What a naked bike ride taught me about business
Would you ride a bike naked through central London?
I did. A few days ago. And I’m still buzzing with joy! 😄
Let me explain.
Back in 2005, I took part in my first Naked Bike Ride as a student in Southampton. I was 21 - a medical student with high hopes and dreams. Idealistic, playful, slightly nervous, but mostly excited by the idea of doing something fun, liberating, and wildly unconventional.
It felt incredible.
Freeing. Rebellious. Human.
I remember thinking what an act of self-acceptance it was - to show up exactly as I was and ride a bike naked around my university town. What a liberating experience! 🚴♀️
Since then, I’ve always wanted to do it again. But year after year, life got in the way: work, obligations, expectations.
This year, exactly 20 years later, I finally did it again, only now as a 41-year-old woman, a business owner, an ex-military doctor, and a coach.
Professional Image vs Authenticity
Back then, my main worry about doing a naked bike ride was my body - how it looked, how it compared. I was very self-conscious at the time.
This time, 20 years later, I found myself thinking less about my body (I've done a lot of personal development work around self-acceptance), and more about something else: my professional image.
Would people take me seriously if they saw this?
Would they judge me? Would it hurt my reputation?
After all, despite building a life and business that are very much on my own terms, I still deeply value professionalism, and showing up for my clients with integrity, in a way that builds trust and genuine relationships.
As a doctor and ex-army Captain, I was trained to wear a very specific kind of professional mask.
It’s taken years of mindset work to separate my identity from my job title, and to embrace all of who I am.
This bike ride made me reflect again on that delicate balance:
How do we show up fully and authentically, while also maintaining the level of professionalism we’re proud to uphold in our work?
It’s a question I’ve wrestled with many times, especially coming from a background in medicine and the military, where professionalism often meant hiding your personality, your quirks, even your humanity.
For a long time, I thought I had to choose between the two:
Be professional or be real.
Be credible or be vulnerable.
But over time, and through a lot of inner work, I’ve come to realise that true professionalism isn’t about being polished or perfect.
It’s about being grounded, clear, consistent, and in integrity with your values.
Now, I define professionalism as:
✅ Showing up with care and commitment
✅ Following through on what I promise
✅ Creating a safe, respectful space for others
✅ Leading with compassion, courage, and honesty
✅ Upholding professional and ethical standards
And none of that requires me to hide who I am.
In fact, the more I’ve embraced my whole self - the doctor, the coach, the rebel, the empath, the adventurer, the stronger my client relationships have become.
Because people don’t trust you because you look perfect. They trust you because you’re real, present, and aligned with what you stand for.
So now, I don’t see authenticity and professionalism as opposites.
I see them as two sides of the same coin.
And I’ve built a business, and a life, where I don’t have to choose.
Business Insights from my Naked Bike Ride
Here’s what I’ve come to realise:
🚲 Building a business is a lot like riding a bike naked.
You feel utterly exposed, especially when you first start showing up online.
You feel utterly vulnerable, especially when you launch something new or begin embodying a new identity.
You wonder if people will judge you or laugh at you.
But when you do it anyway, when you stop hiding and start showing up fully, something shifts.
You start to feel free.
You stop performing.
You reconnect with the joy of doing things your own way.
You remember who you really are.
You start to feel empowered ⚡️
I didn’t do this ride to reclaim something I’d lost.
I did it to honour everything I’ve built, and the person I’ve become.
This wasn’t some moment of rebellion.
It was a continuation of how I live every day:
With agency.
With freedom.
With unapologetic self-expression.
I also did it for fun, because it’s okay to do things simply because we enjoy them! 💃
This ride reminded me that:
None of this came easily, it took years of fear, trial and error
I’m still learning how to hold that balance every day
I aim to embrace imperfection, and in doing so, I can help others give themselves permission to do the same
It's a non-negotiable for me to live by my values, authenticity, freedom, fun and connection.
I’ve spent years breaking free from the boxes I was placed in:
Familial expectations, cultural norms, religious roles, and even the outdated meaning around being a 'professional.'
A naked bike ride is just one of the many ways I get to say:
'This is who I am. Unfiltered. Un-armoured. Unapologetic.'
Maybe your version of this isn’t a bike ride, but perhaps it’s finally launching the thing you’ve been quietly dreaming about. Or saying no to what no longer fits. Or showing your face online for the first time.
Whatever your version is, I want you to know: it’s valid. It’s brave. And it’s yours to claim in your own time, in your own way.
Growth and Entrepreneurship
Being a Solopreneur requires courage.
It means doing things people don’t always understand.
It means owning your imperfections, riding through discomfort, and trusting that joy, connection, and success come when you stop trying to look like everyone else, and start riding your own damn bike. 💥
So whether or not you’d ever ride through London naked, I’ll ask you this:
💬 Where in your business (or life) are you still hiding?
💬 What would it look like to show up just as you are, even if you feel imperfect, unready, or exposed?
💬 What would freedom look like for you in your business and life?
Because people don’t connect with perfection.
They connect with real, raw, authentic humans.
And that’s what builds loyalty, community, and true momentum.
To be seen, you have to let go.
To move forward, you have to trust yourself.
And sometimes, the boldest thing you can do… is simply to SHOW UP EXACTLY AS WHO YOU ARE.
If this story resonated with you, hit reply - I’d love to hear from you!
And if you’ve been feeling stuck, invisible, or unsure how to grow your business in a way that feels good, just know - I’ve been there too. And if I can do it, you absolutely can too!
With warmth, wildness, and a whole lot of heart,
Marcela
Business Coach for Women Building Bold, Life-Giving Businesses
💭 Quote of the week:
'The most powerful thing you can be in a world that profits from your conformity, is yourself.'
- Dr Marcela (aka me 😊)
👣 If you’d like to try out coaching for free, click here to book a 30 minute Discovery Coaching Session via Zoom.
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🗣️ My business grows through word of mouth and client referrals. If you know someone that could potentially benefit from coaching, I would be very grateful for your referral. Thank you.
Dr Marcela Aguirre
Helping Overwhelmed Women Solopreneurs Gain the Know-How & Confidence to Build a Sustainable & Scalable One-Person Business | ICF Certified Coach | Doctor | Ex-Military Officer | 1:1 | Group Coaching & Workshops | Speaker
