The Career Catalyst Chronicles by Susan Baird, Advantage Coaching

An interview with Caroline Allen on taking the leap and setting up a business

In this episode I am speaking to Caroline Allen, Founder and Director of Yorkshire Finanical Planning Ltd. Caroline set up her own business in 2020 after taking redundancy after 18 years with Nationwide Building Society. Caroline shares her career journey from taking a job on the counter without any longer term plans and then seizing the opportunities that came her way eventually creating a business that she loves and where she feels she can positively impact the lives of her clients.

An Interview with Simon Gregg on Networking

In this episode I am speaking to Simon Gregg of Fusion. He is a professional networker, specialising in connecting the right people together. Simon shares his career journey from IT Sales to where he is today. Networking is a word that fills many people with feelings of dread but Simon helps us to see how we can reap the benefits as well as well as making it an enjoyable experience.

Ditch the Guilt and Progress your Career

In this episode I explore the feelings of guilt we can experience when we consider doing something different in our careers. Where do these feelings of guilt come from? How do they hold us back? How can we overcome them so we can move forward? There is no need to feel guilty about wanting to feel engaged, enthused and fulfilled in our career and the advantages are too many to hold ourselves back.

An Interview with Mandy Beech, Director of Retail Services at Nationwide Building Society

In this episode I am speaking to Mandy Beech, Director of Retail Services at Nationwide Building Society. She is also a mother of three, has an MBA and has run the London marathon. Mandy shares her inspiring story where she started her career in the back office at RBS at 18 years old to where she is today and how she has managed to juggle the demands of family life, studying and outside interests alongside a busy career.

Career Reinvention: At Any Age

In this episode I explore Career Reinvention: Whatever Your Age. People often wonder if they are too old to do something different in their career and whether they should instead wait it out until retirement. The reality is, it's never too late to reinvent yourself professionally and take those years of experience, knowledge and skills and put them towards a career that inspires you and makes you feel like you are making a difference. In this episode we will explore the next steps to take.