Living the Dream: Women Reinventing Their Careers Abroad | Stories from the French Riviera23 Mar

How 9/11 Redirected a Nicola Horlick-Level Career to Life on the Riviera - Helen Bates

What happens when a high-achieving career no longer aligns with the life you want to build?

In this episode of Living the Dream: Women, Work & Relocation on the French Riviera, Helen shares her journey from a career in finance to building a new professional life in the South of France.

At the start of her career, she had a clear ambition: to follow in the footsteps of Nicola Horlick and succeed at the highest level in finance.

But a pivotal moment, being in New York during 9/11, shifted her perspective. It wasn’t about leaving finance overnight, but about recognising that the life she was working towards no longer matched what she wanted long term.

Together with her husband, she made a deliberate decision to build a different kind of life on the French Riviera: one that prioritised lifestyle, flexibility, and time.

They created a property rental business in Cannes, combining financial planning with a long-term relocation strategy. On paper, everything worked.

But building a life abroad also meant navigating the realities many expats face:

– The complexity of French administration and business set-up – Cultural differences in customer service and professional expectations – A business model dependent on tourism and seasonal income – And the impact of COVID, when travel stopped and their revenue disappeared overnight

In that moment of uncertainty, Helen adapted once again.

What started as a small opportunity through her children’s school evolved into a new career: tutoring English and maths, bringing a renewed sense of purpose and independence alongside the family business.

This episode explores the professional journey behind relocation: how women adapt their careers abroad, how financial realities shape decisions, and how success can be redefined beyond income and status.

A thoughtful conversation about building a sustainable life on the French Riviera, one that truly fits.

This is the full-length episode. If you would like to listen to a condensed 28-minute version, it is available on Living the Dream – Radio Edition.

Living the Dream: French Riviera Podcast Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France. https://livingthedreampodcast.com

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