HI, I’M JILL

MY STORY

From a place of doubt and stagnation to a position of leadership and purpose

I wanted to be a corporate lawyer. But life had other plans. With a Political Science degree in hand, I rerouted to what many Poli Sci grads do:

I moved to a big city, waited tables, and questioned my ability to achieve career success.

Over the next two years, I wrote many stories of failure, self-doubt, and incompetence. I wasn’t supposed to be this person.  No one ever doubted my ability to succeed. Yet, here I was, 22, lost, broke, and struggling as a waitress.

I finally stumbled into my first professional job and found a role that blended law, my love for people, and technology. Finally! I dug into that role and decided this was “my career.” And of course, my goal was to reach the “top,” aka Success.

My career focus in my late twenties was building my skills and income. I was incredibly proud of growing my salary by 150% in just five years.

But then, I entered mid-career. I became a wife and a mom, and my priorities were shifting.  As my priorities shifted, I began to feel the barriers to my advancement gradually rising in front of me.

It’s not that I am unique. I faced the same challenges as many ambitious or driven women in this career stage:  I had to balance my career, marriage, and motherhood, and I had to excel in all three.

I hit a lot of roadblocks on that path.  Some were self-inflicted, some were societal bs, and some were simply due to my lack of knowledge. But it was one pivotal moment that truly unblocked my career path.

At 35, I was passed over for a promotion I had been sure was mine. 

It wasn't the first time, but it was the most devastating. 

After ten years of high performance and consistent accolades, how could I not yet achieve what I believed was the next level in my career? 

My confidence took a hit. I became frustrated, unengaged, even resentful. I began to doubt my potential, just as I had years ago as a failed "aspiring corporate attorney."

I knew something had to change. I just didn’t know exactly what.

An opportunity to work with a business coach came up, and I jumped on it.  He helped me with “the what.” I shifted my mindset and focused on my intentions. And I leaned into my unique ability to lead through influence rather than wait for the title.

And guess what happened?  Six months later, I landed my first leadership role. The realization that leading didn't require a title hit me in the face. I was able to make an impact by leading others through influence. Wow!

My learning journey continued. I let go of the notion that being "just a Director" wasn't enough. I shed the belief that a title equals success. And as my career evolved, so did my definition of success. I became a trained coach to enhance my leadership skills, but I fell in love with coaching as a craft. So, I invested in a coach to help me explore my career path with this newfound skill. And then the inner transformation began.

In 2023, now armed with clarity and confidence, I began carving out a new path that aligns with who I’ve evolved into. Five years ago, I valued different things, but today, my three growing-too-fast kids, my family, and my purpose come first. I made a decision to pivot my career, and I made that decision with zero doubt that I could succeed.

Now, as a coach, my mission is to empower other high-performers who face similar challenges of uncertainty in their mid-career, guiding them to define their path, reignite their confidence, and attain purpose-driven success that transcends titles.