Coming out of the Shadows

Eight years ago, I left the world of employment and launched something called Thrive Boutique.

It was born out of a mix of exhaustion, optimism, and a slightly rebellious desire to do things on my own terms. I’d spent years working incredibly long hours, helping to build a business, helping others lead and grow, but I wanted to see what would happen if I did it my way, with space to breathe, create, coach and facilitate without the noise and demands from others internally and externally!

For a while, it worked beautifully. Thrive Boutique had a purpose, a name, and a shape that felt right. Until it didn’t.

About four years ago, something shifted. The work was still brilliant, but the wrapper, the brand, the name, the “positioning” just didn’t fit anymore. So, I quietly pressed pause. I stuck up a holding page, told myself I’d redo the content, and then… I just kept doing the work.

And honestly? The work was better than ever. Coaching. Consulting. Facilitating. Listening. Learning. I gave myself permission to more of what I loved just without talking about it.

But here’s the thing: you can only stay in the shadows for so long.

Over time, I realised I wasn’t avoiding visibility because I’d lost confidence I was just outgrowing the skin I was in. I didn’t need a clever brand. I needed congruence.

And that meant showing up as me.

So, here I am, stepping out of the shadows and into the light, a little braver, a little louder, and much clearer about what I stand for.

This next chapter is about #HumanLeadership; the kind that’s messy, real, and rooted in connection. It’s about congruence, courage, and compassion. It’s about walking my talk and helping bust some myths about how we 'should be' and what it takes to get results. I've worked with enough organisations and brilliant leaders to know that business can have heart and get amazing results.

And yes, that means writing posts like this (even though it still makes me slightly want to hide behind a plant).

If you’ve ever paused, pivoted, or quietly evolved behind the scenes, I see you. The pause isn’t failure, it’s the process. That's why if you and your teams work with me you will get the pause which will start the process of enabling even greater things.

So, here’s to showing up - imperfectly, honestly, humanly.

You can find me (and the new space I’ve been creating) at joannelally.co.uk.

It’s not Thrive Boutique anymore. It’s just me, and that finally feels exactly right.