We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlene Ridley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlene, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I first started my career, I never thought of starting a business. I didn’t have a business idea, didn’t have the confidence or belief in myself as an entrepreneur, thought there was too much risk and uncertainty in owning a business and preferred the stability of a paycheck. I decided to get in with a good company with a great culture that offered lots of opportunity for advancement. My first job had a toxic work environment. I found another job and the pay wasn’t good. I found another and the work wasn’t satisfying. I went to another looking for the right fit and it was also toxic. For one reason or another found myself stuck in a cycle of always looking for a new job. I didn’t feel valued. I was often given more work without compensation. I was overlooked for promotions and then asked to train the new manager. I didn’t have a work life balance. The corporate world felt like it I didn’t have the freedom to create a life I loved. After years of trying to find a work home—starting my own business seemed like the next best option and a risk finally worth taking. I’d tried the corporate route and it was not for me. I had to try something different.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I started Unpause Your Dreams in 2020 to help people turn their “someday” dreams into right now realities.

The idea came from personal experience. I felt stuck in unfulfilling jobs just to make money and didn’t really know what I wanted. As much as I felt alone in this journey, life has taught me that we all have similar stories so I set out to find others that resonated with my experience. I found that there were many! Like me they felt stuck, with unknown, tabled, forgotten or someday dreams. Their lives looked good on paper, kind of like mine, but on the inside they weren’t happy and were just doing what they had to do to pay bills and/or take care of loved ones.. They, like me, thought that someday—when the money, time or situation was right they’d have the courage to pursue a more exciting, fulfilling life, the life of their dreams..

I started this company to take action toward my own dreams and to empower others to stop waiting and dare to live NOW. There is so much freedom and fulfillment in charting your own course. It’s magical and through this work I get to see people light up with excitement and new found energy as they transition careers, start passion projects and launch new businesses.

The journey hasn’t been easy. I’ve learned that being an entrepreneur is the biggest personal development exercise EVER. You will feel inadequate, inefficient, uncertain, and unequipped at times, and sometimes all in the same day. But just like we learned to be employees, you can also learn to be a boss. You just have to embrace the fact that you are work in progress and keep going.

Another challenge for me came shortly after I left my full time job in 2023. I went full time in Unpause Your Dreams and experiencing incredible success when my 16 year old son died suddenly. My world was shaken and my dream interrupted. I’d gotten comfortable with making big decisions so I implemented an interim strategy and then took off of work for two months to grieve. The most remarkable part of it was that because I’d already been living my dream, I was committed to returning to it—no matter what. And I returned with new inspiration, my son. My brand, my work and everything I do will be done with the joy, confidence, faith and purpose I would have wanted him to live with.

No more self imposed limitations or taking it slow. It’s time to take it up a notch and help even more people unpause their dreams!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have 3 besties and they all have different interests but the one thing they have in common is we are all foodies. When anyone comes to town,  I create a list of all of the new restaurants that have opened in the past few months and we go visit them all. Since we’d be eating a lot, we’d have to add some physical activity —maybe take a Pilates class, do some dance fitness, get a massage, visit the infrared sauna, go for a hike, and if the weather was right do some kayaking. If we still had some energy and wanted to do a few more things we’d check out some live music and/or an old school game room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who supported me becoming the woman I am today. First, God. My faith has been foundational in my journey. My children, they believed in me before I ever did. A transformational leadership program at the Choice Center in Las Vegas–it was the first time I encountered mindset work that would teach me how to believe I had a choice, was worthy of receiving what I wanted and the perseverance needed to go for it. My first personal development coach, Guy Benstead. My first money coach, Lisa Chastain. My dad and circle of friends who encouraged me to go after my dreams.

Website: www.unpauseyourdreams.com

Instagram: unpause_your_dreams

Linkedin: Charlene Ridley

Facebook: Unpause Your Dreams

Youtube: Unpause Your Dreams

Image Credits
Mish Studios @mishstudios

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutTennessee is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.