Your Life After Tech

Ep 013: Nicole Menkhoff: From Tech Leader to Consultant

Nicole Menkhoff takes us on a captivating journey through her professional evolution... from aerospace engineering with a focus on rocket propulsion to leadership roles at tech giants like Google, Twitter, and Apple, before launching her own consulting business in late 2024. Nicole recognized the tech industry's gradual shift away from true innovation and toward an overemphasis on profit and shareholder value. This sparked Nicole v3.0, a transformation from corporate tech leader to independent consultant helping organizations reinvent productivity and enhance national security. We chatted about redefining success beyond the size of your paycheck and breaking free from outdated personal narratives, or as Nicole brilliantly said, updating her internal "algorithm" that was still weighing old, obsolete data too heavily. We also discussed some of the physical manifestations of stress, and listening to our bodies. For anyone contemplating their own career transformation, Nicole emphasizes the importance of thoroughly exploring your motivations and comparing your current values with how you're working and living.  Find Nicole at nfmso.com. 🐦🔥  Life After Tech https://LifeAfterTech.info and Delta CX Coaching https://DeltaCX.Coach are part of the Delta CX Hive 🐝, which includes coaching, a free Discord community, articles, and other resources. The Delta CX Hive supports you wherever you are in your life and career paths. 🔗 All books, channels, communities, and other resources at https://dcx.to Message us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395880/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://patreon.com/deltacxhive]

Ep 012: Kristina Kennedy: From UX Research to French Pastries

Kristina Kennedy's career journey takes us from the familiar terrain of tech layoffs to the total yum of French pastry kitchens. Having worked seven years in user experience research, her professional path took an unexpected turn when she was laid off. Rather than immediately jumping back into the tech job hunt, Christina paused to reconsider what truly brought her fulfillment. During the isolation of the pandemic, Kristina discovered baking as a source of presence and joy. She then pursued internships in both boulangerie (bread making) and patisserie (pastry making) in Lyon, France, where she currently lives. While financial realities have temporarily paused her full transition to becoming a pastry chef, the seed has been planted for a future that looks dramatically different from her tech career. Find Kristina on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/KKENNE or reach out directly via ActionInsights.net, the research agency she co-founded focusing on e-learning products. 🐦🔥  Life After Tech https://LifeAfterTech.info and Delta CX Coaching https://DeltaCX.Coach are part of the Delta CX Hive 🐝, which includes coaching, a free Discord community, articles, and other resources. The Delta CX Hive supports you wherever you are in your life and career paths. 🔗 All books, channels, communities, and other resources at https://dcx.to Message us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395880/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://patreon.com/deltacxhive]

Ep 011: Jess Vice - From Copywriter to Collective

What happens when you reject traditional business hierarchies and build something radically different? Jess Vice takes us on their journey from struggling English graduate to tech professional to co-founder of Kit Research and Strategy—a collective challenging how business gets done. After years of corporate instability, being repeatedly laid off without warning, Jess realized they needed to create a work environment aligned with their vision. The collective model Jess co-created offers clients expert services without the 40% markup typical of traditional agencies. It allows practitioners to set aside vacation weeks at the beginning of each year, create multiple income streams aligned with their passions, and question workplace norms many take for granted.  Jess shares valuable lessons from their journey: apply the entrepreneurial mindset to your own life, start with small experiments, and always question established norms.  Find Jess at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessvice/ and https://kitresearchandstrategy.com 🐦🔥  Life After Tech https://LifeAfterTech.info [https://lifeaftertech.info] and Delta CX Coaching https://DeltaCX.Coach [https://deltacx.coach] are part of the Delta CX Hive 🐝, which includes coaching, a free Discord community, articles, and other resources. The Delta CX Hive supports you wherever you are in your life and career paths. 🔗 All books, channels, communities, and other resources at https://dcx.to [https://dcx.to] Message us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395880/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://patreon.com/deltacxhive]

Ep 010: Ricardo Brito - From Service Design to In Service to Others

Ricardo Brito shares his transformative journey from tech burnout to becoming a solopreneur and career coach. He offers insights for individuals considering career transitions, warning against waiting until burnout or layoffs to take action. • Ricardo’s background transitioning from graphic design to UX design • The importance of following curiosity and exploring new paths • Proactive planning to avoid financial insecurity during career changes • Warnings against chasing “golden handcuffs” and unfulfilling roles • Launch of Ricardo’s program, "Solo Business Co-Pilot"  • Importance of personalizing career development strategies Find him at RicardoBrito.me Message us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395880/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://patreon.com/deltacxhive]

Ep 009: Tonia Bartz - From UX Research to Holistic Wellness

Curious about making a major career shift? Meet Tonia Bartz, a former UX Researcher turned holistic wellness coach, who shares her journey from the tech world to the realm of integrative nutrition and wellness.  Embrace your imperfections! Whether you're staying in tech or considering moving to a new career, Tonia reminds us to listen to that little persistent voice. There's a reason we keep imagining alternative futures for ourselves. Tonia's links: Stay up to date on upcoming workshops, free events, coaching openings + more by following Imperfect AF on the social apps + signing up for the Wellness Unfiltered Newsletter! Web: https://imperfectaf.com Email: hello@imperfectaf.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/imperfectaf/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/liveimperfectaf/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liveimperfectaf Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/liveimperfectaf.bsky.social FB: https://www.facebook.com/LiveImperfectAF Etsy: https://liveimperfectaf.etsy.com/ Sign up for the newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/f3e081916f4f/imperfectaf Message us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395880/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://patreon.com/deltacxhive]