How to become self‑employed
after a corporate career

Coaching for corporate professionals
ready to leave the 9-to-5

Stop circling and start building what actually matters to you.

You’ve worked hard to build a reputation for yourself in your career. You have experience, credibility and an impressive resume. Others admire you for your success.

But inside, you feel stuck. The work doesn’t light you up anymore, and you dread Monday mornings.

You crave more fulfilment and have been noticing a disconnect growing between you and your corporate career. You know you want something different, and you wonder whether becoming self-employed could offer the freedom, flexibility and fulfilment you’re looking for.

But despite scribbling business ideas into your notebook, starting and abandoning side hustles and telling yourself “maybe next year”, nothing has changed. And how do you make the transition without risking everything you’ve worked so hard to build?

I help you identify the right path, validate your ideas, and build a realistic exit plan so you can leave corporate life behind with confidence.

This programme is for you if…

You’ve built a successful corporate career but feel stuck
You’re craving more control, freedom and personal fulfilment from your work
You’ve gone through a major life transition, such as becoming a parent, and your priorities have changed
Self-employment appeals to you and you’ve been sitting on various ideas for a while, unsure which path is right for you
You have too many ideas and can’t decide which one to prioritise
You’re ready to leave corporate life behind but want to make a thoughtful transition, not a blind leap
You’re ready to invest time and commitment in creating a future that genuinely excites you

What you’ll leave with

By the end of the programme, you will:

Understand what’s holding you backAn understanding of your fears, beliefs and behaviours that are preventing you from transitioning into self-employment

Know yourself more deeplyA deeper understanding of who you are, what motivates you and what conditions you need in order to thrive

Find your directionClarity on the self-employment path that fits your strengths, values and motivations

See what self-employment really looks likeA solid understanding of the realities of working for yourself, and what it could look like for you specifically

Design the life you actually wantA clear vision for the lifestyle you want to create — what you do day to day, who you work with and which goals you’re working towards

Build real confidenceGreater confidence in your abilities and the decisions you make

Test before you leapPractical ways to test and validate your business ideas before making major changes

A clear exit strategyAn exit strategy for transitioning out of corporate life

I was stuck in such a rut in my job, wanting to make a career change whilst not knowing what to pursue and feeling really overwhelmed with the risk of trying something new. I finally feel free and confident to pursue a career that I am passionate about.

Millie

The Self-Employment Navigator™

This programme follows my structured four-stage framework that helps you identify the self-employment path that most aligns with your personality, circumstances and goals. We then turn this into a realistic roadmap to make it happen.

Phase 1 Understand Why You’re Stuck

Before we look at what comes next, we dedicate time to understanding what’s keeping you where you are.

Together we’ll explore:

What’s draining your energy in your current corporate role
What’s preventing you from taking action towards self-employment
The cost of staying where you are
What mindset shifts are needed to start your own business
The fears, assumptions and beliefs that may be shaping your decisions

Phase 2 Self-Awareness Deep Dive

As the name suggests, we’re diving deep into your personality. Most people tend to jump to the outcome first. I believe in the inside-out approach where we first need to fully understand ourselves before we make any major decisions. This allows you to create a sustainable path that brings you excitement for many years to come.

This phase helps you get a much deeper understanding of:

Your strengths and favourite skills
Your values (the internal sign-posts that drive your decisions)
Your interests and passions
The environments where you thrive
Your purpose and intrinsic motivations
The version of you that shows up when you’re at your best
Build the foundation for a business that actually fits your personality and circumstances

Phase 3 Possibilities & Vision

Once you have a clearer picture of your personal attributes, we start exploring what your future could look like.

Together we’ll:

Generate and brainstorm ideas around contracting, freelancing, consulting, and doing it alone as a solopreneur
Identify patterns across industries, roles and interests
Narrow down the options that genuinely fit you, based on the self-awareness deep dive we have done
Explore realistic self-employment pathways
Get creative, even dream a little, as we structure your ideas into 3-5 realistic paths worth exploring
Explore what each option would actually look and feel like day to day
Choose your direction and build a roadmap for achieving your goals

Phase 4 Validate Before You Leap

One of the most powerful things you can do is simply get started, one step at a time. So we’ll spend time on finding practical ways to test your ideas and putting accountability in place.

This might include:

Networking opportunities
Small experiments, events or courses
Early revenue opportunities
Market research
Build your confidence through evidence

How we work together

This is a 1:1 coaching programme delivered over 12 sessions across approximately 4-6 months. Alongside our sessions, you’ll receive guided exercises, resources and reflection prompts, accountability and support between sessions, and access via email and WhatsApp for questions and guidance.

Sessions

One-to-one sessions tailored to what you need to move forward.

4-6

Months

The pace is designed to give you time to reflect, experiment and implement between sessions.

∞

Support

Ongoing access to me via email and WhatsApp for questions and guidance throughout the programme.

The programme follows a clear framework while remaining flexible enough to focus on the challenges and opportunities that are right in front of you.

My coaching sessions with Aurelia gave me the structure and forum I desperately needed to make sense of my challenges. Aurelia showed great passion, empathy and support during our time together, but equally set challenges, maintained focus and helped to compartmentalise anything that wasn’t constructive. I expect to continue to use the wide array of tools and concepts Aurelia taught for the rest of my days.

Jason, Commercial Strategy Manager

What clients say

Before working with Aurelia, I truly believed there wasn’t a suitable career for me. I highly recommend her programme. It requires honesty and effort, but the clarity and confidence that come from the process are incredibly valuable.

Frances Plumley, 27, Personal Trainer

Aurelia really helped me when I was at a crossroads in my career. She helped guide my thoughts so I could discover what I want and need out of a career, and reminded me that it’s ok to go for what I want!

Ashley, Project Manager

Working with Aurelia was very rewarding. She’s an empathetic, inquisitive and supportive coach. Our sessions provided me with a sense of direction, both in terms of my career and my personal life.

Sophia, 28

Frequently Asked Questions

How many sessions are included?

The programme includes 12 sessions in total. These are delivered one-to-one (preferably weekly) and take place over approximately 4-6 months. The pace is designed to keep the momentum but also give you time to reflect, experiment and implement between sessions, rather than rushing through the material.

Can I do this programme while still in my corporate job?

Yes, and most clients do. They schedule their sessions using my live calendar to suit their work commitments. The biggest advantage of staying in a corporate role while going through the programme is that it removes the anxiety and fear a lot of people experience when they’re out of a job. So they can get through the programme with ease and peace of mind without worrying about income.

What if I don’t have a business idea yet?

That is completely fine. Many clients who work with me don’t have a clear idea, or they only have a vague sense that they want something different.

The work we do is specifically designed to help you uncover the right direction, starting from who you are and what matters to you.

We begin with your strengths, values, motivations and what genuinely energises you, and from there, explore what working for yourself could realistically look like for someone with your background and personality.

The clarity evolves throughout the process.

How long does the programme take?

The programme runs over approximately 4-6 months, with 12 sessions in total. The exact timeline is flexible and shaped around your schedule and how the work unfolds.

Some clients move through it faster, while others appreciate a slower pace that allows more time for reflection, market research and testing ideas in the real world.