From Corporate Leader to Coach - A Journey of Purpose

My farewell dinner with one of my amazing teams I led

After more than 30 years in the industry, I found myself at a crossroads. I’d climbed the ranks, led large teams, and delivered results, but something inside me was shifting. I began to take stock of where I was, and more importantly, where I wanted to go next. One thing was clear: I couldn’t see myself staying in Corporate for another decade. It was time to pause, reflect, and ask the big question - what now?

I’ve always been drawn to people. To growth. To leadership. That’s where my heart beats strongest. For the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of leading incredible teams, and through that, I discovered a deeper calling: to give back to leaders. When I started out, there was no real coaching, no structured support. I learned by doing; by failing, by rising, and by watching those who led me. Not all were great leaders, but each taught me something. And three of those leaders I still speak of often, they shaped my path in profound ways.

Then came a turning point. My last role brought with it sweeping changes and bold strategic plans. It forced me to look inward and ask: does this still align with who I am? In true Julie fashion, I did an audit, not of spreadsheets, but of values. I held up what was in front of me against what lives inside me. And the answer was clear.

It was time.

Time to choose a path that honors my values, my purpose, and most of all, my whānau. And so, during the week of Matariki, a time of reflection, renewal, and new beginnings, I made the decision to step away from the world that had shaped me for three decades, and step into coaching.

The transition hasn’t been easy. It’s unfamiliar terrain, full of unknowns. But it’s the right path. I’m no longer just leading, I’m guiding, supporting, and walking alongside others as they find their own way.

From Corporate to Coach. From certainty to possibility. This is the next chapter, I’m ready to help others to be empowered, inspired and to rise into what awaits them when they truly find themselves.

Realign, Redefine, Redirect Your Path.....