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In June 2022, Amanda Curwood’s life changed in a way she hadn’t planned for. A diagnosis of Long COVID marked the start of a frustrating search for answers. In time, it would also lead to something new – Plan B Coaching.
At the time, though, it didn’t feel like a beginning. It felt more like being stuck in the unknown. She spent months moving between specialists, trying different treatments, and hoping something would finally make sense.
“Honestly, you name it, I’ve tried it,” she says.
But nothing quite explained what was happening. And nothing seemed to fix it.
Then, in late 2025, things shifted again.
New symptoms led to a diagnosis of cervical myelopathy, followed by surgery. It raised more questions than answers about what had been going on all along. Over time, though, Amanda’s thinking changed. The need for a clear label mattered less than the reality of living with the symptoms.
“I got to a point where I thought, look, regardless of what the condition is, stop trying to label it,” she says. “Work with what your symptoms are, and how you get on with life.”
For a while, things started to feel more normal again. In 2024, her symptoms eased. She got back to exercising, horse riding, and doing the things she loved.
But it didn’t last.
When her health dipped again, so did everything she’d planned. “That whole depression, frustration, and disappointment came flooding back,” she recalls.
That’s when she made a decision.
If she couldn’t push herself physically, she would challenge herself in a different way. So, Amanda signed up to study for a coaching diploma.
Coaching wasn’t new to her. She’d spent 15 years doing it in the corporate world. But this time, it felt different. It was personal. And, from there, Plan B Coaching began to take shape.
Right now, Amanda describes Plan B Coaching as being in its early stages. It’s a business she’s building alongside her existing professional commitments. But there’s already a clear sense of purpose behind it. She wants to support people living and working with chronic illness – especially those who feel stuck, or as if their world has shrunk.
Spend any time online, and she says you’ll see it clearly. Messages suggesting that once illness arrives, everything else is over. That’s exactly what she wants to challenge.
“My mission is to help people develop a different mindset,” she says. “Yes, your life may be different, but it’s by no means over.”
She’s already created three coaching offers, designed to support people through weekly or bi-weekly sessions. Most will run in the evenings, around the realities of working life and fluctuating energy.
At the same time, she’s building a website and developing the brand. Even social media is something she’s learning from scratch. “I’m a complete dinosaur with social media,” she laughs. “But I’ve made a start.”
The business is very much a work in progress, and she’s open about that. Like many startups, Plan B Coaching is evolving as it goes. And that’s part of why the environment around her matters so much.
After years of working from home, Amanda knew she needed something different. Not just a desk, but something that felt more human. “Because of my illness, there are times when I literally don’t leave the house,” she says.
Working from home had its benefits, but it could also feel isolating, especially on lower energy days. She started looking for somewhere else to work, but most places didn’t feel quite right. Some were too far away, and others felt too disconnected from people.
Then she found The Business Village.
The decision came down to a few simple things. It needed to be close to home, feel like a community, and, importantly, be dog friendly. “The big deal-breaker was it being dog friendly,” she says. “Honestly, if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.”
But beyond the practical details, there’s something else driving the move. It’s about routine, and a shift in mindset.
“It’s the whole ‘I’m going to work’,” she says. “Getting ready, leaving the house, and having a space that feels separate from home life, even if it’s only a short drive away.”
There are also the everyday things that make a real difference when you’re running a business on your own. Free parking removes hidden costs, and 24-hour access gives her the flexibility to work around her own schedule, especially in the evenings.
Then there’s the café, the shared spaces, and the possibility of simply bumping into other people. That sense of connection is something she’s genuinely looking forward to.
“I really want to gain connections and make new contacts,” Amanda says. “Right now, most of my work happens online. It’s just me, my partner, and the occasional helping hand from ChatGPT.”
Moving into The Business Village changes that. It brings people into the picture. People who understand what it takes to build something from the beginning.
“I don’t have any of that at the moment,” she adds. “I’m kind of winging it.”
But that’s starting to change.
For Amanda, Plan B Coaching is more than just something she’s developing. It’s a purposeful business in development. The longer-term goal is to grow it into something sustainable, that supports more people over time.
“Ultimately, I’d like to grow Plan B Coaching into a well-established business that reaches more people who need this kind of support,” she says.
Her current niche focuses on supporting people living with chronic illness, but Amanda can see it growing beyond that. Corporate coaching is one possible next step, as well as partnerships with organisations and wider networks.
“The opportunities are endless,” she says. “It’s just how I get there.”
For now, the aim is to build the business steadily, work with new clients, and keep learning along the way. And to do it in a way that feels right, both professionally and personally.
Because for Amanda, Plan B Coaching isn’t really about having a backup plan.
It’s about what happens when everything changes – and finding a way to move forward anyway.
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