Boundary hopper left structure for instinct.
Now shapes unformed leadership.
In 2019, I walked away from the last full-time job of my 24-year career. I wasn’t burnt out or lost - I simply knew I hadn’t fully honoured the entrepreneurial spirit that had quietly powered me all along.
I had no neat answer for what would click. Just one principle: whatever came next had to use all of me - my passion in people, my skills, my hard-won lessons, my fulfilment and regrets alike.
Today, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be - making future leaders, or as I like to call them, Leaders-in-the-Making. I turn their natural leadership instincts into confidence that speaks and influence that lasts.
Great leaders helped me see my natural instinct:
✅ One told me to embrace my “karma” of not fitting into the mainstream - nudging me to own my uniqueness instead of being demoralised.
✅ Another took a chance on me for a role I had never done before. That belief changed everything.
✅ My General Manager called me a “wild horse” but knew how to guide me without breaking my spirit. That trust empowered me to set industry precedents.
✅ Another placed his unwavering trust in me when my supervisor resigned on my first day at work - leaving me to navigate an unfamiliar role she promised to train me into.
✅ A simple remark - "You have a knack for creating something out of nothingness" - made me see my entrepreneurial nature. It was no wonder that I had found myself at the forefront of new beginnings - launching hotels, a consulting firm, a department within a government agency, and eventually, my own coaching practice.
✅ 20 years later, a former leader told me, “I couldn’t find another Candice.” That reaffirmed what I had always known: My value isn’t in fitting into a box but in breaking the mould.
Born in a generation that prized specialists, my career leaps as a ‘boundary hopper’ made little sense on paper. But every pivot taught me to trust instinct over playbooks.
That same instinct now fuels the way I coach - and the unorthodox perspectives I offer.
The Hands-on Strategist
Instinctive as I may be, I spot patterns in complexity, shape solutions from what's available, and uncover opportunities others overlook.
In fast-moving situations, I manage shifting variables, craft fresh options, and build the right partnerships to keep things moving. I align resources quickly while staying focused on the big picture.
I thrive in dynamic settings, offering unorthodox perspectives that challenge outdated norms and push beyond conventional thinking.
That instinctive strategist in me didn’t just shape those career wins - it’s also how I help visionary CEOs bring their boldest ideas to life. I turn big-picture thinking into tangible actions, bridging the gap between vision and execution with speed, clarity, and unrelenting momentum.
The natural gift that empowers me to coach
My instinct and deep emotional connection let me spot untapped potential.
🔹 I thrive in one-on-one connections, even in a crowd.
🔹 I build bridges and connect people.
🔹 I instinctively see strengths in others and unlock their potential.
🔹I thrive in reflecting and distilling clarity and actionable insights from complexity.
🔹 I trust my instincts and lead with confidence in uncertainty. Because of my certainty, I lead the way for others.
It’s this instinctive clarity and deep connection that empower me to unlock what’s often hidden - helping my clients see themselves more clearly, trust their own voice, and move forward with conviction.
The Quiet Kingmaker
Becoming a strengths mentor-coach for emerging leaders is a calling in hindsight - one that validated everything I’ve built so far. My first batch of coachees affirmed that this is exactly where I need to be.
So here I am, for Leaders-in-the-making: scale-up CEOs, entrepreneurs, newly minted managers, young adults alike.
In a world advancing at breakneck speed, we need more than powerful technology - we need leaders with the heart to use innovation for the right purpose. I believe in nurturing future leaders at their emerging stage, because some things are too costly to unlearn later.
The transition from being an employee to being a solopreneur coach wasn’t smooth. Coaching came naturally, but running a practice didn’t. I started small, tested and refined every idea, and found my niche.
That’s me walking my talk - turning my own natural instinct into confidence that speaks and influence that lasts. I shape unformed leadership in the trenches with them, every single day.
Top 5 Cliftonstrengths themes: Connectedness | Strategic | Responsibility | Relator | Arranger
MBTI Profile: INFJ (The Advocate)
Top 5 VIA Character Strengths: Love | Spirituality | Creativity | Perspective | Honesty
Reach out for a conversation.
My collaborator says
When Candice, a trusted friend and former supervisor, invited me to co-build her coaching website with her, I was taken aback by the request to work with someone whose only experience in building sites was for my personal portfolio and for the animal shelter I serve.
I repeated these to Candice, and she was even more enthused. “I’m not looking for a seasoned web designer,” she told me. “I am looking for someone who I know has the guts to try new stuff with me; doesn’t matter if it’s how ‘typically’ webpages are designed.”
Puzzled but intrigued by the prospect of an adventure, I agreed and we set off.
Through countless iterations, I got to understand Candice’s coaching approach - always questioning assumptions and embracing the unconventional. True to The Unorthodox Coach, she blends action-driven experience with reflective wisdom. Now I see why she chose to work with me - she knows that sometimes, the ‘non-conventional’ path is the best one - even if it means asking her web designer to leave a message on her About page!
And so this is the fruit of our labour. Candice and I are proud of our effort - an authentic, heartfelt offering that communicates sincerity and earnestness; showcases collaboration and comradeship; and in my view, a true representation of Candice’s fun, energetic, unorthodox spirit.
Genine Loo, Designer of “Candice Lim: The Unorthodox Coach”