Set yourself up for career success from day oneThe double binds encountered by women are numerous. We are routinely criticised for being too direct, too emotional, too cold, too nice, lacking gravitas...Women walk an exhausting tightrope of being simultaneously too much and not enough. It's no wonder we lose our sense of self and end up compromising ourselves to 'fit in'.But leaning into workplace cultures that are designed by men to serve men, doesn't work for women! We know this. It's time to break the cycle. Here's how.Sustainable success isn't about conforming and self-editing. On the contrary it's about amplifying your unique qualities, embracing the woman you are and achieving success on your terms simply by being yourself. This is the only way to have agency over your career whilst maintaining your identity.Part coaching handbook, part anthology, part text book, Success without Compromise exposes corporate cultures and reveals the real reasons we have so few women leaders but crucially, how you can break the cycle and set yourself up for success from day one.Success Without Compromise will be available in paperback, from Amazon, October 31st 2024

I'm a Personal Branding Coach, Marketing strategist, CMO, and Board Director.I left full-time employment in 2019 to launch FirstWoman, a Personal Brand Consultancy dedicated to supporting women to not only succeed but to thrive in their careers.Over the past 5 years I've helped countless women achieve their career goals and professional ambitions using my proven visibility strategy Brand for Success.When I closed the business in December 2023 I decided to write a book that included my frameworks, coaching outputs, tips, tactics and experience (mine and that of others) to ensure the next generation of female talent avoided the same unconscious mistakes that I and countless other women made.That's the premise of Success without Compromise. Prevention is better than cure!

I'm actively looking for opportunities to speak to aspiring, professional women about Success without Compromise.

If you are part of a women's network within a company or run an external industry or professional network please contact me, I'd love to come and speak to your members.Likewise if you are a university with an undergraduate or career development programme, I'm happy to present my thoughts and talk about my experience.I am offering special discounts for bulk orders of Success without Compromise, including signed copies to all events that are booked and take place before the end of December 2024.Email me at [email protected] or drop me a message on LinkedIn.

Whilst I'm no longer offering coaching programmes, you can still book a Power-Hour with me.Power-hours are 60 minute, results-focussed, one-to-one sessions conducted virtually.You might have been sparked by something your read in the book. Or perhaps you have a long-standing challenge with setting and maintaining boundaries, or in communicating with confidence; maybe despite your best efforts you are still being overlooked for promotion.All these (and others) are excellent topics for power-hours. Simply tell me your challenge, suggest a few dates and times, and we can set something up.Check out my client reviews on LinkedIn (search Mel Stanley) I can guarantee it will be worth the £150 investment.Email me at [email protected] to book your slot.