As the founder of Real You Leadership, I’m reflecting on a significant milestone in my career, business, and life—my 7-year anniversary since leaving a six-figure tech job and eventually starting a coaching business. 

Seven years ago, I made a leap that many around me questioned. I quit my corporate job take my own self-funded sabbatical, heal, and explore what else was possible in work and life. 

The Journey of a Million Courageous Changes

Quitting my corporate job was just the beginning. My journey has been anything but straightforward. From starting a coaching business for BIPOC women & femmes, to becoming a leadership development speaker and trainer, to migrating to another country in my mid-30s, it’s been a wild ride filled with fears, stress, and relentless hard work. Yet, it’s also brought immense joy, fulfillment, and personal liberation.

Every year on this special anniversary, I take a moment to be present with all that I’ve achieved, learned, and unlearned. I honor all the versions of me that got me to this new season of business and life.

As I reflect, I want to share with our Real You Leadership community three of the biggest lessons I've learned along the way to make courageous changes in your life.

Lesson 1: Know the Real You

Society often defines success in narrow terms—money, status, and power. When I started coaching, I centered my work on helping BIPOC women and femmes “get the pay, position, and recognition they deserve.” After years of uplifting and supporting BIPOC leaders to close their leadership and pay gap, I know that true fulfillment comes from living a life true to yourself and your values. 

It’s never just about the money and rising up the ranks. Understanding who you are at your core, trusting your intuition, and aligning your choices with what you truly care about is the foundation of real success. For me, this means supporting BIPOC women & femmes in their leadership journeys. Beyond financial abundance and career development, what fulfills me is creating spaces where we can thrive, grow, heal, and lead authentically.

Lesson 2: Take Risks

Stepping into the unknown is terrifying, but it’s where the most rewarding experiences lie. Creating space for new possibilities and betting on yourself can lead to incredible growth.

When I left my corporate job to recover from burnout (and, frankly, from work trauma) and eventually start my coaching business. I had no guarantees—just a vision and a lot of faith.

Deciding to fully center my coaching business and programs on supporting BIPOC women and femme leaders was another scary and uncertain move. Many industry peers advised against it, saying it was too niche, too risky, and wouldn’t make money. However, my heart and gut knew better. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful I followed my intuition.

Every day still brings new opportunities to create possibilities in the face of the unknown. Even as a seasoned business owner, I know there are never any guarantees. These past seven years have deepened my ability to take risks, honor my vision, and stay true to myself. Each risk I’ve taken has taught me more about my capabilities, clarified my desires, and reinforced what I no longer want.

Lesson 3: Do It Scared

It’s important to remember that courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s taking incremental action, no matter how big or small, despite it.  Many BIPOC leaders I work with fall into limiting patterns like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the imposter phenomenon. They believe they need a foolproof plan and must be fearless to act and go after their true dreams and goals. I used to believe this, too.

The affirmation "Do it scared" has guided me to navigate every internal and external challenge I’ve faced, allowing me to persevere and take imperfect action throughout my seven-year journey as an entrepreneur. 

Fear is a natural response to the unknown, but the key is to commit to yourself and trust that you have your own back, no matter the outcome. Embracing fear and moving forward anyway has been crucial to my leadership and growth journey.

Living a Values-Aligned Life

Quitting my tech job in 2017 to take a career break and eventually start my coaching business for BIPOC leaders has been incredibly fulfilling. This journey has been challenging and rewarding, and I’m grateful that it has allowed me to live a values-aligned life and experience joy and liberation beyond what I ever thought possible seven years ago.

In my latest YouTube video on my channel ‘Reimagining Nadia,’ I dive deeper into these lessons and share more intimately about my journey. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, changing careers, or simply wanting to live more courageously, I hope my story resonates with you and inspires you to create courageous change in your life.

Here’s to taking risks, knowing ourselves, and doing it scared. Always.

Leadership & Negotiation Coach for Women of Color in Technology|Founder|Workshop Facilitator, Speaker & Trainer

Nadia’s career and leadership expertise has been featured in CNBC, HuffPost, FastCompany, New York Times Kids, Teen Vogue, and The Muse.

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