The Next Chapter by Ellie Barker

Laura Casey was enjoying a successful life in textile marketing, but she always felt she wanted more control over her career. After she had her two daughters, she decided to become a freelancer. She also started to design her own sewing patterns and began a blog, sharing her designs for free. Laura had no idea she was also beginning her own business but when she had 40,000 followers she realised she had to do something.

Laura now not only creates her own patterns, she runs sewing retreats and she has even designed her own fabric. Best of all, Laura wakes up in the morning and can decide what work she wants to do that day. Laura believes we don’t have to wait for perfection, we just have to start and improve from there. Laura is supportive, encouraging and hardworking. She is the ideal Next Chapter inspiration, a brilliant way to end this series and keep you thinking, until we return with the next series in the new year.

To learn more about Laura you can find her work at https://sewdifferent.co.uk/

You can keep in touch with me and my latest books at elliebarkerwrites.com

And if you could rate and review this episode – and subscribe too, well this would not only make my day, but may help someone else find their next chapter too.

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Sarah had just finished her job as a performing arts lecturer, she had a young family and wanted to spend more time with them, so was looking to start her next chapter. But then one morning everything changed. Sarah suffered a dreadful injury which left her lying on the floor in agony for the next year.

I’ll let Sarah tell you what happened but from these dark days, Sarah was able discover something which not only brought light and joy to her, but to many others too.

Sarah may work in the middle of nowhere, on Dartmoor in her studio, surrounded by glorious countryside. But she has built a huge following as her works connects to so many. Sarah believes in making work which celebrates simple joys.

Sarah is honest, open and full of passion for what she does – she believes we all have the answers inside of us, and it’s all about us staying true to who we are.

You can see more of Sarah and her work: https://thedartmoorartist.co.uk/

You can find out more about me and my latest books www.elliebarkerwrites.com It would absolutely make my day if you sent me a message and let me know what you think of this episode.

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Joanne Truby not only had that niggling voice that something wasn’t right in her working life, she listened to it. Not just once, many times. When Joanne was at school she would never have believed one day she’d become an incredible florist with her own school. She didn’t even know then she had a passion for flowers. But by listening to that niggling voice, it took her to exactly where she is meant to be. She has now built her own business with a huge following, which has developed and shaped around her family too.

Joanne’s been a finalist in the UK Wedding Awards for best wedding florist and her work is regularly featured in national magazines. She may work alongside huge designer names, but Joanne remains humble. She’s hardworking, honest and her optimism is a joy to listen to.

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I’m just going to put it out there – I am guessing you’ve never met a Reverend vet before. But then I’m also guessing you have never met anyone like Reverend Jenny McKay before. When a careers adviser said she’d never be a vet, well there was Jenny’s mission to prove them wrong. But since then Jenny has proved so much else wrong as well. A diagnosis in her 40s made her think there was something more to life. After much searching and honesty with herself, she became a Reverend. But did she give up being a vet? Of course Jenny didn’t. And yes, Jenny does wear her dog-collar to work. Jenny’s work is full of passion and joy, just like she is. She wants everyone know we are all in this together, whatever our beliefs.

You can see everything Reverend Jenny McKay is doing at https://www.thereverendvet.co.uk/

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Julie New had just left her job as a midwife to begin her next chapter as a personal recovery coach. But when she did, she had no idea she would be needing this work herself. Julie and her family suffered two terrible losses in three years.

I’ll let Julie tell you what happened, but as you can imagine - life became really hard.

But she used her own work, took small steps along – as she calls it - the Grief Garden path. Julie has now found love - and she’s back to her work using everything she’s been through - helping others in her brilliant Hope Headquarters at her home in Bedfordshire.

Julie believes it is always possible to grow again – but as she says – you have to keep watering you.

You can see more of Julie’s work and how she is helping others at https://www.julienew.co.uk/

(And if you want to know a bit more about me I’d love to see you at elliebarkerwrites.com)

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It’s impossible to fit all of the Next Chapters of Mark Desvaux’s life into one title. But this is how much he loves life and believes in experimenting and having a go at what you’ve always wanted to do. His optimism and determination helped him play Glastonbury 3 times (3 times!!!). He’s started a charity, he’s a bestselling author, his work along with the brilliant Mark Stay at The Bestseller Experiment is helping to change people’s lives (I know because I am one of these people). He and his wife Jen also made the brave decision to leave their life in the UK to begin a new one with their three children in Canada. They believed we should all live the lives we want, not the ones we think we should. I’ll let Mark tell you what happened next, but he says this is the first time he’s been interviewed about the worst seven years of his life. This is how much he believes in Next Chapters. He knows how precious life is and now he’s helping all of us have the right mindset to live the way we want. Mark is open, thoughtful, kind and honest - it’s the longest episode yet, but I don’t think you’ll want to miss what Mark says.

To find out more about Mark Devaux https://www.4000saturdays.com/

To learn more about Mark Deveaux and Mark Stay at the Bestseller Experiment: https://bestsellerexperiment.com/

To know more about me (although you’ve probably heard enough of this already) I’ll just leave this here for you : elliebarkerwrites.com

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Joanna Penn started off her working career in corporate IT. She did really well, and worked all over the world including Australia and New Zealand. But she was always frustrated by the lack of creativity. And after trying different ventures, in 2006 she wrote her first non-fiction book.

Joanna not only decided to publish her own book but she started a blog and began to share everything she was learning about the publishing industry. She went on to also write fiction and she became a New York Times and USA bestselling author of thrillers under J.F Penn. Joanna has now written more than thirty books. She is an award-winning podcaster and her Creative Penn podcast has been down loaded millions of times. She is an international speaker and one of the most well-respected indie authors, well, in the world. Not only that, she’s still sharing all her knowledge and teaching authors how to make (a good) living from their writing.

Joanna Penn has been such an inspiration to me and my Next Chapter and I was thrilled she agreed to be my guest.

You can find out more about Joanna, all her books and courses at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/

And of course, my Next Chapter at elliebarkerwrites.com

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Sam Pantlin and Alex Williams were both mums working in jobs they didn’t feel were quite for them. So, they decided to do what they’d wanted to do for a long time and become midwives. This decision not only changed their lives but it brought them together. They both work for the NHS but together they’ve started The Naked Midwives. I’ll let them tell you what this is (but just for the record, they do wear clothes.) Not only is it fascinating to learn how you become a midwife and what life is really like, this is a story of friendship. How the two of them help others but also each other when that funny thing called life gets in the way. Sam and Alex are full of warmth and sunshine and are the perfect example of what Next Chapters can bring.

You can find out all about their work at https://thenakedmidwives.co.uk/

And just leaving this here too… my latest book The Juggle

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Cathy Moseley grew up in Bethnal Green in London. She describes it as a true working-class upbringing with a proper, honest work ethic. As a teenager, Cathy was the only girl working on a big city trading floor with no experience. But she rose all the way to becoming the Senior Director of Trading, a job which took her all over the world.

But she wasn’t happy, so one day she left. Cathy has since channelled all her hard work and values to create Boundless - an award-winning healthy snack business which is now taking over our supermarkets (and Selfridges!) and our snacking habits. But to Cathy it is so much more than a business. She describes her company and the people who work for her as her family, and she loves what she does. Cathy has seen even lots of money really doesn’t buy happiness. But she believes if you just listen to that inner voice of yours, then you can find your happiness too.

You can find out more about Cathy Moseley and her company

https://weareboundless.co.uk/

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***Welcome to my first ever Listener Episode*** 

This is where my lovely listeners get in touch and ask me to interview someone they would love to hear from. Abigail Rogers got in touch, wanting to hear from a surgeon, and Mr Cha Rajakaruna very kindly agreed. But Cha isn’t just kind, he’s humble, filled with passion for his work and has saved and transformed so many lives. Cha talks about what it was like growing up in Sri Lanka during a civil war, going to school in someone’s house and how he arrived in Bristol and found the hospital (and lady for him.) 

Cha would never say this, but he is one of the most respected heart surgeons in the world. He talks honestly about what it’s really like to do a job like his and what it means to him and his family. It’s one of my longest conversations so far, but I challenge you to find a part that you’d want to leave out.

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