When I first graduated with a degree in Management Information Systems, becoming a Product Manager felt like a good choice. It was one of the most common career paths for people with my background, and I was excited to prove myself.
As an expat settling in a new city without friends, I spent most of my time on my career. During the day, I was learning on the job, and in the evenings, I was reading books, following newsletters, and attending events related to product management. I wanted to build the skills I thought I needed to succeed, and for a while, it felt like I was on track.
After a couple of years, I had advanced to a more senior position. I was collaborating with global teams, influencing stakeholders, and delivering products that reached thousands of people. On paper, my career looked like it was building beautifully.
And yet, I felt increasingly unhappy. On weekends or during holidays, I couldn't escape the thought of how unhappy I was at work. The more senior I became, and the more time I spent in rooms with senior leaders, the clearer it became that I didn't want to walk their path. While I enjoyed many aspects of product management (I still do as of today), the traditional career ladder and corporate politics didn't feel like the right fit for me. Despite the good salary and the well-known company name, I felt out of place. Approaching my thirties, burnout set in, and with it came an existential crisis: What is my purpose in life? Am I on the right career path? Do I want to spend my 30s feeling mostly unhappy?
This picture is from a yoga retreat I attended in Portugal, where I decided I needed to take action toward building a more fulfilled career and life.
So I decided to pause, even though the pandemic was still full of unknowns. I quit my job and took a gap year to reflect. Therapy helped me work through my thoughts, and books on career and life purpose opened up new perspectives. Slowly, I realized what lit me up could be coaching, product management mentoring, and teaching.
As I was living on my savings, the next practical step was to take another well-paid PM role to rebuild my savings. Once I found a new job, I began experimenting with new career paths. I worked with a coach myself, which gave me clarity and confidence about making a transition. I trained in Transformational Coaching and became certified. I taught a Product Management course. I began mentoring PMs and UI/UX designers. I started supporting my first coaching clients. Each step felt closer to something that was truly mine. After two years, I was ready to step fully into self-employment as a coach and mentor.
Now, I support people who feel unfulfilled at work, who are unsure of their next steps, or who are navigating transitions of their own. I still enjoy product management and continue mentoring in that space, but my coaching is for anyone who feels stuck and wants to build a more aligned career and life.
If you're in that place right now, I want you to know you're not alone. Feeling stuck isn't a failure; often, it's the very first sign that you're ready for change.
And if you'd like to explore what a more aligned career could look like, I invite you to book a call with me. Sometimes the first step toward clarity is simply speaking your truth out loud.