Entrepreneurial Alumni

Janine Esbrand (nee Griffith)

Posted 01 June 2019

New York Program

September 2006 Intake

Describe your business and your role within it.
I am the Founder and CEO of LightBox Coaching, a coaching and consultancy company dedicated to helping women thrive in their careers beyond motherhood. I support women through career and executive coaching, a membership community, courses and the Careers Beyond Motherhood Podcast.

How did you get into this line of business?
After completing Mountbatten (and my placement at a New York Law Firm), I went back to the UK and completed law school and went on to qualify as a corporate lawyer. Shortly before qualifying, I went on a mission trip to Africa and came back feeling like I wanted to help people on a more personal level. I trained as a coach alongside my legal career and my business was born.

How did you go about setting it up and getting established?
I started my business by working with friends and family and then started to get referrals. As I was working on growing my business on the side, things started slow until I was really able to focus on building the business whilst on maternity leave with my son.

What else is in the pipeline?
I plan to do more speaking to share the message that career fulfilment and motherhood can go hand-in-hand. I have just been shortlisted to give a TEDx talk which is exciting! I will be growing my coaching membership community so that I can serve more women and support them with their careers.

What has been the proudest moment in your working life thus far?
Helping people gain access to justice during the mission trip to East Africa. Seeing the look of hope on the faces of prisoners who had been denied access to justice was priceless.

What has been your biggest mistake/learning experience?
In the early days of business, I assumed that if I put up a website people would just find me and want to work with me. I realised that it wasn't enough to be a good coach, I also had to understand how to run a business. I did a lot of business training and received coaching so that I could build my business the right way.

Any words of advice/wisdom would you impart to others thinking of setting up their own business?
Play the long game and get the right support. Working with a coach or mentor will help you to reach your goals a lot faster. Realise that things won’t come together overnight, but if you are committed and determined, you will make progress.

You can learn more about Janine's work at www.lightboxcoaching.com.

If you are at a crossroads and wondering what the best next step is for you in your career, Janine is running a live workshop called How To Find Work You Love Beyond Motherhood on Thursday 29 August 2019 at 12.30 in Surrey, UK - Get your ticket here