I 'met' Kate on Instagram soon after I started blogging, Her stylish ladies scarves and pretty grid caught my eye, we share a love of scarves and we are both scarf addicts!  Kate's first business is online scarf and accessories store Sweet Bea and if you are a regular visitor to my blog then you know that I feature Sweet Bea a lot in my posts, Kate has called me her 'best customer' on many occasions!  If I need a scarf for an outfit my first stop is always to see what Sweet Bea has.  She also has some great choices for presents for birthdays or Christmas.  And she has a lot of leopard print right now because it is so on-trend - like this blue leopard print scarf you can see Kate wearing below.

After a break for the summer holidays my Embracing Life (in Midlife) interview series is back - and with the gorgeous Chloe Leibowitz - Inspiring Women. 

​Chloe is a good friend and I have known her for probably ten years now - eighteen months ago she set up her inspirational life coaching business.  She really is one of those women who I genuinely admire, as well as being a seriously lovely person, she is totally amazing, I really don;t know how she does it all - so I asked her, she definitely inspires me so if you need a little dose of inspiration today then read on and find out more about Chloe, her life and her business.  And she is offering readers of Fifty & Fab a discount on her coaching packages - further details are at the end of this post.

This week on my interview series I am talking to Jenni Donato, who has just launched her new coaching business, Chance Coaching, where she specilises in life coaching and supporting families.

With a young family to take care of and a daughter with a life-changing condition, she is truly inspirational in how she is managing to fit it all in.  She has an amazing vision for her business and wants to help others going through a challenging time.

I stayed at home full time with my young family, my daughter was 5 and at school when we decided to set up our business so I was able to work during school hours and still be there for pick-up and after school chaos.  It amazes me how well ladies like Jenni manage, I am not sure I could. 

​Please do take a read and find out a bit more and Jenni is offering a discount to readers of Fifty & Fab so if you would like to find out more or know someone who might benefit from chatting to Jenni then do please share this blog post!.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?
 
I am a wife, a mother of two adorable children, a sister, a daughter and a hard worker, and I’m passionate about helping families to find - and live - the life they want.

I left my career as an Environmental Consultant to start a family, however things didn’t go as planned and after my daughters life changing diagnosis I spent the next few years going through some very challenging times. However, throughout all the turmoil, I met some truly inspiration people and I am more determined than ever to raise my children right whilst following my dream to become a life and family coach.
 
And tell us a little bit about your business venture and what inspired you?
 
Choosing to have a family is one of the most life-changing experiences we can undertake. However, we get no official training and can never fully prepare ourselves for exactly how much our lives and relationships will change.

It is not then surprising that family life is filled with surprises and challenges, which even the strongest of us sometimes struggle to navigate.

I have recently set up a company called Chance Coaching, who offer life and family coaching to families struggling with unexpected challenges.

I also work with families whose children attend Chance to Dance, a dance school dedicated to giving children with additional needs the chance to participate in dance classes, summer camps and stage performances. 
 
To hear more about my story click here
 
What does an average day look like for you?
 
At present my average day consists of an early wake up from a hungry 6 month old, who normally then doesn’t go back to sleep until my 4 year old shouts “It’s daytime playtime!”.

My mornings are then filled with food up the walls, mess in the house, football and swimming classes and general chaos. But also plenty of fun, cuddles and laughter until my daughter goes off to preschool for the afternoon and I get a valuable 3 hours (of relative quiet) with my baby boy.

Once school pickup is done, it’s then the daily rush of dinner and bedtime before I can relax and see what I need to do for my new business venture.

Evening are currently spent sorting paperwork, chatting to business partners and clients and applying for funding to be able to provide my services at reduced rates to families within certain eligibility criteria. My biggest aim is to be able to provide my services free of charge to families going through crisis to help them through their own challenges and create a better life for themselves and their children.
 
What has been your biggest challenge?

By far my biggest challenge was coming to terms with my daughters diagnosis. She was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at two and a half and went through a major operation to build her a working hip socket which would last as long as possible, hopefully giving her a pain free childhood where she could take part in all the things any child should.

​During her treatment I suffered both emotionally and physically and, at one point, undertook counselling to come to terms with everything that had happened and what her future could look like if the treatment didn’t work.

​This experience really made me reevaluate my life and pushed me to hire a life coach. This was the best thing I’ve ever done and  - along with other inspirational people I had met through my daughters treatment - gave me the drive and encouragement to follow my dream of becoming a life and family coach, providing help and support to families also going through tough times.
 
What advice would you pass on to someone wishing to change career in midlife?
 
Just do it – and obviously, hire a life coach! Seriously though, coaches are trained in scientifically proven tools and techniques to get the most out of people and really get them to focus on what they want out of life and then how – in detail – to get there.

The one thing someone said to me along the way which changed my outlook on life, was to really picture who I wanted to be once I’d achieved my goal and then wake up tomorrow and be that person! I am now the person I pictured and I’m loving every minute of it!
 
Do you have a signature style, an everyday look that you love?
 
Currently I’m loving the messy bun and whatever I grab out of the cupboard look, but that’s mainly because I normally have exactly 2.5 minutes to get ready in the morning. Once my daughter starts school in September and my son is at the childminder I’m sure I will refine my signature style into something more glamorous than the ‘just been pushed through a bush’ look!
 
How do you balance your business with family life?
 
Despite having done multiple training courses in this very subject in order to help my clients, I still find balancing the time between family and work difficult.

There is simply not enough hours in the day when you are a parent, especially if you would like some sleep!

However, my best tricks are to only focus on one thing at a time and to give myself realistic challenges for the week – and write them down (both in my home life and work life). I do this by keeping a strict to-do-list and a very large family calendar. Getting a big magnetic calendar to go on the fridge and getting input from all the family members (well, the ones who could speak) was one of the best things we’ve ever done to organise our week – and this, along with a shared iPhone calendar with my husband, which comes with a rule that if it’s not in the calendar, it doesn’t exist - has made a massive difference in minimising the stress around balancing all our activities, work, studying and hobbies!
 
What is your biggest achievement to date?
 
Having my two children has been my biggest, and best, achievement. Even when times are hard, I’m exhausted, and my daughter needs my help on the toilet whilst I’m trying to feed the baby, I try to remember they are both miracle babies and are worth every ounce of effort. Just to watch my daughter running around with her friends after everything she’s been through fills my heart with pride and now seeing my son starting to develop his own unique personality fills me with excitement of the times to come.
 
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
 
In five years time, both my children will be in full time education and I would love to be running a truly successful life coaching practice helping as many families as i can to also fulfill their dreams. I’m currently undertaking a Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and hope to be able to plug the gap between coaching and counselling in order to help as many families as possible, especially those going through tough times.

One of my current areas is families with children diagnosed with any complex health condition, but my aim is really just to be there for families who could do with that extra bit of help to really make the most out of their lives and bring happiness and laughter back into their homes.
 
How can we get in touch with you and find out more about you or your coaching?
 
All my coaching packages come with a free initial consultation in order for both parties to decide whether we are a good fit and for a coaching package to be specifically tailored.

I'm also dedicated to providing affordable coaching to all, therefore, along with our partners and funding organisations, we can sometimes provide significantly reduced packages.

However, all coaching packages can be tailored to available budgets and individual needs.

Our three example packages can be found on our website:

https://www.chancecoaching.com 

And you can contact me either directly through my website or through my Facebook business page at fb.me/chancecoaching
 
I’m offering a fabulous 30% off any package of your choice to the first three clients to contact me and quote 'Fifty & Fab' after that there is still a 10% discount off the total package price to clients who undertake four or more sessions and who quote “Fifty & Fab”.

Thank you so much Jenni, you must be a very busy lady!

I have had some life coaching in the past and I can vouch for how helpful it is with getting you to focus your thoughts and make a plan.  And working together as family, whether your family are young or growing up as mine are, seems to be a very sensible idea.  It can be quite challenging learning to live as a new unit after years of being single or just the two of you and I know I have had some difficult times when my children were younger and if help had been available I would have grabbed it with open arms.

My one aim for my own children has been to give them to confidence to go out into the world and do whatever they want to do.  I am so proud of them both.  They are independent, capable and likable, they both know what they want to do and they are out there working hard towards their goals.  It never ceases to amaze me how they grow and change, my son was the nervous young boy at the school gates who would often have a few tears when I left him and I wondered if I had done something wrong, I doubted my parenting, but he has grown into such a strong and determined young man and I have every confidence he will succeed at whatever he wants to do.  Give them the tools, trust them and talk and listen but don't judge.  That way they will always open up to you.

Love from 
Michelle xx
​

​

I was originally going to run this interview series monthly but there are so many inspirational women doing amazing things that I decided twice monthly would be much better.  I love meeting these women and am constantly amazed by 'how on earth they do it' - this week I am interviewing my sister Heidi.  I am the oldest of three sisters and Heidi is the middle sister.  We are lucky to live quite close to each other and between us we have eight children and all run a small business so life does get pretty full on.

I have written about Heidi on my blog before - I love going on one of her Oxford tours, she really is a fantastic tour guide, she loves history and presents it so well.  We have been with our children when they were younger teens and they agreed it really wasn't boring at all!  Now there is an accolade, Heidi makes children and teens very welcome so don't be put off - a visit to Oxford and a walking tour of the city would make an excellent summer holiday activity.

I have secured a special offer for my readers and full details can be found at the end of this post.

Here Heidi tells us more about her life and her business and how she manages to do it all!

​Hi Heidi, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

This August I will be 48 and heading ever closer to the big 50!  It is hard to contemplate as I always considered that to be very old but times have changed and 50 is not so bad (at least that is what I am telling myself!).

​I grew up in Kent with my parents and two sisters – one older and one younger. At 12 we moved to Buckinghamshire and I found that tough at that age but am now so grateful for the move as it got me to where I am today. 

I have been married to my husband and best friend for 19 years and we have three wonderful children… and a dog!  I now live in Oxfordshire in a small village on The Ridgeway.

And tell us a little bit about your business venture and what inspired you?

At 18 I travelled alone to Vermont in the USA and spent a year as an Au Pair.  It was a big step but I had always had 'wunderlust'.  It was here that I met one of my closest friends who was also an Au Pair but from Germany.  At the end of our year, Stephanie and I travelled coast to coast on Amtrak trains. 

This was just the beginning and on returning to the UK, I worked for a travel company based in the UK but that took me to work in The Netherlands where I was a tour guide. 

My next adventure was as a holiday representative in Turkey where I completed three summer seasons and met more lifelong friends. 

As the years passed, I decided it was time to return to the UK and worked for a travel company who offered bespoke tours to Australia, America and Canada and I would often travel with my job. 

After I met my husband Jonathan, and I became pregnant with our first child I returned part-time to the travel company but by my third child, I knew it was time to consider my options.  I think it is important for mum’s to be at home as much as possible during the early years of childhood but I needed to work so I looked at what I was good at, what I enjoyed and what was around me and decided I'd love to become a Tour Guide in Oxford.

I wrote to the Tourist Information Centre but was disappointed to learn that they had just run a course and did not have any plans for another one for another 3-4 years. My heart sank when I received that letter ‘we will keep your details on file’ but they did! After those 4 years passed, I received a letter asking me to attend an interview. I had to prepare a 5-minute talk on a subject and present it at The Oxford Town Hall to a group of professional Guides.  Although I was used to public speaking and presenting, I had not done it for some time (motherhood can strip away your self-confidence!). 

But I was delighted when I received the call to let me know I had been selected for a 9-month training course to become a fully qualified Green Badge Guide.  It was a tough and challenging 9-months and on more than one occasion I wondered what I had taken on. At the end, you sit three written exams and two oral.  Luckily I passed and started working for the city of Oxford.  I then took the leap to start my own business – Walking Tours of Oxford.

What does an average day look like for you?

There is nothing average about my job or my day – each one is unique but the kids help me to form a routine.  I'm up by 7 am and then it is the chaos that any mum will know only too well – trying to get them all out the door. 

My eldest is now away at University so just the two left but when they were all younger and with three of them, I felt I had done a whole day’s work before 9 am!

​I do confess to breathing a sigh of relief when they are all out the door and peace descends... I then have a quiet breakfast, check my emails and reply before taking our dog, Ozzie on a walk along The Ridgeway.  That is a great time to think and contemplate the day ahead! 

I usually then head into Oxford for one or two tours (I have done four tours in a day and am exhausted by the end!).  My clients are from all over the world and the tours I offer are vast and varied – from standard university tours, to Harry Potter, Gargoyles and Grotesques, Morse / Lewis and Endeavour ….

Once my last tour finishes, I will either have to rush towards home and collect the children from various locations or if I am lucky, I might be able to steal an hour at the gym – I love to go swimming!

What has been your biggest challenge?

As far as the business is concerned – SEO and social media!  Also trying to not let things get to me too much but that is par for the course with your own business!

What advice would you pass on to someone wishing to change career in midlife?

Make sure it is right for you.  Running a business is challenging and stressful and not for everyone. You need a good support network.  If you have those in place, then I say go for it.  Love what you do and it will shine through!

Do you have a signature style, an everyday look that you love?

When I am out on my tours – and that can be in all weathers, my main objective is comfort all the way!  During the winter months it is smart jeans with waterproof boots, waterproof coat and a colourful scarf.  I love a smart tailored blazer if the weather permits! – Summer brings much more scope and when the sun shines brightly, you can’t beat a cool summer dress.

How do you balance your business with family life?

Luckily my children are older now and with that comes a little bit of space.  My eldest is studying at Oxford University so he is away during term time.  The past 6-weeks has been very challenging with my middle child taking GCSE’s and on ‘study leave’ which means that my schedule has been completely thrown into chaos as I have had to take and collect at very erratic times.  I just manage it all somehow, because you have to!

What is your biggest achievement to date?

I know it is a cliché, but unquestionably my children.  They have all turned out to be well balanced and caring individuals who strive to reach their full potential at school and university.  That aside, then it is my business which has not been without it’s up and downs!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
​
With the children ‘grown up’ I hope that I will have some more ‘us’ time for my husband and myself.  We met, had our first child and married within an 18-month time frame so we never really had time to ourselves so that will be special.  I want to do more travelling as I love to explore whenever I can.  I have done most of the States, Canada, Europe, South East Asia and Australia but India and Africa are definitely on the agenda.  I would also love to live overseas again. More than that, I would just like my children to be happy.
 
How can we get in touch with you and find out more about you or your tours?
​
Walking Tours of Oxford is Number 1 for tours in Oxford on TripAdvisor – so you can find our listing there.  Check out my website – walkingtoursofoxford.com and of course social media – Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

​Thank you so much Heidi, I don't know how you do it but I am glad you do because I love your tours!

You can read a bit more about my visits to Oxford and tours with Heidi on my previous blog posts - a private tour of Oxford here and my more recent visit - a day out in Oxford here.

And below are the details of the special offers Heidi has set up for readers of Fifty & Fab:

Firstly she is offering her Morse, Lewis and Endeavour Tours on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 2.00 pm throughout the coming season - this offer is available until 31st October 2018.  All you have to do is follow this link and make your booking with Eventbrite at the special rate of £14 per person (plus booking fee).  You will need to enter the passcode: johnthaw to access this special rate.

She is also offering her Simply Oxford University Tour - one remaining date - Friday 22nd June 11.30 am at the reduced rate of £13 per person (plus booking fee).  To book this please follow this link and make your booking with Eventbrite - you will need to enter the passcode: oxon1167 to access this special rate.

Alternatively if you would like to find out more about her other tours and availability for a private tour then do email Heidi at  info@walkingtoursofoxford.com.

Love from
Michelle xx


​Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post and does not contain affiliate links.