Corporate to Calm

Empowering Confidence: Sarah Lyons’ Journey from Fashion Stylist to Body Confidence Coach

“If the sizing bothers you, simply cut the tag off”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Sarah Lyons from Well Styled by Sarah and the recently launched Sarah Lyons Coaching. We chat about her love of fashion and how shopping trips would end up in her offering advice to other shoppers. This resulted in the birth of Well Styled by Sarah.

 

Sarah worked primarily within the pharmacy industry managing stores and like our last guest left her career when she had her first child. As motherhood ensued Sarah decided as much as she loves her children, she wanted more for herself.

 

“I’m so lost, I don’t know what to do, I feel like I’ve no purpose outside being a mother”

 

Sarah is so honest about her loss of identity when she became a Mum. Her story really rings through with my own, wanting you children so much, wanting to be the best Mum and losing yourself in the process. The meaningless chat at the schoolyard gates, the endless collections, there must be more to this. “Who are you, Sarah?”

 

Sarah absolutely loves fashion and her move to styling was inevitable. Her business is successful but like us all we have faced the unknown over the past two years. 

Sarah wondered what more she wanted from her career, she knew she wanted to help people feel good about themselves internally as well as externally. She wanted to help people back to themselves and understand that the fashion industry is…

 

“Viewing you as an object to wear their clothes now looking at you as a person.”

 

Sarah’s body confidence coaching is so appealing and needed. She talks with such passion. Your body changes every single day, and you can’t simply focus on one thing. She teaches her clients that they can change their story. Her businesses marry well together, and she realised when with a client one day that she needed the skills to empower women to feel good in their bodies, making it “an inside and outside job”

 

Sarah’s biggest piece of advice is to listen to yourself because your wisdom comes for your gut and always go with that, make a plan and put the action to it.

 

Sarah’s chat is honest, refreshing and so common in a world where a woman gives up her career to have children and it is not quite the fairy-tale it was expected to be. She has taken her past experiences in business and learned from them. Sarah has just launched her new coaching website and 2022 is looking bright.

 

Enjoy x

 

 

 

 

Smashing Social Media as an Introvert - Elayne Heaney - Wonderfully Weathery Books

“I went through this journey with my little boy and it’s ours”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Elayne Heaney from Wonderfully Weathery Books. We chat about her love of being a Mum and how the special relationship with her little boy was the key driver behind her passion to create her magical land of Weatherville. This beautiful world was created from their story time together and his inquisitive mind.

“It was a love story to my little boy”.

Elayne who is the very definition of Corporate to Calm worked in HR where she thrived and excelled through the ranks. Like most of us she didn’t realise her last day in the office was the day she went on maternity leave.

Elayne is also a former dancer and a self- confessed introvert. She literally musters the courage every day to eat her frogs. We chatted about how in the corporate world getting things done wasn’t an issue and how we put roadblocks in the way when we are doing it for ourselves. We also chatted about being working Mums “if I had all day, it would be amazing” but as we know we don’t we scramble to get the work done while they are at school, we get into a flow and we must bring them to soccer or swimming. The struggle as a Mum with their own business is real.

Elayne’s chat is honest, refreshing and you soon realise this is a powerhouse of a woman, seriously, self-published and growing her brand from strength to strength. It was amazing to me that she questioned herself, often felt imposter syndrome and worried whether others thought she had notions.  

Elayne’s biggest piece of advice is do your research and ask the questions. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other people in the industry. We also chatted about the bread bin being the sin bin and that’s where she pops the phone when she is enjoying family time.

Elayne Heaney is here to stay she has created an amazing world with a never-ending number of characters, and I can’t wait for my little ones to read her beautiful books.

So, grab a cuppa, sit back, relax, walk, go on the treadmill, drive to your meeting and hopefully enjoy Elayne’s journey from Corporate to Calm x

The Strength & Resilience of Coffee- Stephen Kennedy - Copper + Straw

“Competition keeps you on your toes, it makes you work harder and it’s healthy”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Stephen Kennedy from Copper + Straw coffee, located in Bray, Wicklow and Arran Quay in Dublin.  We chat about his love of coffee and how this passion & love resulted in him opening an extremely successful coffee business.

Stephen decided to open his beloved Copper + Straw when he realised that he was not going to pursue his other love of writing. He is ambitious, conscientious, and hard-working. Stephen’s leap from Corporate to Calm came after serious research and groundwork. He was working his full-time career is higher education and serving coffee as a barista on the weekends. He simply didn’t open a coffee shop to let others do the job, make the coffee, Stephen embraced every aspect of opening Copper + Straw and he wanted to “do something interesting and different in the coffee space”. The ritual of coffee is so important to Stephen and different coffees tick different boxes depending on the day of the week or time of the day.

“A flat white is a hug” while an espresso can simply get you through.

We chat about Pride and how Copper + Straw has embraced it making it positive and fun in an energetic way. We also discuss sustainability and how from the water sensors on the taps to the cups, the napkins, everything has been thought about. Stephen thinks this need to be pushed even further and has an appetite to make these further sustainability changes in his business.

“Follow you dreams and change these dreams into an ambition” Stephen tells me about the sense of community in Bray and about the risk he took to open Arran Quay during a global pandemic, between his belief in the project and his knowledge of the market it was a risk he knew would pay off. When asking him about advice to a budding entrepreneur, Stephen wants everyone to make their dreams a reality however you need to do the groundwork, you need to understand what you want to do, and you don’t need to make impulsive decisions, do the research and then take the leap. Everyone needs to follow their dreams, but those dreams need to be driven by ambition.

So, grab a cuppa sit back and relax or go for a walk to your favourite coffee shop. Whatever you do, I hope you love this episode as much as I did.

Enjoy x

Playing Games - Eric Finn - Xampl_xx

“One of my biggest achievements is getting over what people think of me in this space”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Eric Finn a.k.a xampl_xx. A member of the Irish Fifa Team and newly signed to Jesse Lingard. Eric is living the life he actively sought

Eric chats about his passion for all things gaming. He is open about his mental health struggles and how a somewhat unhealthy habit has become an amazing, fun career he is so passionate about.

Eric only took the leap from Corporate to Calm in the past few months. At 24 he decided to leave a safe pensionable job in a bank and pursue a dream career that he identified when he was eleven years old. At that age Eric became the online youtube gamer xampl_xx, he was uploading tips and tricks on there before we realised what youtube even was. At that time, he was getting such a slagging or as he calls it death about his youtube career that he gave it all up. Eric reckons he’d be earning millions had he continued his original journey.

“Reality is his escape from Fifa”

Four years ago, Eric was struggling through a breakup, he says he wasn’t performing in university, and he threw himself into gaming as an escape from everything. Fairly quickly he was making a name for himself. His hours playing has led to amazing opportunities and things will only get better as his ambition and drive take him where he wants to be.

“To cognitively perform at your best, you need to be physically and mentally well. Leaving his career in the bank has brought more structure to Eric’s. Going to the gym every day at 9am and keeping a to do list helps him focus on what he must achieve in any given time. Even if he only achieves 70% of what he must do, he takes the win, moves on and let’s go of what he hasn’t done. Eric is mature, focused and I 100% believe he will get where he wants to go. I hope you are inspired by Eric Finn’s journey from Corporate to Calm

Enjoy x

Running for Your Life - Lisa Byrne - MisFit Fitness

“It’s not about money, it’s about finding your passion!”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Lisa Byrne. Lisa chats about her passion for fitness and the outdoors. She is open about her mental health struggles and how running has literally saved her life.

Lisa took her leap from Corporate to Calm when she left her well paid, pensionable career in the bank. Lisa founded MisFit (with a heart between the s&f). MisFit is an amazing community Lisa has created in Gorey as well as a thriving online community too. Lisa says her honesty draws people in and she is committed to teaching people to love themselves.

“Running saves my soul on a regular basis”

Lisa like Forrest is always running but this passion has taught her discipline, integrity and she wants to spread this love of running to others. She has taught over 200 women to run 5k plus in the past eighteen months.

Lisa is open about her struggles with alcohol, drugs, and the pressures of being a single parent. This does not hold her back; she is constantly seeking the next challenge and every day is a learning day.

Recently Lisa went back to college to pursue one of her biggest passions, the outdoors where the course directors were so eager to have her on the course, they allowed her to break the hours down to suit her family and business.

“Follow you passion, and the rest will follow” – this is exactly what Lisa is doing.

I’ve known Lisa since I was four years old and literal years will pass between our coffees, but old friends are the best and let’s face it know too much. I had such a fun experience recording Lisa’s journey from Corporate to Calm. It brought me joy. I dare you not to smile. I dare you not to admire.

Enjoy x

IVF, Pregnancy Loss & Me - Taboo or Talked about in the Corporate Space?

Wave of Light - Pregnancy Loss Awareness

***Trigger Warning***

I've had a lot of time by myself recently and I began thinking about what this week & time of year means to me.  This is a brief account of my IVF journey, my pregnancy loss and probably the root of my Corporate to Calm journey.

I was told my IVF hadn't worked 10 mins before I had a meeting in work, more support is needed in the workplace. The is part of of our lives as older Mom's and it should be supported in your Corporate space.

Rather than write my thoughts down I thought I'd do what I do best and talk through it. Please take a listen and if you are going through something similar and don't know what to do next or feel like screaming. Please reach out. You are not alone.

Life through a Lens - Own How Amazing You Are - Ariana Youmans Keenahan - Well Fed Photography

“If you have a small seed of desire, that’s all it takes”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm we speak with Ariana Youmans Keenahan from Well Fed Photography. Ariana chats about her passion for photography and building memories and how this ties in with her life as a Mum, breastfeeding advocate & podcaster.

Ariana took her leap from Corporate to Calm when she founded her business Well Fed Photography which is continually evolving into the photographic experience Ariana desires for her clients. Her vision is to capture precious family moments through the years, generation. One of the biggest aims of Well Fed is to normalise breastfeeding, creating unforgettable, beautiful images of the most intimate moments between Mother and Child.

Well Fed Photography was a side hustle that became a career. Another amazing business born from having children and an employer that just didn’t get it. Ariana chats about how the lockdown was an extremely positive experience and how once you walk yourself through the fog it’s amazing what becomes apparent on the other side.

She discusses outsourcing and how this started in the home first and has thus spilled into the business.

Ariana is a pioneer for self-love. She affirms the love of her body every day and we discuss experiences of masseuse reluctant to touch her to tummy to a colleague telling her she wasn’t woman enough for him.

Ariana’s breastfeeding sessions are beautiful and between writing a book and transforming how consumers view photography it’s no wonder that she is a huge advocate for me time. She knows filling her cup will spill over in a hugely positive way for her family and the business.

Ariana’s self-care routine is so special, and we can all take a lesson from her.

“If I don’t take care of myself, physically, nutritionally….it doesn’t matter what I’m reading because I’m not going have the energy to pour into changing”

Ariana is a woman supporting and lifting other women and her 10k in 10 days is further proof of this.

“Own How Amazing You Are!”.

I had such a beautiful experience recording Ariana’s journey from Corporate to Calm and have loved listening to it.

I hope you do too x

The Power of a Positive Outlook - Dee Kelly Dooley - Bray’s Barbie

The latest episode of Corporate to Calm went live across all platforms earlier.

“A truly happy person live life on a detour”

I have spent the last 6 months chatting with Entrepreneurs with a huge Community spirit.
In this episode of Corporate to Calm I am speaking with a Community Leader with a huge Entrepreneurial spirit. Last year Dee Kelly Dooley found a Barbie on the beach in Bray and the rest as they say is history.

Dee is a Special Needs Assistant in a high school. She has zest for life, for photography and oozes positivity.

Her caring nature sines through and when she adopted that Barbie from the beach, she adopted a town with it. Barbie toured the town, supported & opened business, championed charities, and she even won her very own Bray Chamber Endeavor Award (not jealous at all).

Dee speaks openly about how the pandemic affected her and how Barbie saw her through the bad days and let’s be honest even on those bad days life is still lived with a cup half full.  Dee embraces all opportunities that are delivered to her and the best piece of advice she has is “make your bed”. Even on the bad days when the house is falling down around you, you can go in look at your bed, breathe and you won’t want to jump back into it.

Dee is full of amazing one liners and I loved every one of them.

“Giving is living!”

“I keep my Karma banks full”

“Do something that scares you everyday”

So sit back, relax and please enjoy Dee Kelly Dooley’s journey from Corporate to Calm.

Work, Rest and most Importantly Play - Joanna Fortune - Solamh

“Making something a daily practise makes it effortless”.

In this episode of Corporate to Calm I speak with Joanna Fortune. Joanna chats about her passion for play and how this shines through in her life as a psychotherapist, author & podcaster.

Joanna took her leap from Corporate to Calm twelve years ago when she founded her business Solamh which is the Irish for wisdom. This being the wisdom that exists between people, which at that time was between parent & child.

Solamh launched while The Celtic Tiger was letting out it’s last roar. Joanna literally developed a strategy that enabled her Corporate NGO workplace to function without her. It was a roll of the dice but at that time if financial uncertainty & crisis her new business was exactly what was needed.

Joanna explains that when you start a business for the first couple of years your job is to stay in business. Working and maybe not earning. She talks about lessons learned and saying Yes to every opportunity. This strategy is aligned to her excellent media tips.

Joanna’s transfer of business online during the past 18 months was seamless and the demand for her & and other mental health practitioners has been overwhelming.

Joanna is a woman supporting and lifting other women up rather than leaving them behind.

“Talk, share & amplify each other”.

I had so much fun recording Joanna’s journey from Corporate to Calm and have loved listening to it.

I hope you do too x

How do you Solve a Problem like.... - Sinead Kieran - Coaching by SMK

"With the right information, at the right time from the right person, you can make the right decisions" In this episode of Corporate to Calm I speak with Sinead Kieran. Sinead has had an array of careers. Her caring nature has always shone through her choices and the opportunities that she fell into. Sinead has embraced every career opportunity that has come her way and one was of the first 25 people employed on Paypal in Dublin. Her career was never mapped out however her reputation & her ability to network has led to a very successful career. When Sinead make the move from Corporate to Calm, she knew her strengths were people, problem-solving, training & facilitating. Her career as a Coach & a Mentor was written in the stars… “Take the jigsaw pieces out of your head & arrange them into the picture you want” Sinead’s tips for starting a new business are not to be missed and her views on boundaries & time management are brilliant and we can all learn from them. I asked Sinead how she switches off and she offered 2 simple solutions…set your boundaries and signal you are finished. Her switch off signals are turning on the six o’clock news & changing her clothes. Simple yet effective tips.
“My business allows me to have space & time” I loved every bit of Sinead Kieran’s journey from Corporate to Calm. I hope you do too  Linda x