Lessons from a Quitter

We’ve all heard various versions of the same story: Someone experiences a life-threatening illness or near-death experience which immediately puts into perspective what is actually important in life. That person shakes up their life and starts pursuing a more fulfilling path. But why is it that we have to experience horrible things before we can find such clarity? Or as Christine McAlister puts it “Who has to die for you to give yourself permission to live for yourself?”   Christine suffered her own tragedy when, at 9 months pregnant, her daughter Maeve passed away. Christine was forced to deliver her child and then plan a funeral, an unthinkable experience that many would not be able to overcome. But Christine used her grief and experience to stop playing small and figure out how to make the most out of life. That led her away from her successful online marketing business and into starting a business coaching program called Life with Passion. She helps high-achievers all over the world to replace their incomes (and then some!) and quit and stay out of their 9-5s, by building businesses out of their passions.   Christine also uses her own experience with tragedy to help her clients focus in on what is actually important. As if that wasn’t enough, she is the bestselling author of The Income Replacement Formula: Seven Simple Steps To Doing What You Love And Making Six Figures From Anywhere.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How Christine got out of her 9-5 job with a side hustle (and how she even figured out how to start a side hustle) How her side hustle became her full-time business and how that led to even more businesses How the death of her baby when she was 9 months pregnant led her to quit her businesses and find her true calling by opening Life With Passion. How she managed to get out from under the grief and take action to create the life she wanted How she uses Life With Passion to help other women entrepreneurs find their passions and make a business out of it. How to find what your true passions are if you’re feeling stuck in your career. How the power of just making the decision to act is the very first step. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks   Where to find Christine: Website: lifewithpassion.com/freechapter Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifewpassion Facebook: www.facebook.com/lifewpassion   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Today’s conversation with Ann Masciarotte is so important!! On this podcast, I’ve talked a lot about the fact that in today’s world, with the internet, you can really create a business out of anything you are passionate about. Literally, you can find someone that is making money around a topic that you love. You just have to think outside of the box.   And that is why I love what Ann is doing! Ann is the Chief Curator and President of the Whitney George Collection, an art advisory firm that she established after leaving a decades-long career as a strategy consultant and product manager. The Whitney George Collection was born of Ann's belief that fine art doesn't have to be intimidating, and that it should be a prominent part of every home, office, commercial and public space. Through her work with The Collection, Ann collaborates with home- and business-owners, and residential and commercial interior designers to curate and source artwork that personalizes and elevates their interior spaces. As a lifelong art collector who comes from a family of artists, Ann loves sharing with and educating others on the joys of buying and living with original art.   The Whitney George Collection is primarily focused on promoting standout art and artists who have a unique, dynamic, and intriguing, yet accessible, style and point of view. Ann and the team at The Collection pride themselves on being able to work with nearly any budget, because there is plenty of phenomenal art in the world that doesn't come with a blue chip price tag. The Collection also believes in supporting and promoting living artists, who contribute to a richer social fabric within their local and global communities. Here is what we chat about in this episode: How Ann made the jump from consultant/project manager to business owner How having kids changed her perspective and led her to want to start her own business How she originally went the safe route and tried to start her own consultancy but quickly realized that her heart wasn’t in it How she realized that she might be able to start a business around her passion for art How she structured the business model for her art business Why you just have to start and realize that you’ll just figure it out along the way. Practical advice about how anybody can buy authentic art for their homes Where to find Ann: Website: www.whitneygeorgecollection.com Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wgfineart Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

So many of the people that I talk to that feel stuck and want to quit have the same fear: What if I quit this stable career and the next thing I try doesn’t work out? Or, even if it does work out, what if I don’t like that career either? It seems like staying in what you know, even if you are unhappy, is a better decision.   Well, that is why I’m so excited to have the inspiring Lauretta Ihonor on the show today. Lauretta didn’t quit one, or two, careers. She has quit 5 different careers in order to find her true passion and lead a life she loves.   Lauretta started her professional life as a medical doctor after graduating from University College London in 2008. After working as a junior doctor at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London for a year, she left medicine to find a career that felt better suited to her. This turned into an almost decade-long journey, that involved four degrees, five career changes and six careers (including working as a fashion stylist for Net a Porter, and as a TV journalist/producer for the BBC and CNN International). After noticing the lack of support for career changers in the UK, she founded The Ambition Plan - a digital career change platform for ambitious women who are eager to do fulfilling work, but unsure of what they truly want to do with their lives - in May 2018. The Ambition Plan now provides career clarity coaching, masterclasses and online expert-led resources to help women across the globe get clear about what they want to do with their lives and create a plan for doing so.   Lauretta’s journey is a testament to the fact that you don’t have to have it all figured out. Once you take that first jump, you gain the courage and confidence to know that you’ll figure it out. And you also realize that you never have to settle, no matter how many jumps it takes.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How Lauretta walked away from being a doctor, even when her supervisors thought she needed a psychological evaluation for deciding to leave. How she went on a decade long journey, including working in fashion, journalism, and nutritional consulting, to find her true passion.   Why Lauretta feels that she is luckier than most people. How a career coach was pivotal in helping her gain the clarity she needed to find her calling Why she developed The Ambition Plan and where she hopes to take it. Why you should never make a decision from a place of fear   Resources mentioned in this episode: The 4 Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss Alchemist, Paulo Coelho Mind Valley, Christie Marie Sheldon.   Where to find Lauretta: Website: theambitionplan.com Instagram: instagram.com/theambitionplan Twitter: twitter.com/theambitionplan Facebook: facebook.com/theambitionplan Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/theambitionplan   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

I cannot tell you guys how excited I am to have David Lat on the show! My lawyer friends will understand but to give my non-lawyer friends a bit more background, David is the editor at large and founder of Above the Law, an award-winning website about the legal profession that reaches more than 1 million unique visitors a month.   But that doesn’t really grasp the magnitude of what David has helped to create. Above the Law is THE website for anyone that works within the legal field. They cover everything from the Supreme Court decisions to what bonuses will be each year at various law firms. They have an undeniable influence on many things that happen in the legal field simply by shining a light on it.   But in order to start Above the Law, David had to leave behind his practice as an attorney. Before entering the media world, David worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New Jersey; a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, in New York; and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. David graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.   Prior to Above the Law, he launched Underneath Their Robes, a blog about federal judges. David’s writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, among other publications.   David first book, Supreme Ambitions: A Novel, was published in 2014.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why David started his first blog, Underneath Their Robes, anonymously. What happened after David’s identity as the blogger behind Underneath Their Robes was discovered. Why he walked away from a prestigious legal career to pursue blogging. How he came up with the idea for Above the Law and how he got it off the ground How Above the Law has grown over the last 12 years Why David stepped down as managing editor of Above the Law and what he is up to now.   Where to find David: www.abovethelaw.com www.twitter.com/davidlat dlat@abovethelaw.com   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast  

Ep. 13: How to grow any business on Instagram with Tyler J. McCall   I want this podcast to not just be inspirational stories about how people made the big leap (though I do love those episodes) but also practical resources to help you make the big leap too. And there is no resource that can help you to build and grow a business, side hustle, passion project more than social media - specifically, Instagram.   Enter the guru himself, Mr. Tyler J. McCall. Tyler J. McCall is an Instagram and social media marketer, strategist, and coach for creatives and online business owners. He teaches his students how to use Instagram with intention to grow their community online and grow their business. Tyler focuses on using Instagram and social media to tell stories, build relationships, and convert followers to fans, drawing from his 10 years of experience in non-profit marketing and management and community organizing. He’s taught thousands of entrepreneurs and managed dozens of Instagram accounts since getting into the online marketing game in 2015.   This episode is full of great insight and action steps for how to grow your business on Instagram.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How you can use Instagram for your traditional business (think law practice, dental office, etc) How to use Instagram to start a side hustle and literally sell anything How to get over your uncomfortable thoughts about putting yourself out there on Instagram. Best practices for your Instagram page And much more!   Where to find Tyler: Instagram | www.instagram.com/tylerjmccall Facebook | www.facebook.com/tylerjmccall Facebook Group | www.tylerjmccall.com/group Follower to Fan Society | www.followertofansociety.com Tyler J. McCall | www.tylerjmccall.com   Follow along for more: Website | www.lessonsfromaquitter.com Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter Instagram| https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Today we had our first professional athlete! Nick J. Murphy started out his career as a punter in the NFL until 2005. After leaving the NFL and finding a void in the job application process, Nick jumped into entrepreneurship by creating workblast.com, a startup focused on bringing video resumes to the job site world. After 4 grueling years, Nick and his partner closed down the company and Nick found himself back to square one. He ultimately went into the corporate world and ended up successfully climbing the ladder at 3 of the world’s largest job sites: CareerBuilder, Monder, and Indeed. And while he found stability and a large paycheck, Nick was unfulfilled in his role. He quit in order to give entrepreneurship another shot. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Mid-America Careers, a career website focused on the Midwest. Nick is also a Transformation Strategist, host of the Job Lab Podcast, speaker, frequent media contributor, and father of five. His insights have been featured in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Inc.com, Yahoo!, Business Insider and many more Today we got to talk to Nick about how he was able to let go of the identity that was wrapped up with being an NFL player, how he came back from bankruptcy, and why staying at a high-paying job that you are not fulfilled in is just not worth it. Here is what we chat about in this episode: How Nick dealt with the difficulty of leaving the NFL How he got the idea and funding for his first startup How he dealt the failure of that startup His journey climbing the corporate ladder Why he decided to risk it all to start another company Why he thinks 85% of people are unhappy in their jobs And why you should just go for it... Resources mentioned in this episode: Tim Ferriss’s Fear Setting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=5J6jAC6XxAI Gary Keller, The One Thing Greg, McKeown, Essentialism W. Chan Kim, Blue Ocean Strategy Where to find Nick: https://www.nickjmurphy.com https://www.facebook.com/njmstrategy https://www.instagram.com/nick_j_murphy https://www.thejoblab.com Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Pleasance Silicki has had 2 major career transitions. But as you’ll see from the interview today, each career she’s had has put her on the path to the next thing. So what was her journey? Well, Pleasance received her Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a teacher, and then a principal, of urban elementary schools. After already feeling burned out from the job, a school shooting prompted Pleasance to leave her position.   She went on to follow her passion for yoga and opened up numerous yoga studios around the DC area. After running those studios successfully for a number of years, circumstances outside of her control led her to close them down.   Pleasance is now an author, teacher, speaker, podcaster, mentor, creator, and magic-maker. She is the founder of Thrive, an online self-care class and community. She also facilitates Stress Management and Self-Care workshops and retreats to a variety of groups and does one-on-one private mentorships based on Ayurvedic, Buddhist, and positive psychology teachings. Pleasance is also the author of Delight: 8 Principles for Living with Joy And Ease and the host of the Soulful SelfCare Sessions Podcast.   I got to talk to Pleasance about how each stage in her life and each step on her journey led her to the next thing, the lessons she’s learned from pivoting numerous times, and how she approaches her career today.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why she wanted to become a elementary school teacher How she became a principal at a Charter School How a school shooting changed the course of her career How she got a dream job at Lululemon Why it is so important to take baby steps and not worry about the end goal How she ended up opening numerous yoga studios around DC The lessons she learned from having to close down those studios How she has evolved her career into consulting, mentorship, and teaching the spiritual practices founded on Ayurveda, Buddhism, yoga, and positive psychology.   Resources mentioned in this episode: Body of Work, by Pamela Slim Delight: 8 Principles for Living with Joy And Ease, Pleasance Silicki Book Recommendations   Where to find Pleasance: Soulful Selfcare Sessions pleasance@lilomm.com www.instagram.com/lilommyoga Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com Facebook Instagram Twitter  

Today we got to talk to Steve about how he made the jump from systems engineer in IT to being a therapist.   Steve McCready got his BA from Brown University in American Studies. After graduating and not knowing what he wanted to do, Steve focused on his interest in computers and forged a career in IT. He climbed the corporate ladder as a systems engineer but became frustrated that he wasn’t actually helping his customers. After his own personal experience in therapy, Steve realized that his passion truly lied in helping people on a one-on-one basis through counseling. He returned to school at the University of San Francisco to get his master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. And now, for over 15 years, Steve McCready has been working as a therapist, focusing his practice on helping people who are ‘too nice’ get the clarity, courage, and confidence they need to stand up for themselves and live happy, successful, and fulfilling lives.   Today we talked to Steve about how he figured out what he would do next when he wanted to leave his career in IT, how he pushed back the false narratives he created about himself, and how we can get better at literally anything that interests us.     Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why Steve felt unfulfilled in his role as a systems engineer even though he is interested in computers and electronics How he moved past the negative internal voices that told him he couldn’t do anything else How therapy helped him personally and also exposed him to a new career path How changing a career when you’re a little older can be a huge benefit How to get over the stories we have created about ourselves What the difference between therapy and coaching is How we can get better at any endeavor if we just work at it.     Resources mentioned in this episode: Dead Poets Society   Where to find Steve: www.stevemccready.com steve@stevemccready.com www.limbicvisions.com   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Laurie Rowen received her law degree from USD Law in 2004 and went on to have a successful career as a litigator at the prestigious firm of Snell & Wilmer. After having her first daughter, Laurie quit her job to work as a freelance attorney on her own schedule. Her decision coincided with the market crash of 2008 and Laurie realized that there was a huge opportunity to make freelance legal work more accessible. With her business partner, Laurie co-founded Montage Legal Group, a nationwide network of experienced freelance lawyers who work remotely on a project basis for law firms that need help with overflow and specialty areas of law. Montage Legal Group has been featured in numerous publications including ABA Journal and Forbes.com and Laurie has received numerous awards National Association of Women Business Owner’s Entrepreneur to Watch and OC metro magazine’s 40 under 40.   Today we talked to Laurie about how she disrupted a profession that is resistant to change, how she scaled a business with no experience and how to start looking for your next jump before quitting your career.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why Laurie quit her career as a litigator in a big law firm to do freelance work How her own freelance career led her to see a much bigger opportunity How she started a nationwide network for freelance attorneys with zero business experience Her advice on whether you should find a partner when starting a business How to figure out what your next step should be   Resources mentioned in this episode: 21 Days of Resilience, by Dr. Zelana Montminy   Where to find Jenny: www.montagelegal.com laurie@montagelegal.com   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Maria Granovsky knows exactly what it takes to quit and start something new because she quit her profession not once but twice! Maria got her Ph.D. in medical and molecular genetics from the University of Toronto. During her post-doc training, she decided not to go down the path as a scientist but rather pursue her lifelong interest in the law. She received her law degree from Georgetown University and went on to work as a patent litigator for over 10 years.   During that time, Maria took some time away from the law to write and sell a novel. Ultimately, though, she decided to return to law for a couple more years. Maria delved into marketing courses in order to help with business development of her own law practice. She quickly began helping other lawyer friends with business development for their law practices as well. She realized that she had a knack for marketing and really enjoyed this aspect of the business. About a year and half ago, Maria quit her legal practice in order to start her own business helping other lawyers with marketing and business development.   Today we talk to Maria about how she navigated these various career pivots and what she has learned from them.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How graduate school can be the path of least resistance Why Maria took time away from law to write a novel and ultimately decided to go back to law How her experience with business development in her own legal practice led her to start her marketing and coaching business. How she moved past having her identity tied up with being a lawyer Why it makes sense to start a new business that is tangentially related to your career Why everyone has to learn marketing and business development regardless of their field   Why networking is like a negotiation and how you can make it work for you   Resources mentioned in this episode: Pivot, by Jenny Blake   Where to find Maria: www.mariagranovsky.com Linkedin: @mariagranovsky Twitter: @mgranovsky   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com Facebook Instagram Twitter