What was your work situation before the Launch Pad?

I'd been involved in geographic information systems for a fairly lengthy time.

How were you feeling about your work?

I was tired of it, and wanted to change into something more challenging.

I wanted to leverage my data and analytics background.

What had you tried previously to do to make progress on your career change?

I'd made a series of career shifts over a period of about six years. 

I went through three or four different startups – each progressively less satisfying, and each more impactful on my mental health.

Why did you decide to join the Launch Pad?

I’ve kind of been studying career change for a long time, trying to understand why I’ve been struggling so much. 

So I’ve always been looking for programmes and ways to learn about this.

What were your reservations or skepticism about the Launch Pad?

Not many, I tend to be a very trusting person. 

By the time I signed up, I’d read a lot of the case studies and comments, and I thought that there’s credibility here. It looked like a good fit for me.

How did you make the finances work to take the course, and how did you make time for it?

It wasn't a challenge monetarily.

I was still working in a role that I wasn't too happy about.

I'd say without reservation that it was the best investment I’ve ever made in my career.

What was the experience like?

It was hugely impactful for me.

I went from being a timid, introverted, very unhappy and low-confidence person to having the confidence that I feel now.

Being part of a group of like-minded people made me feel like I wasn’t alone. That was the part that had been missing from my shift – I’d been trying to do everything alone.

I looked forward to every single session, and I was one of those rare people who actually completed the shift before the course was over.

What were the highlights?

Reaching out to my network was the most impactful part of the course.

It was an eye-opener to receive feedback from them all. I wasn’t expecting to hear anything new, but I did. It was a surprise!

Following up and reaching out to people just outside my network. I found that they gave me similar advice to what my connections said – it was like the stars were aligning. All these people were pushing me in a direction that made enormous sense.

What were the toughest moments?

One of the most powerful things was being introduced to a Brené Brown video on authenticity. 

That really shocked me, quite frankly. I realised that as an introvert working in sales as a learned extrovert, I’d been kind of a chameleon, for many years – behaving in a way that wasn’t truly me.

It broke me down, to be very blunt. But I picked myself up from that, and said to my self that I was going to be more authentic. That was huge.

Where are you now in your career?

I’m a vice president of business development in the insurance industry.

Maybe it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly is mine! I’m a data geek. 

And the organisation fits me like a glove. I’m able to leverage my multipotentialite characteristics in what I do – and to do it with people I enjoy, too.

How do you feel about your work?

Every single day I feel blessed. 

I am so thrilled to have the opportunity that I have.

I love working with these people. I get to be my true self, and I’m compensated handsomely for it – which is a testament to the fact that when you can do something that you really feel is a good fit, people recognise it.

How did the Launch Pad help you get clear on and move into your new career?

We had to collect things we were interested in, over a few weeks, and that led to me exploring the idea of being a multipotentialite. 

That helped me start to understand why I have done what I’ve done in my career up to now – for example, I’ve had six of my own businesses in the past, none of which were as successful as I wanted them to me.

And I eventually realised during the course that I didn’t necessarily need to pursue everything.

What’s been the impact of your shift on your wider life?

My close friends have told me that I was in a really dark place. 

I was trying to assess whether or not I should go into a kind of forced retirement.

But coming out of this shift, I am energised. I’m in flow every single day. It’s just an enormous change! My future looks bright, and I have a great plan. 

It’s a thrill to be living like this now.

What would you recommend to anyone considering the Launch Pad?

It’s a cliché, but just do it. 

Do persevere through the course – good things will come.

You can find full details about the course on our dedicated Launch Pad page.