MEET THE PANDEMIC PIONEERS
WOMAN'S OWN|August 31, 2021
We speak to three women who left their jobs and pivoted their way to success by following their dreams…
JULIA SIDWELL
MEET THE PANDEMIC PIONEERS

‘I’m earning less but I’ve never been happier’

Sarah Stannard, 49, is a health and wellness coach. She lives in Chertsey, Surrey, with husband John, 49, and seven-year-old son Henry.

Lying in bed staring at the ceiling, all I could think about was how many emails I had to answer, calls I needed to make and meetings I needed to attend. It was 2019 and for years I had worked in a well-paid corporate role. I was Head of Sales for a multimillion-pound international logistics company, but it was far from my dream job. I was constantly stressed and felt I could never truly ‘switch off’. My son Henry, then six, was growing up so fast and I often worried I was missing out.

Then came COVID-19, quickly followed by me sitting in my boss’ office being told the company needed to make cuts. After almost 20 years in logistics, I no longer had a job. ‘I’ve been made redundant,’ I sobbed to my husband John, then 48.

At first, I panicked and was worried about money. John earned well but we couldn’t survive on just one wage.

I was forced to re-evaluate. I have an auto-immune disease and had changed my lifestyle and diet to become healthier. It got me thinking – maybe I could help others be their best selves, too?

After some careful consideration, I decided to combine my love of helping people with my passion for nutrition, exercise and health. I started a training course to become a Health and Wellness Coach and created my own website.

It wasn’t easy and I worried if I was doing the right thing, but in May 2021 I was fully qualified. It was the confidence boost I needed. Plus I was able to work flexibly around my home life, and could spend quality time with John and Henry.

This story is from the August 31, 2021 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 31, 2021 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.