Former Corporate Partner Transitions to Leadership Coaching, Emphasizing Practical Planning

Nicole Shaver spent over two decades at a large Chicago consulting firm, progressing from senior accountant to partner during a period of significant organizational growth from approximately 100 to more than 2,000 employees. Despite her technical background as a CPA and accountant, Shaver discovered that her true passion lay in developing people rather than financial analysis. When ownership changes at her firm created an opportunity for career reflection, she decided to pursue leadership coaching as her next professional chapter.

The transition from corporate finance to coaching represented a significant professional shift, but Shaver found her background provided unexpected preparation. Growing up with parents who owned their own business gave her realistic expectations about entrepreneurship. Her corporate experience involved driving financial and strategic planning while working closely with C-level leaders, providing insight into business development and trusted advisor relationships. Shaver attributes her coaching effectiveness to combining strong analytical skills with people-focused abilities and natural extroversion.

Shaver's decision to pursue coaching emerged through her own experience working with a coach during career reflection. Initially resistant to leaving her corporate identity behind, she discovered the power of creating space for reflection and considering new possibilities. This process helped her recognize that supporting people's growth and helping them achieve goals had always been the most fulfilling aspect of her work, even when she was mentoring colleagues without formal coaching training. Her certification through the International Coaching Federation provided the educational foundation to complement her natural abilities.

The practical aspects of transitioning from corporate employment to entrepreneurship required careful planning, particularly as the primary earner for her family with nine-year-old twins. Shaver's husband had been managing household responsibilities since their children were born, creating a partnership that supported the career change. Healthcare coverage represented a major consideration, moving from corporate benefits to self-employment. Shaver utilized COBRA coverage initially but needed to transition to marketplace insurance, a process she found daunting given common concerns about understanding coverage options.

Shaver accessed support through https://www.joinwhen.com, a post-employment platform that her former employer had partnered with. The service provided consistent follow-up and multiple phone consultations to help navigate insurance logistics and details. This assistance enabled Shaver to transition from paying approximately $1,800 monthly for COBRA to about $2,200 for an Aetna plan while maintaining continuity with her therapist, her children's pediatrician, and specialists at Northwestern. Having human support for critical family wellbeing decisions proved invaluable during the career transition.

In her current coaching practice, Shaver focuses on creating space for reflection and growth, helping clients embrace new possibilities and achieve greater fulfillment. She works with individual leaders navigating transitions and teams transforming their dynamics, finding the work aligns with her authentic calling. Her experience demonstrates how career reinvention requires both practical planning and emotional readiness, with proper support systems making the difference in successfully reimagining professional possibilities.