Career Adventurer Podcast

Sometimes you just need to spread your wings, try something new. That was the case for Shira Averbuch. She had a good gig with Major League Soccer. Yet, she wanted to venture into a new space. She explored a new career adventure.Now, Shira is VP of Innovation & Partnerships with Venture Fuel, a growing professional services company. At Venture Fuel, Shira plays matchmaker. She helps big companies identify partnership opportunities with startups.Shira shares the ins and outs of her journey and some of her career advice on the Career Adventurer Podcast. She talks about how she found her way to fueling Bigco tech after starting her career in publishing. Plus, she shares a few tips that have been useful in her journey.5 Core ThemesShira highlighted a few major themes. Here are five you should take not of in your own career adventures.Ask QuestionsCareer Adventurers ask questions. They ask lots of questions. They continuously seek learning, thus asking questions is critical. They as themselves questions. They ask others questions. Remember, there are no dumb questions. Asking questions is scary. But, if you pretend like you know everything, you will not challenge yourself.“often I'm faced with how do I get smart quickly on an area of technology or even an area of industry and business that I have no background in. I've always kind of had the soft skills of I can listen and ask good questions, but I don't have many of those, those hard skills. I've never been a programmer.”Spreading Your WingsSometimes you just have to spread your wings and soar. You need to fly away from the pond you are currently inhabiting. You know this. Shira knew this. When you share ideas, opinions, and insight and it isn’t taken seriously, it’s a sign you might want to put your talents to use elsewhere.“I just felt as a young professional that I was looking for an opportunity to spread my wings a bit more. I had ideas, had opinions, but then when I'd share them, they didn't really go high up enough the food chain. Nothing would really change. I felt like, ‘Hey, didn't we talk about changing this or doing something a bit more innovative or different?”Project PowerDabbling in a new area with project work is a great way to explore a new space. It’s using the idea of a minimum viable product for your career. Shira talked about doing a project for a prospective company to try it out. Now she is VP of Innovation at that company. You might think you’ll do a terrible job. That’s ok! That’s natural. Find out! How might you dabble in a new space with project work?“I thought, I have no idea if I can do this. So as part of the interview process, we jive from a personality perspective, a way we work, but he gave me a project because again, I didn't know if I could do this whole connecting an enterprise with a startup. And I did the project. I remember thinking this could either be great or just really horrible”Happiness is Day-to-DayWe confuse what happiness means. We think it’s pure joy. The reality is that happiness is day-to-day. It’s about how we approach the opportunities we face. It’s about how we show up and learn. Not every day will be magical. Some will suck. But, when we jump into something we care about and try to make a mark, we look back with admiration.“I'm really proud of my openness to new opportunities and jumping into things that I have no right to be involved in on paper. I feel imposter syndrome like every other day, but I'm proud of the fact that I show up and I want to learn and I want to get better, even when I feel as if I'm in a space that I have no idea what to do.”Courage to AskCurious about leaping into something new? Just ask. Ask someone who is playing in a space that interests you. It takes courage. They will most likely say yes. People are flattered when you want to learn from them. Buy them a coffee or tea. Have the courage to connect.“Good questions from an informational interview is just having the courage to ask someone for their time. I think that is the biggest hurdle to any informational interview is, you look at this person, their title, their resume, they must be so busy. Why would they want to give any time to me?” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com

Think you can’t leap from you steady gig? Wrong! Stuck in a rut of sameness? No need to be! Learn from Christine Fisher, CoFounder and COO of Possip, an Ed-Tech Startup. Before leaping to Possip, she lead Financial Strategy as a Procter & Gamble Finance Director.We recently chatted on the Career Adventurer Podcast. She started her career at P&G. After 13 years, a new adventure awaited. She leapt. Christine ran for Ohio State Representative. That didn’t pan out. So, she put her financial expertise to use with Possip.Listen to the full episode. We talk about how career experiences are like financial investments. We discuss the power of micro moments. We implore you to get outta your bubble. You’re sure to pick up a nugget or three.5 Adventurous Themes(1) Outta the BubbleSticking with your tribe is easy. It’s comfortable. I get it. When I attend a work function or conference, I instinctively desire connecting with those I know best. Staying within your bubble is career atrophy.Christine talked about being caught in a career bubble. She connected with the same people at the same company. She felt her perspective being limited. So, she popped the bubble. She explored.“I was living my life in my twenties and early thirties in my Procter and Gamble bubble - in my bubble of getting engaged and married and starting to have kids.  It finally sort of awakened me at some point to say, ‘Hey, this is probably now the time that I need to go back to that community service side, to that political engagement side.’  So I started to go to conferences around Cincinnati or networking events that were in that space.”(2) Responsibility ExposureOur field of vision expands when we pop our bubbles. We no longer see only the trees. We see the entire forest. This is critical for a career filled with meaning and intrigue.Christine talked about how difficult it is to see job options when we’re young. We know what accountants are. We don’t know all the paths where accounting can lead other than taxes! This isn’t only a challenge in our youth. We find it difficult to see beyond the details in front of us. The solution: hearing from others. Other people’s stories show us additional paths.“I started to see the people ahead of me in roles more senior to me.  It was even more of the same. They were still having those same conversations every year and doing those same tasks.”(3) Set a QuotaTreat networking like your career depends upon it. You know why? It does. If networking is not a habitual part of your schedule, you’re in trouble. Maybe not today or tomorrow. But at some point you will need to tap into your network.Christine sets a quarterly networking goal. For her, it’s 10 people. That’s less than one coffee per week. You have time for one coffee per week with a mentor, friend, new colleague, old colleague, random barista…someone. Set a quota today!“in the first 10 years at P&G, I gave out and collected a handful of business cards, maybe five. We recently moved from Cincinnati to Boston. As we were clearing out my desk, I found the stack of business cards that I've gotten since 2016 when I started on this journey. It’s almost a thousand! That's just one visible metric. I love going to an event and connecting with people.”(4) Micro MomentsMicro moments lead to big things. You hear mentor or you hear influencers and you think of Yoda or Obiwan Kenobi, or you know someone who's sage and been in your life forever.We tend to think big career moves require big moments. This isn’t always the case. Some of the most impactful career adventures stem from seemingly innocuous connections. For example, Christine’s career has been heavily influenced from two brief connections. Two people she barely knew encouraged her to apply to P&G and to consider a startup.“We often think of mentors or people influential in our career as these deep, long-term relationships or meaningful moments. And the two biggest influencers in my career, I would say are barely past acquaintances who I had passing conversations with.”(5) Careers as Investment ExperienceWe tend to isolate the idea of investments to our 401k’s. Money is invested and earns interest or dividends. We collect capital gains. This applies to our careers, too.Each new experience is an investment. Each new skill gained is a bet. The more experiences and skills we collect, the greater value we offer to the market. Continuously expand your skill set. It diversifies our work portfolio. You can still pick a few focus areas, but then identify as many ways to improve as possible.“at 21, I was running a $10 million corporation that had 500 student employees. And so I got a good taste of both the business and the political side in this amazing year.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com

I’m Paul Fisher, self proclaimed Career Adventurer, with 20 years experience navigating a number of successful and unique career pathsWhen was the last time you wondered if you were on the “right” career path? Does it happen in your weekly team meeting? Or, maybe it happens randomly when you are completing some mundane task. For me, it surfaces when I’m questioning the value or the challenge of my work.I started Career Adventurer to help. Many mid-career professionals find it difficult to see the career possibilities within their reach. I know I do. We get lost in the daily sameness of work. We miss the opportunities that are right in front of us. What’s the solution? you ask? Hearing personal stories.Others help us see new paths. We’re lost in what we see. We typically do what we know. Other people’s stories provide a window into a new world. When you see through that window, you may see an entirely different path to take. At a minimum, you’ll see opportunities to improve your current path. This might be all you need.Introducing Season 1 of the Career Adventurer Podcast. It’s six interviews with mid-career professionals embracing possibility in their careers. They are startup founders, ex-corporate leaders, engineers, product managers, marketers, AI gurus, podcast hosts, and, well, human. They are succeeding because they’ve embraced work’s non-linear path. Their stories will help you uncover new career possibilities to pursue.Let’s Get EngagedListening will help you engage. Did you know that most mid-career professionals are not engaged in their work? Work engagement is only increasing with Baby Boomers. What?!?! Boomers are literally in the retirement window. Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z engagement is slipping. Why?There are a number of reasons. For some, it’s simply about clarity of expectations or not being cared about at work. I’m sure the trend of recent mass layoffs hasn’t helped! For others, it’s all about opportunities. Many employers are not providing enough opportunities to learn and grow. Plus, they aren’t putting them in positions that maximize their talents.This is exactly the point of Career Adventurer: to help you hear how people are paving their own way. Hear from people who are finding opportunities to learn and grow on their own. It it’s to be it must be thee. You make your own opportunities. These discussions with real career adventurers who’ve taken multiple, non-linear paths will help you. Listen.Don’t miss a single episode!! Subscribe now. Don’t rely on the algorithm to push this content your way.Cool Guests, Great ContentI’ve got six cool guests to share. Some are ex Big Corporate Leaders from P&G, GE, and PWC, who’ve founded and even exited startups. One has run for office. One is CEO of a digital marketing agency and is paving the way in the Midwest with AI. Another manages water systems that are over 100 years old. One is a former soccer player who worked at the MLS but now leads an Innovation firm that partners with some of the world’s leading companies.They have unique stories with common threads. Each one has taken a non-linear path. They started their careers along one path but found their ways to others. Some times the steps were difficult and unclear. Some times they had to go backwards to find their way. Nonetheless, each one is pushing forward with passion and purpose today.We talked topics like making the leap, networking, getting fired, networking, starting a business, imposter syndrome and more. Here are six interesting nuggets you will hear when you tune into the series:Outta the BubbleMost of us live in a bubble. We sit in sameness. We interact primarily with only those in our direct work world. We typically only leave the bubble if we’re forced out. Is this you?One of the guests talked about how she forced herself out of the bubble. Forcing herself out lead to a new adventure in politics and now co-leading a startup. She provides some great thinking on how to get out of your everyday space to explore.Master Informational InterviewsThe earlier you learn how to do informational interviews, the better. I’m amazed this “skill” isn’t developed by as many people. I get it. We’re busy, don’t have time. But, it’s critical if you want to explore potential career paths.Another one of the guests talked about how she approaches informational interviews. She learned the skill as an undergrad. It enabled her to land a job with the MLS and now leading Innovation with a growing early stage company.Dealing w/Radical CandorI first heard about “Radical Candor” watching a Silicon Valley episode on HBO. (It’s a must watch, a irreverent take on growing a startup in Silicon Valley. Plus, it provides amazing content for presentations!). Radical Candor is all about providing clear, direct, and sincere. It's based on a book by Kim Scott.One guest was told he hadn’t grown as a leader in ten years by a board member. How would you handle being told this? He could have ignored it, but didn’t. Instead he took very specific actions to work on his leadership skills.Imposter SyndromeYou imposter you!!! You suck! You have no clue what you’re talking about!!! You’ve heard these voices before. It’s imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is feeling anxiety about your performance even though you are high-performing and successful. I’ve felt it. You’ve felt it. It’s far more common than you think.It was refreshing to hear at least two of the guests openly discuss it. Both guests talked about how they manage anxiety. Further, they shed light on the fact that others in the room likely think they are the ‘weakest link’ too.Know Your CeilingThere’s a lot of pressure to continuously climb the ladder. We’ve been trained to desperately ascend every rung. We celebrate earning more. We need more people to report to us. Why? Our society extols money, power, and success. Don’t get me wrong. These things do matter. Success is important. But how much?One of my guests talks about his temporary promotion. At first, it’s what he thought he wanted. Overnight he had more than a dozen people reporting to him. Now, much more of his time was dedicated to coaching people. Before, he had more time for project management. He decided that the greater people responsibility wasn’t worth it. He may seek it again in the future. At this point in time, he’d rather have less people management responsibilities.Do it AgainYou’re likely familiar with the saying “Fail Forward.” It’s a great growth mindset thought. Another variation of this is “Do it Again.” I’ve found that to many people “fail forward” means to try something and if you fail use that experience to build to the next thing. It suggests to test, learn, and move on. What about test, learn, and retry.One guest talks about launching her digital marketing company twice. She had to shut it down during the great recession and go back to life in the corporate world. She was down, but not out. Instead of settling back into corporate or focusing on the next thing, she decided to relaunch her company. The second time, she made it more sustainable. She learned from the obstacles and busted through them.Listen to Every EpisodeThese courageous men and women have fascinating stories. As mentioned, they are fascinating mid-career pros. They are pushing themselves in new ways. Most importantly, they are cool people. We can all learn from their experiences to shape our own. I certainly did.Each episode is approximately 35 - 45 minutes. Plus, I’ll include the top five themes and quotes from each interview for you to read in each interview. Last, I’ll provide some potential actions to consider for your own career.I’ll release one episode every week for six weeks. Then, I’ll have a final season recap post with some of the common themes from the interviews. You’ll find them on Substack and major podcast sites like Apple and Spotify.In Startup ModeLast, Career Adventurer is in “startup mode.” We want to help you uncover possibilities in your career. Possibilities that will make it just a little more purposeful. We’d love to hear from you. Send me a message with your thoughts or questions.I’ve already had former colleagues, class mates, and friends reach out after reading. If you know someone who might benefit from hearing other people’s stories, share Career Adventurer with them.Enjoy the season!Paul G. Fisher This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com

Why not have a Fractional Futurist to help your business? Today, there seems to be fractional everything. You may be familiar with the term fractional CFO (i.e. Chief Financial Officer) or CMO (i.e. - Chief Marketing Officer). These part time employees provide value to companies without having to commit to the full cost of hiring them. Kelly Berry has embraced this concept for her own path: being a fractional futurist and champion for small businesses.In Episode 3 of the Career Adventurer podcast, I talk to Kelly about what a fractional futurist is, why she does it, and how her career background and interests led her to where she is today. Kelly used her mathematics background at Nestle early in her career. Then, she found her passion for helping small businesses as life threw her curveballs. She finds meaning in helping small business owners strategically plan for the future. Their survival depends upon it, especially in a technologically supercharged world.As usual, I’ve highlighted five themes from our discussion. Listen to the full episode to gather the most insights to fuel your career adventure. You’re sure to pick up a nugget or three while listening to the episode in your car or on a walk. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com

I recently spoke with Dr. Heather Christman, the Entrepreneurial Ph. D. She currently is a Shopper Insights leader for Bayer Corporation. Heather didn’t start her career with Bayer, though. She is a Ph. D, who began her career guiding undergrads at Miami University in Oxford, OH.Heather completed her Ph. D. with Miami University in Ohio. Her focus: Adult Learning & Development. Heather a self proclaimed Career Adventurer. She also has researched how being a Career Adventurer fits with personal growth throughout our lives.Five themes emerged during our discussion. They ranged from the power of disorienting moments in fueling adventure to the need to embrace freedom. I’ve included an informal poll to hear which theme resonates most with you.Listen to the entire 30 minute episode. We focus on why being a Career Adventurer makes sense from an educational point of view and how she has been a career adventurer in her own life. Your sure to get a useful nugget or three beyond the themes I outline below:Five Overarching Themes:During our time together, we covered how life events shape our career adventures. We discussed how many future careers might not even exist yet due to the volatile world in which we live. We recognized that Career Adventures need helpers, pushers to knock us out of our comfort zone. Five themes emerged during our discussion. A quote from the interview accompanies each theme.Disorienting Moments Fuel Career AdventureDo a Job InventoryChoose Your Own AdventureListen to Pushers and PullersEmbrace Freedom This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com

I had the opportunity to do this with a career adventurer near and dear to me: my mother. I interviewed Dr. Linda Fisher, the Harp Playing Honey Doc, on the first episode of the Career Adventurer Podcast. Enjoy!What’s a Harp Playing Honey Doc?Dr. Linda is an award winning doctor. She has embraced curiosity and learning throughout her career. She learned to play the harp and became a certified harp therapist to supplement her focus as a doctor. She also is a master gardener who manages bee hives.We discuss each of these career adventures during our brief chat. Dr. Linda shares why she pursued each path, how she found them rewarding, and what she specifically did to continue to add variety to her career life over forty years. Listen to our 25 minute conversation. You’re sure to find a nugget or three to inspire your own career adventures. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.careeradventurer.com