The Day Everything Changed; My Mission-Critical Moment

By Tricia Scott.

I got into entrepreneurship because I craved freedom, fun, and a hefty ol' dose of excitement. After 20+ years of scaling the corporate ladder, the idea of working from anywhere - latte in hand, laptop open, location-independent and totallysmug about it completely floated my boat.

So, naturally, I... sat on the idea.

Because leaving? That was terrifying. What about the stability? The routine? The deeply fulfilling experience of spending an hour inhaling traffic fumes and passive-aggressive radio DJs on the way to a desk I'd spend 9 hours at? 

I told myself I was lucky. And in many ways, I was. I worked for a thriving company with good people. It was stable and respected, and I'd worked my way up to the Director level. I was the longest-serving team member - committed, capable, and comfortable.

But when my dad passed away suddenly in 2019, something cracked wide open. Traffic fumes and grabbing fifteen minutes of inhaling sunshine in my lunch break were no longer the questions. The real question was: If life can be this short, is this where you want to be spending yours?

And just like that, it wasn't a "decision" anymore. My freedom, joy, and choices became non-negotiable.

Mission-critical.

So, I handed in my notice and walked straight into the unknown with a dream, a plan, and a fully romanticised vision of coffee shop life and neon notebooks.

Naturally, two weeks later, the UK went into full lockdown.

Big, chunky spanners in all the works.

The freedom I'd been chasing felt like a joke, but it turns out it wasn't the lattes or the location that mattered. It was the ownership. The life I'd been trading for comfort wasn't really mine. And I suddenly saw the true cost of staying: not just in hours, effort or energy, but in who I was becoming.

And honestly? That was a pretty crap deal.

Now, I lead a business that was built from stark reality, hot pink hope, and a burning refusal to settle. I'm no longer chasing freedom - I am freedom. Every decision I make is rooted in intention. Every woman I support is a reminder that the leap was worth it. This isn't just success - it's a legacy in motion (I totally want you to read that in Nigella Lawson or Danielle La Porte's sultry tones 😂). And while I may still write from my favourite coffee shop, oat milk latte in hand, what matters most is that I built a life I don't need to escape from.

Because this, this right here, is what mission-critical looks like.

What's yours?

I believe in you (always).

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 Tricia Scott is a passionate startup business mentor and the Founder and Editor of The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, a platform and digital magazine holding the space to showcase female entrepreneurs from all over the world. 

The Female CEO is gaining global recognition daily and Tricia is able to bring her own level of expertise as a start-up mentor and multi-company director to her very exclusive table along with her team of brilliant Guest Editors and Contributors. You'll usually find her with her MacBook in one hand and a coffee or a glass of something fizzy in the other. Reach out anytime!