
After a long spell working for someone else, building a business of your own can be a wild ride. Some days you're excited about the future, and other days you wonder whether you're doing any of it right and self-doubt creeps in.
Suddenly there are all sorts of things you've never had to know before. At the same time, some of the habits, expectations and unwritten rules that helped you succeed in corporate have a habit of following you into business – often without you even realising it.
That's the Corporate Hangover.
I help you work out what is helpful, what needs to change and what you need to know and do now you're the one in charge.

For years, you learned how to succeed in one environment, but now you're navigating a completely different one.
Perhaps you've caught yourself thinking...
The idea of putting myself out there feels so uncomfortable.
What am I actually selling and how do I explain it?
Do I need some reassurance before I make this decision?
How on earth do I put a price on my own expertise?
I know I'm good at what I do, so why don't I trust my judgement?
Talking about money gives me the ick; it's so "salesy".
I don't want to get this wrong.
Why am I overthinking everything?
What do I actually need to get right before I start worrying about websites, branding and all the other stuff?
If any of those sound familiar, you're in good company.
Building a business after a long corporate career involves learning a completely different way of working. You're suddenly responsible for decisions, money, sales, direction and putting your own expertise on the table in a way you may never have had to before.
That's where the Corporate Hangover comes in. Some of the ways of thinking and working that helped you succeed in corporate can make the transition into business ownership unexpectedly difficult. At the same time, there are practical things you now need to learn that simply weren't part of your old job.
My work brings those two sides together.
We'll work with the experience, strengths and judgement you already have, unpick what's getting in the way and make sure you build the foundations your business needs, before you get sidetracked by websites, branding, tech and everything else you're told you should be doing.
You'll build a business that makes sense commercially and works for you, with more trust in your own judgement and a lot less second-guessing.


I'm Emily, founder of NurtureWorks and the person behind the Corporate Hangover.
I don't believe every business problem needs coaching, and I don't believe every business problem needs another online course either.
Sometimes you need space to think something through. Sometimes you need someone to challenge an assumption or help you see what you're too close to see. And sometimes you simply need someone to teach you something you haven't had to know before.
That's how I work. I combine coaching and practical business education depending on what you actually need, and always with the aim of helping you become increasingly able to make decisions, take action and lead the business yourself.
Want to know more about the thinking behind my work?

There's no single way to build a business, and no single way to work together either. Whether you're ready to work through the full RISE Programme or you're looking for focused support around a specific challenge, we'll decide together what feels right for where you are now.

“Something isn't working and I need to figure out why.”
I can't quite put my finger on what's going on, but I know something needs to change. I want some help making sense of things so I can work out what's getting in the way and what to do about it.

“There’s something specific in my business that I want help with.”
I want focused support with one defined area or challenge – perhaps offer, priorities, creating opportunities, visibility, networking, direction, pricing or something else. I want to try things, learn from what happens and build my own approach.

"I want help building my business from the ground up."
I’m at the beginning and there’s so much I could be doing that I’m not always sure what matters. I want structured and practical support and solutions, while learning how to be the person I need to be to run my business.

I speak about two main areas:
1) the transition from corporate professional to business owner, and the habits, expectations and unwritten rules that can make that transition harder than we expect.
2) the practical concerns that often hold women back from embracing their capability as a business owner – including visibility, money blocks and self-trust.
If you run a community, event, podcast or organisation supporting women starting businesses after corporate, I'd love to explore how I could contribute. Let's connect!


A free, informal and friendly monthly session for women navigating the shift from corporate to business ownership. It's just 60 minutes but packed with value.
Bring a question, challenge or decision you're working through. I'll bring practical advice, questions and the Corporate Hangover lens while the room offers different experiences and perspectives. You'll also learn from the questions other women are asking as they build their businesses.
Join in or simply listen, camera on or off – whatever suits you best.

"How women starting a business after corporate can start creating real opportunities in 30 days – without a perfect offer, website or plan."
A free, interactive 90-minute workshop designed to help you stop preparing and start putting your business into the world.
Through practical activities and discussion, you'll work out where to focus, identify opportunities you can create now and decide what you're going to do over the next 30 days.
You'll leave with a clearer sense of what actually matters at this stage, and plenty of ideas you can put into action straight away.
Come ready to think, join in and get your business moving.


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Ready to build an amazing business? Let’s talk about how we can make that happen together.
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