Still in my job. Building my business. Doing it live.
I'm not just coaching the job-to-CEO journey. I'm living it.
I'm Niky, a senior public service leader, a Mum with a young family, and someone who is building her own business while still showing up fully to her career. I'm based in New Zealand, I'm working double time right now and every extra hour is going into building something that will eventually mean I don't have to.
I grew up watching my Dad start businesses. I saw the good, the bad, and the moments that made it all worth it. He taught me that hard work is how you get ahead and that lesson never left me. What I've realised over time is that I've been pouring that same energy and work ethic into a career where extra hours and extra effort don't translate into extra reward. That didn't sit right with me.
I've always wanted to own my own business. Not someday. Actually own one, build one, and have something that works for my family and creates the freedom to set my own pace. So I went and did a Masters of Entrepreneurship because if I was going to do this, I was going to do it properly.
BCom, MEnt, Prosci® Certified Change Practitioner
I've spent nearly two decades in public service leadership, working my way into senior roles that came with real responsibility, leading large teams, navigating complex organisations, and learning what it actually takes to make good decisions under pressure. That experience is the foundation of everything I teach.
But I'm not just teaching from the past. Right now, I'm juggling a senior leadership career, a young family, and a growing business. And I'm documenting every step of it. The systems I share aren't theory. They're what I'm using today to stay sane, make progress, and build something that will eventually let me walk away from the 9-to-5 on my own terms..
I share my story because the job-to-CEO transition is hard enough without having to figure it out alone. Most of the advice out there assumes you've already quit or that you should. I'm proof that you don't have to. You can protect your energy, make smart decisions, set real boundaries, and build something meaningful while you're still employed. It just takes the right tools and someone who's walking the same road.
That's what I'm here for.
If you're ready to find out what your 9-to-5 experience could actually be worth, start with the free From Job to CEO framework, it'll help you uncover the strengths hiding in your 9-to-5 and match them to real business ideas before you take the leap
