Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi

Founder @ AuthenticIN | I help you write online to attract opportunities | DM with 'GROW' if you want me to help you build your brand

A writer with over 3 million views/ month. :) An educator who has taught live over 150 people from 30+ countries, and has 12,000+ customers.

✉️ hi [at] niharikasodhi [dot] com

Coming to the 'story'...

I'm a writer. And with that, I also became an educator and entrepreneur.

I side hustled for 10 months in 2020 because something was missing. 

I refuse to believe you shouldn't be kicked to go to work when you wake up. I refuse to believe that you need to reach a certain 'level' to do high-impact work. Labels and designations aren’t exciting either. 

And I strongly believe that there's enough wealth we can all create if we play by the mindset of abundance and not scarcity.

We have a duty to be of service to other people. And we only have one chance at life to tap into our potential and unleash it.

So I quit my job in 2021 to write full time.

That led to:

• becoming a 22x top writer on Medium
• creating digital products 
• having a cohort-based course that's educated 100+ people across 30+ countries 
• getting accepted to LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program 

As a writer, my purpose is to leave everyone healthier and happier. 

As an educator and entrepreneur, I want to help other creators level up their game and solve their problems.

I'm passionate about healthy living, reading, and mindfulness. I've also travelled to 24 countries and still have fear of flying.

I run two newsletters. Join thousands of people ⬇️
• On my life and self-improvement: https://niharikasodhi.substack.com/
• Side Hustle Saturdays: https://niharikaasodhi96.kit.com/profile


➡️ Collaborations:
Transparent pricing on https://www.passionfroot.me/nks

Twitter: @NiharikaSodhi

🚨PS: I have 25,000+ connection requests. If it's urgent, please send me an inmail. :)

Founder

I help writers become more consistent with my cohort-based programme that takes place 4 times a year.

Dear LinkedIn, I’m writing this post with two hearts in me. But by the time you read this, I’ll only have one.

(I wrote plenty of LinkedIn posts to publish after pregnancy with my pregnant-mind thoughts haha)

As I embark on this journey into motherhood as someone who had severe body dysmorphia and was overweight all their life, for the first time…

I’m in awe of the human body.

The strength of a woman.

The body that creates life creates an entire tiny human, which I don’t even know how I will handle.
(I’m so dependent on my mom, I feel I’m a kid myself!)

The past few months have made me respect my mom and all mothers so much more. Creating a life is the hardest thing I’ve been through.

It has challenged me on an emotional, physical, and spiritual level.
(More on this tomorrow)

But if you’re reading this - go give your mom a hug.

This is me 2 days ago - 20 days after delivering a baby and 16 kgs heavier. 

It’s the latter that’s bothering me. 

While I’m not cleared to workout until 6 weeks postpartum, between burps and feeds I’m reading a lot of 
- Postpartum workout progress 
- Postpartum workout plan
- ‘Bouncing back’ after delivery 

All this while weight loss is the least of my fears! 😏

I’ve already gone down from 85 kgs to 60 kgs earlier. 

I have been working out and eating healthy since the past 11.5 years.

I can 100% go from 79 to 63 kgs again. 

I know how to do and I’m actually super excited to do it because I remember how the journey of weight loss is more fun than reaching a goal weight 😌

I’m writing this because 🧐 the pattern I noticed in my thinking is similar to something I correct when I teach and my students are full of fears and doubts around their writing journey…

1️⃣ We treat others with kindness but forget it when it comes to ourselves. 
2️⃣ The idea of our fears and overthinking it is worse than reality. 
3️⃣ When you talk to yourself, think - how would your friend feel listening to all this? Your mind and body can hear you, treat it accordingly. 

I’m writing this to you today in case you need a reminder to give yourself grace, because that was my learning for this week :) 

Of course - my hormones may be working against me but it is what it is. 

___

PS: yes, being 5.9” and in winter clothes hides 16 kgs well. I’m aware that being tall can be a blessing but my back pain occasionally disagrees 🤣

PPS: SO good to step out for a meal and feel normal after months of hospital visits!

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Exactly zero people have asked me this question, but here’s why I started building on LinkedIn 😂

Firstly, it was random.

I was working at an MNC and writing articles on Medium. So I started sharing my articles.

Then, being my usually positive self, I started posting some positive notes. Sometimes I got 10-20 likes and I felt SO good.

However, I didn’t take LinkedIn seriously until… 2022. 

(I had ~40,000+ followers that time)

Until then, I was just
- Posting what I wanted
- Not using LinkedIn to generate clients
- However, clients still came to me because of my content

But when I started using it right, the game changed.

More on this tomorrow 🙂

DM me with GROW to build your personal brand.

Pregnancy shook me on a level I’d never imagined. I think it's the biggest roller coaster a human body can experience.

Continuing from yesterday's post…

🧠Mentally
- I was trying to be productive and failing
- I was SO angry, and I’m usually a really calm person!

😖Emotionally
- I was in shock for months
- I felt depths of sadness I didn’t know I had the ability to feel
- Had nights where I cried myself to sleep
- Sometimes I’d cry multiple times a day
- Other days, I laughed and laughed so much

💪🏼Physically
- ‘Being tired’ had a new meaning altogether 
- No two days were the same
- The above unpredictability annoyed me 
- Some days, I stayed in bed all day 


(I’m typing this in October’25 at 28 weeks pregnant because I’m writing my thoughts to publish later)

The waves of happiness and lows came in phases.

There’s nothing I’ve experienced that’s as challenging. 

For someone who loves routine and getting things done + thought they were aware and emotionally regulated - this was a humbling experience.

Moving ahead, I’m sure motherhood will teach me a lot.

I just created my most vulnerable piece of content EVER. It's taken me 2 weeks to have the courage to hit publish 🫠 

I haven't felt this scared... or vulnerable, in a very long time.

As always - I try to talk about things that should be spoken about. 

This time, that topic isn't about living an intentional lifestyle or workplace.

My reason for creating this is when I asked my mom: "Being pregnant is so difficult. How has no one addressed this?!"

She replied, "humare zamaane mein aise baat nahi karate the." (Translation: we didn't talk about this in our times).

So I guess it's time we talk about it 🙂 

Link in the comments if you want to check it out ⬇️

My favourite part about being a solopreneur is the small things, really. Stuff like:

1. It’s so cold in Delhi in winters that I’m in a blanket after lunch and become a burrito. Then I have chai around 4pm and slowly get out. Afternoon siesta everyday!

2. Unlimited family time. No money will ever give me my time with loved ones. It’s why I don’t work for over 3 hours.

3. Working on projects I like and with people I learn from. Life is too short for toxic teammates.

When your soul feels good, life feels better :)

You could be the reason you aren’t getting enough sales. I know you don’t want to hear it, but if you want to print more cash, you should.

Continuing from yesterday’s post… it was ONE person who made me take LinkedIn seriously.

I was in a Summit 21 call, which is a course I conducted back then, and someone asked me, 

“Why don’t you talk about your course on LinkedIn?”

I replied, “Why would I?”

He said, “It took me 7 months to figure out that you conduct this course. It would’ve really helped me if I'd known about it earlier.”

That’s when I realised that my 
- fear of sounding too salesy, and 
- being afraid of selling
…was holding me back from more sales.

And when I started taking LinkedIn seriously, everything changed. I finally had USD five-figure months and worked with some excellent people who I enrolled to learn from me… but I learnt so much from them.

Now, I shamelessly talk about my services because why the heck not?

Sometimes, the bottleneck in your customer journey is your fear.

So would you give more weight to your fear or your bank account? It’s a choice, and I prefer the numbers in my bank acc tbh.

__

Here’s a FREE 5-day email course to help you: https://lnkd.in/gkiA-bR9

Yes, there is an ‘easy place’ to start a side-hustle. Take it from someone who’s created content on multiple platforms for years.

LinkedIn is the easiest place to start a side hustle because:

- The audience is already in a business mindset. They open LinkedIn for... work, duh.
- You don’t need to build an audience from scratch... they’re already here.
- Organic reach is still generous compared to other platforms (ahem - reels).
- All you need is your profile and a post.

Tbh in my experience, it's the easiest place to grow on. 

It took me MUCH longer to grow on Medium and X!

And no, LinkedIn hasn’t paid me to write this (how I wish!).

I’m writing this purely in public interest because so many people have a big goal for 2026 that fades off my mid-January. So if you’re looking for ‘easy’, it’s this.

I’ve never felt this grateful to be a solopreneur as I did last year when I found out I’m pregnant. I was sick to death.

(As you can kinda see in this photo)

For anyone who’s been through this journey - first trimester can be testing.

It tested me on a spiritual, emotional, and physical level.

I was unable to eat and unable to retain anything I ate. Mentally, I was experiencing depths of sadness I didn’t know I had in me to feel.

The hormonal surge, weakness, sadness…all added up.

And because of the work I do, I was able to do absolutely NOTHING till I felt better. That was 6 weeks of:
- Weakening nausea
- Lying down most of the time
- Dealing with oversleeping or insomnia

My respect for every woman out there who has been through this shot up because I was just a weakling who was getting crushed till my soul.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about why I think solopreneurship is empowering for women.

Every time someone says, “My LinkedIn views have tanked,” it’s adorable. 

You take one look at their profile. 

It’s not LinkedIn. 

It’s not the algorithm. 

It’s the posts. They lack value. 

More like:

“Here’s what I think”
“Here’s what happened with me”
“Here's what I did last weekend.”

There’s so much ME ME ME 📢  

Who cares about you?

Humans are narcissistic. We only care about ourselves. 

A protocol I follow and teach is -

Before hitting publish, ask yourself - is this valuable for the reader?

If not, hit delete. 

Harsh, but you’ll thank me later. 

__

PS: Get your LinkedIn Growth Toolkit here - https://lnkd.in/g6us9ttd

My definition of wealth changed in 2022.

During my 9-5, I correlated ‘wealth’ to:
• Appraisals
• Promotions
• Better projects
• Getting recognised
• Working with the ‘top’ people

As a solopreneur, I’ve realised that wealth is:
• Owning your time
• Doing  work you truly enjoy
• Having an empty calendar > zoom calls
• Having passive income (I do this via ebooks)

No one definition is better than another, just like we’re not the same people with identical strengths.

We’re all on this blue ball with 71% of water for different reasons. 

While the society tells us to one believe in one definition for everything (especially success, wealth, and relationships), I hope 2026 is the year you find *your definition* of these words.  

Once that happens, I promise that you'll find the joy of alignment with your inner-self.

Woke up to 7000 subscribers and I know you think it’s a small number. 

YouTube is a place where chanels with 100K+ subscribers are common, but here’s something I have always thought of: 

- picture 10 people in a room 
- now picture 7000 people in a room!

For an introvert like me, anything more than groups of 3 is a party 😂 

So I’m grateful for every person who follows me because they invest their limited time on this earth into my work 🙏🏼

And yes - I know I’ve failed to be consistent here. It is what it is, I’m only a writer at heart 😌

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This is my first month of motherhood, and I caught myself in a thinking pattern similar to my college and corporate days. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 

In month 9 of pregnancy, I was dying for the baby to come out already 😅 I had had enough!

Which made me realise how I’m living a lot in the future. 
(I had lots of time to myself, and hence lots of reflections)

Listen...I’m hardcore into visualisation.

During my corporate job, I visualised myself in the mountains working on a laptop. It signified a sense of freedom to me. 

(I don't work on vacations, btw)

After that, as a freelancer, I visualised owning my time and being financially independent. 

I became a solopreneur, and the above happened. 

Now I visualise lots of things I won’t tell you just yet 🤫 

But in the past month, I thought...
How nice it’ll be for this baby to grow quickly and sleep at least 6 hours! 🫠 🤣 

Again, I lost hold of the present. 

Her hands will never be this small again, and she’ll never be a newborn again. 

How silly of me to look at the next step instead of living in the present - 
To cherish this little girl 🎀 

I wish I had lived more in the present 
• during my undergrad, as I was excited to study abroad in postgrad
• only to be unhappy and want to finish my MSc so I can earn money
• to be dissatisfied in my job because I wasn't earning enough, lol

Looking forward to the next step never ends. 

There's always a next step that looks more comfortable, only to look back and wish 
• you hugged tighter
• stressed lesser
• lived fuller 

Finding a balance between visualising + living in the present is what I want to cultivate more in 2026. 

__

PS: Out for my first coffee with a friend, after months!

I don’t visit the gym the first 5 days of the year because it’s crowded by all those who want to get fit. And then, they fade…

It’s why New Year’s resolutions don’t work out.

Personally, I started mine 2 months before the new year so I can
- Get a flavour of it
- Try to be consistent
- Start the new year with a bang

Resolutions aren’t enough; systems are.

Instead of focusing on WHAT you want to do, focus on HOW you’ll do it. And WHY is it important?

That’ll make it much easier to show up consistently.

Promise :)

Someone's LinkedIn content tells you a lot about their personality. I'll show you how you can know someone is insecure.

Insecure folks:
• Shit on others to feel better
• Try to talk down about a segment
• Dwindle around negative content (misery finds company)

So every time I see someone laughing at a segment of people, I figure they're insecure in some way. It's an unhealthy coping mechanism to feel better about yourself by pushing others down.

Secure people
• Write for the joy of writing
• Never crib about the algorithm
• Rise by lifting others and being of service

So next time you read online, you can learn a lot about someone through their content. And it's not their fault because social media does a great job with comparison and making you feel 'less'.

In this hyperstimulated world, I hope you can find balance and attract abundance.

You're designed to win, feel good, and be healthy.

Go on, shine!

Everyone loves saying “new year, new me” 👀

But you and I both know most resolutions don’t survive week 3.

This is why I avoid the gym during the first week of January. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s crowded with people who: 

-  Set a resolution
-  Decide “this is my year”
-  Fall of the wagon by day 10
-  Procrastinate and wait for the next January to start

This is why I stopped setting New Year’s resolutions a while ago. 

Because I know those who are truly committed don't need the calendar’s permission to change their life. 

Setting a resolution is not enough. 

You need a system to ride the wave of your new habit till the end of the year. 

In tomorrow’s issue of Side Hustle Saturdays, I’m dropping the prompt you need to:

➡️ build a system you actually stick to throughout 2026
➡️ stay consistent without depending on motivation
➡️ actually follow through this year

Join 14,000+ readers here 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/gy6UnjRQ

Two important things you shouldn’t apologise for at work:

- Saying no to extra hours
- Prioritising your health 

Personal story: I had a colleague call me at 10 am once, even though work didn't start until 11:30 am. I was in the middle of holding a yoga pose. 

I thought it was urgent and called back. She called me to ask me to email her something. 

What a bummer. I stopped picking calls out of working hours thereafter (something which wasn’t appreciated).

Remember - You’re NOT paid for sacrificing well-being and working like a machine. You’re paid for 8h/ day. 

Literally everything can come and go, but health first, ALWAYS. 

That’s there to stay forever… and no amount of money can fix it once it goes down.

Quick check-in: We’re 9 days into 2026. Are your goals moving or already slipping? Be honest 👀

Every January looks the same:

New goals. Fresh motivation. The internet throwing 20 ‘life-changing’ routines at you.

The part nobody talks about is:

You can buy every template on the internet and still live the same year on repeat. That’s why most resolutions die by February 🙁

What matters is the foundation: your mindset 🧠

This is the slippery slope most people fall into. 

But you don't have to be one of them. 

Tomorrow, I’m sending out the 12-month blueprint to reinvent yourself to the 14,000+ readers of Side Hustle Saturdays. 

This one’s for you if you want to:

➡️ Stay consistent beyond January 2026
➡️ Stop reliving the same year again & again
➡️ Do the inner work that actually moves your life forward

If you’re looking for a sign to stop sleepwalking through another year…

Join here  👉🏻  https://lnkd.in/gy6UnjRQ

If you want to make something of this one life, do this and I promise you’ll be a different person in 12 months.

1. Learn about an abundance mindset. The scarcity one is holding you back from success.
2. Find your ikigai; it will give you a direction and purpose to follow.
3. Know + embrace yourself, then capitalise on your strengths.
4. Find your negative belief systems and you’ll realise you’re a powerhouse of potential when you fix them.
5. Spend more time with people you love, they won’t be alive forever.

I know it sounds simple. 

But when you’re aware of the above and work on rectifying the gaps, all areas of your life will begin to prosper.

If I had to give my 22yo self corporate lessons, it would be this:
(this could trigger those in higher designations - sorry not sorry)

- Only a few colleagues are your friends; give yourself time to figure that out instead of opening up too quickly.

- Your company will replace you in a day, so try to be damn good at your job.

- Always have a second income source, it may feel like work right now, but your future self will thank you for it.

- The senior folks may enjoy ego games, but you have a life and shouldn’t stoop as low. 

- Don’t stop being fit and prioritise your health over everything else. You don’t want to be another manager with a potbelly.

- HR is to save the company, not you.

Honestly, I only followed the one around ego games and being fit.

Everything else was a lesson learnt later.

Stressed about work. Scared about money. Stuck in a job you hate but can't afford to leave. That was me in 2014.

30 years in corporate HR. 6-figure debt from a failed café. Sleepless nights worrying about my kids' future. I knew something had to change. Not just my circumstances, but how I FELT about money and work.

My mission: Help myself feel better, and by sharing how I'm doing that, I help others feel better too.
When we all feel better, we lift each other up. That's the ripple effect.

Today, I help women in corporate feel better about money and work.

Whether you're burnt out, in debt, underpaid, afraid of layoffs, or building something on the side but terrified, I help you feel better by healing what's blocking you, not just managing the symptoms.

MY FRAMEWORK: IDENTITY → STORY → ACTION → RESULTS

My transformation system uses 4 pillars based on neuroscience and energy work:

1. MAP METHOD
Based on Dr. Karim Nader's memory reconsolidation research. Heals limiting beliefs permanently at the root. Neutralizes "I'm not qualified" or "I'm bad with money."

2. IDENTITY SCRIPTING + MEDITATION
You write who you're becoming AND practice being her through meditation. Dr. Joe Dispenza: Thoughts are the language of the mind, emotions are the language of the body. We achieve heart-mind coherenc, i.e., your conscious mind in charge of reactive emotions. Dr. Tara Swart's research: This rewires your brain and activates your RAS to notice new possibilities.

3. HUMAN DESIGN
Make career decisions using YOUR authority. Work WITH your unique energy. Personalizes strategy to YOU, not one-size-fits-all.

4. SOMATIC WORK
Based on Dr. van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score) and Dr. Dispenza's work. Releases financial stress from your body and retrains your nervous system. You're no longer reactive to external circumstances (bank balance, job changes). You feel safe with money NOW.

30 years in corporate HR, sitting in layoff meetings, hiring, firing, feeling job insecurity myself. A café venture that led to 6-figure debt. It was the most challenging time and also the greatest opportunity because it led to a side business built during lunch breaks and financial security and peace.

I've sat on both sides of the table, delivering layoffs and worrying about my own. I've experienced debt shame and the fear of losing everything. 

I teach from lived experience, not theory.

CERTIFICATIONS:
✓ Certified MAP Method Practitioner
✓ Certified Personify Leadership Facilitator
✓ Practising Human Design Analyst
✓ 30+ Years HR & Leadership Experience

DM me "FEEL BETTER"

Sharon Singh Sidhu

I didn't hit most of my 2025 goals. Revenue targets? Missed. Client milestones? Didn't happen. Growth numbers? Fell short.

For a while, I avoided looking at the data. I didn't want to feel the disappointment. 

But I've now realized that the gap between where I am and where I wanted to be isn't failure. 

It's just feedback.

In my latest podcast episode, I share:
- Why I tried 6 offers and only 1 worked and why that's actually progress
- The invisible wins I'm celebrating even without hitting revenue goals
- What happened when senior leaders at work saw my LinkedIn posts
- Why the process is the goal and the money is just the milestone
- How I invested $6k in my growth without quitting my job

It's the unglamorous truths when you're building a business while working full-time.

If you're feeling behind because you didn't hit your 2025 goals, you're not alone. 

And you're not behind. You're exactly where you need to be.

Listen to my latest podcast to learn:
- Why it takes longer than you think (and that's okay)
- Why building while employed is the smarter path
- How visibility is practice, not personality
- What I'm doing differently in 2026

This is for you if:
- You're building on the side while employed
- You're scared your boss will see your posts
- You're overwhelmed by how long it's taking
- You need permission to celebrate small wins

The link is in the comments below or my Featured Section.

P.S. Your timeline is your timeline. Not mine. Not some expert's. Yours.

Sharon Singh Sidhu 

Employee → Entrepreneur | Identity, Story, Action Framework | MAP + Human Design + 30 Years HR | Building While Employed = Your Advantage

You're probably more ready than you think. For years, I thought I needed ‘one more certification’ before I could charge for coaching. But I realized I was already doing the work. Just not getting paid for it.

Here are 3 signs you're ready to monetize your expertise:

SIGN #1: Someone is already paying you (just not with money)

My company sponsored me to become a certified leadership trainer. Then when I asked for a 2nd sponsorship to gain even deeper expertise, they granted it. They trusted me to run leadership training for managers.

Translation: They saw value in what I could teach.

When I got my first freelance training job, my bosses were fine with it. They knew I had something valuable to offer beyond my job and trusted me to handle it appropriately.

If people are already coming to you for help, even for free, you're ready.

SIGN #2: You've overcome something others are still stuck in

An ex-colleague asked how she could hire me as her coach. She looked up to me and wanted to achieve what I'd done with my finances.

I didn't feel like an expert. I just figured it out. And that's the point.

You don't need to be 10 steps ahead. Just 2 steps ahead.

For 6 years, my training participants consistently gave me 5-star reviews. One senior leader told me I seemed ‘so confident’, even though I was shaking inside. I'd bombed presentations early in my career. I had a massive fear of public speaking. 

But I did it anyway. Over and over, until I got better.

If you've solved a problem others struggle with, even messily, you have expertise to monetize.

SIGN #3: Other people are charging for what you're already doing for free

I was already helping people change their mindset in my leadership sessions. Teaching them to reframe limiting beliefs.

Then I saw external coaches charging thousands for the same thing. Wait. I'm already doing this?

I saw students in certification programs at the exact same level as me already getting paying clients. Meanwhile, I was waiting to ‘feel ready’.

Colleagues asked me to review their emails and presentations. I dismissed it as ‘no big deal’. But it WAS a big deal to them.

If others are charging for what you do naturally, you're ready.

Here's what I'd tell anyone stuck in ‘I'm not ready yet’:

→ Your lived experience is valuable. Don't discount it.
→ You already have expertise you can charge for. 
→ The gap isn't more certifications, it's how you talk about it, package it, and market it.

The only thing stopping you are limiting beliefs about sales and whether you're ‘qualified’.

Everyone feels the same fear. The successful people just did it anyway, again and again, until they got better.

You don't need permission. You don't need one more certification. You need to decide you're ready.

Which of these 3 signs resonates with you? Or what's truly holding you back?

'You should enjoy yourself more', my daughter said, as I was reviewing my metrics. Only 2 DMs sent. I felt the need to defend: 

'That's because I watched TV instead of sending the DMs.'

I was feeling guilty. I should've been building my business instead of watching Netflix after dinner.

Because at the back of my mind, I was hearing the hustle bros: 'While you're watching TV, real entrepreneurs are building their 6-figure businesses.'

When you're the primary earner, caregiver, and business owner, the hustle bro playbook doesn't work.

You've been up since 4:30am - workout, kids, school drop-off. 9 hours of back-to-back meetings. Maybe 1 hour during lunch to build your business. By 8pm, you're fried.

Pushing when you're already exhausted isn't discipline. It's self-sabotage.

Your business might grow slower than the 25-year-old with no kids and 16-hour days. But you'll still be building when they've burned out and quit.

So watch TV. Take my daughter's advice. Enjoy yourself more.

Rest isn't wasted time. It's part of the work.

This is the difference between building while employed and building from burnout. 

Building while employed:
- No financial panic
- Can rest when exhausted
- Build for years, not months
- Make strategic decisions (not desperate ones)

Building from burnout:
- Guilt when you rest
- Desperate decisions
- Quit within 18 months
- Hustle until you collapse

You don't need to hustle harder, you just need a strategy built for your life.

If you're exhausted from trying to build like the hustle bros, DM me "REST".

Business Clarity Session ($150):
- Identify why you're burning out (it's not lack of discipline)
- Use MAP Method to release the guilt around resting
- Build your 1-hour/day strategy using your Human Design 
(so you can watch Netflix guilt-free)

3 sessions left in January. DM "REST" now.

Helping Corporate Women Feel Calm, Clear, and Safe Around Money & Work

$6,000. That's how much I invested in my business last year while keeping my 9-5.

Everyone thinks you have to choose: safe corporate job OR risky business.

I learned the hard way that's a false choice.

My husband and I quit our jobs to open a café. We were all-in. Living the entrepreneurial dream.

Until we weren't.

The business bled money. Bills kept coming. We racked up 6-figure debt. I couldn't sleep. Our marriage was falling apart.

Going all-in almost cost me everything.

So I went back to corporate, defeated, in massive debt, questioning everything.

But I made a promise to myself: I'd never depend on one income source (or one person) to take care of my family again.

After 30 years in HR, I've seen too many 'secure' jobs disappear overnight. So I started building differently.

I kept my job. Started my coaching business on lunch breaks and weekend mornings.

Here's what changed:
→ I invested $6k in coaches and certifications (couldn't have done that without my salary)
→ I tried 6 different offers in 2025 (only 1 worked—good thing I wasn't desperate for sales)
→ I signed clients I WANT to work with (no scarcity mindset)
→ I built without burning out (1 hour/day, not 24/7 hustle)

The freedom isn't in quitting.

The freedom is in having OPTIONS.

My 9-5 gives me the psychological safety to build something real. To experiment. To fail without catastrophe.

I'll quit when staying costs me more than leaving. When I'm turning away ideal clients because I don't have capacity.

Until then? This is the smarter move.

And if you're a working mom who thinks you have to quit your job to start a business, you don't. You just need to build differently.

That's what I help women do. Transform from trapped employee to business owner, without quitting, burning out, or sacrificing your family.

What about you? Building while employed or planning the leap?

My chest felt like it was imploding. No, I wasn't having a heart attack. But I might as well have been.

The demands from my new job.
The never-ending to-do's to grow my business.
The pressure to provide for my family and be there for my kids.

It felt like too much. So I blasted the music in my car to find relief.

When you're in a demanding 9-5, growing your business, and raising a family, this is what it feels like in real life.

Not the professionally polished photos and posts you see on LinkedIn.
Not the 'look how easy I make this look' highlight reel.

The voices in my head got loud:
'Is this really worth it?'
'Who do you think you are?'
'You're 50, spent 30 years in corporate HR, and the last 6 years building your business. And you still haven't made it. You should just quit.'

And honestly? Some days I want to listen. The car felt small. The pressure felt huge. And quitting felt so much easier.

But I didn't.

After 30 years in HR, I know this voice. And I know what separates the people who make it from the people who quit.

Success isn't about not feeling the pressure, the doubt, or the fear. It's about not stopping when those feelings get loud.

Successful people don't quit posting when doubt shows up. They don't give up after one bad day.

They have a system to move through it.

So here's what I did in that car, music blasting, trying not to fall apart:
1. PAUSE - Okay, I'm spiraling. I see it.
2. THANK - This doubt is teaching me something.
3. FEEL - Let the fear wash over me. Didn't push it away.
4. CLEAR - Release the untrue stories.
5. ASK - What's the next right move?
6. WAIT - Sat. Breathed. Listened.
7. MOVE - The answer: Just make 1 comment.

I made that comment. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't life-changing. But I did it. 

And that's how you stay in the game when everyone else quits.

This practice isn't 'woo-woo'. It's the same mindset skill I've used to:
→ Navigate 30 years of corporate politics (and sit in layoff meetings)
→ Lead teams through uncertainty
→ Build a business while raising 2 college-bound kids (and caring for aging parents)
→ Stay in the game when I wanted to quit (which is often)

Success isn't about unshakeable confidence. It's about knowing how to keep moving when confidence is nowhere to be found.

If you're a working mom building on the side and the doubt is loud right now, you're not failing. You're human.

DM me 'RESILIENCE' and I'll send you the full breakdown of this 7-step practice.

Because this is how you become the sort of person who figures it out. The sort of person who doesn't quit when it gets hard.

'I've tried everything and it's still not working!' That's what I told myself. Then I got honest. I created a tracker to see what I was ACTUALLY doing. Turns out? I wasn't doing "everything."

I was doing busy work, not business-building work.

- Writing random topics as inspiration struck (not strategic content)
- Connecting with anyone who'd accept (not my actual ideal clients)
- Commenting to look smart (not to start conversations)

I was BUSY. But I wasn't building a business.

So I stripped everything down to one question:

What are the top 3 things that actually generate profit?

Here's what I came up with:
- Find people I can help (and who want my help)
- Build genuine trust with them
- Invite them to work with me

That's it. Everything else is a distraction.

My daily activities became:
- Comment on posts by people in my ICP's world (not random posts)
- Start 1:1 conversations with people who engage with my content
- Share content that builds trust (not just "look how smart I am" posts)

Simple. Focused. Repeatable.

Here's what changed:
- I stopped trying to prove I was an expert.
- I started being genuinely helpful.
- I stopped connecting with everyone.
- I started building real relationships with the right people.
- I stopped posting whatever I felt like.
- I started creating content my ICP actually needs.

This is what building while employed forced me to learn. 

I only have 1 hour during my lunch break to build my business. I can't afford to waste it scrolling "for research" or tweaking my profile for the 10th time. I HAVE to focus on what actually generates profit. The time constraint forces brutal prioritization.

Because I'm not desperate for every sale (my 9-5 pays my bills), I can be selective about WHO I build relationships with and HOW I invite them. When you have limited time AND no financial desperation, you build differently.

Next time something's not working, don't trust your feelings ("I've tried everything!"). Instead:
- Track the data. 
- Review honestly. 
- Strip down to the 3 activities that generate profit. 
- Do those consistently.

If you only have 1 hour/day, you can't do everything. And you don't need to.
You need to do the right things.

Going from employee to entrepreneur isn't about working harder or doing more. 

It's about becoming the kind of person who can:
- Look at data without getting defensive
- Cut ruthlessly (even "good" activities that don't generate profit)
- Focus on quality over quantity

That's an identity shift. It's what I help my clients do.

If you're busy but not getting results and you only have limited time to build, DM me "FOCUS".

Business Clarity Session ($150):
- Identify your 3 profit-generating activities (so you can cut the rest)
- Strip your strategy down to what fits in 1 hour/day (no more overwhelm)
- Shift from "busy" identity to "strategic" identity using MAP Method

You don't need more time. You need to focus the time you have.
3 sessions left in January. DM "FOCUS" now.

Northern Lights. Grand Canyon. Maldives. British Museum. Big Ben. Angkor Wat. Bali. Farm stays in Australia.

These experiences with my kids? Only possible because I have my salary AND side income from building a business on the side.

Not so long ago, I thought quitting my job to "have more time" would make me a better mom.

That led to a 6-figure business debt, sleepless nights worrying about bills, and my 7-year-old daughter saying:

"Mommy, you're just working downstairs but I never see you."

Hearing that jolted me. It was a brutal wake-up call.

I learned the hard way that quitting your job doesn't give you more time with your kids.

It gives you financial pressure that consumes you.

More hours at home ≠ more presence.

When you're drowning in debt and worry, you're not really THERE even when you're physically there.

Eventually, we had to shut down the café because it wasn't financially viable. I went back to my HR job. Back to the "safe" paycheck.

But having spent decades in HR conducting countless layoff meetings, I knew job security is a myth.

I swore I'd never depend on one income source or one company for my family's financial well-being.

That's when I realized: I don't need to quit my job to build something of my own. I can build ALONGSIDE it.

Building while employed has given me:
→ Financial safety to take my time and build it right (no desperate decisions)
→ Ability to invest in myself, coaches, courses, tools (accelerated my learning)
→ Resources to give my kids incredible experiences NOW, not "someday when the business takes off"
→ Strategic patience to say no to wrong-fit clients and only work with people I genuinely want to help
→ Proof to my kids that you can have stability AND ambition

My salary isn't a crutch. It's my strategic advantage.

Yesterday, I picked up my son from his last day of military service. As I drove onto the air base, I felt confirmation that I made the right choice.

The Northern Lights. The Grand Canyon. The farm stays in Australia. Traveling to the UK and the US.

None of it would have been possible if I'd stayed stuck in "I have to quit my job OR build a business" thinking.

You can do both. Strategically and sustainably. Without sacrificing your kids or your sanity.

If you're a working mom who wants to create additional income through coaching or consulting but can't quit your job yet, DM me "CLARITY".

In my Business Clarity Session ($150), we'll:
→ Identify what expertise you can monetize (what corporate moms would pay you for)
→ Map your first income stream (your offer, pricing, who it's for)
→ Create your 1-hour/day plan to start building this month

You'll walk away with a concrete plan designed for YOUR life, not someone with unlimited time and energy.

5 sessions left in January. DM "CLARITY" now.

2am. Lying awake worrying about how to pay my bills. I made a decision then and there: I'd never feel this way again.

That was a decade ago. My husband and I had quit our jobs to open a café. It folded 4 years later. We were 6-figures in debt.

Here's what no one tells you about ‘just quit your job’ advice:

When you have NO income, you can't afford to fail slowly. Every experiment costs you. Every mistake feels like it's taking food off your table.

Financial pressure doesn't create hustle, it creates desperation. 

And desperation makes terrible business decisions:
- You underprice. 
- You chase every shiny object. 
- You accept clients you shouldn't. 
- You can't think strategically because you're in survival mode.

That's why I now teach the OPPOSITE of what most business coaches tell you:

Keep. Your. Job.

At the time, I thought the café was the stupidest thing we'd ever done. In hindsight, it was the best. Because it taught me to get smart about money, business, and building the RIGHT way.

The best decision I made was building my coaching business WHILE keeping my 9-5.

My salary gives me:
- Time to build right (no desperation)
- Money to invest ($6k in courses and coaches last year)
- Permission to fail (I can test offers without panic)
- Strategic patience (I only work with ideal clients)

I'm not grinding 24/7. I'm building in pockets of time, lunch breaks and weekend mornings. Using the MAP Method to rewire limiting beliefs. Using Human Design to work with my energy, not against it.

And when I hit $30k/month consistently? THEN I'll quit. On MY terms. When the numbers make sense for my family. Not when some guru tells me to ‘just take the leap’.

If you're a working mom who wants to monetize your corporate expertise without quitting your job, DM me ‘CLARITY’ and I'll send you details about my Business Clarity Session.

In 1 hour we'll:
- Identify what expertise you can monetize
- Map your first income stream
- Create your personalized 1-hour/day plan

You'll walk away knowing exactly where to start and how to build without burning out. 

Limited to 5 sessions this month. DM ‘CLARITY’ now.

"Do you want to buy from me?" Even as the words left my mouth, I was already thinking "they're not interested."

Networking and building relationships with strangers doesn't come naturally to me. 

When I started building my coaching business, I led with selling. You can imagine how well that worked out. (Not very well at all!)

No one returned my DMs. No one seemed interested in connecting. I realized something was very wrong.

I had to find a different way.

Here's what I did:
I released the need to sell immediately.

And I could only do this because I had a 9-5 job I actually enjoyed. That's the advantage of building while employed. No financial desperation. 

I wasn't thinking "I need to sign this client or I can't pay rent." I could afford to play the long game.

I told myself: "Forget about making the money. Just make friends on LinkedIn."

That shift released all the pressure.

Instead of "Do you want to buy?" I started asking:

"What's the biggest challenge you're facing right now?"
"How long have you been thinking about this?"
"What would success look like for you?"

I stopped talking about my offer. I just listened. I asked follow-up questions. I shared relevant experiences. I genuinely wanted to understand them, not as prospects, but as people.

And something surprising happened.

A DM conversation led to a sale. I didn't even have to ask for it.

She reached out and said, "How can I work with you?" I signed her as a client over a couple of text messages.

Bonus? 

She's the perfect client. Curious. Willing. Action-oriented. Open to trying new methods like MAP and Human Design.

That's what happens when you build trust first.

When you lead with curiosity instead of selling, you attract people who WANT to work with you. You're not convincing them. You're not overcoming objections. They're already sold because they trust you.

Don't get me wrong, I still need to make money. I have bills, kids' tuition, a business to build.

But leading with "make friends first" takes the desperation out of the conversation. And people can FEEL desperation.

When you're not desperate, you can:
- Say no to wrong-fit clients
- Charge what you're worth (not discount out of fear)
- Build a sustainable business with people you actually like

That's the advantage of building while employed. You can afford to do it right.

If you're a corporate mom who wants to start a coaching business but the thought of "selling" makes you feel gross, DM me "FRIENDS".

Business Clarity Session ($150):
- Identify why selling feels icky (usually imposter syndrome or scarcity mindset)
- Clear these blocks with MAP Method
- Create a relationship-first approach that feels natural and actually converts

You don't have to be a sleazy salesperson to make money. Let me show you how.

3 sessions left in January. DM "FRIENDS" now.

This morning the money fear came back. That familiar tightness in my chest. The mental math. The "how will we afford this?" spiral about our kids' overseas college tuition.

Except this time, something was different.

The voice was softer. The grip was gone. It had shifted from a paralyzing fear that used to keep me up at night to simply a puzzle to solve.

How did this change?

I've been rewiring my money story for almost a decade. And I've learned you don't fix it once. You peel it in layers.

Each time I released one belief ("Money isn't safe"), another surfaced underneath ("I don't deserve more"). Then another ("If I have too much, I'll lose it"). Then another.

That's when I realized my subconscious programming about money goes deeper than one limiting belief. It's an entire operating system built over 40+ years.

But by using simple MAP Method commands (a kind of strategic self-talk that speaks directly to the subconscious) I've eased the grip this fear had on me.

That's how I know I've changed. When the things that used to paralyze me don't anymore.

Noticing it this morning is evidence I'm collecting to prove to myself this work actually works.

Here's why this matters if you want to build a business:

The same money story that wakes you up at 3am worrying about tuition is the SAME voice that says:

"Who would pay me for what I know?"
"I should charge less because people can't afford more"
"I can't invest in a coach. What if it doesn't work?"
"I need to keep my job forever because money isn't safe"

Your money story isn't just about your past. It's actively blocking your future.

You can't build a thriving coaching business while believing money is scarce and you're not worthy of charging for your expertise.

If you're a corporate mom who wants to build a coaching business but your money story keeps you stuck—DM me "CLARITY".

In my Business Clarity Session, we'll:
→ Identify the exact subconscious belief keeping you from starting (usually "I'm not qualified" or "money isn't safe")
→ Release its grip using a simple MAP protocol you can use anytime the fear comes back
→ Map your monetizable expertise and create your 1-hour/day plan to start building this week

You'll walk away knowing exactly what's blocking you, how to release it, and your first 3 actions to take. $150. Limited to 5 sessions in January. 

DM "CLARITY" now.

The same money stories that block your business

I felt the anger and irritation bubble inside me. Another last-minute meeting during my lunch break. Another request that throws my business building activities off track. Another day my KPIs won't get met.

This isn't a one-off. It's a pattern.

When you're building a business while employed, this is the reality. Your job doesn't care about your side hustle. Urgent requests come in. Fires need to be put out. Your carefully planned lunch break disappears.

I wanted to lash out. Send a passive-aggressive message. Complain to someone about how "nobody respects my time."

Instead, I opened my journal the next morning and wrote:

"I have self-restraint when I want to react. I have the capacity to hold space for difficult emotions."

Just writing those words shifted something.

I didn't damage relationships. I didn't give up on my business. I adjusted, rescheduled, and hit my KPI two days later.

That's the power of identity scripting.

Most people get affirmations wrong. They think "I am a millionaire" while broke will magically create wealth. Your subconscious isn't stupid. It knows you're lying.

What DOES work:

Scripting the CHARACTER TRAITS you need to become the person who achieves the goal.

I'm not affirming "I have a $30k/month business."

I'm affirming the traits that BUILD it:
- Commercially savvy (smart decisions)
- Know my numbers (track what works)
- Self-restraint (don't react emotionally)
- Hold space for hard emotions (don't quit when it's difficult)

These traits create the business. The business doesn't appear from positive thinking.

This is MAP Method work.

You can't build while your identity is "I'm just an employee who has no control over my time."

Your subconscious runs 95% of your behavior. If your identity says "everyone disrespects my boundaries," you'll either lash out (damage relationships) or give up (never build your business).

Identity scripting rewires that.

Every morning, I write by hand who I'm BECOMING. Then I act like her for the day. Over time, she becomes who I am.

At 51, building while employed, raising a family, I don't have the luxury of "winging it."

Last-minute meetings will happen. They always do in corporate. Lunch breaks will get hijacked. KPIs will get pushed.

I need self-restraint so I don't blow up my career while building my exit strategy on the side.

These aren't aspirational traits. They're survival skills for playing the long game. And I script them daily because repetition rewires the brain.

Do you know who you need to BE to achieve your 2026 goals?

Script her out every day. Act like her until she becomes who you are.

If you're constantly frustrated that your job derails your business progress, DM me "CLARITY".

Business Clarity Session ($150):
- Identify your identity block
- Use MAP to neutralize it
- Create your 1-hour/day plan that works AROUND job demands (because they're not going away)

5 sessions left in January.

I'm not gonna lie. Building a business while employed is hard some days.
Besides worrying what your bosses will think, there's the practical reality -
You're just completely exhausted.

A typical can look like this:
- Steep learning curve at new job
- Unplanned meetings
- Working through lunch to catch up
- Get home only to realized you forgot the milk
- Go back out
- Finally sitting down to work on your business at 9pm
- Falling asleep at your laptop at 9:47pm

By the time you have a free moment, you have zero energy left. This is the reality of raising a family, working a job, and building a business on the side.

It's enough to make the strongest woman feel like giving up.

If that's where you're at right now, let me remind you of something important:

Consistency ≠ Frequency

It isn't about showing up perfectly every single day.

Forgotten doctor appointments. Unexpected sick kids. Last-minute deadlines. Husbands wondering where you went. Elderly parents needing tech support.

You're allowed to miss a day.

Consistency isn't about never failing. It's about showing up again the next day and resuming from where you left off.

Don't let one day, two days, or even a week off track keep you off track permanently.

What I've learned after 2 years of building during lunch breaks is that the women who succeed aren't the ones who never miss a day. They're the ones who get back on track faster.

They don't spiral into "I'm so behind, I'll never catch up, I should just quit." They just pick up where they left off. No drama. No guilt spiral. Missing Monday doesn't mean you've failed. It means you start again Tuesday.

The 'trade-off' of building while employed means you can:
- Take your time finding the RIGHT clients (not just anyone who'll pay)
- Build genuine relationships (not frantically chase conversions)
- Miss a day without your business collapsing (your 9-5 keeps you stable)

The exhaustion is real. But so is the strategic advantage. That's why building while employed isn't settling. It's smart.

Pick ONE thing to do tomorrow. Not ten. One. It could be:
- Commenting on 3 posts
- Sending 1 DM
- Writing 1 post draft

Then, resume your rhythm. You didn't lose your progress. You paused it.

The women who build sustainable businesses aren't the ones who hustle hardest. They're the ones who keep coming back.

If you're exhausted but still committed and you need help creating a plan that actually works for YOUR life, DM me "RHYTHM". It's exactly what I help corporate moms with.

"You're probably more qualified than you think." I realized this about myself last week sitting in a trainer refresher for a leadership workshop I've facilitated for almost 10 years.

We were reviewing the updated materials. As I shared how I'd adapted parts of the training for the different companies I've worked with - simplifying frameworks for one industry, adding case studies for another, adjusting the pace based on team dynamics - something clicked.

Wait.

I've been CREATING content. Adapting. Innovating. Not just "delivering someone else's workshop."

I've facilitated this dozens of times for hundreds of leaders. 
I know which exercises create breakthroughs and which fall flat. 
I've coached leaders through every scenario that comes up.
I know what lands and what doesn't. 

So why do I still think of myself as "just the facilitator"? It hit me. 

I can walk into any room and read the energy in 30 seconds. 

I can facilitate difficult conversations most people avoid. 

I understand organizational systems, communication frameworks, delegation strategies.

Not from textbooks but from thousands of hours with real leaders facing real problems.

And I've been discounting all of it as "just my job."

I realized if I'm qualified to train corporate leaders - and I am - then I'm DEFINITELY qualified to coach working moms who want to build businesses.

30 years HR experience. MAP certified. Human Design certified. Personify Leadership facilitator. Hundreds of leaders trained.

The only thing holding me back? 

Imposter syndrome. "Who am I to call myself a business coach?"

Turns out, I'm someone with decades of expertise who's been undervaluing herself.

And that's how most corporate women are. 

Caught up in work, family, commitments. It's easy to disregard the value you create. You think: "This is just what I do. Anyone could do this."

No. Not anyone.

Your 15-30 years of expertise? Valuable. Your ability to navigate complex situations? A skill. The frameworks you use without thinking? People would pay to learn those.

You're already qualified. You just don't see it because you're too close.

The only thing holding you back is believing you can and overcoming your fear of being seen.

Someone needs what you know. Right now. And you're doing them a disservice by staying invisible.

If you've been thinking "I'm not qualified", DM me "QUALIFIED".

Business Clarity Session ($150):
- Identify what expertise you've been discounting
- Map what corporate moms would pay you for
- Create your offer and pricing strategy
- 4 sessions left in January

You're already more qualified than you think.

Building a business is hard. Everyone's out here making it sound easy. 'Just follow my 3-step framework!' 'Anyone can do this!' 'It's simple!'

Sure, it's simple. But simple ≠ easy.

And I wish more people would be honest about what it actually takes:

- learning skills you were never taught (marketing, sales, psychology, resilience)
- showing up when nothing seems to be working
- handling constant rejection and self-doubt
- picking yourself up over and over again
- caring deeply while staying detached

This is why most people quit.

Not because they're lazy or that they don't want it enough. But because nobody told them it would be THIS hard.

I didn't hit most of my 2025 goals. Sure, I was discouraged at first. But now, I realized that if I were already the sort of person who gets those results, I'd already have them.

So my job isn't to beat myself up. It's to ask: 'Who do I need to become?'

That's the work. That's what I talk about in this week's podcast episode.

It's what I'll take you through in my free Create 2026 workshop (link in Featured Section).

2026 isn't about setting better goals. It's about becoming the person who achieves them, even when it's hard, unclear, and taking way longer than you expected.

Who are you becoming in 2026?

Let me know in the comments!

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The Battle

Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi

Sharon Singh Sidhu

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The Battle

Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi

Sharon Singh Sidhu

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi's LinkedIn Performance

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