The Career Switch Podcast

John Sovec is a therapist and coach who works with clients on career transitions, goal setting, and motivation. After a thirty-year career in theater and managing entertainment for a large corporation, he realized that what made him feel most fulfilled was applying his natural affinity for empathy and caring to helping others, and made the decision to transition into his new career. Today on the show, we talk about letting go of one identity to make room for another.

Learn more about John at https://www.johnsovec.com/. 

Richelle Delia, PhD is an award-winning scientist who spent the first ten years of her career as a chemical engineer in research and development, before realizing she wanted to build something fully her own. Now, she and her husband are co-founders of Housing Joint Venture, a real estate education and development firm helping professionals explore income property ownership as a safety net, to diversify or create wealth. Today on the show, we talk about overcoming the "sunk cost fallacy" and breaking through mental barriers to own the story of your career. 

You can find out more about Housing Joint Venture and their investment bootcamps at:
https://housingjv.com
https://housingjv.com/bootcamp/
https://theinvestingbootcamp.com

Justin Kelsey is CEO of VAXA Digital, a digital agency focused on scroll-stopping creative strategy and media buying for established e-commerce brands. Before leaving the corporate world to pursue his passion for creating e-commerce videos, Justin worked in finance and digital strategy roles at Bank of America, Accenture, and Amazon. Today on the show, we talk about how he built processes and plans that helped fuel his journey from the corporate world into entrepreneurship. 

Check out Justin's articles, companies and other content here: https://linktr.ee/justinkelsey

Amma Aboagye’s career began in education with Teach for America. Now, she is the Science, Technology, Innovations and Partnerships Advisor for the West Africa Region of USAID, sitting at the intersection of international development, innovation, and culture. Amma is also the Founding Curator of the Afropole and Host of the Podcast Inside Out by Amma G, a podcast all about intrapreneurship. Amma is a fervent believer in the power of people to drive change and has been using various forms of media, including blogs and radio programming, to empower youth and promote meaningful conversations about the role Afrodiasporans play in their global advancement. Today on the show, we talk about how developing a vision for her life led Amma to where she is today, how to leverage intrapreneurship to test your transferable skills and create opportunities in your career change.

Website: www.ammaaboagye.com
Twitter: @amma_aboagye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ammaaboagye

Ryan Lambert built a 15-year career in Mechanical Engineering R&D, working on innovations such as the Keurig K Cup, Atomic Clocks, and Diabetes Pumps. 5 years ago, he began a transition into Data Science, and now works as a Data Scientist at American Express, where he has been responsible for innovations that won him the “platinum genius” award. Today, we talk about how taking the simplest approach, finding ways to add value, and applying your knowledge to new problem sets, can help create a flywheel of success for your own career change.

I want to know what you think of The Career Switch Podcast! Please email me your feedback at [email protected]. What do you want to hear more of? Less of? What stories am I missing? Thank you in advance for listening and for your feedback!

Ifat Pridan is the owner and founder of Lili the First, a women’s fashion boutique in Washington, DC focused on introducing emerging designers from around the world. More than 20 years ago, Ifat arrived in the US from Israel for her career in technical and IT project management for telecomm and financial companies...and 20 years after that, she left her career in the corporate world to pursue her lifelong dream of owning a fashion boutique. Today on the show, we talk about what it takes to make your dreams a reality. 

Jeremy Deighan is a coach and online course creator who helps others turn their expertise into a thriving online business. His show, The Online Course Igniter Podcast, showcases successful entrepreneurs who are making 6, 7, and even 8-figures by teaching what they are passionate about. Before becoming an online course guru, Jeremy worked as an electrician and technical stagehand before beginning the side hustle that turned into his full-time career. In this episode, we talk about the power of creating your community, budgeting your time the same way you budget your money, and getting into the right mindset to accomplish whatever it is you set out to do. Jeremy has great advice, not only for a career switch, but for life in general. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did. You can check out Jeremy’s podcast, the Online Course Igniter, anywhere you listen to podcasts, and visit his website at onlinecourseigniter.com. 

Lauren Steckler is an intuitive life coach who left her career in fashion after realizing she was “checking all the boxes” – a good education, a successful job, marriage - but was feeling unfulfilled in her life. Now, she helps clients break out of limiting beliefs so they can live more fulfilling lives. Lauren and I talk about how to take the leap when your gut tells you that it's time - even if you don't know where you're going - as well as setting boundaries in talking about your career change with family and friends.  You can visit Lauren's website at www.laurensteckler.com. 

Dan Turner has been formerly known as Dirty Dan Denton, a professional wrestler touring the world as the Canadian Heavyweight Champion. As a wrestler, he held the NWA Canadian Tag-Team Title, and headlined at the fabled Arena Mexico in Mexico City, the Cathedral of Lucha Libre. Eventually, he pivoted his way into journalism and eventually into a career as a corporate fixer, focused on talent development and profitability. He also runs a media company that publishes newsletters focused on everything from news to wellness, and helps diabetics reform their health through his diabetes army platform on Facebook and Instagram. In this episode, we talk about mindset - coming into everything you do with a learner’s mindset, but also with confidence and the desire to achieve whatever you set out to do. 

Visit Dan’s company, Big D’s Roadhouse, and his other media properties (including his Diabetes Army), at: http://bigdsroadhouse.com/

My guest this week is Ellen Dux, associate director of the Office of Sustainability at the
University of Southern California. After a successful stint as a film producer in the
entertainment industry where she held a number of senior positions, including as Executive Director of 20 th Century Fox’s mobile content division, and co-founding a film entertainment production company with musician Peter Gabriel, Ellen took the leap and, over the course of 3 years, translated her writing, connecting, and project management skills to a career in sustainability.  In this episode, Ellen and I talk about identifying your transferable skills and making them central to your story, how you pitch yourself and how you offer value to others.