Finding My Way Back to Myself: Angela’s Story of Confidence, Courage & Starting Again

Readers, as you’ll know by now, we love sharing real stories from real women, the kind that make you stop, breathe, and think, “Wow… maybe I can do that too.”

Today’s PowerWomen story belongs to Angela: nutritionist, business owner, and the living proof that confidence doesn’t always arrive early… but it always arrives right on time.

If you’d met me at 18, you’d never have guessed I’d end up here. I’d finished my A-levels with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do, and if I’m being really honest, I didn’t have the confidence to apply for university. I told everyone I wanted to work for a bit first, but the truth was I couldn’t even face writing the application.

So off I went into the world of work. First a stockbrokers, then IT, then three bags packed and a move to Glasgow with my boyfriend at the time. I carried on working in IT, not because I loved it, but because I had no idea what else was possible for me.

Then something small-but-mighty happened. My team leader at Barclays, an absolute angel of a woman, looked at me one day and said: “You’re always talking about nutrition… why don’t you study it?”

The idea absolutely floored me. Nutrition? As a career? That was for sporty girls, science-y girls, girls who ate salads and said no to going for an ice cream at lunch time. Not me.

But something clicked. I was fascinated by the idea that food and movement could change your body. It wasn’t part of my upbringing, my mum never dieted and we didn’t talk about fitness at home, but there was something about it that lit a spark in me.

I didn’t have the right A-levels, so I did what any determined 20-something would do: I sat an entire science A-level in six months… at my kitchen table in Glasgow. Came home to the Isle of Man, sat six exams in three days, scraped a D… and honestly? I felt like I’d climbed Everest.

That D got me onto the HND programme. I absolutely thrived, moved into the second and third year of the degree, and somehow, the girl who was never academic, graduated with a First. My old teachers would’ve fallen off their chairs.

You’d think that would be the moment I launched into my dream career…But life had other plans.

It was 2007, I’d moved home, the recession hit, nobody talked about doing a masters back then, and before I knew it, nine years had passed. nine years of corporate jobs. nine years of feeling… lost, if I’m honest.

I moved to Manchester, worked in fashion, then telecoms, then back to the island again, bouncing through jobs because I still hadn’t found “my thing”.

Then, everything shifted.

I met a manager, a powerful, kind, whip-smart woman, who believed in me in a way I had never believed in myself. She sent me articles, shared ideas, encouraged me, and made me feel like maybe… just maybe… I could do this.

Even now it makes me emotional. Having someone in your corner changes everything.

I applied for a Masters in Sports Nutrition. I got in. I studied in 2015, graduated in 2016…And that’s when Next Level was born.

This September, my business turns ten. Every day since, I’ve woken up feeling like I’m living the life teenage-me never thought she deserved.

The Challenges

The social media world has changed massively since I started. Back in the day I’d post a picture of my dinner, ask if anyone wanted help, and get twenty enquiries by lunchtime. Now? There’s noise everywhere. Competition everywhere.

Standing out again has been its own journey, but I’m lucky to have worked with incredible coaches and brilliant women who’ve helped me find my voice again.

The Joy

Nothing beats the moment a client messages me to say:  “I tried what you said. It worked. I didn’t think I could do that.”

That’s why I do this. Because I used to be the woman who had no confidence. The woman who thought life was something that just… happened to you.

Now I get to show women that they can change, that trial and error is still progress, and that confidence comes from action, not perfection. My coaching is led by the individual; I’m just the guide. And honestly? Watching women find belief in themselves never gets old.

My Advice if You’re Starting Something New

You don’t need to quit your job. You don’t need the perfect plan. You definitely don’t need the perfect logo.

You just need to start.

Side-hustle it, hobby it, do it quietly, do it messy, but do it. Momentum builds when you’re in motion. My favourite phrase?  Ready, fire, aim. Because if you wait until you’re ready, you’ll wait forever.

The Future

I adore my work, and I want to keep expanding it. The dream is to create a membership, a community, a club, because bringing people together is powerful. One-to-one is beautiful, but one-to-many? That’s where magic happens.

Angela’s story is exactly why Level Up Club exists, to show women that confidence can grow later, dreams can start now, and it’s never too late to back yourself. And Angela, thank you for sharing your heart with us.  Your story is a reminder that belief, community, and brave little decisions can change everything.