“I didn’t want to build a career in something I wasn’t passionate about.” 

What work were you doing previously?    

I worked in client services at a marketing agency that ran promotional campaigns for consumer brands.

What are you doing now?    

I'm a personal stylist and content creator.

Why did you change?

My previous job simply wasn't fulfilling.

I wasn’t passionate enough about it, and when I thought ahead to the future, I knew I didn’t want to build a career in it.

When was the moment you decided to make the change?

I worked on my career change while I was still in my previous job.

As soon as I knew I had enough clients in my new business, I felt ready to take the plunge.

How did you choose your new career?

I spent time considering all the things that interested me. 

One of the things I kept getting drawn back to was clothing, so I started researching careers in clothes and style. 

The more I looked into it, the more I realised that I could style women and help them to look good.   

Are you happy with the change?

Yes, I'm very happy. 

It’s so amazing to be able to do something that I am passionate about, and to earn money from it. 

I love making a difference to women, and helping them look and feel great. 

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

I miss working in a team environment, but that’s about all!

I don’t miss client meetings, or trying to sound enthusiastic about brands that I don’t actually care about.

How did you go about making the shift?

I practiced on friends to make sure this was something I could actually do.

Once I felt confident, I reduced my hours in my day job to a 4 day work week, which enabled me to start seeing clients on a Friday. 

I was lucky in that the company that I worked for was very flexible and supportive.

How did you develop (or transfer) the skills you needed for your new role?

I was mostly self-taught; I spent as much time as I could reading books, experimenting on friends and family, and watching makeover TV shows!

I did want the security of a qualification before I started charging people, though, so I also studied a short course at the London College of Fashion. 

What didn’t go well? What wrong turns did you take?

If anything, I didn’t believe in myself enough at the beginning.

I'm really glad I did the deep work to find out what my options were and pushed through to pursue one of them. 

How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible?

I lived with my fiancé at the time, so that meant I could save on rent. 

And I was earning a very small salary at my previous job, so it was easy to replicate that salary with my new career.  

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

If I'm honest, it didn't feel difficult. 

As soon as I started taking on clients, it felt like the universe just opened up.

I was constantly getting enquiries, and never had to look for more clients. 

What have you learnt in the process?

I’ve learnt that you can only really rely on yourself.

I'm keen to build a team around me, but at the end of the day the buck stops with me. 

What do you wish you'd done differently?

I wish I had started earlier, perhaps.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation?

Do the work to find out what fills your cup. 

Once you do, paths and options open themselves to you – but you can’t sit around waiting for that to happen. 

You have to create the thing you want. 

We have social media, online courses, and so much more information at our fingertips these days, so it really is way easier than ever before to build something from scratch.

What resources would you recommend to others?

The best resources are people.

Reach out to people you respect, or who are doing the work you want to be doing. 

Learn more about Pippa's business here

What lessons could you take from Pippa's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.