#142: How to start again after selling your business with Aimee Bateman
02/06/25 • 48 min
“My new mission in life...is about helping women be seen, heard, and valued in their space, whether that's in work and beyond”
In this episode, I talk with Aimee Bateman, an incredible entrepreneur and advocate for women in the workplace.
Aimee shares her story of how experimenting helped her through a closing door after selling her business Careercake. She had spent 10 years building a successful company, then sold it, which was the plan all along. But after the sale, she faced a new challenge: What’s next? She was also adjusting to life as a new parent, balancing her drive with the demands of motherhood. Rather than jump straight into her next big project, Aimee took a different approach: she gave herself a year to experiment.
Aimee’s “year of experiments” wasn’t about perfect plans or guaranteed outcomes. It was about trying things out without pressure. She explored new ideas, met new people, and tested projects to see what resonated. Some ideas worked; others didn’t. And that was okay.
Aimee admits it wasn’t always easy: “At points, my ego was on fire. What if I fail? What will people think? What if I need to change things?”
But she learned to embrace the experimenting mindset. Looking back, she now sees her year of experiments as one of her most valuable experiences. It helped her figure out what truly excites her and what direction to take next. “It can feel unnerving to experiment. Like you have to get everything right the first time. But I’ve learned so much, and I know that 2025 is going to be a brilliantly focused year because of how clear I am now about what I want to do.”
Here are the highlights:
03:39 Helping women be seen, heard, and valued in all aspects of life.
08:57 Facing gender bias in the workplace.
11:47 Massive life changes after having a baby led to an identity crisis, and selling a company
17:45 Pursuit of success overshadowed happiness
20:23 Core values, especially kindness, are vital for personal transformation
33:34 Take a career break, be gentle, there's time to go hard later
46:44 Discover your North Star values
The things that helped Aimee navigate change
Book: “The Long Game" by Dorie Clark
Music: "Sympathy for the Devil", The Rolling Stones.
The one piece of advice: “Go and figure out what your values are, which are conflicting with each other, and work out not just what your values are but what's your north star. So we've got our north, our east, our but there will be one value that overrides everything else. That's your north star.”
More about Aimee
A former recruiter, turned award-winning career coach and the founding CEO of the venture-backed Edtech startup, Careercake (Voted UK’s #1 career development platform), which was acquired in 2022. Aimee defied the odds by securing venture and angel investment across two continents, despite operating in a global landscape where less than 2% of funding goes to a female founder. 10million+ professionals in 42 countries have taken Aimee’s career development courses, including 3million on LinkedIn Learning and featuring as a career expert for the BBC and Sky TV. A busy mum to a toddler and 2 rescue dogs and Aimee hosts the weekly, Seen. Heard. Valued. Podcast and runs Female Further coaching programme.
Find out more: https://www.aimeebateman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimee_bateman/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeebateman/
About your host
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.” Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Connect with Eleanor:
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
“My new mission in life...is about helping women be seen, heard, and valued in their space, whether that's in work and beyond”
In this episode, I talk with Aimee Bateman, an incredible entrepreneur and advocate for women in the workplace.
Aimee shares her story of how experimenting helped her through a closing door after selling her business Careercake. She had spent 10 years building a successful company, then sold it, which was the plan all along. But after the sale, she faced a new challenge: What’s next? She was also adjusting to life as a new parent, balancing her drive with the demands of motherhood. Rather than jump straight into her next big project, Aimee took a different approach: she gave herself a year to experiment.
Aimee’s “year of experiments” wasn’t about perfect plans or guaranteed outcomes. It was about trying things out without pressure. She explored new ideas, met new people, and tested projects to see what resonated. Some ideas worked; others didn’t. And that was okay.
Aimee admits it wasn’t always easy: “At points, my ego was on fire. What if I fail? What will people think? What if I need to change things?”
But she learned to embrace the experimenting mindset. Looking back, she now sees her year of experiments as one of her most valuable experiences. It helped her figure out what truly excites her and what direction to take next. “It can feel unnerving to experiment. Like you have to get everything right the first time. But I’ve learned so much, and I know that 2025 is going to be a brilliantly focused year because of how clear I am now about what I want to do.”
Here are the highlights:
03:39 Helping women be seen, heard, and valued in all aspects of life.
08:57 Facing gender bias in the workplace.
11:47 Massive life changes after having a baby led to an identity crisis, and selling a company
17:45 Pursuit of success overshadowed happiness
20:23 Core values, especially kindness, are vital for personal transformation
33:34 Take a career break, be gentle, there's time to go hard later
46:44 Discover your North Star values
The things that helped Aimee navigate change
Book: “The Long Game" by Dorie Clark
Music: "Sympathy for the Devil", The Rolling Stones.
The one piece of advice: “Go and figure out what your values are, which are conflicting with each other, and work out not just what your values are but what's your north star. So we've got our north, our east, our but there will be one value that overrides everything else. That's your north star.”
More about Aimee
A former recruiter, turned award-winning career coach and the founding CEO of the venture-backed Edtech startup, Careercake (Voted UK’s #1 career development platform), which was acquired in 2022. Aimee defied the odds by securing venture and angel investment across two continents, despite operating in a global landscape where less than 2% of funding goes to a female founder. 10million+ professionals in 42 countries have taken Aimee’s career development courses, including 3million on LinkedIn Learning and featuring as a career expert for the BBC and Sky TV. A busy mum to a toddler and 2 rescue dogs and Aimee hosts the weekly, Seen. Heard. Valued. Podcast and runs Female Further coaching programme.
Find out more: https://www.aimeebateman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimee_bateman/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeebateman/
About your host
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.” Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Connect with Eleanor:
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
Previous Episode
#141: After the music stops, life after the boyband with Lee Murray
"For me opening the door was the same door that had shut in my face previously. But going back there and thinking, well, what am I able to do? ...I tried many things, but I realised it's music. So I sat down with a blank piece of paper and thought, I've got to make my way again."
Imagine being at the height of music stardom in the 90s, performing on Top of the Pops, being helicoptered between gigs, and having fans waiting outside your house. Then suddenly, there is silence.
In this episode Lee Murray shares what happens when the music stops. Lee was the drummer in the band Let Loose, which enjoyed headline and chart success in the 90s. And then, due to various moving doors, and sliding doors moments the record contracted ended. Lee shares the moment he got the letter, sitting on his stairs thinking now what do I do?
It wasn’t an easy few years, navigating what to do next, trying things that didn't work out. But eventually returning to his roots and the love that was there all the time, drumming. Lee set up his own drum school Lee Murray Drum Hub, and now specialises in using lessons to help people with their mental health and to help neurodivergent children in particular.
Here are the highlights:
03:37 As a kid, I was obsessed with music, I dreamt of a music career.
07:48 Non-stop touring and performances for eight years.
21:02 Try new things without fear; be in the right mental space to succeed.
24:16 Drumming, which offered direction and mental wellness benefits.
38:20 Childhood dreams of being a pop star drove adult ambition.
The things that helped Lee navigate change.
Music: "Are Friends Electric" by Gary Numan
Boos: ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne
The one piece of advice: “You’ll have real highs and you will have the lows. It’s about trying to equip yourself with the tools to ride through that. So you can experience the highs and enjoy them knowing that it may not last forever, and you will get times where it's going to dip. Equip yourself with the resilience to think it will pass...Keep telling yourself that you're worth it.”
About Lee:
Lee Murray, drummer of 90s boy band Let Loose, found salvation in music amid mental health struggles. The band, known for playing their instruments and writing songs, had a hit with "Crazy For You" in 1994. Lee joined at 17 in 1987, but faced challenges after their 1996 split. Drumming helped him recover, leading to work with artists like Westlife, Ronan Keating and Lisa Stansfield.
Recently, Lee founded the Lee Murray Drum Hub, using music to support mental health and neurodivergent children. Let Loose reformed in late 2023 with Matthew James Pateman as lead singer, performing at shows and festivals. They're set to release a new single, "Glorious," while Lee's solo single "Never Give Up On Us" launches on January 31st.
Find out more here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g45wn6
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee_murrayinsta
More about the host Eleanor
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
Next Episode
#143 - Finding the courage to keep pushing forward with Devon Harris
“I grew up watching the Olympics and you see these athletes from around the world marching in the opening ceremonies. And then one day, you are setting foot in that stadium. 50,000 people screaming and you look to your right and you see more cameras than you can count. And in that moment that you are on TV around the world and some little kid is probably looking at you the way you looked at some other athlete."
How do you find the courage to push forward when fear and uncertainty stand in your way? In this episode, I speak to Devon Harris, member of the legendary Jamaican bobsleigh team that inspired the film Cool Runnings. Devon shares his journey from growing up in Kingston's neighborhoods to becoming an army officer and eventually an Olympic athlete - despite being afraid of both speed and heights!
Devon shows us how keeping focused on moving forward is often the only real choice we have.
Here are the highlights:
04:51 Uncertain future after High School
09:06 Nervous summer running up to Army Selection
12:33 From Jamaica to Sandhurst Training
37:19 Dream-fulfilling moment of participating in the Olympics opening ceremony
43:40 Balancing soldier duties and Olympics
56:25 Persistence and selfishness misunderstood
The things that helped Devon navigate change -
Book: “Think and Grow Rich” - Napoleon Hill
Music: “We Built This City” - Starship
The one piece of advice: “Don't give up. You can't give up. I know how frustrating it can be, and how incredibly frustrating the journey can be and sometimes it feels like you're running out of time. But you're not running out of time. Keep pushing forward.”
More about Devon
Devon Harris, born on Christmas Day 1964 in Kingston, Jamaica, transformed his life from a violent ghetto upbringing to become an Olympic bobsledder and inspirational figure. Overcoming adversity through determination, Devon graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served as an officer in the Jamaica Defence Force. He gained fame as part of Jamaica's first bobsled team in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, inspiring the film "Cool Runnings." Devon continued competing in two more Winter Olympics and later founded the Keep On Pushing Foundation to support disadvantaged youth. As an athlete ambassador for Right to Play and an Olympian For Life, Devon now inspires others through motivational speaking and authorship, sharing his remarkable journey from Jamaican ghetto to Olympic glory.
Find out more: https://devonharris.com/
Instagram: @officialdevonharris
Tiktok: @officialdevonharris
About your host Eleanor
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/another-door-stories-571314/142-how-to-start-again-after-selling-your-business-with-aimee-bateman-83754080"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to #142: how to start again after selling your business with aimee bateman on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy