The first Left Turn podcast after a long summer break - thanks for listening!

This episode's guest is Liz Okoko, who started our her working life as clinical pharmacist, working in hospitals, but shifted lanes to become a chemical engineer, working in remote parts of Australia where she was often the only woman, never mind a woman of colour.

Liz and her family moved from Nairobi, Kenya to Auckland, New Zealand, in her mid teens, and we talk a lot about what that big change was like, the influence of her parents on her career choices, and how she found clarity to make her career change.

This week's guest is Sam Shepherd who runs his own property advisory company helping developers maximise the potential of property developments beyond their core uses.

Sam shares how starting out after university by following in his father's footsteps into a career in stockbroking wasn't for him, despite loving the energy of the trading floor. Whilst his next move into photography gave him the chance to pursue his creative flair, Sam missed the social connection of working with people.

Following these experiences Sam found himself working in property development, where he was able to start combining his financial nous, curiosity for understanding what drives people, and creativity in bringing projects to life. Sam has now built his advisory business that allows him to do the things he enjoys and does well.

Sam speaks openly and honestly about the highs and lows of his varied career experiences, including running your own business, and how he manages that day-to-day.

Learn more about Sam's business www.bellringer.com.au

This week's guest is Christie Preston, a Canadian living in Sydney who for most of her career had followed her passions and entrepreneurial intuitions in the world of movement and fitness.

Running her own pilates studio and becoming a brand ambassador for fitness fashion brand lululemon, Christie seemed to have found the Holy Grail of making a career out of her passion.

However, realising that passion in itself isn’t always enough, Christie made her career left turn into the legal profession, training to become a lawyer and is now working as an in house counsel for a property company - but still teaching a couple of pilates classes a week. An impressive portfolio career!

check out Christie's blog https://legallybod.com

This week's guest is John Avrett, who worked for over 15 years in two of the world's largest and most powerful institutions - the US military and the US State Department - before starting his own business in the Phillipines with a vision to manufacture homes at a speed and quality that will help solve the current housing crisis faced in the US (and Australia and beyond).

To learn about John's follow-up advice to his younger self - he recommends reading the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz:

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don't make assumptions
3. Don't take anything personally
4. Always try your best

https://www.miguelruiz.com/the-four-agreements

From the show:

Hive Modular - John's start-up housing company innovating in building quality homes at speed

https://www.instagram.com/hive_modular

Friday Night Lights - https://amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/feb/06/best-sports-shows-watch-to-watch-friday-night-lights-streaming

This week's episode is a conversation with Craig Evans who shares his unique journey from a career in comedy and radio broadcasting to deciding to go back to uni in his mid 30s and become a commercial lawyer. Craig reflects on his early years at a performing arts high school, his love of performance and the life skills it gave him, before deciding to take on a whole new intellectual challenge by pursuing a career in the legal profession.

I've known plenty of ex lawyers doing something different with their lives, but not many ex comedians turned lawyers - so Craig's story is fairly unique!

This week's guest is Lauren McWhirter who grew up with a dogged desire to be a helicopter pilot in the Australian Navy, but ended up working in the Pilbara as a geologist on an iron ore mine during the heady heights of the Australian mining boom.

Lauren's career left turn took her from mining into radio broadcasting, including stints as a breakfast radio host, before she moved behind the microphone to produce shows for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as well as becoming a professional podcast producer just as the podcasting boom has taken off.

Lauren shares her experience transitioning from the Pilbara to producer with honesty and a lot of humour and plenty of fab stories - from almost ruining the magic of Christmas for the people of Dubbo, to how she dealt with Donald Trump's curveball.

This week's guest is Julian Meagher, a doctor turned successful professional artist - including a five time finalist in Australia's most famous art prize, the Archibald, and having his work exhibited extensively around the world.

Julian discusses his journey from a creative family to pursuing a career in medicine and eventually committing fully to following his lifelong passion for painting. Jules is open and honest about the ups and downs of making a career in art, with some surprising insights (at least for me) about what it takes to hone your skills as an artist.

Jules also went back to medicine one day a week a few years ago, assisting in surgery, and speaks beautifully about the joy of helping other people and how his work in art and medicine complement each other.

This week's guest on the Left Turn is Reggie Duvalsaint, an American who gave up a job at the HSBC bank after falling in love with hot dog vending.

Reggie is currently a pursuing a goal to be the first person to work at all baseball, American Football and Ice hockey stadiums in the professional leagues of MLB, NFL, and NHL.

Reggie's story has been covered extensively by US sports media through the lens of his record attempt, but in the Left Turn he talks about what it feels like to free yourself from the idea of what you should be doing, and just follow your passions to find your "thing".

This week’s guest is Ross Nesdale, currently working as a real estate agent in the competitive property market of Sydney but who made travelled across the world in his early 20s to make his name as professional rugby player, playing international rugby for Ireland and then coaching the most famous rugby team in the world, the NZ All Blacks.

But Ross’s career story is more than just about rugby, and now in his 50s he talks with passion and excitement about the opportunity of still having at least one or two more career adventures up his sleeve.

Themes that emerge from my conversations with Ross:

* a combination of curiosity and courage to keep learning and growing can create colourful career chapters - Ross is still testing himself now he in his 50s, following passions and finding ways to keep having career adventures. 

* leveraging a number of standout strengths that Ross leveraged from an early age, honed during rugby but that continue to serve him in his career today

* consistently creating opportunities for himself by putting himself out there and asking people to give him a chance to have a crack at doing something different

UPDATED AUDIO

This week's Left Turn guest is Caroline Hugall who had a 20 year career as a marketing executive in London, New York and Sydney, working on famous brands including Dove, Oreos, Cadbury, and NRMA.

With three young kids and dealing with the challenges of working and parenting through Covid in Sydney, Caroline decided she need make a change and went from her high-flying corporate life to the foundry floor by taking over the running of her father's metal casting business in Western Sydney.

Key insights that Caroline talks about in more depth :

• how her natural character strength of curiosity helped her quickly learn the ins and outs of manufacturing and find ways to improve how it operated
• the value a big change can give you in generating new perspective and insight about yourself and others
• important role of mentors who can help you navigate the challenges of a new industry through practical advice
• the self-confidence to be gained by working out of your comfort zone - understanding what you're truly capable of.

Refreshed and renewed in her role as Chief Strategy Officer for a leading media agency, Caroline's story is also a real inspiration for anyone worried that if you change career you are closing the door on what went before - in reality you can return to what you did, but rather than going "back" you're actually going forward by using the fresh perspective gained and seeing opportunities and problems in a new light.