Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

The art of reinvention and why we were never meant to be just one thing.

There’s a freedom in embracing the fact that you were never meant to be just one thing.

I’ve never believed success had to follow a single path. In fact, I’ve always known that variety doing many things, being many things is what fuels my passion. For me, it’s the blend of creativity, reinvention, and saying yes to what moves me that brings fulfilment.

When people ask what I’m passionate about, my answer is always the same: many things.
And when they ask how I make a living? Also, many things.
Because I’ve realised that is what I’m passionate about. The variety. The possibility. The creative flow of not having to fit into a single box.

From Spotlight to Studio

My first love was performing musical theatre, the thrill of live shows, fronting a band, moving a room through sound. I adored it. But when I became a mother, I craved something different, still expressive, still creative, but steadier.

Voiceover work came knocking. I hesitated. I was dyslexic, and sight-reading scripts felt like standing at the edge of a cliff. But I said yes.

I’ll never forget my first job. I was so nervous, I stopped seven times on the drive from Tooting to Soho just to find a loo. That journey became a map of public toilet locations across London. But I got there. I did the job. And that one terrified “yes” turned into a 26-year career.

Over time, I became the voice behind some of the UK’s biggest brands from Jaguar to Huggies, L’Oréal to British Gas. And just when I needed it most, I was offered the voiceover campaign for the London 2012 Olympics. It felt like a full-circle moment, a reminder that my voice had value.

Then, one day, the phone stopped ringing.

The Recession Reset

The 2008 recession hit hard. I had small children, growing bills, and no work. That’s when I realised I had built everything on one role. One income stream. One identity. It was time to rethink everything.

I longed for a gentler pace of life. Somewhere with space to breathe. So we left the city behind and moved to the coast. Brighton offered what we needed: sea air, fresh starts, and freedom.

That leap sparked something new. With space came creativity. I leaned into my love of beauty, not trends, but timeless design. Curating. Styling. Making things feel like home. A new chapter unfolded.

Saying Yes (Even When Terrified)

Then came a phone call and a lifeline, a dream project that pulled me back into voice work just when I needed it most. With the pressure eased, I followed curiosity elsewhere.

I co-created a concept store. Travelled. Designed. Curated. I dipped into radio, hosting live shows three hours of unfiltered connection. I was terrified. But I didn’t faint. I didn’t swear. And I loved every second.

The years have been a dance between creativity and courage. Saying yes. Saying goodbye. Starting again.

Conversations That Matter

Eventually, I began holding weekly wellbeing circles, a quiet, open space for people to talk about how they were really doing, especially on the days they weren’t fine. It started at Rockwater in Hove, a venue that generously supported the idea, and has since moved to The Big Beach Café, where So Talk, co-hosted with my dear friend Jon Wilde, is now in its fifth year.

It was never about the setting, it was about the space we created. A warm room, a cuppa, and the kind of conversation that heals.

I’ve also opened space for women’s health conversations, particularly around menopause, and I host evenings on men’s mental wellbeing too. Real talk, honest reflections, no shame. Because the more we talk, the more we heal.

There have been a few times in my life when things have felt overwhelming. I have lost three beautiful human beings in the last nine years two of them being my parents, my rocks. My Dad to MND, and my stepson James, who was just 22, and then my beautiful Mum. So I know what it’s like to feel grief, to feel your heart breaking.

And maybe that’s why I care so deeply about these conversations because they’re real. They remind us we’re human.

The Little Big Things

My proudest roles? Being a mother. A friend. A witness to beauty in all its forms.

I still sing. I dance weekly. I record a podcast with someone who sees every side of me. And I still believe there’s power in small joys, a shared laugh, a well-styled room, a moment of feeling truly seen.

What I Know Now

Dance in the morning.
Be kind especially to yourself.
Don’t waste energy on arguments.
Burnout isn’t noble. Rest isn’t lazy.
And yes, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

“You don’t need to be just one thing to live a meaningful life. Sometimes, being many things is exactly what saves you.”

I didn’t realise how proud I was of my journey until I wrote it down.
So thank you, Elif.
Now, onto the next adventure.

Sophie x