When Moving Forward is a Calling, not a Choice

For 15 years, my adult professional life was rocking and rolling. I had steadily increased my salary and my responsibilities while amassing a pretty badass and baller resume at blue chip companies. McKinsey Consulting, Nike, Harvard Business School... dream resume no doubt.

However, about 6 years ago I hit a wall. Personally, professionally, physically, spiritually.

I was breaking down crying from overwork and anxiety in my boss's office - a man that hid his emotions behind multiple beers at the office - when I knew things had to change for me. I got therapy, became a holistic nutritionist and life coach, learned to place boundaries around my work, and learned to love myself. That journey brought me to Charlotte.

For my first three years in Charlotte, I continued to transform my life. I led my team through a re-organization, process overhaul, and systems implementation at my job. I met an amazing man named Philip, and we got married a year ago (COVID wedding). We moved into our house at the beginning of the pandemic and we adopted our dog Logan. My family has all moved to Charlotte, and I've been able to meet so many amazing women who have become dear friends very quickly (Pink Mentor Network, Athena Circle, the Grab Life by the Goals community, Business Sorority to name a few groups!).

So, why change my life?

Why leave a secure, traditional path and a change up a truly wonderful and peaceful life for the bumpy road of entrepreneurship? Why rebrand as a coach/consultant and strike out on my own? I could say I changed due to choice. But really, I changed because I continued to be called.

And ignoring the call was costing me my soul.

Announcing… Jessica Lackey Consulting and Coaching. I help impact-oriented leaders unlock their Soul and Strategy to unlock more wealth, health, worth and equity in their lives and businesses.

I know that I am a truth-telling, map-maker guide and sage.

I get lit up in learning about the deepest parts of you and your business so I can bring clarity and fire to any struggle and confusion.

I learn quickly, I see big, and I love to teach, bringing 15 years of learning, reading, and training to bear for you.

I have embraced my own potential, soul, and spirit even in the midst of a patriarchal and corporate day job.

And I am called to use my "superpowers" to see the potential for you, your life, and your business - and be able to clearly articulate and distill with you a concrete path forward.

A path that maybe you can't see, because you're in it, but to me just says, "Oh. There it is."

The feeling in me is like an Etch-a-Sketch - the metal filaments of potential just line up clear as day in me about what could come next for you.

I could no longer bring those gifts to enable societal constructs that continue to be extractive to our gifts, extractive to our work and labor, and extractive to the environment and society to bring wealth to shareholders and stockholders. I believe that these powers and gifts can and should be brought to organizations and teams that maybe can't tap into a high-powered consultant firm - but that ARE impact-oriented, changing their communities, and creating more health, wealth, worth, and equity for our society. Including our business owners.

So even though I’m sometimes lonely, often scared to be putting myself and my work out into the universe… it’s not a choice anymore.

Thank you for being with me on this new journey.