Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
September 29, 2025
From Corporate Partner to Leadership Coach: Nicole Shaver's Career Transformation
TLDR
- Nicole Shaver leveraged her corporate finance expertise and leadership experience to gain a competitive edge in the coaching industry by combining analytical skills with relationship-building abilities.
- Shaver transitioned from corporate finance to coaching through careful planning, ICF certification, and practical preparation including healthcare coverage through When's post-employment platform.
- Shaver's coaching practice helps leaders and teams reach their full potential, creating greater fulfillment and satisfaction while supporting personal and professional growth.
- A former corporate partner transformed her career by following her passion for coaching after two decades in finance, now helping others navigate similar transitions.
Impact - Why it Matters
This story demonstrates that meaningful career transitions are possible even after decades in one field, offering hope to professionals feeling stuck in their current roles. For individuals considering similar changes, it highlights the importance of practical planning around healthcare and finances while pursuing passion-driven work. The narrative also validates the growing coaching industry as a legitimate career path for experienced professionals seeking more fulfillment. For organizations, it underscores the value of supporting employees through major transitions, as demonstrated by the helpful post-employment platform that facilitated Shaver's healthcare continuity during her entrepreneurial leap.
Summary
Nicole Shaver, a Chicago-based leadership coach and founder of Nicole Shaver Coaching & Consulting, made a remarkable career transition after spending over two decades at a large consulting firm where she grew from senior accountant to partner. With a technical background as a CPA and accountant, Shaver discovered that her true passion lay in building and growing teams rather than the financial aspects of her role. When her firm underwent ownership changes that prompted reflection, she decided to follow her calling into leadership coaching, leveraging her unique combination of analytical thinking and relationship-building skills that had served her well throughout her corporate career.
The transition wasn't without its practical challenges, particularly as the primary earner for her family with nine-year-old twins. Shaver credits her partnership with her husband, who manages their household, and the support from the post-employment platform When for helping navigate critical logistics like healthcare coverage. Working with When proved instrumental in managing the shift from corporate benefits to self-employment, with a dedicated representative providing consistent follow-up and guidance through the insurance transition process. This human support allowed Shaver to maintain continuity with her family's healthcare providers while focusing on building her coaching practice without logistical distractions.
Now certified through the International Coaching Federation, Shaver specializes in helping leaders and teams reach their full potential, drawing on her extensive experience in financial and strategic planning from her corporate background. She emphasizes the power of reflection and creating space for people to explore new possibilities, something she experienced firsthand when working with a coach herself during her career transition decision process. Her advice to others considering similar leaps includes understanding authentic values, securing practical foundations like finances and healthcare, and leveraging support systems to successfully reimagine professional possibilities while maintaining family stability.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, From Corporate Partner to Leadership Coach: Nicole Shaver's Career Transformation
