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Hi there,

I'm Leigh


Gen-X. 80's tragic. Mom. Business owner. Mentor. Passionate cook. World traveller. Born in Africa. Living in Australia. Founder of Liberty & Co. Can be a bit swear-y. 

On a mission to prove that women over 50 can do anything ... including starting and growing small businesses.

Hi there,

I'm Leigh


Gen-X. 80's tragic. Mom. Business owner. Mentor. Passionate cook. World traveller. Born in Africa. Living in Australia. Founder of "Second Act Society". Can be a bit swear-y. 

On a mission to prove that women over 50 can do anything ... including starting and growing small businesses.

My story is perhaps a little like yours?

The best times in my career were in the 90's...

only I didn't know it then

Those years I was living my best life in the Advertising world, literally pinching myself that I had a career I loved so much. Armed with a Degree in Accounting and a Post-Grad in Marketing & Advertising, I was happily using both sides of my brain. 

What wasn't to love? My job involved creativity, travel, long boozy media lunches, loads of freebies and the craziest, smartest and most talented people I had ever met. I was well paid. I was inspired. Those were the hey-days of Advertising - we played hard but we worked even harder.  I even got to wear my 501's to work (still my favourite work look when paired with a black jacket and t-shirt). 

With my Nokia cell phone, my Filofax, and my 12MB of RAM I thought I had made it. 

Fast Forward

a couple of decades 

 

Okay, I did have it made.

And then, as so often happens with seniority comes stress and more responsibility. I made it to Head of Marketing in a large corporation before I was 30. I lectured at two tertiary institutions. I started an agency with one of my best friends and grew it to be profitable in it's first year.

With life comes other changes - two amazing kids, a move to Australia leaving behind the business I helped grow.

Then, a career pivot into a role as an Executive Headhunter where I counselled hundreds of people on their careers and future over the space of 12 years. 

Often those conversations led to people contemplating starting their own businesses and leveraging their skills - especially as they hit their 40's and realised that there is an age ceiling in corporate.

And this is where it dawned on me.

Men would over-inflate their skills and experience. Women would underplay them drastically.

It was sad to see so that many women lacked the confidence to take the leap into a better future on their own terms...

And then one day I simply had enough. I had enough of being written off because I was a woman in her 40's in the corporate world - that crack you fall into between the Gen X Boys' Club and the up-and coming Millennials. I had enough of working in a role that didn't feed my soul. The catalyst was my boss - middle-aged man talking to me like I was 5 years old.

It was time. Time to be me again, and to remember who I was when I as at my best.  I've been happier starting and growing my own small business than I ever was "working for the man". And now I'm helping other women do it too. 

MY MISSION

is to help women in midlife to exit corporate careers and grow their own freedom businesses.

To help them power up their self-confidence, overcome overwhelm and achieve financial freedom.

 

I know it's complex out there. We see Millennials and Gen Z's dancing around on Instagram and TikTok, making millions of dollars and we wonder how we fit in. I mean... we come from a generation where the original Instagram was a camera roll which we took to the photo shop to get developed. 

My point is that it doesn't have to be complex or scary or solitary starting and growing a small business in mid-life. My process is to keep things simple, with forward momentum in bite sized chunks - exactly how I have built my businesses. 

Seeing strong, capable and amazing women hold themselves back in mid-life is what drove me to do what I do .

SEEING STRONG, CAPABLE AND AMAZING WOMEN HOLD THEMSELVES BACK IN THEIR 50'S IS WHAT DROVE ME TO DO WHAT I DO.

"SEEING STRONG, CAPABLE AND AMAZING WOMEN HOLD THEMSELVES BACK IN THEIR 50'S IS WHAT DROVE ME TO DO WHAT I DO."

There are two types of women in business

Those that help each other and raise each other up.

And those that trample on other women to get ahead.

I believe that there is more power in community and support - and so I created the "Liberty & Co" - a place where women like us can have access to resources, proven strategies, support and tools to help start and grow solo businesses. 

Find out more
Let's work together!
  • You are ready to tap into your skills and experience to build your confidence and your freedom business
  • You want a community, tools, training, proven strategies and resources to support you in your journey
  • You want things simple and easy, with no overwhelm
  • You want to be supported by a community and mentors who understand exactly where you are in life
Check out Liberty & Co

Want to start a business?

Free Guide: "Corporate Freedom Blueprint: 5 Solo Premium Solo Business Models for Corporate Women in Midlife"