From Corporate HR to Career Freedom – An Exclusive Interview with Estelle Polevoy
- Feb 21, 2025
- 6 min read
Estelle Polevoy is a purpose and leadership coach, consultant and founder of The Aligned Path Company. She empowers ambitious, multi-passionate women and leaders to harness their unique strengths, and design bold and purposeful paths. With nearly a decade of coaching experience and 15 years in leadership development, Estelle helps her clients amplify their gifts, elevate their self-worth, and create legacies rich with freedom, growth, and meaning. She is also the host of The Aligned Path Podcast, where she shares powerful insights and interviews on purpose, self-leadership and living a path of true alignment.
Estelle Polevoy, Purpose and Leadership Mentor
Tell us about yourself and what inspired your journey from corporate HR to becoming a purpose and leadership mentor.
Growing up, I was surrounded by personal development. My mum, a spiritual woman ahead of her time, introduced me to Abraham Hicks, Louise Hay, and Tony Robbins long before they became mainstream. Coffee cup readings, tea leaves, and deep conversations about life and energy were the norm in our home.
From an early age, people naturally sought me out for advice: friends, adults, even strangers. It was clear to me that helping others navigate challenges was part of my gift, but I didn’t yet know how that would evolve into my life’s work.
Like many women, I grew up with the belief that success meant climbing the corporate ladder. I pursued a degree in Business, majoring in HR and Management, and spent nearly 13 years in People and Culture, working in dynamic industries, achieving incredible results, and meeting incredible people. But deep down, I felt disconnected. I didn’t want my boss’s job, let alone the People and Culture Director position.
At the time, no one was talking about purpose or fulfillment in work, so I questioned myself. Shouldn’t I just be grateful? I have a great job and good money. But my body wisdom, those whispers of misalignment, told me otherwise.
That disconnect sent me on a journey of self-discovery. I immersed myself in coaching, NLP, neuroscience, human design, and shadow work. These tools not only helped me heal and overcome fear but also gave me the clarity to start building momentum toward my bigger vision.
While working full-time in HR, I launched my coaching business on the side. I realized that my favorite part of HR was coaching leaders and supporting transformation, which felt deeply aligned with who I was.
Two babies later, after coaching and mentoring countless women all over the world, building a body of work that transforms lives, and carrying a fire within me that wouldn’t let me settle, I took the leap. I left the safety of the corporate 9-to-5 behind, bet on myself and my vision, and haven't looked back.
Now, I run my business full-time, helping ambitious, multi-passionate women create their unconventional paths through the lens of Whole Woman Success.
Through private coaching, group programs, and consulting, I support women in achieving whole-woman success, success that honors their health, relationships, and joy while building the career and business of their dreams. I also host a podcast, The Aligned Path, where I share insights on leadership, human design, purpose, and transformation. I have the immense pleasure of interviewing incredible experts, visionaries, and leaders.
At the heart of my work is helping women rediscover their power, amplify their strengths, and take bold, aligned action to create lives that light them up. Watching them step into their power and unapologetically build their legacy is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
Was there a specific moment that changed things for you? What made you take the leap?
In my late 20s, I hit a breaking point. On paper, I was “successful”, a stable job, a $30,000 degree, and a solid reputation in my field. But I felt stuck, misaligned, and deeply unfulfilled.
I dreaded Monday mornings. I numbed myself on weekends with Netflix and wine. I was running on autopilot, burying my feelings under distractions. One Sunday, as the “Sunday scaries” kicked in, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me. That moment became my wake-up call.
It didn’t happen overnight, but I started listening to my body wisdom. I leaned into personal development, shadow work, and self-mastery. I sought out mentors and immersed myself in environments that expanded my perspective. Slowly, I began to see a world beyond glass ceilings, a world where creativity, freedom, abundance, and fulfillment were possible.
The journey wasn’t easy, but it gave me so much more clarity, purpose, and alignment. Had I ignored those whispers of discontent, I’d still be living a life that looked good on the outside but felt empty on the inside.
What advice would you give to high-achieving, multi-passionate women feeling stuck or disconnected?
The first thing I’d say is: listen to the whispers before they become screams. That feeling of disconnect is your body trying to tell you something. Don’t ignore it; lean into it.
Start by getting quiet. As high-achieving women, we’re often surrounded by noise, societal expectations, other people’s opinions, and endless to-do lists. It’s easy to lose touch with your own voice. Create intentional time to reconnect with yourself. This could be through journaling, meditating, or even just sitting in stillness.
Next, start unpacking your gifts. Reflect on questions like:
What did I love doing as a child?
What topics light me up and keep me up at night?
Who do I admire, and why?
These answers hold clues to what truly excites and fulfills you.
Surround yourself with people who elevate you. Whether it’s through mentorship, masterminds, or communities, seeing evidence of others living the life you desire will expand your belief in what’s possible.
Finally, embrace shadow work. It’s not about being “perfect.” It’s about honoring the parts of yourself you’ve been hiding or shaming. When you integrate these pieces, you step into a new level of clarity, confidence, and self-trust. And self-trust is the foundation of everything.
How do you help businesses transform their leadership and create purpose-driven, collaborative teams?
Leadership today is about more than just managing people; it’s about fostering purpose, self-awareness, and collaboration in a way that drives both performance and fulfillment. I work with progressive businesses to build self-aware, bold leaders and teams. I truly believe that great leadership starts from within.
One of the key tools I use is human design, which provides a unique blueprint for how each individual operates best. When leaders and teams understand their natural strengths, decision-making styles, and energy dynamics, they can communicate more effectively, collaborate with greater ease, and align their efforts with shared goals.
What’s a core belief that changed the way you live your life?
Stop waiting to be chosen. The most magnetic energy is the woman who chooses herself, without waiting for permission or validation. That belief changed everything for me.
What’s the biggest barrier holding high-performing women back, and how do you help them overcome it?
Perfectionism. So many women wait until everything feels “perfect” before taking the leap, when they feel more confident, when the timing is right, when the stars align.
The truth is, that perfect moment doesn’t exist. The fear of failure and being seen is what’s holding them back. My work helps women reframe those fears, embrace imperfect action, and build the confidence to show up unapologetically.
What offers do you currently have for women ready to elevate their potential?
My 1:1 private mentorship containers are my deepest, most transformative offers. My signature program, Aligned Success, is a three-month, life-changing experience designed to amplify your gifts and help you actualize your aligned version of success.
This isn’t just about surface-level wins; it’s about whole-woman success. My clients have written dream books, built portfolio careers, manifested soulmates, received massive salary increases, and redefined what success looks and feels like for them.
My upcoming group program, Kiss Your 9-5 Goodbye, is for bold women who are ready to build a legacy and leave behind their 9-to-5. I’m so excited for this experience. I think the world is ready for it, and I wish I had access to something like this.
I also offer other group experiences and programs throughout the year, designed to support multi-passionate women in taking bold, aligned action.
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