“From 1988 to 1993 I worked in software development and pre-sales for a large IT company – and prior to that I was training as a lawyer – which I never completed! When I had my son, Max, in 1993, I knew I wanted to do something not just that allowed me to work in a flexible way, but also that played to my strengths, so that I?d be fulfilling my potential.
I really did not want to become so totally focused on my son that I lost my true identity, as often can happen. At that point in my career, and even before I had Max, I had become focused on what it was I really wanted to do and what I was good at. I decided to set up my company coaching and training on image impact in business.
My personal branding company is called Walking TALL International. I have a great profile now with two books published in the UK and in the USA. When I think back over my career, I find that I actually applied a lot of the personal branding principles that I now pass onto individuals, without really realising it. I absolutely love my job, it pays to all my talents/skills, and I surround myself with people that plug the gaps where my weaknesses lie! My clients include many major global organisations and senior people.
Working for myself allows me to work around the times when Max is home from school – he is now at Rugby School, boarding and loving it. His breaks and holidays are highlighted in my diary so I am at home when he is.
I travel a lot as an international speaker now and love it. I always wanted to travel and never really did when I was younger. In fact, my first choice of career was in travel and tourism but I never made the grades to do the languages course I wanted to do at University. It was then I took a complete change of direction into Law.
My work takes me all over the world, in particular to the US. It allows me the choice to take an assignment if it fits with Max?s schedule and I take him with me to visit new places if he wants to. We recently went to South Africa and combined a few days with a business colleague in the Bush around a few hours of work. He?s also coming with me to Warsaw for two days soon, while I do a 1-hour speaking keynote presentation – another city he hasn?t experienced up to now.
To me, I have the perfect job. I have the flexibility to work the hours I choose and get to see the world, with my son too, if we choose to!”
Lesley Everett, Coach/Speaker/Author/TV Presenter
www.walkingtall.org – Lesley@walkingtall.org
Lesley Everett is author of Drop Dead Brilliant – How to Dazzle in the Workplace with Confidence and Panache, McGraw-Hill. She is also Presenter on Channel 5’s The Honesty Room.