Daily Inspiration: Meet Fiona Fidgett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fiona Fidgett.

Hi Fiona, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story is not linear. It has pivots, uncomfortable truths, moments of chaos, a lot of self-reflection and a move across the world that I never expected. Through all of it, I have always had a quiet sense of faith. Something in me has always believed that every chapter, both the beautiful parts and the messy ones, was leading me somewhere I was meant to be.

I grew up in a hardworking family. My mum and dad did everything they possibly could to give me and my sister opportunities they never had themselves. They worked round the clock for years to afford music lessons, sports, school activities and experiences that helped us build confidence and skills. Now, at 32, I see the impact of that so clearly. The resilience and work ethic I carry today are a direct reflection of the sacrifices they made.

Music was my entire world growing up. I earned a place at the Royal College of Music as a voice student, which was an enormous achievement, and for years I believed that was the path I would follow for the rest of my life. But underneath the confident exterior, I was insecure and constantly seeking validation. Music school magnified those feelings. Being judged for your voice is incredibly personal, and surrounded by people who seemed flawless and effortlessly talented, I often felt like the odd one out. Of course everyone had their own insecurities, but I could not see that at the time.

When I was offered a place on the masters program, I realized I could not afford to take it, and beyond the financial reality, I can now admit that I was not mature enough or fully committed to continue down that path responsibly. I didn’t yet understand that the life of a professional singer requires total dedication, relentless focus and the willingness to compete with thousands of people for very few opportunities. I wanted the dream more than I wanted the lifestyle. Looking back, I am grateful my path shifted, because my place ultimately went to someone who was truly ready to give everything to that world. I was not that person yet.

This turning point led me to Maersk, a global shipping company I had never heard of because I had lived in a music bubble for so long. I quickly discovered that the soft skills I had developed through music, such as communication, adaptability and performing under pressure, translated surprisingly well into project management. I found myself working within their cyber recovery program after a major attack, surrounded by Deloitte consultants who seemed like absolute rockstars. Even then, I had an instinct that I would thrive long term on the client side.

I moved to Vodafone next, stepping into larger programs and more responsibility. Then the pandemic arrived, and overnight everything became remote. It was grounding and destabilizing at the same time. That period forced me to finally acknowledge my anxiety, something I now realize had been with me since childhood.

This time also reshaped how I viewed friendships. In my twenties, I was not always a great friend. I was insecure, overwhelmed and still figuring myself out. Under different circumstances, maybe I would still be close with people from school, but I needed distance to grow. It wasn’t about running from anyone. It was about facing myself. That space eventually allowed me to show up as someone capable of forming healthy, genuine and lifelong friendships, like the one I built with Zoe at Vodafone who remains one of my closest friends today.

Meeting my husband, Scott, marked another major turning point. He came from a very tough background and built his financial independence entirely from scratch. He opened my eyes to a version of adulthood I had never considered. Until then, my outlook on life was simple. Find a job, pay off a mortgage by my fifties, take a couple of holidays a year and maybe get a dog. He showed me what was actually possible. Concepts like financial freedom, investing and passive income were completely new to me. I still don’t understand why these things are not taught in school.

Around this time, we also started renovating properties, saving aggressively and working incredibly hard toward something bigger. It was not glamorous. At one point I was working a full-time tech job, teaching music in the evenings and taking on additional hours for a startup called 1DS Collective, founded by a long-time friend of Scott’s. That opportunity became a major fork in the road for me. It brought me into the marketing and creative world, which turned out to be the perfect blend of the skills I naturally enjoyed, including storytelling, strategy, organization and working with people.

During lockdown we took on a huge renovation project, a house the council had declared unlivable, and rebuilt it from the ground up. Around the same time, I began therapy with an incredible woman named Bridget. She helped me understand my anxiety, set boundaries and make choices based on what I truly wanted rather than what would make everyone else comfortable.

Once the house was finished, we rented it out, packed a suitcase each and flew to Los Angeles for a few months to test the waters. We planned to return home afterwards, but we also wanted to see what life could look like if we were brave enough to explore something completely different. While we were out here, my work with 1DS opened the door to the media and marketing world, and it planted the first real seed that this could be a long-term chapter for us.

Eventually, we returned to the UK for a couple of years while we processed our long-term US visas. During that period we found ourselves living in Wellingborough, and that’s where CrossFit came into our lives. We joined a local gym called Nene Training and it changed so much for me. I hadn’t prioritized my physical health for years, and stepping into that community rebuilt my confidence in ways I never expected. CrossFit gets teased for how much people talk about it, but go to a few classes and you’ll understand why. It pushes you, humbles you and shows you what you’re actually capable of. It supported my mental health massively and became a grounding force for us during a period of waiting, planning and preparing for the next leap.

When we finally received our visas and made our official move to the United States, finding a CrossFit community was a big factor in maintaining our long-term health and also in building new friendships. We eventually discovered Team RepScheme in Los Angeles, and it has become a huge part of our life here. The community, the energy and the consistency of showing up have made this move feel far more grounded and far less overwhelming.

As I settled into life in LA, my career naturally evolved. My work with 1DS opened the door to the marketing and media space, which led me to Asian Media Group and eventually to my current role as a Marketing Manager with VCA Animal Hospitals, part of Mars Veterinary Health.

I never planned any of this. My husband was absolutely the catalyst who opened my eyes to possibilities I didn’t know existed. But what truly surprised me was my own ability to become a full force behind that ignition. I realized I could bring people together, move ideas from concept to completion, keep momentum going and see things through in a way that felt completely natural. I had no idea that the combination of skills I had gathered throughout my life was perfectly suited to these endeavors, but the more we built, the more it made sense. I am grateful we made these decisions together, because without those leaps, my life would look very different today. And now, when I look in the mirror, I see myself clearly through and through. I feel proud of the woman I have grown into, because she was always there. I just needed the space, the work and the courage to finally become her.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but I am actually grateful for that now. The challenges were the parts that forced me to grow up, face myself and build resilience I did not even know I was capable of.

In my early twenties, the biggest struggle was honestly my own mindset. I was insecure, constantly comparing myself to others and seeking validation in all the wrong places. It took years to unravel that and to understand why I behaved the way I did. Therapy played a huge role in helping me realise that the anxieties I carried started long before adulthood, and that burying them only made life harder.

Another challenge was navigating major career shifts while still figuring out who I was. Leaving the world of music felt like a failure at first, even though I knew deep down it was not the right long-term path for me. Starting again at a global company like Maersk was overwhelming. Imposter syndrome was loud. But every time I stepped into something unfamiliar, I learned I was capable of far more than I thought.

Financially, the property journey was incredibly demanding. There were years where I worked a full-time job, taught music in the evenings and took on additional work for 1DS just to make big moves possible. Renovating homes on limited budgets, living through construction, saving aggressively and often feeling stretched thin emotionally was not glamorous. It was exhausting and tested me and my husband in ways neither of us expected.

Moving to a new town where I knew no one was another major challenge. I felt lonely at times, especially when Scott had to work away. That space, however, forced me to learn how to build healthier friendships and to show up differently from the person I had been in earlier years.

The move to Los Angeles was its own obstacle course. It meant leaving behind everything familiar, stepping into a completely different culture and rebuilding both my career and community from scratch. It was risky and uncomfortable, and a lot of people thought we were making a mistake. But those risks shaped me into someone far more grounded and confident.

So no, it has not been smooth. But every struggle came with a lesson that shaped the person I am now. Without those difficult chapters, I would not have the clarity, self-belief or strength I carry today. The challenges are where I actually found myself.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Today I am a Marketing Manager with VCA Animal Hospitals, which is part of the Mars Veterinary Health family. I focus on national marketing initiatives across the United States, working with an incredible team of people who all share one goal: making the world a better and healthier place for our pets. As a lifelong animal advocate, stepping into this space genuinely feels like a dream come full circle.

Supporting the health and wellbeing of pets connects deeply to my values and the experiences that shaped my respect for animals from a very young age. Because as a kid, I loved being around animals. It was the one place I felt completely at ease. I grew up surrounded by cats, dogs and horses (at the local stables sadly not in the back yard, although I did try to convince my Dad the garden shed could fit a little horse..), and I spent summers on my grandparents’ dairy farm in Ireland which opened my eyes up to caring for working animals and taught me how much care, consistency and compassion animals deserve.

Before university, I worked as a veterinary receptionist in a local hospital, which strengthened that foundation even more. It showed me firsthand how much animals give us in return. They ask for nothing and yet they offer everything, from daily unconditional love to the incredible ways they support us in frontline, medical and service roles. Being part of their care feels meaningful because it honors the trust they place in us.

That is why my role at VCA means so much to me. It gives me the opportunity to bring together everything I have learned throughout my career, from program management and organizational change to people focused work and marketing. I get to apply a well rounded skill set toward initiatives that genuinely make a difference for pets, hospital teams and the clients who love them. It is the kind of work that motivates me on a deeper level because it feels grounded in purpose.

When it comes to what sets me apart, I think it is the blend of creativity, empathy and execution I bring into every project. I care about the quality of the work, but I care just as much about how people feel throughout the process. I want teams to feel supported, aligned and confident from start to finish.

I am most proud of the fact that my career did not follow a traditional path. I built it by staying curious, by being willing to learn, and by trusting that the skills I had collected along the way could be used in meaningful ways. Now I get to bring those skills into a mission that matters, and that is something I am deeply grateful for.

What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is health, happiness and the wellbeing of the people I love. Everything else sits on top of that foundation. The more life I experience, the more I realise that no achievement, title or milestone means very much if you are not healthy, emotionally grounded or surrounded by people who genuinely support you.

I have also learned that wellbeing includes striving toward financial stability and eventually, financial freedom. Not in a materialistic way, but in the sense that having enough to feel secure, reduce stress and create options for your future has a huge impact on your overall health. Money itself is not the source of happiness, but the stability it provides absolutely influences your ability to live with less pressure and more presence. While we are still young, my husband and I are putting in the hours, building smart habits and laying the groundwork so that one day we can hopefully build our own family and give them the strong foundation that will help them thrive.

Another thing that matters deeply to me is choosing work and environments where I know I can add real value and feel proud of what I contribute every day. I care about being part of something meaningful, working alongside people who inspire me and growing my career in a direction that aligns with my values. Feeling fulfilled in the work I do, and knowing that it makes a genuine impact, is a huge part of my overall sense of purpose and wellbeing. At VCA, I feel that alignment very strongly.

Ultimately, what matters most to me is creating a life where I feel balanced, respected and connected. It is being present with Scott and when possible our families in the UK, nurturing the friendships that truly matter, growing in my career and moving toward a future that feels stable and purposeful. When those pieces are in place, everything else becomes much easier to navigate and enjoy.

Contact Info:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-caroline-fidgett-918953ba/