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

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

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
• [email protected]

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
• [email protected]

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

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