“It was a phenomenal time looking back, of anxiety at the beginning and disbelief that this was going to do anything for us, to finally being acquired at the end of 2021 in a life changing deal.”

In this episode, I speak to David James about the reality of walking away from a, on paper, dream corporate role in search of something else.

David left the Walt Disney Company and joined the startup world, he shares the story of facing into the setbacks, the moments of wonderful serendipity, the moments of deep, dark doubt (my words, not David’s!).

We talk about the emotional highs and lows of career change, what it means to redefine success, and how sometimes, failure can lead to the most valuable opportunities.

If you're navigating change or just curious about what happens when you take a leap, this one’s for you.

Here are the highlights:

03:17 The quiet build-up to letting go

07:45 Push vs pull: What drives us to change

09:38 Starting a business from scratch

12:21 Facing failure head-on

16:14 The free fall: Losing identity after leaving corporate

22:01 A serendipitous conversation that changed everything

29:19 Finding your voice and your value in something new

33:10 Learning to focus on the real problem

40:54 Adjusting after the business was acquired

David’s ‘another door opens’ go-to list -

Book: Broken Open, How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser

Music: Saint Cloud by Waxahachie

The one piece of advice: “Own your own narrative.”

More about David:

David James is the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning and a highly respected voice in the Learning & Development industry. With a focus on harnessing technology to drive impactful learning strategies, David is recognised as one of the top 10 global influencers in the L&D space. His expertise lies in helping organisations modernise their approach to workplace learning, ensuring measurable results and business alignment.

David is also the host of The Learning & Development Podcast, which has amassed over 500,000 downloads and ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally. With nearly 30,000 LinkedIn followers, he continues to shape the conversation around L&D innovation and best practices, drawing on his deep experience, including his time as Director of Learning, Talent & Organisational Development at The Walt Disney Company.

Find out more: https://360learning.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/?originalSubdomain=uk

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and the author of Another Door Opens - Five steps to navigating change in work and life

Instagram:instagram/anotherdoor_opens

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.anotherdoor.co.uk

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“What does success actually mean to me? Why did I quit my job really? How do I build this freedom, flexibility, fulfillment? How do I redefine it?”

In this episode, I talk to Anna Lundberg, an executive coach, business mentor and strategic adviser who challenges us to think about success and what it means to us. Anna shares her career change from corporate marketing to creating a business with more freedom and fulfillment. We explore the evolution of success, exploring unexpected paths and random connections that shape our careers and personal growth, like finding me on ChatGPT!

Here are the highlights:

03:50 The big door: Leaving corporate life and the journey since

05:06 Serendipitous lunch leading to new life paths

09:23 Embracing life changes and the idea of different life seasons

13:03 Shifting mindset from employee to entrepreneur

14:26 Moving into freelance consulting

26:25 Redefining personal career success and what truly matters

30:49 The ongoing journey - always a work in progress

The things that helped Anna navigate change -

Book: The Art of Non-conformity: Set Your Own Rules by Chris Guillebeau and "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.

Music: Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked

The one piece of advice: " Take those little steps, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to find the right answer, and just have a bit of faith that something good will come of it.”

More about Anna:

Anna Lundberg is the founder of One Step Outside, where she helps professionals and entrepreneurs redefine success on their own terms. After stepping away from a successful corporate career, she built a business that gives her both financial stability and personal freedom - without following the traditional ‘hustle’ playbook. Through her Business Accelerator, strategic coaching, and thought leadership, she supports leaders in designing a business and career that aligns with their values, lifestyle, and ambitions. She is the author of Outside of the 9 to 5 and Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5, and the host of the Reimagining Success podcast.

Find out more: https://onestepoutside.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaselundberg/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“Sometimes the doors closing are not just physical things. Sometimes it is about closing the way we do something, the way we think, so that we can step into a different space for ourselves.”

Have you ever felt the weight of certainty pull you down, trapping you in a life that doesn’t truly fulfill you?

In this episode I sit down with Suzanne Penny, a transition and career coach, who shares her own transformative journey of leaving behind certainty in favour of embracing the unknown.

Suzanne shares key turning points in her life that could have easily anchored her in fear and loss, yet propelled her into a space of growth, curiosity, and empowerment. We talk about that change will inevitably mean we have to face being uncomfortable, before we find a more aligned pathway.

Whether you’re facing a career transition or just needing a shift in how you view your world, this episode offers inspiration and practical insights on how to embrace change.

Here are the highlights:

04:03 Embrace uncertainty and get comfortable with the unknown

08:41 Losing job, becoming a single parent and launching a business

14:12 Taking breaks increases productivity and prevents burnout

17:33 Guided meditations can provide clarity and confidence

19:28 Embrace magic and openness

27:00 I wish I’d had business coaching earlier

30:58 Patience is a skill; with it, you win

The things that helped Suzanne navigate change -

Book/Magazine: Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell.

Music: Inspiration by the Gypsy Kings

The one piece of advice: "We absolutely have everything we need inside of us. We can make that positive change. If anyone's out there knowing they want to make change, you can. You totally can. And like I said, try not to just suffer alone with it. Get support around you. That's so key."

More about Suzanne:

Having started over following the death of her friend, Suzanne made some big decisions to start over. Which meant leaving her marriage of 15 years and wrapping up associate work as a career transition coach. But it didn't all go according to plan, starting a new job, getting fired 12 days later, working a fixed term contract which then expired just before the second lockdown, she found herself out of work in the pandemic. But she trusted completely that this was time for better things and she launched her training and coaching co, Empowered Space, as a single mum of two, trusting completely in her ability to impact more people through her work. It's been the biggest journey of self-discovery, navigating being a founder, being diagnosed with ADHD and navigating peri-menopause. Suzanne works with both corporates and individuals to support people to navigate career transitions, supporting new beginnings, for leaders starting new roles , new teams merging, and providing outplacement support at times of endings. Knowing that change does bring opportunity and embracing every step of the journey.

Find out more: https://www.empoweredspaceforpeople.com

Connect with Suzanne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannepennyexecutivecoach/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"I thought, if dressing people and making people look good makes them happy, then I would love to do this."

Have you ever felt the weight of questioning your career path and wondered if there might be something else out there that's truly meant for you?

In this episode, we take you on a journey with Taiwo Meghoma, a lawyer-turned-fashion-stylist. From a young boy in Nigeria discovering his love for fashion by helping his mother with her outfits, to sitting front row at major fashion weeks alongside his idols, Taiwo's story is about boldly opening new doors even when the world might tell you to stay put.

We explore how a chance encounter and a passion for style led Taiwo to follow an unconventional path, ultimately leading to his success and fulfillment in the world of fashion.

Here are the highlights:

05:03 As a child, loved making his mother happy by making her look good

14:38 Seeking connection and purpose

17:35 Pursued passion for fashion and styling, leaving corporate job without disclosing plans

24:13 Worked on and attended runway shows, met idols like Naomi Campbell

28:53 Trying is crucial; it matters more than the outcome

32:33 Conversation matters, leading to the way to work

51:07 Following your heart without fear

The things that helped Taiwo navigate change -

Book/Magazine: Ebony Magazine

Music: “I Made It Through the Rain" - Barry Manilow.

The one piece of advice: “Do it. You might have a lot of people who tell you you are making the wrong move, you are not going to do it, you're going to fail. I want your audience listening to this - to do it. Let them go ahead. If people tell you no, I want them to look at themselves in the mirror and say, you doubted me. Now I'm going to prove it to you. I'm going to do it.”

More about Taiwo:

Taiwo is a fashion consultant and designer who has collaborated with fashion designers in Europe and Africa. As a stylist , he has dressed celebrities , corporate leaders all over the globe .

In 2019, he was appointed by the Embassy of Nigeria in Berlin as Co-director of the 1st Nigeria Cultural Day Berlin,showcasing the rich culture and fashion of the Nigerian people. He is a well travelled executive who has consulted at Milan Fashion week and New York Fashion week .

Taiwo is also a guest lecturer on personal branding at universities and seminars in Europe and Nigeria, and one of the founding members and first president of the Lagos coral chambers and awarded the highest honour as senator of the junior chambers international in Missouri, USA.

Connect with Taiwo: https://www.instagram.com/style_with_taiwo/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"When you have kindness in the culture, you build psychological safety. And from there you have high performing teams, better staff retention, creativity, resilience, like it really stacks up in terms of all the different benefits that you get by increasing levels of kindness and empathy in your business."

Kindness can transform not just your personal well-being but also the landscape of work and leadership. In this episode, I reconnect with Graham Allcott, productivity expert, author, and now a passionate advocate for kindness in the workplace. We share the inspiration for his new book Kind, and how kindness is essential in moments of change. Kindness to yourself, and others.

Graham shares his journey of closing doors, his evolution from productivity to kindness, and the impact kindness can have in our daily lives and careers.

Here are the highlights:

05:55 Transitioned from managing a business to an MD

10:06 Ready to shift focus from productivity talk to new topics for personal interest

24:06 Experimentation encourages curiosity

35:44 Promote kindness to counter negative narratives

39:22 Curiosity about understanding inherently different personalities

52:37 Kindness begins with self-kindness

The things that helped Graham navigate change -

Book: "Wintering" by Katherine May

Music: "Lovely Day" - Bill Withers

The one piece of advice: “When you think about kindness, it's really important to be kind to yourself first. And once you start to be kind to yourself first, then you start to rewire your brain to make it easier for you to be kind to everybody else. So never think of self kindness as self indulgent. Always think of it as the thing that helps to role model for you and everybody around you an abundance mentality instead of a scarcity one.”

More about Graham

Graham is the author of multiple books, including the global bestseller How to Be a Productivity Ninja. His latest book, KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work, focuses on why organisations with kinder, more human-centred cultures are ultimately more successful.

He is the founder of Think Productive, one of the world's leading providers of training and consultancy, with offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Website: https://www.grahamallcott.com/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"The biggest thing was I wanted to be more responsible as a thought leader. And in a world where we have so much information, misinformation, disinformation, it was important that I went through a process of acquiring knowledge and creating new knowledge and it was the PhD."

Ready to lead a curiosity rebellion? We have the inspiring Yemi Penn as our guest. Yemi is a trailblazer who has navigated and embraced change across continents, careers, and personal transformations.

From her early beginnings in engineering to becoming a documentary creator and author, Yemi has followed her curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit to explore new doors and opportunities.

In our conversation, we explore her experiences living in Japan and Australia, the transition from a traditional career path to entrepreneurship, and the recent pursuit of a PhD about cultural trauma. Yemi shares provoking insights on handling identity shifts, following your calling, and embracing change with an open heart and mind.

Here are the highlights:

04:27 Moved from Japan to the UK for engineering job

11:39 Change is non-linear, with moments of progress and retreat

20:03 Started a consultancy after realising the same rat race abroad

28:43 Life's changes often disrupt the path you are on

36:36 Taking action despite uncertainty is key

44:49 PhD documentary explored cultural trauma

46:13 Pursuing a PhD despite challenges

49:53 Applying for a fellowship and the Obama Leadership Foundation.

The things that helped Yemi navigate change -

Book: "Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer

Music: "I Am Light." - Indie Arie

The one piece of advice: “Get better at asking high quality questions. What am I afraid of? And answer really honestly. If you just do that you'll know what your next step is. Because a lot of us are seeking certainty, especially in these moments. But just ask what you're afraid of”

More about Yemi

After relocating to Australia from the U.K, I realised I was on the same hamster wheel I ran away from, this wheel just had a lot more sunshine. Turns out I was running away from myself, and so the invitation came for me to run away again (oh I would have!) or get down to business and look into that double sided mirror. I was blessed with a great job as an engineer and project manager yet I forever seemed to be chasing happiness. Having been homeless at 24, a single mother to two, I had well and truly earned my hard knock degree.

It became frighteningly obvious that nobody was coming to save me and so I got to work on cleaning my trauma and do this daily to ensure I do not pass this on to my children or those I come across in life—it's not for the faint hearted but it's worth it. In doing the work I have been able to create successful businesses in the U.K. and Australia - most importantly, I no longer chase happiness, it finds me when I am open to receiving it.

Website: https://yemipenn.com/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"We tell stories in times of transition because in good times, bad times, lateral movements, figurative movements, we need to make sense of the world. Stories help us help us process. This is what makes us human."

Can six words help you process change, and tell your life story?

On the podcast Larry Smith shares how a simple Twitter experiment 15 years ago turned into a global storytelling movement - the Six Word Memoir project.

Our conversation is not just word count. Larry shares his closing door life moments, from divorce, to relocation, to career change.

We discuss his unique 'three-part theory' of life balance, the importance of taking things one door at a time, and how sharing our stories creates meaningful connections. This is about embracing change on your own terms.

Here are the highlights:

11:55 A Twitter project on six-word memoirs unexpectedly became a long-term career

13:54 Getting the courage to embrace a storytelling career

19:21 First project smithmag.net failed, but birthed the successful "six-word memoirs" idea

21:00 The importance of concise expression, inspired by six-word memoirs

23:46 Stories help us process the world during transitions and make us human

More about Larry

“A quest to spark creativity in everyone” quoted by Oprah Magazine, Larry Smith is the founder of The Six-Word Memoir® Project, a bestselling series of ten books, live event program, and a global phenomenon found in classrooms, conferences, and corporate settings alike.

Larry has worked with teams on storytelling at Netflix, Twitter, Levi’s, JPMorgan Chase, Dell, ESPN, and Google, as well as foundations, philanthropies, and schools. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, ESPN Magazine, Popular Science, Men’s Journal, Slate, and Buzzfeed, and has contributed essays to anthologies including Modern Love: 50 True and Extraordinary Tales of Desire, Deceit, and Devotion.

He’s the editor of the book, The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous and Obscure, and director of the play, A Map of Myself: A 70-Minute, One-Woman Revolution on War, Immigration, History, and Home. This summer he’s teaching a five-day workshop, Tell More More: Crafting Your Story at Mid-Life , at the MEA retreat center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Website: https://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/

The things that helped Larry navigate change -

Book: "Lost and Found" by Catherine Schultz

Music: "This Will Be Our Year" by The Zombies

The one piece of advice: “Trust the process…You might have a plan for your life that you've decided will work. Trust it until you can't trust it.”

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“I grew up watching the Olympics and you see these athletes from around the world marching in the opening ceremonies. And then one day, you are setting foot in that stadium. 50,000 people screaming and you look to your right and you see more cameras than you can count. And in that moment that you are on TV around the world and some little kid is probably looking at you the way you looked at some other athlete."

How do you find the courage to push forward when fear and uncertainty stand in your way? In this episode, I speak to Devon Harris, member of the legendary Jamaican bobsleigh team that inspired the film Cool Runnings. Devon shares his journey from growing up in Kingston's neighborhoods to becoming an army officer and eventually an Olympic athlete - despite being afraid of both speed and heights!

Devon shows us how keeping focused on moving forward is often the only real choice we have.

Here are the highlights:

04:51 Uncertain future after High School

09:06 Nervous summer running up to Army Selection

12:33 From Jamaica to Sandhurst Training

37:19 Dream-fulfilling moment of participating in the Olympics opening ceremony

43:40 Balancing soldier duties and Olympics

56:25 Persistence and selfishness misunderstood

The things that helped Devon navigate change -

Book: “Think and Grow Rich” - Napoleon Hill

Music: “We Built This City” - Starship

The one piece of advice: “Don't give up. You can't give up. I know how frustrating it can be, and how incredibly frustrating the journey can be and sometimes it feels like you're running out of time. But you're not running out of time. Keep pushing forward.”

More about Devon

Devon Harris, born on Christmas Day 1964 in Kingston, Jamaica, transformed his life from a violent ghetto upbringing to become an Olympic bobsledder and inspirational figure. Overcoming adversity through determination, Devon graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served as an officer in the Jamaica Defence Force. He gained fame as part of Jamaica's first bobsled team in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, inspiring the film "Cool Runnings." Devon continued competing in two more Winter Olympics and later founded the Keep On Pushing Foundation to support disadvantaged youth. As an athlete ambassador for Right to Play and an Olympian For Life, Devon now inspires others through motivational speaking and authorship, sharing his remarkable journey from Jamaican ghetto to Olympic glory.

Find out more: https://devonharris.com/

Instagram: @officialdevonharris

Tiktok: @officialdevonharris

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk