In this episode, Martin Wachters joins me. We talk about how a hobby can turn into a full-time career. We also cover the importance of other skills and interests that can make this a reality.

Martin is the founder of Muziekles Amsterdam, a Netherlands-based music school. He also has several published online courses and resources to help beginners and more experienced students learn and improve the guitar and piano.

Key Takeaways

• If you are not in your ideal career, don't think that the experience or skills you learn are wasted
• You may not always land in your dream career, but often something closely related that you might not have initially considered
• It takes courage to quit the comfortable and move into the unknown
• Bringing together areas of interest such as (in Martin's case) music, teaching, entrepreneurship, and technology can create a niche
• Don't cater to everyone; pick a niche
• Start small by not committing to something big before you have tested the idea
• Be willing to think again, as you won't always be right
• Once you create your core offering or service, you can grow an ecosystem of businesses or services around this

Resources
Martin recommended the following books:

• Unleash the Power Within: Personal Coaching to Transform Your Life by Tony Robbins
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek
• Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

Connect with Martin
Listeners can learn more about and connect with Martin by visiting:

• The Muziekles Amsterdam website
• His LinkedIn
• The Guitar Game website
• The Piano Game website

In this episode, Sonja Price joins me. We talk about making your career work for you. This means thinking about the guidance and finesse you will need, and what the decision criteria are for choosing what you do in your career. Very importantly, we talk about getting paid what you are worth.

Sonja is a career strategist and founder of Dynamo Careers. She is passionate about empowering professionals to accelerate their career success, to become financially free, and to make a positive impact around the world.

Key Takeaways

• Does your work, work for you? Are you getting the most out of your current role?
• Taking on a role at a small organisation can provide big opportunities for learning and growth
• Don't be afraid to re-invent your career. Multiple times if you have to
• A side hustle is a great way to soft start your new or changed career
• Pay attention to where you are at the moment, what skills you already have, and which you need to learn
• Create opportunities and even craft your ideal role
• Instead of a stretch goal, set yourself a stretch role
• Don't underestimate the value of building relationships and developing your social capital
• Having valuable skills (and knowing what these are) makes a big difference
• Use a combination of clarity and research to determine what you want from your career
• To get there, understand whether incremental adjustments or big jumps would work best
• Don't hesitate to seek help if you are stuck

Resources

We discussed the following resources on the show:

• Does your work = work for you? https://dynamocareers.com/quiz
• How much more could you earn in your lifetime? https://dynamocareers.com/calculator
• Helping people everywhere find a job and company they love - https://www.glassdoor.co.uk
• Salary insights with https://www.payscale.com
• Make fair pay a reality https://www.salary.com

Connect with Sonja

Listeners can learn more about and connect with Sonja by visiting her website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, Bruna de Palo joins me. We talk about changing your nine to five to your nine to alive. We cover mapping your career, finding your ideal role, considering a career in the non-profit sector, and the importance of neuroscience when it comes to your career.

Bruna is a certified leadership, executive & career coach, keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and founder of Think and Act Differently.

Key Takeaways

• Don't use your passion as a compass. Create a map to help navigate your career
• A good career is one where you can express yourself and be who you are
• Know the difference between talents and skills
• Speak to people who have similar characteristics to you. Find out what career role they are in
• 'Learn to turn poison into medicine', i.e. make the most from a bad situation
• Regulating stress and handling your emotions is important
• Use a feedback loop to identify your limiting beliefs
• Differentiate your transferable skills from the obvious
• Know yourself, know others

Resources

We discussed the following resources on the show:

• Bruna's TED Talk
• Bruna's Nine To Alive series
• This was not strictly discussed on the show, but a great resource to help find a job with purpose, Escape The City
• The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge

Connect with Bruna

If listeners are considering a career change or would like to learn more about, and connect with Bruna, please visit her website. You can also sign up for her newsletter on the website.