Career Change Champions

In this episode, Jen Sherwood describes her journey from Pediatric Audiologist to Life Coach. She explains how she quickly experienced burnout in her role as a clinician, and was left feeling confused about how to apply her specialized degree into a new career. She made a pivot within the clinical space and was able to find more balance, however was still left feeling like it still wasn't quite the path for her. Considering she held that career for over 20 years, and the way that motherhood was beginning to shape her outlook on life, and it became very clear that it was time for change. Jen shares the steps she took to determine her next career move, which is what ultimately led her to the joy and fulfillment that she experiences each day as a Life Coach. Funny enough, the steps she took to identify her ideal career matches how I've navigated my own career changes, and the process that I teach my career coaching clients! Enjoy Jen's story, and connect with her at jennifersherwood.com.

A Podcast Mashup! In this episode I sit with Kim Douglas, host of the Bold Like Her podcast, to understand her journey going from radio to real estate. Kim shares how she got into the radio industry (not an easy task), and how she climbed the ranks from an assistant wearing many hats to a morning show host! After discovering her love for real estate, her move from Philadelphia to Massachusetts presented some challenges but, being the bold woman that she is, she was able to grow her success despite that. I then shared with her more about me - how and why I got into providing career coaching services to women, why I'm passionate about it, and what I'm currently seeing in the job market. This episode was so much fun to record, and I just know you'll love it. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving help navigating their job search and gaining confidence in doing so, then schedule a FREE strategy call with me so we can get you the clarity that you need. https://bit.ly/3Or3doY

In this episode, Tonya talks to Shakera Jones of BlackGirlsDineToo - a lifestyle brand, blog, and social media space - who serves as a guide to the wonderful world of high-end food and wine. Shakera shares her love for both the food and wine industry, as well as the Healthcare IT space which is her full-time career. As a Black woman, she describes the importance of representation in the tech space, and how impactful it is for her to have a seat at the table to drive inclusive strategies in the industry. She explains how she organically fell into her career after leaving the Financial and Higher Ed industries. Overcoming impostor syndrome is also a topic that she and Tonya dive into, including how Shakera overcame it fairly recently. This discussion takes a number of twists and turns, so this is definitely one that you won't want to miss! Shakera is the perfect demonstration of pursuing your passion and doing everything that brings you joy both personally and professionally. As you'll hear in her story, this doesn't always mean that you have to drop your full-time career to pursue what you love; you can do both with incredible success and achieve fulfillment in many different aspects of your life simultaneously. Enjoy Shakera's inspiring journey, and encouraging advice. Follow Shakera at on Twitter @BlackGirlsDine2 on Instagram @BlackGirlsDineToo or via her website at blackgirlsdinetoo.com

In this episode, Tonya speaks with Lia Biscardi, Visual Storyteller and Product Photographer, about her journey into her current profession after spending 7 years teaching science to High School and Middle School students. Lia explains how she experienced burnout and attempted various methods to alleviate it including switching schools, therapy, and self-reflection. Though she was experiencing this for some time, she shares how the pandemic really was a blessing in disguise for her as it relates to her career because it's what ultimately led her to create her own space; blending her love of teaching and photography through her own business, Chrome Photo Co. Lia shares a ton helpful tips, including: What to expect when becoming a teacher 3 keys to achieving a positive environment as a teacher The 3 aspects in the cycle of marketing The 3 step process she used to uncover that career change was right for her Connect with Lia on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Kodachromephotoco/ On Instagram @chromephotoco Or directly through her website: https://chromephotoco.com/

In this episode, Tonya meets with Virtual Assistant, Kathleen Ribeiro, to discuss her journey into this field. Kathleen explains how she spent 8 years managing her father's business, starting at a young age. She describes how common this is among those that are born in the US to immigrant parents due to language barriers and the importance of dedication to family in the Latino culture. Kathleen explains the difficult decisions she was faced with after her father sold the business, and how the unhealthy environment that developed under the new management led her to seek fulfillment and take charge of her career. You might be surprised to hear how she discovered the world of a VA; I know I was! It's a reminder that sometimes the smallest messages from the universe come into our lives the moment we need them, we just have to be open to receiving them and taking action. Enjoy Kathleen's story, and follow her on Instagram @_kmservice or check out her Virtual Assistant offerings at kmservice.co

In this episode, Tonya sits with Parent Coach and Hypnotherapist, Stefanie Fernandes to dive deep into how and why she decided to leave nursing and enter what she soon realized was her true passion. She explains how, despite her success in the nursing field, she always felt that she was missing autonomy and true connections with people. Stefanie describes her current work, combining parent coaching with hypnotherapy to break the cycle of generational trauma which often results in dysfunctional parenting. As fellow parents, Tonya and Stefanie also discuss the challenges of motherhood and the importance of looking inward to identify what we need to address in ourselves to be better parents for our kids. Connect with Stefanie on Instagram @hypno_stefanie

In this episode, Tonya speaks with real estate investor, coach, and entrepreneur, Dakota Warkentin to uncover how she went from working as a Physician Assistant in adult and pediatric oncology to becoming a leader in the real estate investing community. Dakota explains how her former career took such a toll on her both mentally and physically that she was forced to take a 3 month leave of absence to nurture her mental health and wellbeing. It was during this time that she uncovered what she valued most in her personal life and career, and that was her time. As such, she decided to take control and leave the medical field to do real estate investing full-time. Dakota shares her advice to others based on her experience, and emphasizes the importance of self-care. Check out her and her partner's company Opinicon Investments, or follow her on Instagram @dakota.warkentin

In this episode, Tonya speaks with Co-Founder & COO of Coologee, and Executive Coach Dino Cattaneo as he talks about his venture into digital marketing and what he loves most about this space. Having worked at the same advertising agency years ago, Tonya and Dino share their mutual interests in understanding their audience and how that transfers into their coaching businesses. As Dino reflects on his own career journey, he shares impactful advice about why the following is key to a successful and fulfilling career: Understand what you want in your career. Seek out companies that reward you for doing the right thing and making others succeed. Ensure that the employer operates in a way that aligns with your values. In addition to this, he also shares great advice on growing your career. This is a conversation you won't want to miss, no matter where you are in your career. Check out Dino's podcast, Authentic Leadership for Everyday People, or contact him at dino@al4ep.com for executive coaching or for marketing services.

In this episode, Tonya sits with her husband, Brandon Montella as he describes the common themes which were always present in his life and led him through various careers. From transitioning from Marine Corps Sergeant into civilian life via various security-based jobs, he realized there was a skill gap that he needed to fill in order to achieve his ultimate dream of being an entrepreneur. As he dove headfirst into field sales, he quickly realized that it was not the path that would lead him to become the family man that he intended to someday be. Leveraging his strengths in building rapport, his passion for being of service to others, and his love for physical fitness, he decided to move into the fitness arena and hasn't looked back since. Now the owner of The Way LLC Fitness & Boxing Gym in Woburn, MA and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Mission Ready, Brandon lives the life of his dreams impacting the lives of others and being both a community leader and family man. To learn more about The Way, Mission Ready, or to simply follow Brandon's many adventures, visit: www.everygoalhas.com www.togetherweare.org Instagram: @everygoalhas facebook.com/everygoalhas

In this episode, Tonya speaks with Wellness Professional, Stephanie Moniuk about her journey which led her from design to owning and operating her own wellness practice Knockout Wellness in Lowell, MA. Stephanie describes how her back injury and discouraging prognoses from doctors led her to take matters into her own hands. She began deeply researching the causes of pain and began understanding the mind-body connection and how that impacts pain. Through her own research and self-practice, her back pain began to subside significantly! So much so, that she was able to take on her long-lasting desire to compete in boxing. That is when fear entered the picture, so again she researched and self-practiced to overcome that. The blend of these two experiences is what she now uses to heal her clients' pain and address deep-rooted trauma. If she hadn't remained mindful about what she was feeling physically and emotionally throughout her life, and if she wasn't proactive in addressing it herself, then her journey likely would've looked very different. For more information on Stephanie and Knockout Wellness, visit http://knockoutwellness.com/

In this episode, Tonya takes a trip down memory lane with her childhood friend and Head of DEI at Amazon Music, Gary Bushrod. Gary talks about his journey from Financial Analyst to Instructional Designer/Facilitator and how he has since taken his training background to a much deeper level. In his current role, he's developing programs to train employees on topics that he cares deeply about; diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to this, he ensures that the proper systems and practices are in place to maximize diversity in their hiring and retention efforts, and has taken it upon himself to be a brand ambassador, influencing others to feel proud to work for Amazon Music. In his personal life he has a passion for travel, so having the flexibility to continue that is something that he has prioritized when making each of his career changes. During this talk, Gary shares impactful advice to others embarking on career change; particularly those that are early in their career, and people of color. Follow Gary and his many adventures all around the globe. Whether he's on vacation or attending the Grammys and other industry events for work, his feed is always full of eye-catching moments. To learn more about Gary, visit garybushrod.com or follow him on Instagram: @catchgifucan