 2013, just after my first pregnancy. When I returned from maternity leave – and to my great surprise – I was told that my position was no longer available at the branch I used to work for. You can imagine how upset I was when I got the news… The management convinced me that the mentality had changed during my absence and I wouldn’t fit anymore with the new staff. So, they offered to relocate me to a different branch, assuring the place would suit me better. Honestly, I wasn’t fooled and I understood that no one really expected me to come back.

This is how it works in the hospitality industry. They expect you to be very flexible and it’s easy to figure out that being a mother can hinder your chances of climbing the ladder. I could have let this affect me and discourage me from pursuing my career goals. But I decided to work harder and prove them wrong. I fully committed to my job, never was late nor called sick. Day after day, I gave it my all. And you know what? That mindset and perseverance were rewarded and I got promoted after a year. For me, it was a great step towards success!

However – after my second pregnancy in 2018 – here I was again, facing a new challenge. According to the Manager who had been covering for me while I was away, no one imagined I would return. As I resumed my old position, he was extremely disappointed to step down and gave me a hard time working as my assistant. Not satisfied with the negative vibe, I applied for a senior position in a new branch that had just opened. They asked me if I would be flexible enough to work on the different shifts. Needless to say my chances were close to zero. Being a mom of two, my application was unsuccessful and I stayed where I was.

But after a few months back from maternity leave, I realised I didn’t love my work anymore. The passion was gone and it just became a 6 am – 4 pm boring job to me. I felt stuck and unhappy. There were no more challenges to drive and boost me. Even the creative and proactive person I used to be ended up disappearing too. Inevitably, I thought about resigning but I was hesitant. Even though the trend has been changing a lot lately and things are slowly evolving, several studies have shown that women tend to take less risks than men. Fortunately, I was surrounded by fantastic friends and a supportive family who strongly advised me to quit and look for better opportunities.

Sensing my insecurities, a friend of mine gave me The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. He was convinced that reading this book would help me make up my mind. He knew I was stuck in my comfort zone. I also read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg – a book I received a few years before – and I wish I had started it sooner! Going through it, I could relate to everything I was reading. When I realised all my requests for more training, mentoring sessions and so on were always denied at work by the top management, I knew I had no other choice but to make a decision.

Somehow, I finally gathered enough courage to hand my resignation over. Honestly, I was very anxious and worried about making the wrong decision. I couldn’t help being scared considering I wasn’t going for a new role but leaving to start my own business. Luckily, I could count on the best husband in the world. He supported me all the way and always reassured me throughout the transition. He kept telling me I would be fine and he had my back no matter what. I also received an incredible amount of support from my family and friends as well as from my mentor and current business partner. Thanks to them, I was able to trade a comfortable senior position for a better lifestyle. Eventually, I even managed to create Etincelle, a bespoke luxury event company.

Determined to become a successful entrepreneur, I started reading more business books, articles, attended work seminars and even hired a personal visibility coach. Putting my heart and soul into my own projects made me feel alive again. Fears went away and my passion came back. My previous life was definitely too stressful, everything was rushed and I feel so relieved now. I can drop my kids at school and pick them up when it’s over. I have more quality time with them and cook them proper meals. I can fully enjoy a walk in the park or even admire London’s architecture. Overall, my quality of life improved a lot and has become more exciting. And I can share duties with my husband who also runs his own business.

I hope my story can inspire others to take action and change their lives too. To every woman scared to make a radical move, remember you have nothing to lose. There are plenty jobs out there and you can always land one. Ask yourself the right questions and be positive. Do you want to be happier and have a better work-life balance? Are you satisfied with your current situation? Forget about the ‘what if’ questions and don’t listen to negative people around you (friends, colleagues, etc.). They are probably too scared to change. Make your own decisions. Be confident and never doubt yourself because you’re amazing!