Nicole Shaver is a Chicago-based leadership coach and founder of Nicole Shaver Coaching & Consulting. After over two decades at a big consulting firm, where she grew from senior accountant to partner, Nicole transitioned to following her passion for developing people. With a background in finance and strategic planning, she brings analytical thinking and relationship-building skills to her coaching practice. Nicole is certified through the International Coaching Federation and specializes in helping leaders and teams reach their full potential. Nicole balances her coaching practice with being a mom to nine-year-old twins.

You made a significant career transition from corporate finance to leadership coaching. Tell us about that journey.

I spent over two decades at a large consulting firm based here in Chicago, where I started as a senior accountant and grew into a partner role. I was there during incredible growth—from ~100 people all the way to 2,000+ people. My background and work is technical being a CPA/accountant, but the part of my job I loved most was building and growing my team and working with people. When the firm went through some transitions and ownership changes that gave me the ability to make a bigger decision, I realized it was time for a change and I wanted to follow my passion and become a leadership coach.

That’s a big leap from finance to coaching. What prepared you for that transition?

Several things prepared me well. My parents owned their own business when I was growing up, so I had realistic expectations about being a business owner – no rose-colored glasses there. At my previous company, I really grew into leadership, driving financial and strategic planning while working closely with all our C-level leaders. I watched a lot of business development happen and learned what it meant to build trusted advisor partnerships. What makes me unique is that I combine strong analytical skills with people-focused abilities. I’m very extroverted and naturally drawn to helping others grow, which served me well in both finance and now in coaching.

How did you know coaching was the right path?

I actually worked with a coach myself to go through the reflective process of deciding what was next in my career. In my first sessions, I said “I can’t leave, I can’t leave my people.” And so much of my identity was my company and role – who would I be if I was not that anymore? But I experienced firsthand the power of coaching – creating space to step back and reflect on what could be possible. I realized what really brings me joy and fulfillment is supporting people and helping them reach their goals. I had been doing coaching and mentoring throughout my career without even realizing it was formal coaching at the time. Getting my International Coaching Federation certification helped me get the education, learning the art and science behind what I was naturally doing.

As the primary earner for your family, how did you handle the transition practically?

I’m married with nine-year-old twins, and my husband has been our house and life manager since they were born. Our partnership allowed us to make the decision together for our family. Obviously, transitioning from corporate benefits to self-employment was a big consideration, especially healthcare coverage. I was lucky to stay on COBRA for a while, but when it came time to transition to marketplace insurance, I was really nervous. You hear horror stories about people ending up with coverage they don’t understand. Luckily, my former employer had a partnership with the post-employment platform When (which also happens to be a Chicago-based company). The key was planning ahead and having those practical elements in place so I could focus on building my coaching practice without worrying about logistics.

How did When help you navigate that transition?

Working with When was incredibly helpful. I had a wonderful woman who was really consistent in following up with me, got on the phone multiple times to help me understand the logistics and details. She helped me go through the process of looking at my options and made the transition as seamless as possible. We went from paying about $1,800 a month on COBRA to about $2,200 on our Aetna plan, but I was able to keep my therapist, my kids’ pediatrician, and my specialists at Northwestern. Having that human support for something so critical to my family’s wellbeing was huge.

What do you love most about your coaching work now?

I love creating space for people to reflect and grow. There’s so much time in our adult lives where we think we know what we want to do, but being able to shift and embrace new possibilities is a huge blessing. I get to help people achieve their potential and reach their goals while experiencing greater fulfillment and satisfaction. Whether I’m working with individual leaders navigating transitions or helping teams transform their dynamics, it’s fulfilling in a way that feels like my true calling right now.

Any advice for others considering a similar transition?

Don’t underestimate the power of reflection and working with someone who can help you see possibilities you might not see yourself. Take time to understand your authentic values and what truly drives you. Also, make sure you have your practical foundations covered—finances, healthcare, family considerations—so you can focus on building your new path with confidence. Having the right support systems makes all the difference in successfully reimagining your possibilities.

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