Trigger Warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. If you're struggling with these issues, please reach out to a trusted professional or contact a crisis support service in your area.

In this episode, host Jess West sits down with Ifey Ihonor, founder of 8 Within, who walked away from one of the most coveted medical positions in the UK to embark on a fifteen-year journey of self-discovery. From four degrees to plant medicine work across India, Bali, and Costa Rica, Ifey's story is a masterclass in refusing to accept walking a path that doesn't feel true to you and trusting your inner knowing.

They explore what it really means to be your own guru, why failure only exists when you give up, and how plants like cacao can help quiet the external noise enough to hear yourself think. Ifey shares a powerful "Australia analogy" about finding direction in life, why waiting is the secret sauce of life, and how she's turned "I'm magical" into a genuine philosophy.

This conversation will challenge listeners to examine whose definition of success they're chasing, remind them that literally no one is thinking about them (which is liberating), and give them permission to do whatever the hell they want. If you're exhausted from proving yourself and ready to redefine success on your own terms, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Why knowing where you want to go matters more than how you'll get there
• The difference between self-exploration and "working on yourself"
• How to stop reacting to life and start directing it
• Why you're fine exactly as you are (and who benefits from telling you otherwise)

Connect with Ifey: Instagram: @8within Website: https://8within.com/

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

What happens when you realise success isn't about climbing the ladder, but about aligning your life with your values? 

In this Season 2 premiere, host Jess West sits down with Lyndsey Gormley, a therapist whose career transformation from burnt-out senior teacher to psychologist showcases resilience and professional reinvention.

As a first-generation university student from Yorkshire, Lyndsey moved to Hong Kong at 23, eventually becoming head of department before experiencing burnout. Her story of earning two master's degrees whilst working full-time and ultimately leaving teaching for psychology is a masterclass in career courage.

Perfect for listeners experiencing career burnout, seeking career change inspiration, or learning to prioritise mental health over external validation.

About Lyndsey Gormley

Lyndsey is a therapist at Mind n Life Psychology practice in Hong Kong, specialising in teenagers and families. Her journey from senior leadership to stepping down to pursue her calling demonstrates radical career change courage. 

Key Episode Themes

• Teacher burnout whilst pursuing graduate education and advocating for yourself when exhausted
• Redefining success from salary and titles to values-based goals
• Psychological flexibility: Learning to bend without breaking through career setbacks
• Why "good enough is good enough" and resilience comes from failing safely
• Navigating imposter syndrome as a first-generation student

Workshop Announcement

Lyndsey and Jess are hosting a FREE workshop: Find Your Balance Blueprint

• October 23rd: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM GMT / 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Hong Kong Time
• Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/find-your-balance-blueprint-tickets-1769636543539?aff=oddtdtcreator

Connect with Lyndsey

Instagram: @lyndseygormleypsych Website: http://mindnlife.com/lyndsey-gormley/

Key Takeaways

You cannot hate yourself into success. Lyndsey's journey from perfectionist burnout to embracing "good enough" shows that career fulfilment comes from aligning behaviours with values, not chasing validation. Career paths don't have to be linear - stepping down can be stepping forward.

Values worksheet from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: https://farms.extension.wisc.edu/files/2020/11/Core-Values-Exercise.pdf 

https://youtu.be/cCCSpOtDPV0?si=7POZQRlK0NvjV3eR

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

What does it really mean to walk away from everything you've worked for to chase a dream that others don't understand?

In this episode, Jess is joined by Charlotte de Wouters, who made the courageous career transition from a high-stress legal career to becoming a full-time yoga teacher and breathwork facilitator in Indonesia. Charlotte's story perfectly embodies what it means to choose alignment over approval and redefine career success.

For six years, Charlotte was trapped in perfectionist burnout - working weekends and nights, constantly stressed, and despite helping others as a family lawyer, never feeling truly successful. The turning point came at 30 during a "complete freakout moment," realizing she could see exactly how her life would unfold if she stayed on that path.

Perfect for listeners experiencing career burnout, seeking career change inspiration, considering a wellness career, or learning to prioritize authentic living over external expectations.

About Charlotte de Wouters

Charlotte is a yoga and breathwork teacher based in Lombok, Indonesia, who transformed from stressed-out lawyer to aligned wellness entrepreneur. Her journey represents career courage and the power of choosing work-life alignment over traditional success markers. She now helps others find peace through yoga and breathwork, embodying the change she wished to create.

In This Conversation, We Explore

Career Transformation

• How Charlotte redefined success from climbing the corporate ladder to waking up excited every day
• Overcoming career burnout in a demanding legal profession
• The courage to make a career pivot at 30

Authentic Living and Family Dynamics

• The fear of disappointing family and the moment her dad understood after three years
• Choosing personal fulfillment over external approval
• Work-life alignment versus work-life balance

Wellness Career Insights

• Why energy management is more valuable than time management
• The difference between helping through fighting versus helping find peace
• Trusting your intuition when the world offers external answers

Following Your Heart

• The magic that happens when you trust yourself and follow your passion
• How career alignment creates unexpected opportunities
• Living authentically despite others' expectations

Key Takeaways

Charlotte's advice? Trust. When you're aligned and doing something you love, things unfold almost magically. Her story proves that sometimes the universe conspires to help you when you're living from your heart.

If you've ever felt successful on paper but empty inside, or if you're wrestling with the courage to disappoint others to honor yourself, this episode offers career change courage and authentic success inspiration.

Connect with Charlotte

Teaching yoga and breathwork in Lombok, Indonesia, with online sessions available. Instagram: @chachadewou

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicidal ideation, chronic illness, and sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening.

What happens when you've climbed all the ladders, ticked all the boxes, and still feel like success is miles away? This week, we dive deep with life coach and hypnotherapist Katrina Burke, whose mental health recovery journey from heartbreak to healing offers profound insights into redefining success.

After leaving a long-term relationship at 24, Katrina found herself in a situationship for nearly a decade, developing chronic illness that left doctors baffled, and eventually hitting rock bottom with suicidal ideation. Rather than staying stuck, she turned her pain into purpose through personal transformation and healing work.

Perfect for listeners seeking mental health recovery strategies, chronic illness management, life coaching inspiration, and guidance on healing from trauma.

About Katrina Burke

Katrina is a coach and hypnotherapist specializing in helping people transform chaos into wisdom. Her personal development journey from rock bottom to thriving demonstrates resilience strategies and the power of radical personal responsibility. She combines coaching with hypnotherapy to help clients move from survival mode to authentic living.

In This Episode, We Explore

Mental Wellness and Success

• The myth of perfectionism - why waiting for everything to be perfect prevents happiness now
• Finding emotional stability - creating calm without eliminating life's inevitable storms
• Work-life balance between masculine survival mode and feminine flow

Healing and Personal Growth

• Why "heal yourself first" advice might not be as helpful as we think
• Radical personal responsibility - examining your role in every situation for personal transformation
• Redefining wealth as wellbeing rather than just financial accumulation

Success Redefined

• The power of specificity in defining what authentic success actually means to you
• Career fulfillment through turning pain into purpose
• Building a coaching business while prioritizing mental health

Key Takeaways

Katrina's story is a masterclass in resilience and mental health recovery, showing us how to transform chaos into wisdom while still having fun. Her honest take on healing, business building, and modern dating offers hope for anyone feeling stuck between where they are and where they want to be. Her journey proves that overcoming mental health challenges can lead to profound personal growth and meaningful work.

Connect with Katrina

Instagram: @katrinaburke__ Facebook: Katrina Burke

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! Nominate someone redefining success at [email protected].

Connect with Jess: Instagram: @compasscoaching.co Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Lauren Brighton, a London-based change manager whose non-linear career journey embraces being a generalist over a specialist. From creating legacy films to navigating the male-dominated property world, Lauren's story showcases career confidence building and authentic leadership.

Lauren's career evolution transformed from prioritising appearance over intellect in early corporate environments to showing up authentically confident. She redefines success as "perma happiness" - where family, friends, career fulfilment, and work-life balance exist in harmony. With candid honesty, she discusses overcoming self-doubt, working in unsupportive environments, and making space for fun in adult life.

Perfect for listeners seeking career change inspiration, professional confidence strategies, and guidance on building a portfolio career outside traditional paths.
About Lauren Brighton

Lauren started her career at Bucket List Film, creating documentary films about people's legacies, before moving through various roles in marketing, communications, and property. She's passionate about women's networks in corporate environments and brings her creative background to change management, applying her "jazz hands" approach to transformation projects. Based in London, she prioritises relationships, wellbeing, and joy alongside professional growth.

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-brighton-49a00257/ Instagram: @llbrighton
Key Episode Themes

Career Confidence and Self-Advocacy

• Moving from self-doubt to authentic professional confidence
• Authentic leadership in male-dominated industries
• Building career self-advocacy skills

Non-Linear Career Success

• Embracing a generalist career path over specialization
• Career pivots from creative fields to corporate roles
• The value of diverse career experience

Redefining Professional Success

• Work-life harmony as the ultimate success metric
• Career happiness beyond salary and job titles
• Creating sustainable career success with joy and relationships

• Where are you experiencing unnecessary career self-doubt?
• How do you define success beyond traditional markers?
• What would it look like to prioritize fun alongside professional development?
• How can you embrace being a career generalist in a specialist-focused world?

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West sits down with Dr. Sonia Tsukagoshi, a London GP and holistic health coach practising sustainable wellness. Born in the UK to Japanese parents, Sonia has lived an incredibly international life - from surgical training to working in Uganda, Paris, and teaching resilience strategies to young people in Japan.

What makes this conversation refreshing is Sonia's revolutionary approach to preventive health in a world obsessed with biohacking trends. Sonia cuts through wellness myths and helps people trust their body's wisdom. Her philosophy? Health optimisation shouldn't be punishing, and success isn't about external validation - it's about living meaningfully and staying aligned with your values.

Perfect for listeners seeking evidence-based wellness, sustainable health practices, and holistic health advice without the wellness industry hype.

About Dr Sonia Tsukagoshi

Sonia has headed committees for internationally-minded GPs, represented UK doctors on European boards, and splits her time between London practice and annual teaching trips to Japan, where she helps high-achieving teenagers understand that failure is okay. She's launching a health optimisation practice focusing on longevity through ethical, sustainable, and natural approaches.

When she's not debunking wellness trends or helping patients trust their bodies, you'll find Sonia on her yoga mat (she's a qualified teacher), travelling the world, or asking herself: "What's going to give me the bigger life?"

Connect with Sonia

Instagram: @_drsonia_t Substack: The Midlife Health Coach

Key Takeaways

1. Trust your body signals - Your body tells you what it needs if you listen
2. Joyful health practices - Add joy and connection rather than restricting everything
3. Internal success metrics - True success means living meaningfully and aligned with values
4. Question wellness trends - Not every supplement or biohack is necessary

Reflection Questions

• Where are you seeking external validation instead of trusting your body wisdom?
• How can you add more joy, friendship, and movement rather than restricting?
• What wellness trends are you following that might not serve you?

Episode Insight

This conversation is a masterclass in pragmatic wellness and authentic success. Sonia reminds us that the most revolutionary thing we can do is trust ourselves - whether that's trusting our body signals, gut instincts, or our own definition of success.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! Nominate someone redefining success at [email protected].

Connect with Jess: Instagram: @compasscoaching.co Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West reconnects with Lidia Teasca, an architect whose story of career resilience and starting over will leave you speechless. When corruption in Romania left Lidia working seven days a week for little reward, and her best friend literally emptied their shared office while she was at a meeting, Lidia made a radical choice: pack 19 kilograms into a suitcase, buy a one-way ticket to London (a city she'd never visited), and rebuild her entire life from scratch.

This powerful conversation explores Lidia's remarkable career transformation from survival mode to choosing joy, the courage it takes to keep saying "I'm not dead yet" when life keeps knocking you down, and why she keeps a colour-coded Excel spreadsheet of her dreams. Lidia shares how she learned that true career success isn't about conforming to society's expectations—it's about listening to your inner voice and prioritising daily joy over external validation.

Perfect for listeners seeking career change inspiration, relocation success stories, resilience strategies, and motivation for life reinvention.

About Lidia Teasca

Lidia is an architect and entrepreneur who embodies career resilience and the power of starting over abroad. After experiencing workplace corruption and betrayal in Romania, she made the courageous decision to relocate to London with just 19 kilograms and zero connections. Her journey from survival mode to thriving showcases resilience, professional reinvention, and the courage to redefine success on her own terms.

Today, Lidia is building her life and career in London, proving that career recovery and life transformation are possible at any stage when you bet on yourself and refuse to give up.

Connecting with Lidia

Instagram: @lidiasviews, @hotgritandgrace, @hellbluebell

Reflection Questions for Career Transformation

• What would change if you stopped conforming to society's definition of career success and listened to your own voice?
• How can you transition from "survival mode" to actively choosing joy in your daily life?
• What dreams are you keeping as wishes instead of turning into actionable plans?
• Where in your life do you need to say "I'm not dead yet" and choose career reinvention over resignation?

Key Takeaways

Lidia's story reminds us that no matter how many times life knocks us down, we have the resilience to rebuild—and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is pack a suitcase and bet on yourself. True career success isn't about ticking society's boxes; it's about having the courage to define and pursue your own version of a joyful life. Her journey proves that starting over can be the beginning of your greatest chapter.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess: Instagram: @compasscoaching.co Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

In this episode of Successful AF, host Jess West interviews Clare Muncey, a former Metropolitan Police officer who made a dramatic career transition from the Riot Squad to becoming a yoga teacher and social entrepreneur.

Clare's career transformation journey from a high-stress police career to finding peace and purpose through yoga business is profoundly inspiring. She shares intimate stories of overcoming burnout, navigating dark moments, and discovering the healing power of yoga practice. Clare emphasises the importance of authentic self-care, consistent practice, and creating safe, inclusive spaces where people can heal, connect, and reignite their inner flame.

Perfect for listeners seeking career change inspiration, wellness career paths, stress management strategies, and entrepreneurship motivation for building a purpose-driven business.

About Clare Muncey

Clare spent 17 years as a Metropolitan Police officer, working in demanding roles including domestic violence and the riot squad. She first stepped onto a yoga mat seeking stress relief from her consuming police career, though her practice remained inconsistent for years. What began as a tiny, barely watered seed slowly grew and flourished as Clare pursued yoga teacher training in Greece and India, evolving into a winding, life-changing career pivot.

Today, Clare runs "I am the Storm Yoga" from a beautiful watermill in North Norfolk, UK, where she facilitates heartfelt, intuitive classes as a yoga entrepreneur. She believes accessible yoga is for everyone, regardless of mental or physical starting points, and that it can bring joy, passion, connection, and the chance to trust and love who we really are. As a social entrepreneur, Clare supports various charities, including domestic violence organisations and dog rescue charities, embodying purpose-driven business principles.

Connect with Clare:

Instagram: @Iamthestormyoga Website: https://www.iamthestormyoga.com

Reflection Questions for Career Change

• What would it look like to redefine success as an "inward journey"?
• How can you create more space in your life for authentic connections and self-care practices?
• What wellness practices help you navigate the "duality of life"?
• Where in your life are you chasing rather than attracting career fulfillment?

Key Takeaways

This conversation reminds us that no matter where we're starting from, we have the power to completely reimagine our lives through career transformation. Clare's story is proof that our greatest challenges often become our greatest teachers, and that healing through career change - while not easy - is always possible. Her journey from police officer to yoga entrepreneur shows that authentic career success comes from alignment with your true purpose.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess: Instagram: @compasscoaching.co Website: www.compasscoachingandyoga.com

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

What if everything you've been told about business success is wrong?

This week, host Jess West sits down with her longtime friend Santina Philips, female entrepreneur and founder of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, for a raw conversation about redefining success, building fitness business community, and the grit it takes to thrive as a woman in business in a male-dominated industry.

Perfect for fitness entrepreneurs, female business owners, and anyone seeking entrepreneurship motivation and business resilience strategies.

About Santina Philips

Female fitness entrepreneur and Founder & Director of URSUS Fitness in Hong Kong, Santina has spent the last 10 years building a fitness community around strength, grit, and growth. A passionate fitness business owner, personal trainer, and programming expert, she's dedicated to helping others fall in love with training and themselves.

A champion of women's fitness, Santina has led a women's strength & conditioning program for over 4 years, advocating for education, empowerment, and fitness confidence. From strongman athlete to successful business owner, her entrepreneurship journey is raw, real, and packed with lessons in business resilience, leadership, and showing up with purpose.

Episode Highlights

🎯 Career Pivot Success: From Languages to Lifting

• How Santina transitioned from studying Russian and German (and nearly dying from peritonitis in Siberia!) to founding one of Hong Kong's most beloved fitness businesses
• Career change inspiration: Why she stepped away from translation to follow her passion for strength training business
• The early days of driving 5-ton trucks around Hong Kong, dragging 300kg tires for functional fitness classes

💪 Female Athlete Entrepreneur: Competing at World's Strongest Man

• What drove her to become a strongman athlete and compete on the world stage
• How proving herself physically helped establish business credibility in a male-dominated industry
• The moment she pulled a truck on camera (that wasn't even meant for her!)

🏋️‍♀️ Women in Business: Breaking Barriers as a Female Gym Owner

• Navigating the fitness industry as a young female entrepreneur in a male-dominated space
• Female leadership challenges: Why she felt she had to work twice as hard to earn respect
• Business confidence strategies for being taken seriously

🌪️ Business Resilience: Weathering the Entrepreneurial Storms

• The breaking point: sitting in hotel quarantine, watching sewage flood her fitness business
• How the pandemic and health scares (including developing celiac disease from stress) forced her to redefine business success
• Entrepreneurship resilience: Why she almost walked away—and what kept her going

🔄 Sustainable Business Growth: Redefining Success

• Her evolution from chasing revenue and expansion to prioritizing sustainable business practices
• Business strategy pivot: Why she closed a second location and chose depth over breadth
• Entrepreneurship intuition: How she learned to trust her gut instincts in business decisions

👥 Fitness Community Building: From Competition to Connection

• The transformation from "scary strongman gym" to inclusive strength training community
• Women's fitness business: Why she pivoted to focus on women's health and functional fitness
• Community-based business: How she created a space where people build friendships for life, not just muscle

Connect with Santina

Perso

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk

What if the promotion you didn't get was actually the universe's way of setting you free?

In this deeply moving episode, Jess sits down with her dear friend Toto Lambert, who went from Team Secretary to one of the youngest female partners at a leading global real estate agency in just seven years.

Toto's career transformation story is one of courage, vulnerability, and the radical act of prioritising work-life balance. She's navigated complex health challenges whilst climbing the corporate ladder, all while learning to shed the armour of perfectionism and embrace authentic leadership.

Perfect for listeners experiencing career burnout, seeking professional fulfilment, or looking for career change inspiration to align work with personal values.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Career burnout recovery: The moment Toto realised her health was more important than her job title
• Resilience after rejection: Why getting rejected for her "dream" promotion became the catalyst for transformation
• Career sabbatical benefits: Her six-month "soulbattical" that changed everything
• Female leadership development: How she's learned to integrate strength with grace, and masculine drive with feminine softness
• Redefining career success beyond job titles and salaries in corporate culture

About Toto: Toto is a female business leader and Partner at The Buying Solution, a leading property buying agency, where she helps individuals and families acquire homes in central and southwest London. Alongside her work in real estate leadership, Toto is a yoga teacher and qualified nutritional therapist. This portfolio career represents professional reinvention and shows how work-life integration can create both success and fulfilment in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Toto's swift rise from Team Secretary to youngest female partner in just over seven years left her "successful" but experiencing career burnout. In 2023, after a decade at the company, Toto embarked on a six-month career sabbatical to India, Sri Lanka and the Balearics. Those transformative months helped her discover authentic success and professional wellness.

You can find Toto teaching yoga in SW London studios, many of which stream their classes online for those further afield. Outside of real estate and off the yoga mat, Toto enjoys tennis, running and swimming - embodying true work-life balance.

Connect with Toto: Instagram: @toto.lambert Website: www.totolambert.com

Key Takeaways for Career Success:

This episode is a masterclass in trusting your intuition and career pivot strategies, even when it's terrifying. Toto's professional development journey reminds us that sometimes the biggest disappointments are actually redirections towards our authentic career path. Her story of overcoming perfectionism whilst maintaining business success shows us that we don't have to choose between authenticity and achievement - sustainable career success means having both.

Love this episode? Hit subscribe and leave us a review! And if you know someone who's redefining success on their own terms, nominate them at [email protected] - we're always looking for incredible people to feature.

Connect with Jess:

Instagram: @kalicoaching.co

Website: www.kalicoaching.co.uk