It has been 18 months now since the boardroom door closed behind me. I walked out leaving behind the business I had started, nurtured and grown for 30 years, and then handed over to someone else. I was virtually redundant, retired, but - yes I admit it - relieved. The previous few years had been stressful. The business had been going downhill and I was working so hard to keep afloat I forgot many of the principals and values that inspired me in the first place.

Long Tall Sally

When I was in my thirties I arrived in London to stay with friends, looking for a change of pace from my previous life of sailing around the Caribbean on a charter sailboat. Chartering sounds exciting, intriguing… but it is often just plain boring. I wanted a new challenge, a new career, and London was an exciting place to be. First of all, I needed some new clothes. This is where the problem started. I am nearly six feet tall and in 1976 there were not many clothes available for long-legged ladies. I felt that I could not be the only six-footer in town desperate for fashionable clothes and trousers that came down past my ankles. I proposed the idea of a tall girls’ clothing shop to a close friend. He picked up on the idea, agreed to back it, and Long Tall Sally was created.

My 70s feminist values bordered on being militant when it came to tall women – no way would they be left out when it came to having their clothing needs met. I bullied and cajoled manufacturers to make their goods longer; shouted about “tall being beautiful” through copious press releases and interviews; and literally took up the crusade for tall women in Britain.

Thirty years later, Long Tall Sally is a high street brand and any woman over 5’8” tall knows about it. While it was my “baby”, many skilled and talented people assisted in her growth. Today, I am proud to say that she is still growing and being nurtured by some very well qualified retail specialists.

Change of Direction

But, the new owners did not want to keep me on board and I suddenly found myself set down on the “retirement” shore. I wish I could say that a bucketful of gold coins and a silver spade were part of the deal, but the business had suffered in the last few years and was not worth much when I passed it over. I would need to find something else to do to add to the retirement pot and get me through my next 20 years.

First, I allowed myself some restoration and relaxation and time for reflection. I threw myself into the creative pursuits I had only had time to dabble in before. I joined a writing group, I started one up, attended drawing and water colour classes, went to courses at City Lit, saw a lot of my friends and family, and literally worked on getting my house in order. Weeks spent looking after my brother’s children made me realise that the domestic “granny” role would not fulfil me. Nor would stacking shelves at Sainsbury’s which I used to fantasize about when the going got tough in the corporate world. I explored several charities but could not find my niche. They seemed to want my address book or my empty hours. I had neither. I was looking for the passion and commitment I had in the early days of Long Tall Sally.

As I had always worked for myself and learned about retail and business from the ground up, I soon learned that I did not have the measurable skills required to prepare a CV for the corporate world. Nor did I want to. Six months out of the workplace and I was beginning to love the freedom and lightness of my days. They were so full of interesting activities that I wondered how I ever managed to work 40-60 hours a week. How did I cram it all in, and still see friends and get to the occasional exercise class? Well, I do know how: I did it with a jam-packed diary, with no white space around activities, no room to dream, no down time…

Rich Coaching

For several months I had been meeting with the young daughter of a close friend. Rachel had two young children and a very unpleasant domestic environment. Her self-esteem was in the toilet. Since I had the free time, I would help with the children, tease out her courage, creativity and intelligence, discuss her job, listen to her failures and champion her successes. She blossomed. It made my day to see her smile and come to life – to notice her self-esteem blossoming. I wanted more of that.

A friend told me about life coaching and I went along for an introductory weekend. I found a place where my wisdom and years of life experience could come into their own. I have never looked back. I trained as a life coach with the Coaches Training Institute, the recognised leaders in the field, and then launched my own coaching practice, Rich Coaching.

In my coaching training I learned how to build on my business and life experience, while adding the skills and techniques employed by the best coaches. With this combination, I am able to help people of all ages and walks of life discover their wholeness and to create the life they really want. I particularly like to work with people who have been made redundant or are facing retirement as these particular life circumstances present two exciting opportunities: a gift of time; and a chance to look at life choices. And of course, my entrepreneurial experience combined with my coaching skills is very relevant to any “start-up”, whether this involves writing a book or branching out on your own.

At 62, I was the oldest participant on my training course. It didn’t matter. I was challenged, inspired, motivated and just as stretched as the younger ones. Now I am proud to say I walk the talk! I have created the life I want and am passionate about helping others create theirs. I work only the hours I choose and find plenty of time for my other creative pursuits.

What Next?

What next? I am continuing with my coaching training and polishing my skills. Having time around those diary commitments leaves space for all sorts of interesting things to cross my path. Just lately I have been offered a half share in an allotment and since my corporate life did not include gardening, I am off to learn a new set of skills.

A published article? A trek in the Himalayas? Another retail venture? If there is one thing I have learned from my coaching training, it is the importance of having dreams, and reaching for them.

Judy Rich

RichCoaching.co.uk
jr@richcoaching.co.uk

Read more about Judy Rich's life coaching practice in the everywoman Marketplace