Skip to the content

About Elizabeth

I help smart, capable women break free from the impossible standards and competing demands that make being your own boss unsustainable.

My name is Elizabeth Hope Derby. I’m a highly responsible woman, and I’ve made it my mission to help people like you and me break free from the trap of self-created misery in business.

TO BE CLEAR, I do not think that you or I am at fault for feeling overwhelmed and overworked on a daily basis. For people like us, it’s practically inevitable. We’re taught to care for everyone and everything, and our big hearts and creative, strategic brains push us to do it well. Those impossible standards and competing demands get baked into business and show up in all the ways we’re used to working and performing.

As a coach and strategist, I put you back in control of your choices and how you feel in your day-to-day work life. I do it by spotting the patterns, stories, and structures that keep you stuck in the grind, as well as the ideas and opportunities that light you up and can set you free.

My zone of genius is seeing possibilities you can’t see because you’re too close to your situation. I help you get clear on what you genuinely want and figure out how you can make it happen in a way that works for your brain, bandwidth, and season of life.

Think of me like a GPS that spots the traffic jams in your brain and shows you shortcuts to being happier and more successful at work.

You’ve been taking the long, stressful route because you thought it was your only option. I show you the faster, more enjoyable paths to doing work you love and can sustain for the long haul.

When you’re a highly responsible woman, running your own business tends to drain your spark. 

Just like mother flamingos lose their pink color while feeding their babies, it’s natural to give so much to your work you become depleted.

Folks in the mom community talk about “getting your pink back”, but whether you’re a mom, a cool aunt, or a compassionate human in a needy world, you need your spark back, too.

As a business owner myself (and a mom of two little boys), getting my spark back is non-negotiable. The same is true for you. Because this process is about more than you and me feeling good (though that’s an important part of it). 

When women like us stop sacrificing our whole beings to the survival and service of others, we model self-respect and grounded generosity instead of just talking about it. 

Doing this work is how you become able to keep showing up for your clients, your loved ones, and your communities—and actually enjoy your life along the way.

Ready to get started?

REDESIGN MY BUSINESS

My Background

I started my career at International Flavors and Fragrances, a Fortune 500 company. Worked my way up from temp to marketing analyst, creating brand concept presentations for major consumer brands like Procter & Gamble and SC Johnson.

I left a clear corporate trajectory to build something different—a business that gave me creative freedom and time flexibility. Starting in 2011, I freelanced as a small business brand strategist and website copywriter. In 2017, I embraced my love of coaching and began working in earnest with women entrepreneurs on their business setup, growth mindset, and creative fulfillment.

I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore, but today I live in Charlottesville, Virginia with my husband and two little boys. You can find me reheating my coffee, pulling oracle cards, and chasing my next belly laugh.

Ready to make your business work for YOU?

REDESIGN MY BUSINESS