Welcome to Unpause Your Dreams™

Unpause Your Dreams™ (UYD) is a career & small business coaching & consulting agency just outside of Charlotte, NC.

UYD was created in 2020, by Charlene Ridley to inspire & empower people to stop settling in life, to unpause your dreams & dare to live NOW.

UYD offers 1:1 & group coaching, workshops and events (virtual & in-person).

Whether enrolled in coaching for career or business goals, UYD clients transform their lives forever.

They attract more opportunities, experience greater work satisfaction, increase their income & long-term earning capabilities, improve their quality of life & expand their influence.

I am Charlene Ridley.

Coach. Strategist. Speaker. Wife. Mom of 3. Lover of God, life and people.

I started my journey in 2000 writing resumes to help friends and co-workers set themselves apart & get higher paying jobs. Over the past 20+ years, I developed a knack for recreating myself, trying new ventures and living out my dreams.

I’m a serial entrepreneur, started five businesses, got an MBA, served on non-profit boards & held at least a half-dozen corporate positions. I’ve been a FINRA licensed trader, a career services professional at local college, real estate broker, and most recently a strategy & analytics manager at a Big Four firm.

My favorite part of every experience has been working with people.

Leading. Developing. Strategizing. Empowering them to reach their goals.

So, I’ve technically always been a coach. But in 2016, I made it official and coached my first group program with almost 200 participants. It was an incredible, life changing experience, not just for them but for me too.

In January 2023, I left my corporate job to pursue my new dream of career & small business coaching full-time.

My prayer is to have a lasting impact on everyone I meet. Everyone deserves to achieve their dreams and I am using everything I have learned to lead the way.

Coaching & Consulting

1:1 Coaching

Career or Small Business Coaching is a fully customized, highly interactive experience that is offered in a 3 month container and is best suited for those with career development goals, those looking to transition into new careers or exit corporate America and those looking to start a new business. This coaching includes:

  • 12 – Weekly 60 minute coaching calls or in-person meetings
  • 12 – Call recordings (if virtual & desired)
  • 12 – Weekly HW Assignments customized to your individual needs
  • Messaging Support between calls

Group Coaching

90 Days to Dream is a rigorous group coaching program that is offered 3 times a year. In this program clients choose a career, business or life goal, create a strategic plan and go all in to make the dream a reality in 90 days. Included in this program:

  • 1 – Workbook
  • Dream Strategic Plan (DSP) Development & Review
  • 12 – Weekly 60-minute group coaching calls
  • 12 – Call recordings
  • 2 – Guest Speakers Masterclasses
  • Slack Messaging support
  • Community

Small Business Consulting

Small Business Consulting is a project-based offering that is perfect for Solopreneurs/Single Partner LLCs that are looking to scale their business but are lacking structure, operational framework, technology, processes and support to do so seamlessly.

Speaking

Signature Keynotes

Find Another Way

Overcoming Obstacles to Create Your Dream Life

Reinvented

Mastering the Art of Personal Transformation

Winning the Day

Unleashing the power of focus in turbulent times

Dream B.I.G (For kids 9+)

3 steps to making any dream a reality

Workshops & Panel Discussions

On resilience, effective communication, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, personal/professional development, benefits of professional coaching and growth mindset.

Email that will change your life.

Sign-up & get weekly emails to help you achieve your dreams (whatever they are).