Career Relaunch®

Sadaf Raza shares what it takes to craft your ideal life working in a way that aligns with your values and priorities. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll talk about figuring out how to balance the competing demands in your professional and personal life.

Sally Chamley shares her journey of professional reinvention, going from a primary school teacher to a business school program coordinator. She shares the emotional challenges of leaving a beloved teaching career behind, the dynamics the transitioning into a new sector, and developing new skills along the way.

Laura McIntyre shares her journey going from professional opera singing to management consulting at a leading professional services firm. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll talk about the important role curiosity plays in opening new career doors.

Dorna Lakayan, an architect who's made multiple international moves, shares her journey of figuring out where she belongs. We'll discuss the challenges of penetrating new professional circles and the emotional dynamics of running your own business.

Sandeep Achanta, a former fitness professional in India turned service designer in the UK describes how you can discover what ignites you, bravely leap into a new professional role, and embrace your unique career journey.  I also share some thoughts on overcoming the mental hurdle of starting over during the Mental Fuel® segment.

Gisela Prunes Garcia shares her journey of moving from Spain to the US then back as she built her career as an HR professional. We discuss the hidden benefits of career transitions and the challenges that come from being in between jobs.

For this special 100th episode of the Career Relaunch® podcast, Anne Tumlinson, ATI Advisory CEO and Daughterhood founder joins us again to share her reflections, perspectives, and lessons learned since being the very first guest I interviewed for this show seven years ago. Then, in the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll share my top takeaways about managing the dynamics of career change that I've learned from the guests on this show.

Broadway musical performer turned web engineer Carla Stickler explains how she managed to balance multiple career endeavors while pivoting into a brand new industry on episode 99 of the Career Relaunch® podcast. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll explain how to embrace and manage the inevitable messiness of career transitions.

Political scientist turned key account manager Claudia Bruce-Quartey explains how self-advocacy can enable you to survive and thrive in a role and industry far outside your comfort zone. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I share some thoughts on how I manage the delicate balance between modesty and self-advocacy.

Irish dancer turned painter Aisling Drennan describes her career pivot from the international stage to the art studio and what it takes to make it in the art world or any new professional endeavor.

Tech product designer Rina Takikawa shares her story of leaving her career as a professional ballerina behind to find more fulfillment in her professional life.

Physician turned medical director Ali Jawa describes his evolution from physician to medical director and explains the importance of setting clear boundaries in your career. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll talk about the concept of defining clear thresholds that trigger you to take action in your career.

HR adviser turned executive coach Maura Lightfoot discusses finding your voice and identifying the common thread across all your experiences. I also share my thoughts on the importance of owning your own narrative during the Mental Fuel® segment.

Stefania Tosini, a press officer turned talent acquisition specialist discusses what she wrestled with when making her decision to move from Italy to Germany during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jenny Goh shares her journey going from researcher to conference organizer to IT project manager and explains the benefits of side hobbies and transitional jobs to your career. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I'll talk about my own hobbies throughout my life have influenced my professional life in surprising ways.

Corporate lawyer turned workplace wellbeing consultant Tom Keya candidly describes his pivot from law into wellness. We discuss the dangerous side of work hustle culture and the hidden costs of relentlessly climbing the corporate ladder. During the Mental Fuel® segment, I describe how to organize your work to ensure you're honoring your professional priorities in the year ahead.

Samantha Tovera-Agustin, an HR professional turned founder explains why she chose to move her entire family from the Bay Area to the Philippines. We'll discuss the challenging balance between work and parenthood, signs that suggest you may need a change in your career, and ways you can prevent career regret.

Kessler Bickford, a magazine editor turned psychotherapist, discusses the challenges of deciding where you take your career when you have multiple interests and the distinction between identifying and actually pursuing your passion.

Melody Mack, an neurodiagnostics business owner turned project manager shares her thoughts on managing your relationship with work, letting go of a business you created, and taking an honest look at who you are.

Assistant professor of economics turned data science practice leader candidly describes his pivot from academia into the private sector. We also discuss the unique challenges of academic careers, the importance of being open to new sectors, and why confidence is one of the most important assets to have during career transitions. During the Mental Fuel® segment, I share my thoughts on what's behind The Great Resignation.

Norma Kimber, an operational excellence director at an established, global financial services firm who pivoted to become a virtual assistant and business owner shares her journey of walking away from her stable, senior role in the corporate world to start her own business.

Making a major geographical move can certainly be exciting but also disruptive, jarring, and disorienting. Becoming a new parent is such a privilege but also life-altering in a way that creates both benefits and challenges. Nicole Webb, a journalist and news reader turned media consultant and author, describes what she experienced when moving from Australia to Hong Kong and eventually China while adjusting to life as a new mother. She'll discuss how she managed to adapt and thrive in the midst of tremendous professional and personal change.

A government defense intelligence officer turned web developer and founder shares her thoughts on building a helpful community, thinking outside of the box, and creating your first website. I also share some thoughts on the importance of being okay with taking imperfect actions and my own challenges I faced building my first website.

Civil engineer turned software developer explains the importance of feeling like you fit into your workplace and the role culture plays in your day-to-day job satisfaction. Afterwards, I'll share my own thoughts on how culture has had an impact on me during my own professional pivots.

Beyond the humanitarian crisis resulting from the invasion of Ukraine, the war there has also taken a huge toll on talented Ukrainians who have had their careers and professional lives fall apart too. Roman Havrysh, owner of the Aimbulance marketing agency in Ukraine and lecturer at Kyiv Mohyla Business School, fled Kyiv after the war began. He describes his story of trying to remain afloat both personally and professionally amid the destruction and tragedy there. We'll talk about what's happened to his agency, team, and own perspectives on his professional future there. I'll also share my thoughts on resilience during times of crisis.

Corporate lawyer turned author and founder Eloise Skinner describes the permanent changes she made to her career during the pandemic. We talk through the challenges of balancing multiple career endeavours, the seemingly inextricable link between our professional jobs and personal identities, and the importance of honoring your own values and interests. In the Mental Fuel® segment, I also describe what I would consider to be one of the biggest professional tragedies during this pandemic.

Tattoo artist turned marketing manager Brad Stewart shares his perspectives on managing the judgments of others and overcoming the stigma of not having a traditional career or education when entering a new industry. During the Mental Fuel® segment, I share my thoughts on how I decide whether to take on or ignore the opinions of others.

Bommy Lee, a journalist turned communications head of a life sciences venture capital firm, shares her career insights on the power of professional relationships when relaunching your career, the importance of reconsidering your earlier career choices, and why being content with where you are doesn't necessarily mean you'll happy with where you're headed. During the Mental Fuel® segment, I address a listener's question about how to figure out your next career move when no particular direction jumps out to you.

Teacher turned marketer Alex Spencer shares her perspectives on the importance of climbing the right career ladder and why she decided that taking a temporary salary hit to pursue more meaningful work was absolutely worth it in the long run.

Teacher turned marketer Alex Spencer shares her perspectives on the importance of climbing the right career ladder and why she decided that taking a temporary salary hit to pursue more meaningful work was absolutely worth it in the long run.

Erika Russi, a former tax consultant turned data scientist, shares her story of managing a medical condition while trying to change career directions. We discuss how your health can affect your career choices, how to manage imposter syndrome when starting in a new role, and why slowing down is okay and necessary in our careers. During the Mental Fuel® segment, I also describe my own tendencies to overwork and why hustling all the time isn't necessarily the healthiest habit in the long run.

Tommy Kelly shares his story of relaunching his career as a nuclear power plant engineer to sparkling drinks company founder. We discuss what it takes to let go of a stable job and how to turn a small idea into so much more. I also discuss a few of the more challenging emotional barriers to overcome during career transitions.

Marketer turned voiceover artist, model, and actress My Ly explains why you should always give yourself the opportunity to try new things out. We discuss the trade-offs of full-time employment versus self-employment versus contract work and the reasons why it's never too late to bravely explore different careers interests.

Marketer turned oncology nurse Pam Katz describes what it takes to start over in your career after a 20 year track record in another industry. We discuss the ups and downs of going back to school mid-career and what it means to do more fulfilling work.

Youssef Salameh, restaurant owner turned realtor describes the emotions and realities of walking away from a career you once loved to pursue something totally different. I also address a listener question about how to balance practicality with aspiration when thinking about your next career move.

Flight attendant turned coder Christine Snow shares her story of walking away from her 7-year career as a flight attendant to explore other interests. We discuss how you can tell whether now is the right time to make a change in your career and also talk through some common hurdles, both emotional and practical, that stand in the way of starting something new. Afterwards, I address a listener question about the other parts of your life you may want to reevaluate when you’re rethinking your career.

With so many people suffering career setbacks during this pandemic, I wanted to share this inspiring story of Aaron Leventhal, a former FlyBe airline pilot turned Tesco truck driver. He shares his story of dealing with personal tragedy, managing career upheaval, and finding a way forward after the recent wave of airline industry layoffs. During the Mental Fuel segment, I also share some examples of my own disappointing professional setbacks and ways I've tried to bounce back from these moments. If you’ve ever been dealt a blow in your own career for whatever reason, I hope you find this episode reassuring, inspiring, and most of all, a reminder that unexpected setbacks are a very normal part of any career journey.

After taking a brief break from hosting this podcast, I've decided to restart the show to feature a few stories of how people around the world are managing their professional lives amid the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, which has created tremendous upheaval and uncertainty not only in people's lives but also their careers. On today's show, financial controller Liya Daskina explains how she's been managing her transition after resigning from her role in the UK so she could move back to Australia only to now find herself in one of the most difficult hiring climates of our lifetime. We discuss how to manage uncertainty and make the most of a difficult time. After our chat, I share an update on how things have changed in my own life over the past few weeks and my perspectives on whether to wait until things blow over with the pandemic or act now to pursue your career ambitions.

You may find yourself wearing different hats in your career if you're balancing different professional identities or just trying to maintain a certain image at work that doesn't always reflect how you're truly feeling inside. Sophie Scott describes how she balances her work as both a psychotherapist and founder of Balance Media. I'll also describe how those who seem to have it all figured out in their careers are often still wrestling with their own struggles behind the scenes.

Career pivots often involve shifting into an industry or role you know little about, which can feel especially daunting. Pip Murray, a science museum producer turned founder of Pip & Nut, shares her thoughts on what it takes to start your own company, how to build your confidence during transitions, and why taking action is so important to turn your ideas into reality. During the Mental Fuel segment, I also share some thoughts about how to do something you have no idea how to do.

Making a major change in your career is a huge undertaking. Legal secretary turned yoga instructor Lola Scarborough explains what it took to get her own yoga studio off the ground, the true realities of reinventing yourself, and why self-belief is so important when making a career transition. We'll also discuss why making a career pivot often takes longer than you imagine and how determination and grit are critical to ultimately achieving your goals.

Having a wide range of jobs gives you with a wealth of valuable experiences, but explaining your career story to others can be difficult. Tod Jacobs explains how he found the common threads in his own career as a journalist turned Wall Street analyst turned rabbi.

We can sometimes get caught up in defining ourselves by our jobs or companies where we work. Ana Wagner, Global Segment Director for PPD Industries shares her story of how going through two layoffs allowed her to step back, gain some useful perspective, and rethink how she chooses to define herself and her priorities in life. I'll also address a listener question about how long you should hang onto a job you dislike.

Your work environment and colleagues have a major impact on who you are and what you think about yourself. Retail merchandiser turned baby sleep expert Tamiko Kelly explains why surrounding yourself with the right people can have a profound impact on your career. I'll share an example of how my own personality changed after working for certain companies, and we'll discuss the steps she took to move from the corporate world to set up her own independent business.

Seeking validation is a natural human desire, yet it can lead you to make decisions that may look good on the outside, but don't make you feel great on the inside. Huron Pines marketing director Colby Chilcote shares her experience of walking away from her reputable marketing role at Google to shift into the nonprofit world and make a lifestyle change. She explains the impact taking a pay cut has had on her life and perspectives about what makes her truly happy.

Investing your energies in only those professional activities that you truly find fulfilling becomes especially important when your health takes a turn for the worse. Investment banker turned nutritionist Caroline Yeats explains why life's too fragile to put off doing those things that truly make you happy and shares why she chose to change career directions after being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in her early 30s.

Your job satisfaction not only affects your life at work, but your life outside of work. Insurance attorney turned public adjustment business owner Michael McEvoy describes why we walked away from his family business, and the impact that decision had on his relationships, family, and health. During the Mental Fuel segment, I also explain how much your job satisfaction can affect your life outside of work.

Navigate the uncertain transition of walking away from one role without having your next one lined up. Former pharmaceutical consultant Kelly Price explains why she chose to leave her corporate role behind to pursue work that more closely aligns with her values.

Finding the healthy balance between pushing yourself and not overextending yourself is never easy. McKinsey consultant turned CEO of PocketSuite Chinwe Onyeagoro will explain how to make tough choices that honor your priorities in life and approach your work with even more joy.

Figuring out whether to turn your side project into your full-time day job is rarely easy. Agency designer turned freelance creative & festival organizer Luke Tonge explains how to tell when it’s time to devote yourself more fully to your side gig. We'll talk about how you can tell when to move on from your current day job, the importance of reminding yourself of your "why," and why stepping out of your comfort zone can be so powerful.

How can you successfully shift roles from a technical to managerial role? How about shifting industries from management consulting to product management? In this episode of Career Relaunch, Jeff Shih, a former Deloitte consultant turned product manager at Unity Technologies shares his thoughts on how to successfully navigate an industry and role shift.