Alice Dartnell
Alice Dartnell is a life and success coach empowering people to create a life by design, not by default! She is an expert in time management, energy management and productivity, but she likes to take a holistic approach to time management, and sprinkle in some neuroscience, mindset work and wellbeing!
She is originally from London but has been living a digital nomad lifestyle since March 2021, travelling with my business all around the world! She is super passionate about time and energy management. Why? She says, “Because the traditional time management techniques alone are not working!”
She further tells us that, “I used to be a perfectionist and people pleaser, trying to take on everything and playing superwoman, but this led to compromising my mental / physical health and wellbeing which of course led to a severe burn out in 2019. This was a turning point in my life and led me to my passion today! I take a holistic approach to time management, incorporating energy management, mindset, and neuroscience to help people create a life by design, not by default. My business journey: I tried to start my business in 2019 but the burnout quickly put a stop to that! So I made attempt number two and (re)started my business at the start of 2020… just days before the global pandemic caused the UK (and world!) to shut down. My business plans were thrown out the window quicker than I had written them! If you had ever old me that in my first three years of business I would have navigated a world pandemic, gone through a horrendous divorce, moved to Spain to learn Spanish, write an ebook (and now writing my first printed book on energy management), take a sabbatical to South America, and move to Cambodia, I would never have believed you! But I am growing my business step by step, and creating my own life by design and I am excited to share the journey (ups and downs!) with you!”
Tell us about your life before the venture/ leading up to your venture?
I had a successful career in corporate specialising in membership engagement for professional bodies in the medical sector. Whilst I had a great career I always knew that it “wasn’t for me”. I have always known that I wanted to have my own business, even when I was a teenager! I wanted to be my own boss, have freedom, impact the world in a meaningful way and also had this desire to travel with my business. Of course, when I was in my teens I had no idea what that actually would look like! But I am so grateful that I now have the business I wanted – one that offers me freedom, be able to travel and most importantly create a positive impact. When I was younger, from about 15, I suffered in silence for about a decade with crippling depression, an eating disorder and self-harm tendencies. It wasn’t until I discovered the world of personal development books (we didn’t have things like podcasts and YouTube then!) that things for me began to change. I shifted my mindset, took control and slowly changed my thinking and focused on my wellbeing in all aspects. With this recovery, it made me want to help others! But I knew that therapy and becoming a doctor wasn’t for me. For years I was stuck on what “this” would look like and how I could have my own business with it. It wasn’t until 2016 that I discovered coaching by pure chance… I saw a Facebook ad pop up for a two-day coaching training in London. I attended, loved it and found my business!
Tell us something about your organization. What is it about and how is it helpful for people?
My business is all about helping people ‘create a life by design, not by default’. This means being intentional, living the life you want, achieving the goals you desire and using your time in a way that serves you! It Is not just about the ‘big goals’ either (like those bucket list ones) but how you want to live the day-to-day. So many people don’t make time for the simple pleasures and things that they want to do in the everyday, like going to the gym, spending time with loved ones, me time, hobbies, learning, meditating… we have to create our every day! Too many of us are on autopilot (aka default). I do this through my expertise of time management, energy management and productivity. It is my mission to help as many people as I can with creating their life by design and maximising their time and energy! I know this is hugely helpful because let’s be honest, the majority of us aren’t! We moan that there are not enough hours in the day, we go to bed exhausted but not necessarily fulfilled, we procrastinate on the daily tasks and always say “one day” to the big dreams. Life isn’t about being perfect and it never will but we can do what we can to create a life by design! I believe helping people and empowering people to take control of their time and create a life by design is changing their lives.
What has been the response of the consumers towards your venture?
I am so pleased to say that my ethos of “creating a life by design not by default” is something that people really resonate with! I love working with my clients, and feel so blessed to have the honour of being on their journey with them and working with some incredible people – from business owners, to founders of multi million pound companies to international peacekeepers / UN speakers.
How has your life changed because of your venture?
OMG life has changed so much! Life is far from perfect, but I am proud that I am living the life that I want, just as I wanted when I was a teenager! The vision of me running my business, making a positive impact on people all over the world through my work, and being able to travel with the business and have the time freedom to live my every day how I want… it has become a reality! My life has changed in other positive ways too. I am a much better person for it! I have grown so much in the three years that I have had my business. Some of it is through personal challenges, like the global pandemic, an unexpected divorce, my parents splitting up, moving abroad etc. But having a business in the personal development space forces me to always up my game! I am always learning, striving to be my best to my clients, and I learn so much from my interaction with others (whether that is through collaborations, networking, my clients or doing things like writing articles for fantastic organisations like Fuzia!) One of my values and passions in life is learning so my business definitely fulfils that! I am able to fulfil one of my main passion of travelling as my business operates online, so whilst I have always travelled and taken many vacations a year, being able to live somewhere and travel outside the usual ‘vacation’ remit or only being allowed so many days off a year from your job is a big change! Because I also have more control over my time as I don’t operate my business or work with clients on a strict 9 -5, it means I have the flexibility to fulfill other passions, hobbies or be with loved ones. Whether that is just being able to go for a coffee on a Tuesday morning, or being able to help friends out with something they need. That is an amazing positive change!
Give a motivational message for the audience/women who are reading this.
Life isn’t perfect – it is about progress and creating a life by design, not by default. When I was younger, part of my issues with my mental health was because of my desire for life and everything (myself included) to be perfect. I was fighting a losing battle! There is no perfect. BUT there is the opportunity every day to use time in a way that serves you so you can achieve the things you want and create the life you want!
Get in touch with her:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/alice_dartnell/?hl=en
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicedartnell/
Website – https://alicedartnell.com/