Are you ready to take back control of your work-life balance?

By Sarah Hamilton-Gill, Leap into HR Consulting

Published 21 February 2022

Looking back at my work-life balance when I started my corporate HR journey over 30 years ago, it just didn’t exist. I worked long hours and there really wasn’t much time for anything but work. But I knew I wanted a family as well and corporate life just wouldn’t fit with my future aspirations. Therefore, I decided to set up my own HR consulting business.

Life takes you in directions that you don’t expect, and I found myself as a single mum of two boys. I know hand on heart that had I still been working in the corporate world I would have missed so much of their precious childhood memories.

Having my own business meant that I had the flexibility to attend school-related events happening during the day, and I could then catch up with work once the boys were in bed.

Roll on twenty-five years and my boys are all grown up and I’m so proud of the men that they have both become. Setting up my own consultancy wasn’t plain sailing, and it was a lot of hard work, but it also brought with it the flexibility to work my own hours and choose where and when I worked. It’s also brought with it so may incredible opportunities to work with the most amazing clients, from individuals to bigger businesses. If I can do it, so can you!

I would never have imagined that at the start of my journey I would write a No.1 Amazon Best Selling Business Book, and some 14 months later, it still pops up to the No. 1 slot! I didn’t imagine that my journey would take me into not just ‘doing’ but also teaching and coaching.

Since the start of lockdown over 80 new consulting businesses have been launched after consultants went through our virtual leap into consulting bootcamp, and we get to meet 100s more through the free webinars and events that we also put on, to give something back and pay it forward.

My special offer just for iOH Members
I’m proud that my business is an official partner to the iOH.

I’ve made it my mission, wherever possible, to give something back and pay it forward. I’m passionate about the people-related industry and when I was asked to write this feature, my first thought was ‘what I could offer you’ which would be of benefit to where you currently are professionally. I hope you like what me and my team have come up with:

A gift for you all
Have you been thinking about setting up your own occupational health, wellness, healthcare or people related business? There’s some quite clever science behind finding out if your personality fits to doing this. Would you like to find out more and gain clarity?

It really is as easy as 1-2-3 and as an official partner of the iOH. I have a one-off special offer just for you, as I’d love to help you take the next step:

Sign up for our profiling questionnaires – we use these to give career guidance for anyone looking to move into self-employment
Receive your comprehensive profiling reports with lots of insights
Clarity call for you – in just a 15-minute call I can explain what your profiling means for you

It usually costs £180 for our 3-stage ‘is self-employment right for you?’ but I’m offering this to you for just £45. I guarantee that at the end of step 3, you will have the clarity that you need to decide what happens next.

Like anything though it’s important not to stagnate and look ahead at your goals and aspirations and that’s why I launched my virtual Bootcamp at the start of lockdown. I’m proud that to date over 80 of my bootcamp graduates have launched their own new consulting businesses during this time.

My new Bootcamp Flex will launch in March and will cater for those who want to do my virtual bootcamp, but at their own pace, under their own steam, with the flexibility to buy-in extra products such as 1:1 coaching.

If you are interested in finding out more, please do get in touch! I also have a very special founding members offer just for IoH members.

I so wish that there had been something like our Bootcamps around when I was starting out. Having your own people focused or consulting business can be a lonely place, but one of the great things about my bootcamps is that communities are formed, including a private Facebook group, friendships are made, and you have a virtual network around you to help with questions, collaborations or just a listening ear.

We’re not saying that setting up your own business is easy; it’s not. It takes confidence and courage, but you will never look back, as it also brings with it flexibility, a sense of pride and a better work-life balance.