Martine Ellis is a wellbeing-driven productivity coach and consultant based in Guernsey, Channel Islands, and the founder of Martine Ellis Education and Training. She helps exhausted professionals who lead or support others to thrive in all aspects of their lives without sacrificing wellbeing.
I’m not a fan of change.
I’m not sure if it’s my age (mid-forties) or perhaps the fact that I am autistic (diagnosed at age 43), but it’s just not my thing.
And yet, over the past fifteen years, I’ve made not one but two major career moves—significant changes—and don’t regret either of them.
In this article, I’ll share the story of these two big moves, how my late autism diagnosis has influenced my journey, and what coaching has taught me along the way as I piece together this complicated jigsaw.
From finance to education
Just over fifteen years ago, I left a senior leadership, director-level role in the finance sector to become an unqualified lecturer in office administration at my local further education college.
I went from boss to trainee in a heartbeat. It was a scary move, but I knew it was right. I wanted to do more meaningful work. So, I took a significant pay cut and a personal risk, as my contract at the college was only for a year of maternity cover.
Despite a tough first year—struggling with stress, anxiety, and burnout—I loved teaching and knew I wanted to stay. The college offered me a permanent contract, and I gladly accepted. But I also recognised that I’d need to approach things differently if I wanted to thrive rather than merely survive.
Undiagnosed autism played a role here, though I didn’t realise it at the time. Many autistic people, like me, thrive on routine. Teaching seemed ideal (I love a timetable!), but there was a lot of change to navigate before I could settle into a sustainable routine. Hence, the burnout.
This experience is where the concept of wellbeing-driven productivity came from. Working in roles that focus on others—whether in coaching, teaching, healthcare, or similar fields—can lead us to neglect our own needs. That happened to me in my first year of teaching, resulting in burnout. The only way through was to put myself first. I realised that to show up for my students, I needed to be well. To do well, you need to be well. And it worked. Today, I help others who face similar challenges—but I’m getting ahead of myself. More on that in a moment!
I ended up enjoying a 15-year career at the same college. Like my finance career, I progressed quickly, finding a passion for teacher training and professional development. Supporting colleagues with their growth led me to discover coaching. I was fortunate to work with an exceptional external coach, Joanne, who supported my professional development, helping me focus on my colleagues’ growth. My work with Joanne inspired the next phase of my career—a direction I’ll dive into next.
From education to self-employment
Just over a year ago, I realised I was at a turning point in my education career. I wanted to keep progressing and developing, but the opportunities just weren’t there for me at that time. So, I decided to create my own.
I’d always wanted to work for myself, but besides not being a fan of change, I’m also fairly risk-averse (despite what my career choices might suggest!).
For a while, I had been volunteering at our local autism charity, Autism Guernsey, helping them deliver lived experience training. It turned out they were keen to expand their educational services. After some conversations, we secured funding for me to join them part-time and launch their education service.
This part-time role allowed me to spend a few days each week developing my wellbeing-driven productivity coaching and education business, Martine Ellis Education and Training. That’s where I am today: working part-time for the charity and part-time for myself.
Reflections on change
I don’t love change, but see it as necessary and face it head-on. Every career move I’ve made has come from my core values of service and lifelong learning. I’ve learned a lot from each transition and have no regrets.
Change has taught me to align my work with my needs and values. Through setting boundaries, embracing flexibility, and remembering that I am not my job, I’ve come to value growth over comfort. These experiences now shape the way I coach others through change.
My MOE experience
Recently, I joined MOE’s coach training course cohort 78, taking this training as part of my business development. Although I’d been coaching in the education sector for years and was familiar with models like GROW, I’d never taken a formal coaching qualification. Since I was keen to include coaching in my business, I knew it was time—and many people I trust had recommended MOE, so I decided to go for it.
I loved the course on so many levels. Even with my experience and technical knowledge, I learned so much. The practice opportunities and the connections I made were invaluable. As a teacher trainer, I’m often critical of course delivery—especially online—but the MOE training team was exceptional. Their approach was a masterclass in online facilitation, and it was a joy to experience.
Now, I’m excited to give back by offering the MOE community as many supervision hours as possible.
What next?
I’ve already started expanding my coaching client portfolio and am excited to continue growing it alongside my training offerings and a few creative projects brewing. The future feels full of possibility, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
Connect with Martine
- Website: https://martineellis.com/
- X: https://x.com/heymartineellis
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martineellis/
- Email: martine@martineellis.com
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