What does it really take to walk away from a 28-year corporate career and start over in the skilled trades?

In this powerful episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast, host Pat Finley sits down with Corrie Phillips, a commercial foodservice refrigeration technician who made the leap from the corporate world into HVACR and never looked back.

Corrie shares her raw, honest journey—from working behind a desk for nearly three decades to enrolling in technical school, taking a massive pay cut, and building a successful career in commercial refrigeration, warewashing, and kitchen equipment service. This conversation dives deep into what it’s really like to start over later in life, overcome imposter syndrome, and find purpose working with your hands in the trades.

This episode is packed with insight for:

• Anyone stuck in an office job dreaming of a career change

• New and aspiring HVACR or foodservice equipment technicians

• Women considering a career in the skilled trades

• Technicians navigating self-doubt, learning curves, and long days in the field

Corrie talks about learning the language of refrigeration, adapting to the chaos of commercial kitchens, building trust with customers, and why patience is one of the most important skills a technician can develop. She also shares how communication, customer service, and life experience can be just as valuable as technical knowledge.

You’ll also hear why refrigeration “clicked” for her, how mentorship and asking questions accelerated her growth, and why the trades offer financial freedom, job security, and real fulfillment—at any age.

• Transitioning from a 28-year corporate career into HVACR

• What it’s like starting over in the trades later in life

• Learning refrigeration, warewashing, hot side, and bakery equipment

• Overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt as a technician

• Why communication skills matter just as much as technical skills

• The reality of working inside busy commercial kitchens

• Women in HVACR and foodservice equipment repair

• Advice for anyone considering trade school or a career change

If you’re not using Viper, you’re working too hard.

Viper by Refrigeration Technologies is built for the exact messes we deal with every day in commercial kitchens. Viper cuts grease, cleans condenser coils, and melts the nastiest buildup off kitchen equipment. It’s food safe, powerful, and proven in the field by technicians who actually use it.

Throw a bottle of Viper on the truck and make your next service call easier.
Learn more at https://www.refrigtech.com/

Follow Corrie on social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coolergirl_corrie?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@coolergirl_corrie?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

If this episode inspired you, share it with someone stuck behind a desk who needs to hear this story.

Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/