Hi I’m Sara and welcome to An Independent Maven!
Here's a bit of my life story and how AIM came to be.
I spent my twenties frustrated that I wasn’t living up to my potential.
I would get feedback from colleagues I respect saying I would be greater than they ever would be and couldn’t, wouldn’t believe them.
I would look at my upbringing, my education, the opportunities I had access to and think where am I going wrong? I should be achieving more when the deck is stacked in my favour.
I could feel inside me that I was meant for more and couldn’t understand why it wasn’t coming together.
Looking back, my twenties were one big experiment. And with each experience, I learnt something new about myself.
Graduating from university, I landed my dream job at the time as a business consultant. For most of my time there I felt like an impostor and to this day I’m not really sure I helped any of my clients.
I solo travelled in Central America and worked with Leatherback turtles on the remote coast of Costa Rica. We’re talking boat access only and solar electricity type of remote.
Moved to London from New Zealand by myself with no job, nowhere to live and knowing about three people. There were times where I didn’t know where I would be sleeping at the end of the week. Somehow I figured it out.
Got and then quit an awful job that was destroying my mental health without a job lined up because I had to get out. My confidence was shattered and I had to find a way to keep going.
The whole time I was reading personal development books, listening to podcasts, utterly fascinated by what makes people tick.
Then months before my thirtieth birthday I got made redundant from my work and my boyfriend broke up with me in the same week. I needed to move and couldn’t sign a lease without permanent employment. My belief in myself hit an all time low, yet I had that spark within me that knew this wasn’t how my life was going to go.
That turned out to be the point where I started to gather the lessons from my experiments and change my life.
Since then I’ve:
Healed from that breakup, got really honest about my role in the relationship ending, focused on being someone that someone would want to be madly in love with and ultimately finding the greatest relationship with my Man.
Explored my relationship with money, the patterns I had with it, developed new beliefs that changed those dynamics and ultimately buying a house.
Completed a thorough inventory of all of the value I bring to a job, landing my dream job at the time, upgraded my vision of my dream job again and again, ultimately having a friend reach out to me about an opportunity and getting offered the job over coffee.
Realised that my true dream is to be a coach and trainer so undertook my biggest investment in myself yet to become a qualified life coach with the Beautiful You Coaching Academy.
Did I mention that I’ve travelled the world, moved back to New Zealand, and adopted a cat called Cosmo?! And I’m still obsessed with personal development.
What underpins all of that, is the more I got to know me – what I want, how I operate best, what success looks like for me – the more I was able to create it.
Speaking of, here’s a little bit on how An Independent Maven came to be among that wild ride.
An Independent Maven started life as a personal development blog focusing on doing things your own way. A willingness to go your own way.
When I started coaching, it was as a productivity coach. Over time I realised that if you need all the tips and hacks in the world to get motivated each day then maybe you’re in the wrong job, so I became a career coach.
As I worked with clients on making career changes, I realised the transformation went so much deeper than simply switching jobs. In a full circle moment, I realised everything stems from how well you know yourself. Being an independent maven.
Now I call myself a Life and Self Relationship Coach supporting women to be the expert in themselves. You can learn more about my coaching here.
Curious what your version of self expertise could look like? Book your session.
Intro calls are a complimentary, 45 minute call to chat about working with Sara.