Integrity, authenticity, inclusivity and empathy shape the way I work. They’re the foundation of everything I create and offer.

The first signs of perimenopause actually began in my late thirties. At the time, I knew something felt off. My focus had changed, my energy was inconsistent, and my brain often felt foggy.

I was told my hormone levels looked “normal” and my GP suggestion was that it might be related to my weight, or possibly depression.

After declining antidepressants three times, I eventually accepted the prescription. At that point I was frightened about my ability to keep working, and I hoped the medication might at least lift the fog enough for me to focus again.

For a while it helped. But eventually things plateaued. Rather than increasing the dose, I decided to come off the medication and start exploring other ways to support myself.

That’s when I began learning more about perimenopause.

Understanding what was actually happening in my body and brain softened something inside me. I realised this wasn’t me becoming less capable. It was my biology shifting.

The more I understood what was happening to my brain chemistry, nervous system, focus and mood, the less shame I felt. What had felt frightening began to feel more like a transition.

Instead of trying to force myself back into my thirties capacity, I started asking different questions.

What if this stage of life was asking me to work differently?
What if it was permission to build something more sustainable?

Running a business in your forties hits differently. It isn’t just about income. It’s the emotional weight of knowing everything ultimately rests on you.

And after working this hard for this long, I wasn’t about to hand my autonomy back to a system that still struggles to value women in this season of life. I’m far too feral at this point to be let back into a traditional workplace.

But something clearly had to change.

I stepped away from a full book of Virtual Assistant clients and stopped treating my time as something to simply fill. I slowed down. I became more intentional about the projects I took on. I moved away from constant execution and towards mentoring, community and deeper support.

I started protecting my energy instead of overriding it.

Along the way, I tried many different ways of supporting myself through this transition. Out of everything I explored, one thing made the biggest difference… community.

Being around other people experiencing the same shift changed everything. When you’re in a room with people who truly understand what’s happening in your body and mind, something softens. You don’t have to explain yourself. You feel validated.

You realise you’re not the only one navigating this.

And from that shift, The PAUSE Network® was born.

Before becoming self-employed in 2021, I spent more than twenty years working in the corporate world in roles such as project manager, office manager and team assistant.

Much of that time was spent quietly behind the scenes, supporting the structure and flow of businesses. It gave me a deep understanding of what it really takes to keep things running, beyond how it all appears from the outside.

In 2021 I trained as a therapeutic coach. While traditional full-time coaching didn’t feel like the right path for me, the training deeply shaped how I listen, ask questions, and support people through uncertainty and decision-making.

What became clear was that my natural place sat somewhere between practical support and reflective conversation.

That insight led to the creation of my Virtual Assistant business, where I worked closely with a range of self-employed clients supporting the practical side of running their businesses.

Because I was often embedded in the day-to-day workings of their work, our conversations naturally expanded beyond tasks and into the bigger picture. Direction, confidence, decision-making, and how their business was evolving alongside their life.

Over time it became clear that what I was offering wasn’t just practical help. I was also helping people think more clearly about their work, reconnect with their instincts, and move forward with greater confidence.

That blend of practical business experience and emotionally attuned support now underpins everything I do through The PAUSE Network®.