Why I Left the Corporate Table: Reclaiming Power and Purpose After 30 Years

I still have the Business Review Weekly article from 1996 that featured a female executive calling for graduates “with just that bit extra." Fresh out of university, I had my commerce degree, plenty of ambition, and big dreams to climb the corporate ladder.

Over the years though my confidence faded, and I began to believe the problem was me. I was overlooked for promotions, faced bosses who bullied me, and endured restructures and redundancies. I stayed in roles that no longer served me and took on positions beneath my capability, lacking the self-belief to recognise my value to act and control of my path. Gradually, I retreated into my shell.

Year after year, I read articles on leadership, trying to “fix” myself by speaking up, being assertive, and promoting my work, always feeling like a fish trying to climb a tree.

It wasn’t until I reached this age and did my inner work that I realised how many masks I had been wearing just to get through the day. It was exhausting. When I asked myself who I was without those masks, the answer was simple: me. And that felt like the easiest, truest thing I had ever done. Accepting myself and recognising my worth was just the beginning.

With growth, however, comes the realisation of what no longer served me.

A series of life events finally brought everything into focus. Cancer, the loss of my brother, perimenopause, a missed promotion, burnout—each one left me questioning what I wanted. The truth? I couldn’t keep going in an environment that stifled me. They say, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” That hit home.

In this space of self-reflection, something shifted. I no longer needed to please, play it safe, or avoid conflict. I started speaking up, even knowing it might come with consequences. In the corporate world, standing up for yourself often comes with a target on your back. But inspired by my brother, who no longer had a voice, I found mine.

Midlife is a strange yet incredible mix of challenges and freedom. Personal losses, health hurdles, and career reality checks collide, forcing us to rethink everything. But with that comes freedom—a release from those old pressures to “fit in” and a chance to redefine success on our terms.

Corporate life, however, often fails to see the value in the wisdom and resilience we’ve built. Women in their prime are routinely overlooked or pressured to follow a path that doesn’t honour their experiences. But here’s the truth: for many of us, midlife isn’t an ending—it’s the beginning.

In those quiet moments of reflection, I faced the ultimate question: Do I keep fighting for a place at a table that undervalues me, or is it time to build something entirely new? The answer felt obvious. Leaving the corporate world wasn’t just a career move; it was about reclaiming my power and purpose. It was about creating spaces that value my strengths as assets, not as “exceptions.”

Now, my focus is on helping other women do the same. I believe we need tables where women write the rules, can lead on their own terms, free from outdated structures. We deserve spaces where our voices, experiences, and values are central.

If any of this resonates, know that you’re not alone. Maybe you, too, feel the pull to create something new, to find a space where you’re fully seen, heard, and valued. Perhaps you’re at a crossroads, questioning if the path you’re on reflects who you are or your capabilities.

Just know this: there’s a movement underway. Women everywhere are reclaiming their power, stepping away from structures that don’t serve them, and building tables where they—and everyone around them—can truly thrive.