I put a post on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago where I quoted that famous scene from Friends (or at least it’s famous if you’re my age!): ‘Pivot! Pivot!’ And the reason I shared this is because I’m pivoting my business. I still want to help women in their 40s and 50s, who feel like they’re not sure who they are anymore, rediscover their purpose and have an amazing life, but I’m doing that through the lens of menopause.
How many women are affected
Without going too crazy for stats (although I will share some), around 13 million women in the UK are either perimenopausal or menopausal – roughly 1/3 of the entire female population (Source: Wellbeing of Women, cited by NHS England). The average age of menopause in the UK is 51, with perimenopause typically beginning at 47 (early stage) and 49 (late stage).
The information gap is real
More than 90% of postmenopausal women were never taught about menopause at school (and let’s face it, who would remember something they learned 40 years earlier!) and over 60% only started looking for information once their symptoms had already started. (Source: UCL, published in Post Reproductive Health journal, 2023).
Symptoms go well beyond hot flushes
Three-quarters of women experience symptoms — from physical changes like joint pain, weight gain, and hot flushes to cognitive effects such as memory issues and brain fog — which can last an average of 7 years. (Source: NHS/Gov.uk, 2025).
The workplace picture
Around 14 million working days are lost in the UK each year due to menopause symptom management, this equates to a loss of roughly $2.4 billion annually. (Source: FP Analytics report, 2025) A Unite union survey found that 83% of menopausal women reported zero access to support at work. (Source: impactsofmenopause.com citing Unite).
The sandwich generation layer
ONS research published in 2023 found around 1.4 million people in the UK were acting as sandwich carers — looking after both children and older relatives simultaneously. (Source: ONS/AXA Health) Two thirds of sandwich carers (62%) are women, with the peak carer age sitting at around 45. (Source: ONS/Aviva) UCL researchers found a deterioration in both mental and physical health among sandwich carers over time, particularly those dedicating more than 20 hours a week to caregiving. (Source: UCL, via AXA Health)
Women’s identity
A UCL menopause study (Post Reproductive Health, 2023) found that 62.7% of women found menopause either difficult or very difficult, with many describing it as a “nightmare” and an “awful” experience and lamenting not knowing what to expect. Research published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynaecology also explored how women experience significant identity disruption during menopause — the sense that they don’t recognise themselves anymore is well-documented in qualitative research, even if it’s harder to quantify.
So what am I going to do?
Just before new year last year (on 28th December) I had my first, noticeable menopause symptoms – I woke up at some ungodly hour, crazy thirsty, insanely hot and let’s face it, middle of the night in the UK in December, not the warmest place ever! After 3 nights in a row of disrupted sleep, which I’d initially just put down to excitement about my holiday, I realised it was menopause. Welcome to 2026! Happy New Year Claire! I went to the doctor a couple of months ago (the exhaustion and fatigue are real) and my doctor said it’s because of the age I am and emailed me a few leaflets on menopause. To say I was disappointed, well, that’s an understatement!
I want to advocate for myself, and for my clients, but I can’t if I’m not informed. I can’t provide a safe space, with a knowledgeable background if I’m not educated. So I’m doing a menopause coaching course, essentially putting my money where my mouth is. Over the next few months, whilst studying, I’m going to pivot my business. I’ll still be focusing on supporting ‘mid-life’ women, but through menopause and their feelings of their loss of identity, and how to rediscover it, in a calm and empowering way.
The Menopause Corner: my new community
I would like to build a community to support women – we’re stronger when we support each other. Sometimes there might not be solutions, but knowing that you’re not going through it on your own, I hope, will provide some comfort. So please come and say hello in my new Facebook group – The Menopause Corner (it’s still a work in progress, so also, please be patient). Over the coming weeks, there will be more content in there, I’ll create a welcome video and invite you to say hello and let’s go on this journey together. If you have any questions, please reach out. I may not always know the answers, but I will find them out and if you want a virtual cup of tea, or a virtual hug, I can absolutely do that!