Why These Women Chose A Second Career In Midlife

/ 19 May 2025

Why These Women Chose A Second Career In Midlife

Starting over and retraining for a new career later in life takes courage, but it can give you a new lease of life and instil a great sense of achievement. Here, we asked four women to tell us what inspired them, how they tackled the challenge of balancing home life, work and finances to pursue something more fulfilling and why they’ve never looked back.

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CORAL GARLICK:

Family Photographer Turned Teen Therapist

I have an MA in marketing and my early career was in large advertising agencies. When my first daughter was born, I retrained as a photographer and spent 15 rewarding years running my own luxury family portrait photography business. A large part of my success came from my marketing knowledge, and I could see there was a gap in the market to help entrepreneurs without a business background. So, in 2018, I started Brand Me Collective, mentoring and coaching ambitious female founders to launch and build their brands. Much of this work was face to face but, when Covid hit, I had to re-evaluate my business model.

I did a skills swap with a business coach which changed everything. My work with Brand Me led to Phanella Fine, a hugely experienced business coach who had founded her own company (The Step Up Club) supporting women in business. We agreed to do a skills swap – I helped her with her brand vision and strategy in return for five coaching sessions. This was truly life changing for me. Phanella helped me see that I was happiest when I was helping people but, beyond that, the subtleties about myself that she helped me see still guide me daily. I am a confident person, but she gave me the extra confidence to rip up my rule book and be really honest about what sets my heart alive. I am sure this change of direction was influenced by life stage – all my life experiences came together to help me forge a new path.

I think my previous careers and experience as a mother of four prepared me for what I am doing now. Going through the teenage years with my children, together with working with so many different families during my photography years, has given me a very holistic, non-judgemental approach. There is not much I haven’t seen in family life – nothing in any of my training would have given me that.

I have always been a very driven person, and I knew if I was going to do this, I needed to get the very best training. I went back to uni (Sussex University) and did NHS training, which was like nothing I had ever done before. As part of the training, I was lucky enough to work in a brilliant school in Brighton and I loved every minute. I then went on to work for the NHS as part of their schools-based team. This was a fantastic experience, but I quickly realised that I had a bigger vision in mental health and would need more training to set up privately and approach things in my own, bespoke way. Whilst at the NHS, I trained to be a positive psychology practitioner and then formalised my previous coaching experience with a specific adolescent coaching course. From this, I developed a unique approach to mental health, which I called the Coral Garlick Method. My marketing and branding expertise really helped me to define my strategy and set a clear vision for how I wanted my brand to look and feel. The amazing team at Luxe & Co helped bring this vision to life.

Don’t tell him but I have a very supportive husband. I am naturally entrepreneurial and he’s listened to many crazy ideas over the years. If he hadn’t believed in me, I couldn’t have done this. I also think it helped that my children were older; they were all really encouraging. I have lots of friends with teenagers and they very generously let me waffle on about my various theories on bringing up teens. This support system undoubtedly helped me too. Finally, my mother always made me believe I could do anything I set my mind to, and this belief has really driven me in life. The hope that I can give the young people I work with this same belief is something that helped me during my training and still helps me now.

This work is a calling and what I was born to do. Being lucky enough to spend time defining my purpose in the work I did with Phanella was life changing for me. It wasn’t just learning the things I did about myself, but also working with someone who challenged me and helped me be more honest about how I wanted to live my life. I have stopped questioning my career choices and looking for new ideas as I have absolute certainty I am in the right place. I just wish I’d done it sooner!

Visit CoralGarlick.co.uk

ANITA KAUSHAL

Interiors Retailer Turned Ayurvedic Beauty Founder

Having grown up in a traditional South Asian household, my ticket to freedom was through work. I left school at 16 and went about trying different things, selling insurance, being a PA and recruitment. Next, I dived into my passion for interiors and was the owner of a successful multi-channel retail brand, hosting a TV show and designing interiors. From there I began my own creative consultancy and wrote two best-selling books which were published by Thames & Hudson. As the children were growing up, I consulted for other brands, before a life-changing event led me to Mauli and my fundraising initiative Milli On and On, which was founded to support children’s charities.

I was 48 when I launched Mauli, which came as a result of people I held dear passing away. I realised life was short and paradoxically too long to live out of alignment. My father-in-law was an Ayurvedic doctor and the embodiment of true health. When I launched Mauli, few in the West had heard of hair oiling, let alone Ayurveda, but I just followed my heart. I don’t remember feeling too old to start again, as it’s all I’ve ever done and known. I had very little knowledge of the industry – my Ayurvedic training came from my father-in-law and business training came on the job. There were painful mistakes for sure, but this type of learning is much more satisfying to me.

The beauty of starting a business later in life is that you may well have lived the big house dream, travelled extensively and ticked a lot off the bucket list. I was only able to launch (all be it on a shoestring) because we had some savings – even though eating into them was not ideal, there was a cushion. For many years, we did cut down on expenses and I worked more hours than is healthy, but I’ve found a good balance now. That said, there was a level of fear and pressure to make Mauli work, both financially and personally. How would I feel or look if I failed, how would we cope financially, what would I do next? Then I would remind myself how much I thrive on learning and how it has been a huge privilege to have this as my evolving journey.

My life has changed immeasurably since I launched Mauli. While those around me always saw me as succeeding in whatever I tried, I never felt it until this business came along. I feel successful in my own eyes and not so much for my business achievements (though there are some impressive wins), but it’s me as the woman I’ve become as a result of all this that makes me feel the most fulfilled. My life has switched from self-doubt to self-awareness and respect.

There are a few things I might have done differently. I was the first to market in the Ayurvedic space but underestimated what it takes to build a brand financially, so I had to go slower and that meant missing some key opportunities. Conversely, I should have not taken all the opportunities presented to me, as some looked shiny but were a waste of time and energy. I should have looked after my wellbeing and not given so much to this baby I’d birthed. I also should have been clearer about the direction of travel and thought through where I want to take this – sell, succession, acquisition? These are all important decisions, especially at this life stage. But there was no crystal ball, so all things said, I am proud of where we are and the brand I have built with integrity and longevity. I now allow myself to enjoy the business and see mistakes as the step to success.

Visit MauliRituals.com

LUCY MILLER

Beauty PR Director Turned Nutritional Therapist

I started my career in magazines at Condé Nast but after a few years, I made the decision to pursue a career in PR. Having worked at Clarins and Estée Lauder in London, I moved to New York where I became the global PR director for La Mer at Estée Lauder. It was the most incredible job that meant travelling all over the world and working with all the La Mer teams globally. One minute I’d be in Singapore working on a press launch, the next in Tokyo. I also travelled all over the US meeting with regional press and department stores. New York was in its prime and the most exciting place to be living and working in. It was there that my first child was born and, with maternity leave being very short in the US, I decided to become a full-time mum. I went on to have another son in New York and then moved back to London. I dabbled with some freelance work, but then had the surprise of being pregnant with twin girls! Work took a backseat until the girls were six and the boys nine and 11 but I then had a profound moment when I knew I had to do something else to stimulate my brain.

There were a number of reasons that led me to go back to college to study nutrition. I saw how the beauty and skincare industry had shifted and evolved, becoming more of an integrated wellness space. I have always been interested in nutrition and I assign great value to what I eat. Both my parents had been diagnosed with cancer around that time and it led me to look into how diet could help support them. My eldest child was diagnosed with epilepsy and I knew instinctively as a mother that diet played a part in triggering a seizure, despite what the doctors told me (I later found out I was right).

I embarked on a course at the College of Naturopathic Medicine at Kings Cross. I went in one day a week and had to work at home too – as the course progressed, this became intensive. The course entailed a year of biomedicine (as I hadn’t studied any science subjects at A Level) and then another two years of studying nutritional therapy. To start with, it was mostly classroom based but the last year was clinic based where a panel of people would assess your consultations in person – often failing us so that we became the best therapists we could be. I came away with a diploma (it’s now become degree level) in nutritional therapy and, although it nearly broke me and I did my finals during lockdown, I am so proud of that achievement. It was brutal and far harder than my first degree in marketing, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t fully committed. There are a lot of assignments and exams that take their toll.

After qualifying, I began seeing clients on a one-to-one basis – mostly online as Covid restrictions were still in force. But it was perfect timing – the pandemic caused a shift in thinking and there was much more value assigned to health and wellness. Suddenly, it was far more important to look after your body. I created detox and hormone balancing programmes and started to see clients in groups, which was a better business model than the one-to-ones. I ran these programmes through Babington House and Soho House Miami; I also worked with Sarah Chapman on a skincare programme and collaborated with some amazing brands like Varley and Sisley. I am regularly asked to contribute to editorial pieces in the Telegraph, Vogue and Good Housekeeping; and, of course, I am so proud to have been doing a regular wellness column for SheerLuxe for over a year now. As a registered nutritional therapist (with the British Association of Nutritional Therapy), it’s compulsory to continue your learning once qualified. It means I never stop – whether it’s reading through scientific papers for research, attending webinars on specific topics or talking to fellow experts, it’s a continual learning curve.

My previous career has really helped me from a marketing perspective – it’s allowed me to find creative ways of working, rather than just doing one-to-one consultations. I understand how to generate opportunities, it also gives me the ability to put scientific information into a more editorial format as I’ve been so used to writing as part of my previous job.

It’s not the most lucrative career for the amount of work I do. A lot of people I studied with have gone back to their previous careers as it’s so hard to make it really profitable. I am always working on ideas as to how to change that and make it more commercial. I have been lucky to have met some amazing people since working in this area and it is incredible how generous people have been with their time and support and wanting to help me.

I am working almost full time and it’s a juggle with four teenage kids, a husband, an ageing mum, friends to keep up with and all the things life throws your way in middle age! I never seem to have enough time for anything. I sometimes feel so spread thin and never have the quality time I’d like with everyone. I miss out on the frivolous everyday things like going for coffee or lunch with friends, which seems trivial, but it can feel like you’re being a little bit left behind. However, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have challenged myself so much and I absolutely love what I do and what I have learned and continue to learn.

If I could do anything differently, I might have left it a few more years. I realise now that the children were still quite young when I decided to train, but I also believe it’s really good for them to have seen the struggle – to have seen me revising and working hard. They now see me working creatively to find opportunities in the industry and they teach me so much by bringing a fresh perspective from a different generation. As they soon embark on their own careers, it’s amazing to be working with them in parallel. Hopefully it’s instilled something in them for their own exams and work ethic.

Visit LucyMillerNutrition.com

JESSICA HUE WILLIAMS

Brand Consultant Turned Wine Educator

My first job, at 22, was working for a branding agency. As I had learnt French at school and university, I was put on their only French account for Martell Cognac. When Martell moved to Diageo, I moved too and ran all its luxury brands. I wrote pitches, managed the creative and production teams, was the first point of contact for clients and led the briefings for the brands’ PR and advertising.

Today I’m a wine educator – the majority of my job is spent teaching people about wine and tasting it with them. I normally teach two to three times a week at the West London Wine School in Fulham, where I also run their private events, talking to clients and tailoring events to their requirements. For instance, last night I was hosting a tasting at Bloomberg for 100 female asset managers, and I chose five really great wines made by female winemakers. Only 10% of winemakers in the world are female, so talking about their achievements is really important to me. I’ve also just come back from a huge wine fair in Düsseldorf where I met lots of potential suppliers and I'm off to Alsace next week with the Association of Wine Educators to visit different wineries and taste through their wines. Travel is a big part (and perk) of my job now, as I need to be able to talk with passion and insider knowledge about different regions. Anyone can read the back of a label but it’s the stories and people behind these wines that makes them interesting.

Having taken 13 years out of a working environment, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to go back to work after having my four children. It was only having the WSET diploma qualification that gave me the courage to put myself forward for a job in wine. The qualification coincided with my youngest turning 10, having two daughters at boarding school, getting divorced and the end of Covid. I found a mentor in Master of Wine Jon Pepper who advised I needed some industry experience before I put myself out for work. I started working as a wine advisor at a wine shop and bar in Belgravia to give myself more product knowledge and the experience of talking to people about wine. I knew it was a temporary job and kept going to industry wine tastings to keep learning about wine. Over a spittoon at a tasting one day, I met Jimmy Smith who founded the West London Wine School and who’d taught me for the first eight years of my wine journey. We got talking and he offered me a job as a wine tutor at the school. It is local to where I live, the girls were old enough to be left for the odd evening, but I could still manage my time and be there for them as a mum.

Working as brand manager for Diageo introduced me to the to the aesthetics of the drinks industry (basically the importance of the label), but it didn't introduce me to the liquid inside the bottle. Being a wine educator draws on so many different streams of knowledge – history, geography, science, culture and then there is the wine itself and the producers. I needed to learn about all these which I did by following courses and sitting exams, but I also I needed to learn to taste wine. This sounds ridiculously easy but it’s a whole different skill set where you retrain your brain to link aromas and flavours to fruits, flowers, spices etc through memories. The only way to do this is to taste extensively and to taste with others. The diploma qualification required a day of blind tasting still wines as well as another day blind tasting sparkling wines and fortified wines. I also had to learn how to teach – and specifically teach wine. A lot of this was learnt on the job or with observation and feedback but I’ve also had to pass educator training programmes to certify me to teach wine qualifications up to a high level.

Financially, the first few years were hard as I had to learn to manage bills and a household without the back up of a partner. It’s so exciting when you get your first pay cheque after 13 years and suddenly feel more empowered and independent. I have certain annual financial obligations I have to meet, and I can now do this and that feels good.

It’s definitely changed me for the better and I think my children would mostly agree! My girls always come first but I also have students who are depending on me to help them through vocational exams, as well those who just come to taste and have fun. When I’m teaching, I have to give it my entire focus so that means I have to turn my phone off, something that my girls find difficult.

I think it has made me more interested in other people and the world in general. As the world of wine is so varied, you need to be aware of everything from politics to generational trends to natural disasters – they all influence markets and ultimately the wine in the glass. Sometimes I’m hosting an 18th birthday wine tasting, other times I’m with high-level professionals – it’s such a varied job with a varied audience, so you need to be able to speak to them all. I also think people are more interested in me, or at least what I do. Wine is a great conversation starter – everyone has a wine story that they want to share and, when people learn I’m a wine educator, they always want to know more and tell me about their own wine journey.

I’ve had so many firsts in the past three years that I now know I can do it, whatever it is. It doesn’t stop me getting nervous and worrying that I might not do it well but, ultimately, I have developed a sense of self-belief that wasn’t part of the stay-at-home me. It’s still something to be worked on but I’m aware of it now. Still today, I count down from three and then force myself to post/ring/send an email which promotes me as an educator. I’m learning to think less about what people might say – I can’t control that; I can only manage myself.

If I could go back, I would have asked for more help. I now realise how much others like helping people – it makes them feel good and valued. I was in a new industry and in a new job. I didn’t want to draw attention to me being nervous, unsure and making mistakes, so I just got on with it and had to work extra hard to make sure no one noticed. I now realise, too, that people who’ve been in this industry a long time ask for help and also have nerves before a big presentation. When it comes to wine, however much you know, there’s more to learn so no one is totally up to speed.

Visit LocalWineSchool.com

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