Lessons from a Quitter

We typically have stories of people who have become successful in one type of career and then quit to start over in a completely unrelated field. However, there are people who enjoy the field that they're in but they want to find an alternative way to do the thing they love. Today's guest, Luke, falls into that category. He went to school to be a designer and after college he went on to work for various design agencies. He didn't feel fulfilled in the work he was doing, so after a decade, he decided to go out on his own to become a "fun-lancer".  (Love that). We talked a lot about his journey of switching from the employee mindset to becoming an entrepreneur. He is now a graphic designer and an art director. He spends his time doing things he loves like art directing magazines, lecturing at Birmingham University and putting on amazing events like the Birmingham design festival. He has done incredible things and I think his perspective on how you can use the corporate world to help set you up to go into entrepreneurship or how to plug into those niche communities is such an important lesson for many of us! Here is what we chat about in this episode: Everyone feels like an imposter no matter how much experience you have. Why you should get involved in your community. How it's important to have patience. And so much more! Where to find Luke:   Website: http://www.luketonge.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luketonge/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/luketonge Design Fest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designfestbrum/ Glug Brum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glugbirmingham/ Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Sometimes we aren't fully aware of the hidden skills and interests that reside inside us. And if we don't follow those little sparks of curiosity, we'll never uncover them. That's exactly what happened with today's guest, Kayse Morris started out as an English and Language Arts teacher. She began selling her lesson plans and resources to other teachers as a side hobby. It wasn't her intention to create this into a big business, but it was through starting this side hustle that she discovered a talent and passion for entrepreneurship. In a couple of short years, her side income grew to become more than her teacher's salary! After growing this passion into a profitable side hustle, she decided to walk away from the classroom. She wanted to focus fully on helping other teachers sell their resources so that they can create more income and a life they want. What has happened with that business in less than a year is just incredible! While Kayse had a social media following, and she knew she could teach people what she did, she had no idea how big it would blow up. Within the first time she launched, she started making multiple 6-figures with her course! I think her business and her approach is really such a testament to the fact that there are so many opportunities and things we can if we don't limit ourselves and give in to fear. She really is such an inspiration and I think there is so much we can learn from her story! Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why you should just follow that little spark. How it can be so much better than you've ever dreamed of. No one knows what they're doing! And so much more! Where to find Kayse:   Website: https://kaysemorris.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaysemorris/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachingonless/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gogetterspodcast/ 10 step workbook: https://teachingonless.lpages.co/the-first-10-steps-to-selling-your-teaching-resources-online-lead-magnet Email: kayse@teachingonless.com Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

This week's episode is so special to me. It's a replay of the live podcast episode we recorded at the live event we had back in August. That event was such a surreal and amazing moment for me. It was so cool to meet people from this community and to hear what they're doing, how the podcast has affected them, and so much more. I definitely want to do it again in the new year, so keep an eye out for that! What made this experience so amazing is that I had 4 amazing past guests who joined me on a panel that night: Laurie Rowen, Pye Jirsa, Shinah Chang, and Sara Rezvanpour Rose. They will talk a little bit about their stories in this recording and give a bit of a background into what they do. During the panel, we got into a lot of the common questions that people ask and their different experiences. The advice they have is seriously amazing! Here is what we chat about in this episode: How no one has confidence before they start. How clarity also doesn't come before action. Why you should stop worrying about finding your passion. Guest panel podcast episodes:   Ep. 6 Why you don't need passion to scale a successful business with Pye Jirsa Ep. 9 How Laurie Rowen disrupted the legal profession to create the career she wanted Ep. 22 How Sara Rezvanpour Rose created her dream job as creative counsel at The Jungalow Ep. 31 How Shinah Chang quit the straight path of law for Crooked Calligraphy Resources mentioned: Group coaching waitlist Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

It's not uncommon for people to stick with careers they're unhappy with just because they aren't sure what else they'd do, especially when it comes to "finding your passion". But what if you know what you're passionate about but you're still unsure about taking that path? On today's episode, Tara Laferrara found herself caught in that very dilemma. She knew she was passionate about fitness but didn't think it would become a viable career and make enough money from it. She initially started teaching classes on the side because that's where she felt lit up, that's what she loved. But through the programming in society, from her family, and from others, she didn't think you could just teach classes, so she went the traditional route into the corporate world. She decided she wanted to climb the ladder in advertising. She ended up quitting that job only after 3 days because she just knew that path wasn't for her and she decided to dive in head first into her love of fitness. Now, in under 3 years she has gone on to co-own a brick and mortar gym, Compass fitness, in Colorado. She also does online training through her TL method and program and has amassed over 100k followers on Instagram. She's been featured in Shape, Women's Health, Redbull, Finish Line, among other notable brands and publications. She is a testament to the fact that there is so much opportunity out there now and there are so many ways to do things. You really can create a career out of the thing you love!   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How EVERYONE has doubt and imposter's syndrome. Why you should just get started where you're at. Why it's important to have a good support system. And so much more! Where to find Tara:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralaferrara/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralaferrara Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralaferrara Youtube: https://youtube.com/taralaferrara Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

  If you've ever told yourself that it's too late to start over, be prepared to face the truth: you're just making an excuse. After spending 40 years climbing the ladder in corporate America, Paul Tasner was laid off from his job at 64 years old (all while casually eating an apple during his surprise exit interview!). A few years later, at 66 years old, Paul decided to take a leap of faith and try his hand at entrepreneurship. To combat the amount of plastic that companies used, he founded Pulp Works and set out to create safe, eco-friendly packaging for consumer products. PulpWorks uses paper and agricultural waste to mold compostable packaging and thereby diminish the waste deposited in our landfills, waterways, and oceans. Paul was selected as a TED Resident in 2017. His TED Talk on sustainability, entrepreneurism, and ageism has been seen by more than 2 million viewers and translated into 29 languages. As if he wasn't doing enough, in 2018, Paul, with colleagues in San Francisco and Mexico City, founded Sort, a company using artificial intelligence, the IoT, and computer vision technology, to solve the contamination challenges facing the plastics recycling industry today. He is doing such incredible things and inspiring so many others! He is a real testament to the fact that it is truly never too late to start over. There are tons of things we can all do to pursue our dreams!   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How it's SERIOUSLY never too late to start over! How there is no such thing as security. Why you should get clear on what you want. And so much more! Resources mentioned: Paul's TedTalk Where to find Paul:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultasner/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.tasner Twitter: https://twitter.com/PulpWorksInc Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulietaz Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

How would you feel about leaving a job that took you to places like Italy and let you work with well-known people like Bono? Most people would have a really hard time walking way from something everyone else considers a "dream job". But Kelsey had a little feeling in her gut that there was something better out there for her. (Yes, even better than working with Bono). It wasn't until her own dealings with a life coach that she began to consider a career change. She is now an in-demand life and business coach working with some big hitters like Marie Forleo as well as Fortune 500 companies like Facebook and Twitter. She now has a dream business where she brings in more money than her previous career while only working three days a week. And when Kelsey's not coaching, you can find her hosting the Whiskey & Work Podcast where she gives her wise (and sometimes comical) advice on navigating the waters of business, life, and relationships. Kelsey's story is an amazing example of what is possible if you're willing to step into the unknown and to really go after what you want! Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why you should stop ignoring that feeling in your gut. How you should follow your curiosity instead of your passion. How that perfect job for you exists, really! And so much more! Where to find Kelsey:   Website: KelseyMurphy.com Passion Planner: www.kelseymurphy.com/passionplanner-download Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

In honor of Labor Day, I invited Neil Sahota on the show to talk about the AI revolution and how it will affect the working landscape. Technology is developing at such a rapid pace and it is really important to pay attention to how it will change work as we know it. Neil Sahota is an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations (UN) Artificial Intelligence (AI) subject matter expert, and Faculty at UC Irvine. He is also the author of the book: Own the A.I. Revolution . With 20+ years of business experience, he works with clients and business partners to create the next generation of products and solutions powered by emerging technologies. If you're a regular listener of the show, then you've heard from many of our past guests that are now doing things that didn't exist as careers 5-10 years ago. These new industries, such as social media manager and online educator, are but a few examples of the changing landscape of work.  While most people (or the media) tend to focus on the negatives that can come about from these changes, I think Neil's book does an incredible job of showing all of the amazing things that can happen as a result of these technologies. His book does a wonderful job of addressing important issues like the speed of change that we're experiencing, how to utilize emerging technologies to disrupt our own industries, understanding the kind of careers that are on the horizon, and how we can either rework our skills or come up in a new profession. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity and if you pay attention to what's coming next you have a chance to build the career or business that you want. Neil is just the person to help us figure out what we should be doing with all of these emerging technologies and how we can better prepare ourselves for the working landscape in the future. Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why it's important to start learning about AI now. Why you're in the right position to disrupt the system with your current skills. Why you should learn to embrace change and learn how to better position yourself for it. And so much more! Where to find Neil:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-sahota-%E8%90%A8%E5%86%A0%E5%86%9B-028143/ Website: https://neilsahota.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/neil_sahota Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Lindsey started out like many people pursuing a career in the corporate world. Even though she was doing great at her job, it was during the 2008 recession that she realized this wasn't a stable path. She then decided to enter entrepreneurship part-time through a company called Isagenix, a network marketing company which she still currently works with. From that company, she then created Powerhouse Women, an online community, a yearly event, a book, and a podcast. (Whew!). After seeing numerous women in her life stop short of pursuing their own entrepreneurial dreams because of fear and self-doubt, she saw the need for more honest conversations about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship in order to show women that they don't have to have it all together to get started. What I love the most about Lindsey's story is that she sets an example for her community. She didn't wait around for a huge social media following or to have some kind of star-backing, she wrote a book because she wanted to write a book and became a best-seller. She created an event because she saw a need and now it's growing year after year! If you take away one single message from Lindsey's story, let it be this: just start. Whatever it is that you want to do, just start doing it. You never know where that path may lead!   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How no one actually knows what they're doing and you don't have to do it alone. How fulfillment comes from giving yourself time and space to do the things you want to do. Why it's important to think about the limitations you're arguing for. And so much more! Where to find Lindsey:   Instagram: www.instagram.com/llindseyschwartz Instagram: www.instagram.com/powerhouse_women Website: www.powerhousewomen.co Resources Mentioned: 5 Steps To Finding Your Calling PDF Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast  

How many times have you wanted to start over? How many times have you started thinking about the possibilities only to follow them up with the thought, "but it's too late in my life to do this"? If you're human, then you've probably had this discussion with yourself a million different times, and that's okay, we all have those moments. However, even though you may feel like it's too late to start over, it doesn't mean that it is. Today's guest, Peter Glatz is essentially the holy grail when it comes to that myth. At 60 years old, Peter left his dentistry career of over 40 years in order to pursue cooking. He began his journey into the culinary world by reaching out to well-known chefs offering to work for free! (Who says you have to immediately start making money off of something you love? Just start!). Listen to how his journey led him to eventually landing a dream job as a link cook at Nonesuch in Oklahoma City, Bon Appetit's 2018 Best Restaurant in America. Despite working long, 12 hour days at a physically taxing job, Peter has never been happier. I love so many things about his story. There are so many people who count themselves out when they reach a certain age because they believe it's too late for them to pivot their path. But Peter's story is really a testament to the fact that there is always time to try something new! Not only that, but he didn't let his lack of formal experience stop him from feeling confident enough to reach out to those well-known chefs. There are just so, so many wonderful lessons to learn from Peter and his journey. Here is what we chat about in this episode: How it's never too late to start over. How if you want something different you should do something about it. Why you should create a vision and then take action. And so much more! Where to find Peter:   Email: Docglatz@gmail.com Website: berthabus.com Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

A common theme we've seen is that a lot of new career paths evolve out of the need to create a hobby or some kind of outlet. Kelsey Chapman's story begins in a similar place. She started blogging in addition to her day job because she was feeling frustrated and trapped. (Sound familiar?). Over time her blog built up an audience and things eventually grew into her own agency. However, after years of growing her successful agency, Kelsey made the difficult decision to shut it down because it no longer served her. We talk all about how hard it is to walk away from something that is working but you know is not the path you want to be on. What's amazing about Kelsey's story is that she used all of her newly-found skills from building her agency to land an incredible job in marketing.  She really is a testament to the idea that there really is no right or wrong decision. All it takes is a leap of faith and the path will lead you where you need to go! Kelsey also currently helps entrepreneurs to build their business, grow their platform, and steward their influence in her year long program called, Dream to Done. It is her mission to help women turn their dreams into profitable ventures that can allow them to live with both freedom in their finances and their time. Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why you don't have to martyr yourself to make a difference. That it's okay to walk away from something that's making you unhappy even if it's making money. Why you're allowed to pivot as many times as you need. And so much more! Where to find Kelsey:   Instagram: instagram.com/kelschapman Itunes: itunes.kelseychapman.com Resources Mentioned: LFAQ Live Event Sign Up Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast