Lessons from a Quitter

Typically, on this show, we feature stories of people who have quit their careers and started over in a completely different field. I’m so excited to talk to Nicole on this episode to show that you don’t have to do that. If you like the field that you’re in but want something more, be it flexibility, more money, more ownership etc, it is time to think outside of the box.

Nicole started out her healthcare PR career in 2002 at a large medical device company, Guidant Corporation, where she learned the trade for 5 years. When the company was acquired by Abbott in 2006, Nicole was no longer allowed to keep her part-time status. Because she wanted the flexibility of staying at home with her kids and having a career, Nicole quit her job and started her career as a medtech PR consultant, working primarily with startups to launch their companies and products. She hired her first fulltime employee in 2016. Today her agency has approximately 20 employees and offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Orange County.

Nicole is also a founding member of MedtechWomen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to highlighting women leaders in the medical technology industry. She was named a 2015 PR Executive of the Year by the Business Intelligence Group and is a finalist for PR News' 2019 Top Women in Healthcare Awards.

We talk all about how taking that jump, and knowing how to value yourself, led Nicole to create an incredible business that also gave her the flexibility she wanted.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How to recognize the value you bring in your career and how to charge accordingly
• How she realized it was time to make the jump
• Why setting up a business isn’t as difficult as people make it seem.
• How freelancers can provide a lot of value that companies can’t provide
• Why you shouldn’t work for free
• Why the riches are in the niches
• How she grew her company from being a single consultant to 20 employees
• Why she believes in investing in yourself even if you’re not making money yet
• And much more!

Where to find Nicole:  

• Website: https://healthandcommerce.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicoleosmer

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleosmer/

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

One of Steve Jobs' most popular quotes is "You can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."

Nowhere is that principle proven truer than in John's life and career. He grew up the son of immigrant farmers and saw first hand the hard work, sacrifice, and struggles his parents had to go through in life. So you can imagine how well-received his decision was to drop out of his Engineering program in college to join an internet startup. But John promised his mom that if it didn't work out, he'd go back to school and become a doctor.

While he had some initial success with the startup, it eventually folded in the internet bubble burst in the early 2000s. As you'll hear, John credits that failure as one of the best things that could have happened to him. He went back to UCLA to finish his Engineering degree and became an engineer for Boeing. Most people would have just stopped there. But wanting to make good on his promise to his mom, John decided to go back to school to become a dentist. He not only became a dentist but went on to specialize in orthodontics.

During that schooling, John met his current co-founder, Dr. Hongsheng Tong, and they began developing a product that would place braces behind the teeth in order to make them invisible. After he received his degree, John began working as the managing orthodontist for Bristol Dental and Orthodontics. But he kept working on this invisible brace product and company on nights and weekends.

Eventually, John became the CEO and co-founder of Swift Health Systems and is bringing disruptive change to the orthodontics industry with INBRACE. His past startup experience coupled with his specialized knowledge of orthodontics makes him uniquely qualified to lead such an innovative company. And in under 2 years, John has helped to raise $25 million dollars and grow the company to 75 employees! Incredible, to say the least!

There is so much we get into this episode, so you definitely don't want to miss it!

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How John's upbringing affected his view on work and life
• Why he decided to drop out of college to pursue the internet startup craze
• How the failure of that tech startup impacted him
• Why he decided to become a dentist when he had a good career as an engineer
• How he started his current business and how he's grown it so fast
• How mentors have shaped his life
• How he became clear on his "why" and how that drives him, and more!

Where to find Dr. John Pham:

• Website: https://myinbrace.com/

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-pham-dds-ms-999a274/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinbrace/

• Email: [email protected]

Resources mentioned in this episode

• John C. Maxwell, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

One of Steve Jobs’ most popular quotes is “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

Nowhere is that principle proven truer than in John’s life and career. He grew up the son of immigrant farmers and saw first hand the hard work, sacrifice, and struggles his parents had to go through in life. So you can imagine how well-received his decision was to drop out of his Engineering program in college to join an internet startup. But John promised his mom that if it didn’t work out, he’d go back to school and become a doctor.

While he had some initial success with the startup, it eventually folded in the internet bubble burst in the early 2000s. As you’ll hear, John credits that failure as one of the best things that could have happened to him. He went back to UCLA to finish his Engineering degree and became an engineer for Boeing. Most people would have just stopped there. But wanting to make good on his promise to his mom, John decided to go back to school to become a dentist. He not only became a dentist but went on to specialize in orthodontics.

During that schooling, John met his current co-founder, Dr. Hongsheng Tong, and they began developing a product that would place braces behind the teeth in order to make them invisible. After he received his degree, John began working as the managing orthodontist for Bristol Dental and Orthodontics. But he kept working on this invisible brace product and company on nights and weekends.

Eventually, John became the CEO and co-founder of Swift Health Systems and is bringing disruptive change to the orthodontics industry with INBRACE. His past startup experience coupled with his specialized knowledge of orthodontics makes him uniquely qualified to lead such an innovative company. And in under 2 years, John has helped to raise $25 million dollars and grow the company to 75 employees! Incredible, to say the least!

There is so much we get into this episode, so you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How John’s upbringing affected his view on work and life
• Why he decided to drop out of college to pursue the internet startup craze
• How the failure of that tech startup impacted him
• Why he decided to become a dentist when he had a good career as an engineer
• How he started his current business and how he’s grown it so fast
• How mentors have shaped his life
• How he became clear on his “why” and how that drives him, and more!

Where to find Dr. John Pham:  

• Website: https://myinbrace.com/

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-pham-dds-ms-999a274/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinbrace/

• Email: [email protected]

Resources mentioned in this episode

• John C. Maxwell, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

The goal in life is to be happy, right? Well, maybe not. Today on the show, we have the incredible Dr. Zelana Montminy, a clinical psychologist and reformed happiness researcher. Dr. Zelana used to focus on how people could be happier in their lives but she quickly found, through her research, that the more we obsess over happiness in our society, the more people are unhappy. She saw that the people that were content and fulfilled in their lives were the ones that were resilient to whatever life threw at them.

Dr. Zelana is now a renowned wellness architect, providing an unparalleled realistic perspective rooted in science. Whether it's as a bestselling author, working with celebrities, hosting a television show, or leading a transformational retreat, Dr. Zelana is paving the way for mental fitness. A prominent figure in Positive Psychology and one of Maria Shriver's Architects of Change, Dr. Zelana is the author of bestselling 21 Days to Resilience. She speaks around the world and is a go-to authority in the media appearing on Access Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors and more. She also makes ongoing contributions to the pages of Real Simple Magazine, Health Magazine, Redbook, Better Home & Gardens, and the list goes on.

I love this conversation with Dr. Zelana about why resilience is so important and how we can build it in our lives.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why we shouldn't focus on happiness but rather try to build up our resilience
• What resilience actually is and how to start building it
• How to know when your unhappiness should lead to change v. when to weather the storm
• What actionable steps can you take to build resilience
• What is the difference between habits and goals
• How to build resilience in your kids, and more

Where to find Dr. Zelana:

• Website: www.drzelana.com
• Instagram: @dr.zelana
• email: [email protected]

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

The goal in life is to be happy, right? Well, maybe not. Today on the show, we have the incredible Dr. Zelana Montminy, a clinical psychologist and reformed happiness researcher. Dr. Zelana used to focus on how people could be happier in their lives but she quickly found, through her research, that the more we obsess over happiness in our society, the more people are unhappy. She saw that the people that were content and fulfilled in their lives were the ones that were resilient to whatever life threw at them.

Dr. Zelana is now a renowned wellness architect, providing an unparalleled realistic perspective rooted in science. Whether it’s as a bestselling author, working with celebrities, hosting a television show, or leading a transformational retreat, Dr. Zelana is paving the way for mental fitness. A prominent figure in Positive Psychology and one of Maria Shriver’s Architects of Change, Dr. Zelana is the author of bestselling 21 Days to Resilience. She speaks around the world and is a go-to authority in the media appearing on Access Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors and more. She also makes ongoing contributions to the pages of Real Simple Magazine, Health Magazine, Redbook, Better Home & Gardens, and the list goes on.

I love this conversation with Dr. Zelana about why resilience is so important and how we can build it in our lives.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why we shouldn’t focus on happiness but rather try to build up our resilience
• What resilience actually is and how to start building it
• How to know when your unhappiness should lead to change v. when to weather the storm
• What actionable steps can you take to build resilience
• What is the difference between habits and goals
• How to build resilience in your kids, and more

Where to find Dr. Zelana:  

• Website: www.drzelana.com
• Instagram: @dr.zelana
• email: [email protected]

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

So many mothers face the tough decision of how to balance their careers while raising kids. It is often the catalyst for big change whether that be a new business, deciding to quit and stay at home or shifting your goals in your current career. On today's episode, I got to talk to Allison about how the birth of her son started the beginning of her journey into entrepreneurship.

Allison spent much of her career in business management, as either an office administrator or an executive assistant. When Allison's son was born and had to spend some time in the NICU, she was faced with the decision of returning back to work or leaving her career to stay at home. She was looking for a way to stay at home but also bring in some extra money to support her family.

She decided to start a blog, chronicling her life including the various issues NICU mothers face. Her blog quickly took off and she began being featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, and more. Having learned how to effectively market her own blog through Pinterest and other social media outlets, Allison began offering those services to other bloggers and business owners.

In under 2 years, she has grown her online business management company to over 6-figures through mostly referrals. She now has a growing team that helps cater to their growing customer base. And she gets to do all this while spending more time at home with her children. I got to talk to Allison all about how she grew this company and how we can learn from her experience.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How the birth of her son sparked her interest in starting her own business or side hustle
• Why she started a blog in a saturated market and how she stood out
• How she started her online VA business
• What resources she used to learn about monetizing her blog and how people monetize their blogs
• How she built up her online business management company into a 6-figure business in 2 years.

Where to find Allison:

• https://allisonrlancaster.com/
• www.lovinglivinglancaster.com
• Pinterest course: https://allisonrlancaster.com/lets-learn-pinterest-course/
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/allisonrlancaster/

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

So many mothers face the tough decision of how to balance their careers while raising kids. It is often the catalyst for big change whether that be a new business, deciding to quit and stay at home or shifting your goals in your current career. On today’s episode, I got to talk to Allison about how the birth of her son started the beginning of her journey into entrepreneurship.

Allison spent much of her career in business management, as either an office administrator or an executive assistant. When Allison’s son was born and had to spend some time in the NICU, she was faced with the decision of returning back to work or leaving her career to stay at home. She was looking for a way to stay at home but also bring in some extra money to support her family.

She decided to start a blog, chronicling her life including the various issues NICU mothers face. Her blog quickly took off and she began being featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, and more. Having learned how to effectively market her own blog through Pinterest and other social media outlets, Allison began offering those services to other bloggers and business owners.

In under 2 years, she has grown her online business management company to over 6-figures through mostly referrals. She now has a growing team that helps cater to their growing customer base. And she gets to do all this while spending more time at home with her children. I got to talk to Allison all about how she grew this company and how we can learn from her experience.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How the birth of her son sparked her interest in starting her own business or side hustle
• Why she started a blog in a saturated market and how she stood out
• How she started her online VA business
• What resources she used to learn about monetizing her blog and how people monetize their blogs
• How she built up her online business management company into a 6-figure business in 2 years.

Where to find Allison:  

• https://allisonrlancaster.com/
• www.lovinglivinglancaster.com
• Pinterest course: https://allisonrlancaster.com/lets-learn-pinterest-course/
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/allisonrlancaster/

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Montine Blank has done it all. From the corporate world to entrepreneurship to transformational coaching, Montine has a vast array of expertise that she utilizes in helping her clients create a meaningful, fulfilled life.

With an MBA, Montine started out at a large management consulting firm before deciding that she wanted a different future than that path provided. Her jump took her down a successful entrepreneurial road, where she founded numerous companies including The Green Half, a discount gift card site for sustainable businesses that had over 10,000 subscribers and The Green Plate, a nonprofit aimed at reducing disposable plastic consumption. She has also created 3 one of a kind art business, Crazy Moon Art Room, T-shirt Construction Co and Paint Awake. On this episode, we talk a lot about how art and painting helped her on her path to self-discovery and how she uses it with her clients.

Because of her own journey, Montine was led to getting certified and becoming a transformational coach. She now coaches clients on a wide-variety of life and career transitions in order to help people become more aligned with the true version of themselves.

We talk about her own journey as well as overarching questions about working with a life coach, like: who would benefit from it, how to find a good coach, what to work on, etc.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How she started planning her escape out of the corporate world
• Why taking slow baby steps is generally the best practice for jumping on a new path
• How intuitive painting helped Montine along her path to discovering her next steps and why creativity is so important for everyone on self-discovery journey
• Why she was reluctant, at first, to get involved with coaching
• How she got involved in transformational life coaching
• When do you really need a coach and how can you find one that works for you
• Why the majority of the work is just on your thoughts and not actually creating a plan

Where to find Montine:

• https://www.themoreyou.com/
• www.IntuitionPainting.com

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Montine Blank has done it all. From the corporate world to entrepreneurship to transformational coaching, Montine has a vast array of expertise that she utilizes in helping her clients create a meaningful, fulfilled life.

With an MBA, Montine started out at a large management consulting firm before deciding that she wanted a different future than that path provided. Her jump took her down a successful entrepreneurial road, where she founded numerous companies including The Green Half, a discount gift card site for sustainable businesses that had over 10,000 subscribers and The Green Plate, a nonprofit aimed at reducing disposable plastic consumption. She has also created 3 one of a kind art business, Crazy Moon Art Room, T-shirt Construction Co and Paint Awake. On this episode, we talk a lot about how art and painting helped her on her path to self-discovery and how she uses it with her clients.

Because of her own journey, Montine was led to getting certified and becoming a transformational coach. She now coaches clients on a wide-variety of life and career transitions in order to help people become more aligned with the true version of themselves.

We talk about her own journey as well as overarching questions about working with a life coach, like: who would benefit from it, how to find a good coach, what to work on, etc.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How she started planning her escape out of the corporate world
• Why taking slow baby steps is generally the best practice for jumping on a new path
• How intuitive painting helped Montine along her path to discovering her next steps and why creativity is so important for everyone on self-discovery journey
• Why she was reluctant, at first, to get involved with coaching
• How she got involved in transformational life coaching
• When do you really need a coach and how can you find one that works for you
• Why the majority of the work is just on your thoughts and not actually creating a plan

Where to find Montine:  

• https://www.themoreyou.com/
• www.IntuitionPainting.com

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Erin spent 22 years climbing the corporate ladder and climbed her way right up to the very top as CEO of PayFlex, Inc., a large healthcare financial company. As the CEO, Erin was in charge of overseeing 1000 employees and over $2bn in financial assets. In late 2018, just when things were getting really good, Erin decided to exit the corporate world after 22 years and go down a path less traveled to start b Authentic inc.

Erin felt pulled to help create a new generation of authentic, diverse, and humble leaders. She started her own business, b Authentic Inc., where she hopes to change the face of Corporate America. Through individual and company trainings, Erin is on a mission to toss aside traditional approaches and help teach the very things that made her such a successful leader.

On this episode, we dive deep into what made Erin make the switch and how we can make the switch when we are no longer being served in our current role.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How she climbed her way up the corporate ladder to become the CEO of PayFlex, Inc.
• How she dealt with the feeling of always wanting more and how she used that to fuel her achievements
• Why she walked away from her amazing CEO position
• How she navigated her jump with her spouse and her advice for how to get your spouse on board with your next move.
• Why she wanted to start her current business, b Authentic Inc., and how she hopes to shape the new generation of leaders

Where to find Erin:

• Website: https://www.bauthenticinc.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/bAuthenticInc
• https://www.instagram.com/b_authentic_inc/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-hatzikostas/

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast