Laura Teare-Jones
Laura Teare-Jones, a hormone and life coach, tells us that “The women I work with tend to be part of the “sandwich generation” in that they are trying to look after younger family members and also older family members, they’re working hard in their careers, trying to keep a home, all while also looking after themselves too.”
Many of her clients are perimenopausal, or living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which she too lives with – hence she is a hormone and life coach – life coaching for people also battling with their hormones.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I have found that because of my PMDD, I’ve never really got on with the Monday-to-Friday 9-5 model of working. I’ve struggled with psychological symptoms and physical symptoms such as migraine, and this meant that settings such as offices were particularly hard environments to thrive in at work. Being a weight-loss coach worked for me because I loved having coaching conversations and championing clients working on themselves, for themselves, and I found that the flexible working suited my lifestyle too. I started a podcast called My Hormones My Health during lockdown, and when I was made redundant in December 2020, I decided to combine my coaching skills with my love and passion for women’s health. I now work with clients on a 1-2-1 basis, and I’m able to choose my own hours and work around my PMDD, and also my one year old daughter. If what’s on offer doesn’t suit you, create your own offering.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
If I hadn’t been made redundant I might not have ever made the leap! And I knew that if I didn’t do it then, then I might not ever get the chance to really believe in myself, and prove to myself that I could do it. I found that support for people with hormone issues is lacking – it’s either medical, holistic, or talking therapies, and I knew that there were people who would benefit from pragmatic coaching, while learning to live with their hormones, and so although I had my doubts (and mega imposter syndrome!) I told myself, I just needed to try.
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
It’s so easy to put yourself to the back of the queue when you have other people you are responsible for, and other duties to fulfill. But you matter, just as much as the next person. I believe we should treat ourselves with the same grace and compassion we give to other people.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
I want to see more young women believing in themselves and realizing they’re self-worth. If I could give any advice to young entrepreneurs, it would be to not try to fit the mold and do what everyone else is doing, work towards the life that you want, and own your passions.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
We’ve come so far! But I believe that societal change needs to start from the inside – so we MUST work on ourselves now not just for our own sake, but to set the tone for the next generation of female leaders so that they won’t have the same glass ceilings as the generations before them.
What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
It only takes a spark of self-belief. Everything else you can work on and figure out later.