From Corporate Burnout to Mountain Clarity: Why
Your Story Matters.
From managing 150 employees in London to pig farming in
Indonesia – why your unconventional path is your greatest strength.
I once lived a life that looked perfect on paper.
Today, I live one that feels perfect in my bones.
The journey between those two lives taught me everything I know about authentic storytelling, courageous reinvention,
and the transformative power of words.
This is my story and why it matters for yours.
What I Learned in Glass Towers (And How It Serves You Now).
I spent years in London boardrooms, managing 150 employees and delivering multi-million-pound transformational projects.
I wore the heels, drove the Range Rover, owned the apartment, chased the deadlines, and had the
6-figure salary.
By every external measure, I was succeeding.
And yet, I was deeply disconnected from my own life. Busy, burned out, and quietly asking myself: Is this it?
But here's what those corporate years taught me – skills that now serve every client I work with:
Strategic thinking under pressure: How to distil complex ideas into clear, compelling messages.
Executive communication: The art of getting busy, important people to pay attention.
Project leadership: How to manage multiple moving parts and deliver on time.
Stakeholder management: Understanding what different audiences need to hear (and how to say it).
Crisis communication: Grace under fire when everything's falling apart.
I had authority, yes, but no freedom. I had achievement, but no calm.
And then one day… I left. I packed it all up and stepped into the unknown, guided by nothing more than a deep, aching "no."
Why this matters for you: My corporate experience means I understand the pressure of high-stakes communication.
I know what it takes to cut through noise and get results. But I also know there's a more human way to do it.
What Indonesia Taught Me About Authentic Storytelling.
I became a scuba diving instructor in Indonesia, traded glass towers for coral reefs, and fell in love with both the ocean and a man from Flores. Slowly, I began to build a life that looked nothing like the one I left.
It wasn't all peace and sunsets. There were tears, trauma, and cultural reckonings. At one point, my partner disappeared into the forest to seek guidance from a shaman (it's part of life here, a way of seeking answers beyond the visible), leaving me to wrestle with both the spiritual and my own inner storms.
This cultural immersion taught me something precious about storytelling:
Authenticity can't be faked: In a culture where spiritual truth matters more than professional polish, I learned to strip away the performance.
Every story has layers: Surface narratives rarely capture what's really happening.
Connection transcends language: The deepest communication happens beyond words.
Resilience is quiet: True strength isn't loud; it's a quiet refusal to give up.
Change is sacred: Life transitions deserve honour, not rushing.
That chaos gave birth to something unexpected: Cala Baeng (meaning 'Hopeful Life' in the Manggarai language), our pig farm, and with it, a slower, steadier kind of truth.
Why this matters for you: This experience taught me that the most powerful brand stories come from the intersection of professional expertise and personal truth. Your unconventional path isn't a liability – it's your competitive advantage.
Mountain Wisdom Meets
Boardroom Strategy.
I live in the remote mountains of East Flores, with my partner, our pigs, dogs, and the kind of quiet I used to crave in boardrooms.
I write. I farm. I tell stories. And I help others untangle their own – not by fixing, but by walking beside them.
This is what Out the Other Side stands for: a unique balance of corporate authority and unconventional perspective.
I know the pressure of high-stakes leadership AND the liberation of stepping away from it all. I understand both the boardroom and the barnyard, the deadline and the dawn chorus, the strategy session and the soul searching.
This dual perspective is why I work best with:
Purpose-driven founders who've outgrown conventional business advice.
Soul-led brands ready to communicate with depth and authenticity.
Professionals navigating major life transitions.
Anyone building something meaningful in their own unconventional way.
My clients get: Corporate-level strategic thinking wrapped in mountain-quiet wisdom. Professional polish that never loses its humanity.
What I Believe (And Why It Matters
for Your Brand)
Why this philosophy creates better results:
Authentic messaging builds deeper trust with your ideal clients
Slow, intentional communication cuts through digital noise
Personal stories create emotional connection that drives loyalty
Honest brand voices attract the right people and repel the wrong ones
Three Ways My Unconventional Path Benefits Your Brand
1. Strategic Clarity Born from Chaos
The skill: My corporate years taught me to find clarity in complexity, distil key messages, and communicate under pressure.
Your benefit: I can take your beautiful, complex vision and turn it into clear, compelling brand messaging that gets results.
2. Cultural Bridge-Building
The skill: Living between worlds taught me how to translate meaning across different audiences and communication styles.
Your benefit: I help you speak authentically to your audience while maintaining professional credibility.
3. Transformation Expertise
The skill: I've navigated major life and career transitions with grace and emerged stronger.
Your benefit: I understand the emotional landscape of change and can help you communicate your own evolution with confidence.
The Heart of Out The Other Side
Every week, I write a letter – not a blog post, but a letter. The kind I once wrote from boarding school to my late grandma: honest, meandering, thoughtful, and true.
I write about starting over, finding calm in chaos, piglets and purpose, and what happens when you stop trying to be someone you're not.
Recent letters explore:
"When You Think You Have Nothing Left: How to Begin Again."
"Writing My Reference Broke Me - Then Taught Me Everything."
"Courage, Dear Heart: Walking the Fault Lines of Life."
These letters aren't just personal musings – they're examples of the kind of authentic, story-driven content I help clients create. Content that builds genuine connection, not just engagement.
Read the letters that started it all: Letters From The Mountain.