1:1 Coaching · Client Case Study
How Melissa used 3 months of 1:1 coaching to bring the different strands of her professional life into one coherent portfolio career.
Quick Snapshot
The Challenge Before Coaching
Melissa arrived at coaching carrying a lot. A difficult exit from a senior healthcare role had left her, in her own words, "broken-hearted." After years of moving straight from one demanding role to the next, she had finally taken five months off, and for the first time since finishing law school, she had genuine space to breathe.
But space without direction can feel disorienting. Melissa was at a crossroads. She had deep expertise in corporate governance and board effectiveness, a growing passion for events and creative work, and a budding idea for a tech tool she'd been quietly developing. What she was missing was clarity on how all of it fitted together, and the confidence to articulate the value she brought across such different pursuits.
"I was at a crossroads in my career. I needed clarity about the value I actually bring, and what I could do with that moving forward."
There was also grief to process. Melissa had a bereavement earlier in the year, and the time off had given her space to heal from that. She wasn't just navigating a career question. She was rebuilding from the inside out.
What She Wanted
Melissa came to coaching with a clear instinct that there was more to her than her CV showed. She'd always known she was multi-passionate, and she wanted to honour all of it.
The Breakthroughs
Melissa's coaching touched all the pillars that underpin portfolio career work.
One of the most important shifts for Melissa was being seen and supported across all of her work, not just the traditional streams. Her expertise in governance is formidable, but so is her gift for creating extraordinary experiences for people. Coaching gave her space to make connections between these different areas, and to see her portfolio career as a coherent, intentional whole rather than a collection of unrelated interests.
Melissa came in underselling herself. She had a wealth of experience, a sharp strategic mind, and a track record that spoke for itself, but translating that into a clear, confident articulation of her value was something she had to build. Through coaching, she sharpened how she communicated her expertise to clients, boards, and organisations. She also did significant healing work, allowing herself to process the grief and the professional hurt she had been carrying, and to let them go.
Strategically, coaching opened up avenues Melissa hadn't fully considered. The introduction of advisory board thinking was particularly significant, creating a bridge between her deep governance expertise and external commercial opportunities. The tech tool moved forward from concept toward a near-finished product with a website in development, a designer engaged, and a trademarking process underway. Melissa also built a consistent LinkedIn presence, which directly generated an inbound approach for a Board Effectiveness Review contract.
"What I particularly appreciated was your openness to explore all aspects of my portfolio career, not just the more traditional professional streams, but also my creative interests. You've helped me make connections between different areas of my work and identify opportunities I may not otherwise have considered."
"You have been a trusted sounding board throughout the process, someone who listened carefully, challenged constructively, and helped me reason through ideas and decisions with greater confidence and clarity."
"All the posts and things out there on LinkedIn are all helping. The board effectiveness review offer came through LinkedIn, honestly."
Results & Transformation
Across five months of intentional time and reflection, Melissa has:
She enters this next chapter not running from something, but walking confidently toward a life and career she has designed on her own terms.
Favourite Part of the Coaching
"Above all, you have been a trusted sounding board throughout the process. You created a real safe, encouraging space for discussion. And you never made me feel like a crazy lady going from board governance to parties."
For Melissa, what mattered most was being met with genuine curiosity about the full range of who she is, not just the impressive CV. A safe space to think out loud, be challenged, and make her own decisions with greater confidence.
Melissa's Advice
"I knew from the beginning that there was a lot more to me and what I have to offer. Coaching helped me see it clearly and act on it. I would highly recommend Susanna to anyone seeking clarity, focus, and practical support in shaping their professional future."
If you're at a crossroads, carrying skills and ideas that feel scattered, coaching gives you the thinking partner to bring it all into focus. Melissa came in at a crossroads. She leaves with a portfolio career that is already taking shape, on every front.
Your Turn
Book a complimentary connection call to explore working together one-to-one.