Career Change Maker | Career Clarity, Career Opportunities, Career Pivots, Burnout, Corporate Job, Portfolio Career

Are you delivering great results but wondering why the right people don't seem to notice? Do you sit in meetings knowing the answer but hold back because you're worried what others will think? Have you been relying on "I'll make my case once I'm in the room", only to realise you never got invited in?

I recorded this the morning after Women & Words in New York, hosted by Penguin Random House and Storehouse Voices. Around 1,000 people applied and 70 of us were chosen. Sitting in that room, it hit me: my words got me there. Nobody had met me. They had only met my book proposal, my perspective on career advancement for women. If those words hadn't done their job, I would never have been in the room.

In this episode I'm sharing why your words so often go before you, why the conversations that shape your career happen in rooms you're not in, and why it's time to be far more intentional about what you share, how you share it and who hears it.

What you will learn

Why doing the work isn't enough. High-achieving women are brilliant at delivering results. But getting the work done is not the same as talking about the work you're doing and the value it adds. Organisations have a part to play, and so do we.

How your career is decided in rooms you're not in. Promotion decisions are made weeks or months before the announcement. Job offers are agreed after you leave the interview. Your CV decides whether you get the interview at all. We overestimate our presence and underestimate our perspective shared ahead of time.

Where your words can work for you. You don't need to write a book. Your words show up in meetings, with clients, with colleagues and your line manager, on your CV and, if you're building something of your own, in your marketing and with your audience.

Four questions to share with intention. What am I sharing? How am I sharing it? Where am I sharing it? Why am I sharing it? I'll explain how being surrounded by authors and a wall of books made me ask these of myself.

If you want help getting clear on your perspective and positioning it so it opens doors, book a 75-minute 1:1 strategy session with me at http://careerchangemakers.com/strategy.

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Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

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Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you feel like you have all your eggs in one basket? Have you thought about building something alongside your job but it just feels too big? Are you wondering where you’d even find the time to start?

My portfolio career started just before I qualified as a lawyer. After a two-week mission trip to East Africa supporting people with access to justice, I came back wanting to make a difference on a more personal level.

That led me to a two-day coaching seminar, my first coaching certification in the evenings, and slowly but surely, a coaching practice built alongside my legal career. Over the years, I’ve added speaking, facilitating, leadership development training, podcasting and legal consulting.

In this episode, I share how you can diversify your income with intention, why building something extra doesn’t have to mean launching a whole business, and why the best time to start is before you need it.

What you will learn:

• Why you should start with what you already enjoy

If you’re going to spend your evenings, lunch breaks or weekends building something, it helps if it’s something you love. I share how I coached for free for a long time before turning it into a business, and why looking inward at your own experience, expertise and interests is a better starting point than copying what others are doing.

• How to find the time and make it feel less overwhelming

Building an extra income stream isn’t only about the time you have, it’s about the time you could have if you gave up a little scrolling. I also explain why reframing it from “launching a business” to “testing an idea” makes it so much easier to get started.

• Why getting started is the biggest growth hack

When I launched my podcast in 2017, I had no idea what I was doing. 342 episodes later, it has generated six figures in revenue for my coaching business. I talk about why starting brings clarity, why even a failed attempt helps you grow, and why building before you need it takes the pressure off.

Ready to start building beyond your day job? Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session with me.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you have a quiet, nagging feeling that where you are right now isn't where you're meant to stay? Have you ticked off every milestone on your list and now find yourself wondering what's next? Are you starting to question whether climbing the same ladder is still the right move for you?

When you're used to always working towards the next goal, reaching the end of your list can leave you feeling like you're floating. I've been there myself, wondering how to even operate when I wasn't striving towards something. That season taught me that sometimes the restlessness isn't a problem to fix, it's a signal that you've outgrown the way you've been building your career.

In this episode, part three of my Building Beyond Your Job series, I share the five signs that you've already outgrown your current career model, including some that many people accept as normal, and why recognising them could be the start of building your career differently.

What you will learn:

• Why being good at your job isn't always enough

After 10, 15 or 20 years in your field, you may be able to do your job with your eyes closed. But for high achievers, easy isn't always satisfying. I explain why no longer feeling stretched is a sign to look for new ways to grow, whether that's inside or outside your day job.

• What your "one day" list is trying to tell you

One day I'll write a book. One day I'll start a business. If those thoughts keep coming up, there's a reason. I share why the average person spends 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime and why you don't have to quit your job to start exploring those ideas.

• How the advice you give away for free could become something more

If people keep coming to you for help on the same topic, pay attention. The things that come naturally to us are often the things we overlook, but they can absolutely be monetised alongside the work you already do.

• The risk of relying on one source of income

In an uncertain economy, many professionals feel exposed knowing that one announcement about layoffs could leave them unsure where to start. I talk about why that unease is a sign it's time to think about diversifying.

• Why wondering about "more" isn't being ungrateful

Exploring what building differently could look like doesn't mean you don't value the opportunities you have. It means you're recognising there's more impact and more income you can create by leveraging your skills, passions and interests beyond the lane you've been placed in.

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Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

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Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that made you realise something new about yourself? Have you ever looked back at a season of your life and realised it changed the way you see your career, your relationships or what really matters to you?

Over the years, I've had a number of experiences that have challenged me, stretched me and helped me understand myself on a deeper level. From moving to New York on my own, to going on a legal mission trip, becoming a parent and building a business, each experience has taught me something different about who I am and what matters to me.

In this episode, I share four experiences that have helped to build my self-awareness and why I believe knowing yourself is so important when it comes to making career and life decisions.

What you will learn:

• How living abroad can help you discover who you really are

Moving to New York for a year-long internship was the first time I had ever lived away from home, and I was suddenly surrounded by new people, new experiences and completely different ways of doing things. Being in an environment where nobody knew me gave me the freedom to make my own decisions and think about how I actually wanted to spend my time. I share how that experience helped me understand my personality, my non-negotiables, the things I enjoy and the things I definitely don't.

• How one mission trip changed the way I viewed my career

A two-week legal mission trip to Kenya and Rwanda gave me the opportunity to see the impact of my work in a completely different way. Being able to help people understand their rights and seeing the tangible difference that could make helped me realise something important about myself: the work I do needs to be connected to impact in order for it to feel truly fulfilling.

• Why parenting can be one of the biggest mirrors for self-awareness

There is something about parenting that makes you see parts of yourself that you might otherwise overlook. I share how watching my children has helped me recognise my own persistence, determination, impatience and the areas where I still have work to do. Parenting has reminded me that while I can't control other people, I can choose how I respond.

• Why building a business can teach you so much about yourself

Building a business has stretched me in ways I never expected. It has tested my patience, consistency, discipline and ability to deal with rejection and delayed gratification. I share how the challenges and opportunities that come with being a business owner have helped me understand how I navigate different seasons, deal with curve balls and find creative solutions.

Ready to get to know yourself better?

There is so much noise, information and opinion coming at us every day. If you don't have a strong understanding of your own values, beliefs, motivations, interests and skills, it can be easy to get pulled in different directions by what other people think you should be doing.

The more you understand yourself, the easier it becomes to make decisions from a place of conviction and know what you will and won't tolerate.

So take some time to think about the experiences you've been through and what they've taught you about yourself. Self-awareness is a journey, but getting to know yourself more deeply can change the way you approach your career and your life.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Does your career look perfect on paper but feel completely different in real life? Are you finding it hard to explain how you feel to people who think you have it all? Are you wondering whether it's too late to change the path you chose years ago?

So many of us made big career decisions in our teens, before our brains were even fully formed and with very little real information to go on. I qualified as a corporate lawyer, and while there were parts of it I enjoyed, I realised that the hours and the way my life needed to revolve around the role weren't what I wanted, especially once I became a mum. When I finally decided to step away, even without knowing exactly where I was going next, a level of calm came over me that I hadn't realised was missing.

In this episode, I share why so many high achievers are quietly unhappy in careers that look successful, the hidden cost of ignoring that disconnect, and the different ways you can make a change without having to start from scratch.

What you will learn:

• Why the path you chose years ago may no longer fit you

The part of our brain responsible for decision-making isn't fully formed until around 25, yet we're encouraged to pick a lane long before then and treat that choice as final. I explain why who you were in your 20s isn't who you are in your 30s or 40s, and why taking stock regularly is so important.

• The real cost of staying where you are

When you keep showing up to a role that you know deep down isn't right, your body knows. That tension can show up in your sleep, your eating habits, your anxiety and your stress levels. I talk about why redefining your goal or stepping away from what's no longer working is not failure.

• How to decide whether you need a shift, a pivot or a leap

Change doesn't have to mean a dramatic 180. I walk through the difference between a shift, a pivot and a leap, explain why self-awareness is the starting point, and share the story of a client who transformed how she felt about her work without changing her title, role or organisation. I also share how building a portfolio career gave me the flexibility to be the mum I wanted to be.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you know exactly what you want but still aren't moving towards it? Are you frustrated because you know it isn't a lack of discipline? Are you wondering what's actually missing?

With my 42nd birthday approaching and my eldest starting high school, I've been in a season of recalibration. I have big goals, but the conviction to consistently move them forward wasn't always showing up, so I paused and looked back to figure out why.

In this episode, I share three moments when I achieved something big, the common thread that kept me going, and how you can find that same thread in your own story to close the gap between your goal and taking action.

What you will learn:

• Why you need to look back before you push forward

When motivation dips, our instinct is to push harder. Instead, I encourage you to revisit the milestones in your career and life that you're genuinely proud of and ask what was true for you then that isn't true now. The patterns you spot are the ingredients you need to move forward again.

• Why the goal itself is never the fuel

Getting in shape, living in another country, writing a talk: none of those goals were what kept me going. The fuel was always what those goals would allow me to do and create. I explain why a clear, meaningful why is what turns a goal you want into a goal you actually act on.

• How to use the Five Whys exercise to find your real motivation

Your first answer to "why do I want this?" is usually the surface-level one. I share the Five Whys exercise I use with my clients and walk through an example of a professional wanting to build an additional income stream alongside her career, showing how asking "why" five times uncovers the deeper reason that gives you real conviction.

Ready to turn your why into a plan?

If you're ready to strategise the steps that will move you towards the goals you've set, book a Career Expansion Session with me. These are 75-minute 1:1 sessions where we look at where you are right now and what needs to shift for you to expand beyond it, whether that's starting your own thing alongside your career or levelling up where you are. Spots are limited each week, so grab yours here: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/career-expansion-session

And I'd love to hear how your Five Whys exercise goes! Tag me on Instagram @janineesbrand, email me at janine@careerchangemakers.com, or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Have you spent years building up skills and experience that you've never actually connected into a career of your own?

Do you feel like a square peg in a round hole in your current role, but you're not sure what the alternative even looks like?

Are you sitting on more expertise than you realise, but waiting to feel "ready" or "confident enough" before you do anything with it?

If any of that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

I remember the moment my guest today told me she'd been compartmentalising nearly 20 years of experience. Treating the thing she was actually brilliant at as a "side thing," something she did for fun, separate from her "real" career. She is not alone, so many high-achieving women do the same. We do the work, we get the results, and somehow we still don't let ourselves call it what it is.

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Priscilla Owusu. She is a writer, editor and content strategist with over 20 years in communications. We talk about how she went from feeling stuck and unsure of her next move to building a new client pipeline for her own content strategy business, in just three months.

We talk about what it actually takes to stop compartmentalising your expertise, why confidence comes after you take action (not before), and how a shift in mindset (not just strategy) was the real turning point in Priscilla building something of her own.

What You Will Learn

• Why compartmentalising your expertise keeps you stuck. Priscilla had spent nearly 14 years running a book review site, judging a self-publishing prize, and writing literary criticism, all while treating it as separate from her "real" comms career. We talk about why high-achieving women in particular tend to downplay what comes naturally to them, and why naming your expertise is often the first real step toward building a portfolio career.
• The mindset shift from employee to business owner. Priscilla shares how she'd always seen herself as "just a freelancer" doing small jobs here and there until she reframed even her contracting work as running a business on her own terms. We talk about why this internal shift matters just as much as any external strategy when you're building additional income streams alongside (or instead of) traditional employment.
• How one networking conversation turned into a client within weeks. Priscilla walks through exactly what happened after she challenged herself to have "valuable conversations" at an industry event, from a chance conversation about content, to a LinkedIn follow-up, to a discovery call that became her first paying client, built around a content strategy offer she hadn't even planned to sell.

If you this conversation leaves you thinking about what your own first next step could look like, I currently have a few spots open for Career Expansion Strategy Sessions - 75-minute 1:1 coaching sessions where you'll get my eyes, ears and thoughts on your career, what you've already built, and how to leverage it to start expanding your career in the way that is right for you.

You'll come away with a clear picture of how to start using what's already in your toolkit and an action plan to start making moves.

Priscilla Owusu is a writer, editor, and content strategist working primarily with small organisations, charities, and independent consultants. She spent over 20 years in Communications roles across sectors including finance, real estate, and higher education, before leaving in-house work to launch her own consultancy. At the heart of her work is writing and editing: helping clients develop content that communicates clearly and consistently, and earns credibility with the audiences they most want to reach. She also offers content and communications strategy for clients looking to think more broadly about how they show up. You can find her on LinkedIn or at http://priscillaowusu.co.uk/.

Connect with Priscilla

Visit her website
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Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

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Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

We're just days away from the Multiple Streams of Income Intensive.

More than 50 women are joining me for two days of exploring what becomes possible when you start looking at your own expertise differently.

In this short episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of exactly what we'll be doing, how to prepare, and what I want you to bring into the room. So if you're one of the 50 joining me, or you're still deciding, this one's for you.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you keep telling yourself you'll build something for yourself "one day," but that day never actually arrives?

Are you waiting for more time, more capacity, or the "right moment" before you let yourself even consider building an additional income stream?

And if your only income depended on one employer, one role, one paycheck — how secure would you actually feel right now?

If yes, lean into today's episode.

I caught up with a past client recently, someone who came to me after leaving a role she'd been in for 13 years, still figuring out what was next. Back then, she told me she'd love to build something of her own "one day", but the priority was securing her next role first. Someday. Not now.

Fast forward to this week, and her update floored me: not only has she built a thriving consulting business on the side, she's just landed a more senior role than the one she left AND negotiated to keep her consulting business running alongside it. It isn't either/or for her anymore. It's both.

That conversation is exactly why I wanted to record this episode. Because I hear some version of "I'd love to do that one day" from experienced, brilliant women all the time. I wanted to unpack why now, not someday, is the right time to start. In this episode, I'm breaking down why building before you need it is the real security net, why your existing expertise is more valuable (and more AI-proof) than you're giving it credit for, and how starting small is the actual path to a portfolio career that protects and fulfills you.

What You Will Learn

- Why Building An Additional Income Stream Is Your Real Security Net

In uncertain times with layoffs, redundancies, constant shifts in the job market — having all of your income tied to one employer is a risk. I talk through why starting to build something of your own now, while things are stable, means you're not scrambling to build from a place of panic later.

- Why Your Experience Is More Valuable Than You Realise (Especially With AI On The Rise)

With so much conversation about AI disruption, I explain why your judgement, nuance, and years of hard-won expertise are exactly what can't be replicated. Most high-achieving women are sitting on more value than they've ever stopped to fully articulate.

- How To Turn Your Own "Someday" Into An Actual Start Date

I close with a challenge: pick an actual date. This quarter, next quarter, next year — whatever it is, get specific. I walk through why building before you're forced to is always the better position to build from.

I'm so passionate about this that I'm running a free, two-day live event called the Multiple Streams of Income Intensive on September 2nd and 3rd. Day one, I'll walk you through the exact framework for identifying and starting your first additional income stream. Day two is live hot-seat coaching, where you can bring your own ideas and get coached in real time.

If you've been thinking about building something of your own and telling yourself "someday", this is your someday. Sign up for free at careerchangemakers.com/intensive.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you assume that building something of your own means you're eventually supposed to quit your job?

Do you find yourself stuck between two options that both feel wrong — stay exactly where you are, or blow up your entire career and start again?

Are you telling yourself you can't start building on the side because you don't have the time or the capacity to do it alongside everything else?

I'm so glad you're here.

One of the questions I get asked most is how I fit it all in. How do I manage legal work, coaching, podcasting, speaking and consulting, whilst raising a family and running a home?

A few weeks ago I shared a screenshot of my colour-coded calendar on LinkedIn to show people how it actually works, and it did really well withover 10,000 impressions. But what that screenshot didn't show was how I got there. I didn't wake up one day and add five colours to my calendar at once. I didn't leave law to build my coaching business. I trained as a coach in the evenings, then built out a practice around it during maternity leave, and I worked my day job throughout for five years before I ever went all in. Every stream got added while the one before it was still finding its feet.

In this episode, I'm challenging the binary idea that you either build something and leave, or you stay exactly where you are. I'm walking you through why your job can actually fund the experiment of building something new, how to start from what you have capacity for rather than every possibility you could chase, why building one stream at a time is what makes a portfolio career feel achievable, and why your first milestone doesn't need to be replacing your salary.

What you will learn:

Why your job can fund the experiment Your salary isn't the thing standing between you and building something of your own — it can be the advantage that lets you build it. I share how keeping my day job let me treat my income as capital, funding tens of thousands of pounds in coaching and training over the years, long before my business was generating anything close to that itself.

How to start from capacity, not possibility When we ask "what could I build?" in the abstract, it gets overwhelming fast, and overwhelm leads straight to analysis paralysis. I talk through why the better question is "what can I realistically give three to five hours a week to, for the next six months?" and how looking honestly at your week, protecting that time, and treating it as non-negotiable is what actually gets you moving.

Why building one stream at a time is what makes this possible I didn't build five income streams. I built one, learned from it, and then built the next. I unpack why sequencing removes the pressure that makes a portfolio career feel like an impossible ecosystem to construct overnight, and why picking a stream closest to what you already know is always your fastest, most energy-efficient starting point.

If you're ready to find out what that one thing could be for you, come join me for the Multiple Streams of Income Intensive on the 2nd and 3rd of September. On day one, I'll walk you through exactly how to get started. On day two, we'll have live hot seats, so if you've got questions specific to your industry or background, you can get your own personalised roadmap directly from me. Head to www.careerchangemakers.com/intensive to save your seat — the link is also in the show notes.

Related Episodes You May Enjoy

• Episode 334: Stop Chasing Hype: How to Turn Your Existing Expertise Into Additional Streams of Income
• Episode 333: Stop Sitting On Your Experience, Make It Start Working For You

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Have you ever caught yourself rolling your eyes at another "I made five figures in a week" ad and wondered why everyone has seemed to have figured out how to shortcut their way to creating additional streams of income.

Your resistance is understandable - you're a high achiever, and high achievers don't move on hype, they move on what actually makes sense.

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to build a portfolio career when you're a seasoned professional, not a beginner with nothing to lose.

I share a story from a recent kayaking trip that taught me something important about what we see versus what's actually happening beneath the surface when someone builds multiple income streams. Then I walk through the real starting point for uncovering your commercial value, plus five reflection questions to help you identify what's already sitting inside your experience, waiting to be leveraged.

What you will learn:

• The Expertise Blind Spot - The longer you've been good at something, the harder it becomes to recognize it as expertise. I unpack why the skills that feel easiest to you are often the ones with the most value to someone else, and how to start noticing what you've stopped seeing in yourself.
• Stop Asking "What Should I Build" - I explain why chasing a business model (coach? consultant? course?) keeps you stuck in confusion, and why shifting the question to "what valuable problem am I already equipped to solve?" changes everything about how you approach building something of your own.
• Finding the Shortest Bridge - I break down why you don't need a new qualification, a brand, or a completely different skillset to get started. I show you how to find the shortest bridge between the expertise you've already built and a problem someone else genuinely values, so you can create momentum without starting from zero.

I also share the five questions I want you to sit with this week to start uncovering where your career capital already lives.

If this episode has you thinking there's more inside your experience than you've been giving yourself credit for, I'd love to help you go deeper.

Multiple Streams of Income Intensive

I'm running a completely free, two-day live event on 2nd and 3rd September called the Multiple Streams of Income Intensive, where we'll unpack your expertise, translate it into market value, and map your fastest route to your first additional income stream. You do not need to know what you want to build to join us. Save your seat at careerchangemakers.com/intensive.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

When you reflect on key milestones in your life and career, do you only focus on the achievement itself, or do you talk about who you became while reaching it?

Most ambitious women are sitting on years of rich, transformative experience that is working far less than it could simply because they haven't learned how to articulate its true depth and impact.

In this episode of the Career Change Maker Podcast, I share three pivotal milestones from my own journey to demonstrate how shifting your perspective on your past achievements can transform how others view your expertise. If you want your experience to start working for you instead of constantly feeling like you have to chase new markers, this episode will show you how to pull out the hidden gems in your story.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• The Milestone Trap: Why focusing solely on surface-level accomplishments causes you to overlook the true depth of your skills and value.
• Translating Depth: How to articulate experiences in a way that highlights your adaptability, leadership, and emotional intelligence.
• Commitment as Currency: Why sharing the behind-the-scenes effort and journey sets you apart in a world constantly looking for shortcuts.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Free 2-Day Multiple Streams of Income Intensive (Sept 2 & 3): Join Janine for a live event on building a portfolio career and creating multiple streams of income without quitting your corporate job. Sign Up For The Free Intensive Here
• Career Capital AI Tool: Track your career milestones and articulate your value effortlessly. Explore Career Capital Use Code JANINE30 at checkout to claim your free trial.

Related Episodes You May Enjoy

• Episode 329: Why I Stopped Chasing the Next Milestone (And What I Do Instead)
• Episode 262: Why Reinventing Yourself Is Actually The Best Way To Find Real Career Clarity

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Have you ever been made to feel like you weren't good enough, not because of your results or effort, but because of how someone in your organization views or interacts with you?

Do you find that being handed work below your level or being overlooked for major opportunities is slowly eroding your confidence over time?

What if being undervalued at work isn't a reflection of your actual ability, but simply evidence that you are sharing your expertise in the wrong room?

In this episode, I am taking you inside my coaching room to share a powerful story from a senior, highly experienced client who was feeling stuck and overlooked in her corporate role. When she took the exact same expertise she was using at work and packaged it for external clients, everything shifted. The positive response and paid validation completely restored her confidence and transformed how she showed up across her entire career.

Many ambitious women assume that being undervalued inside an organization means they need more training, more credentials, or more time before stepping out into the marketplace. In reality, being undervalued is contextual, not evidential. One room's read on your capabilities is not the final word on the immense value you can bring.

Building something on the side isn't just about creating an extra stream of income; it serves as a powerful space to test your ideas, build unshakeable self-belief, and take control of your professional worth.

What you will learn in this episode

• Why being undervalued is contextual rather than evidential. Feeling overlooked in your current role doesn't mean you lack capability. Switching up the context and presenting your skills to the right audience can completely change how your work is received and valued.
• How external validation rebuilds internal confidence. Receiving positive feedback and getting paid for your expertise outside of your nine-to-five provides a level of validation that instantly shifts your self-belief.
• The ripple effect of owning your worth. Securing client opportunities outside of work teaches you how to set firm boundaries, advocate for your time, and show up with top-tier confidence inside your primary role.

Ready to gain exclusive insights and stay ahead in your career transition journey? Don't navigate your next steps alone. Join our exclusive email community today to get weekly behind-the-scenes perspectives, practical guidance, and first access to details about our upcoming live events and announcements. Click the link in the show notes to get on the list.

Other episodes you may enjoy

• Episode 90: The Truth About Career Change and Why Most People Skip This Clarity Step
• Episode 164: Why a Career That Looks Good on Paper Can Still Feel Unfulfilling

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

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Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you holding back from starting a side project or an additional stream of income because you fear it will ruin your focus at work?

Do you worry that building something on the side will make your employer question your commitment or negatively impact your day-to-day performance?

What if creating a business outside your 9 to 5 is actually the key to sharpening your skills and making you a highly sought-after professional?

In this episode, I share a recent personal experience from a legal consulting project that proved why having a side venture actually enhances your career performance rather than distracting from it. Drawing on the systems and problem-solving skills I developed as a business owner, I was able to build a brand-new operations system that added immense, immediate value to the organisation.

Many ambitious women assume that dividing their focus will dilute their impact. In reality, stepping into a training ground outside your full-time role broadens your perspective, refines your resilience, and equips you to solve high-level problems with ease.

Building something on the side isn't just a strategy for leaving corporate; it is often the ultimate training ground to help you show up as a leader, stand out in your industry, and thrive where you are.

What you will learn in this episode

• How side projects act as an active skill-building ground. Pushing yourself to build something from scratch forces you to develop resilience and strategic awareness that you simply cannot build by keeping your head down in a routine role.
• The power of training your brain to think like a business owner. Stepping outside your day-to-day tasks builds an entrepreneurial mindset. You begin anticipating challenges, optimising processes, and thinking with the long-term vision that C-suite leadership looks for.
• Why cross applying your unique skill stack makes you a sought after employee. Combining your corporate expertise with the diverse capabilities gained from running a business gives you a unique perspective that sets you apart from your peers.

Ready to gain exclusive insights and stay ahead in your career journey?

Don't navigate your career transition alone. Join our exclusive email community today to get weekly behind-the-scenes perspectives, practical nuggets, and first access to exciting upcoming announcements.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Do you tell yourself you don't have enough time to build something on the side, on top of everything you're already carrying?

Do you find yourself scrolling, waiting, or filling small pockets of your day without ever noticing where that time actually goes?

Have you ever started building a business or an additional income stream, only to watch it stall the moment life got busy again?

In this practical, behind-the-scenes episode, I share the exact time-blocking method I used to build my coaching and consulting business while working full-time as an in-house lawyer, raising two small children, and being a wife. I started building back in 2016 while on maternity leave, and when I went back to work, I had to figure out how to keep growing what I'd started without dropping the balls that already mattered most. What I learned wasn't about squeezing more into my day. It was about protecting what actually mattered and being intentional with the time I already had.

This is the method that's allowed me to release over 320 podcast episodes, build multiple income streams, and attract clients from all over the world, even in the busiest seasons of my life.

What you will learn in this episode

• How to audit your time before you try to find more of it. Most of us feel like we don't have enough time, but the truth is there are pockets being lost every day, in scrolling, in waiting, in low-intention moments. Tracking where your time actually goes for a week or two reveals exactly where you can reclaim it for what you're building.
• Why you have to prioritise what actually moves the needle. When you're building something new, everything can feel urgent, but not everything deserves your time. Learning to prioritise revenue-generating activity over the busywork that feels productive, like perfecting a website or researching endless tools, is what actually creates momentum.
• How to use time blocking to protect your energy. Deciding in advance when you work on your business, and putting it on the calendar as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself, stops the constant mental drain of feeling like you should be doing something at all times. A colour-coded calendar system lets you see your whole life at once, without losing sight of any part of it.

Ready to stop waiting for more time to appear and start building with the time you already have?

If this resonated and you're navigating a career transition and ready to build on your own terms, come join us inside our email community. You'll get practical, real-world strategy in your inbox every week, straight from me. Join us here.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you a high achiever who routinely hits major milestones, only to find yourself instantly moving the goalposts rather than celebrating your success?

Do you ever experience a strange sense of flatness or an anti-climax after achieving a long-term dream, wondering why it doesn't feel the way you thought it would?

Have you been treating your career path like an automatic conveyor belt, moving to the next demand out of sheer habit or expectation rather than checking if it still serves you?

In this transparent and reflective episode, I share a personal story from the exact day I qualified as a lawyer. After a decade of intense study, late nights, and constantly proving myself to tough critics, I expected to feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Instead, I felt an uncomfortable flatness because my mind had already raced ahead to the next rung on the ladder.

It is a common trap for ambitious women: we are funneled into traditional paths and autopilot expectations without ever being taught how to pause.

This personal shift serves as a powerful reminder that achievements are not just stepping stones to rush past. True career clarity means giving yourself permission to interrupt the pattern, count the cost of your hard work, and intentionally decide whether you actually want to keep climbing or choose a completely different direction.

What you will learn in this episode

• The hidden danger of the invisible conveyor belt. Traditional linear career paths condition us to treat major achievements as automatic rungs on a ladder rather than intentional choice points. Learning to pause at these junctures prevents you from building a version of success that no longer fits your life.
• The practice of letting success land. We often withhold celebration until an external outcome appears, or we quickly diminish our wins once we get them. Shifting your mindset to view success as the internal growth and effort you put into the journey allows you to fully process and appreciate your achievements.
• Reassessing your direction season by season. Who you were when you initially set a goal is not who you are when you finally achieve it. Giving yourself permission to change your mind, readapt to a rapidly shifting landscape, and redefine success on your own terms is an essential act of career leadership.

Ready to redefine success and take full ownership of your career journey?

Don't let your next professional step be decided for you on autopilot. If you want to dive deeper into these insights, access behind-the-scenes perspectives, and learn exactly how to navigate career transitions with confidence, join our exclusive email community today.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you working to build an additional stream of income outside your full-time role but struggling to get people to actually book your services?

Have you been having initial conversations and sharing what you do, only to find that nobody is moving forward?

What if the shift needed to land your very first paying client is far simpler than the complex strategies you are trying to figure out?

In today's episode, I am taking you inside my coaching room to share the exact breakthrough a recent client experienced. As a talented writer and communicator, she had deep expertise but spent months struggling to secure bookings from people new to her world.

Everything changed in just two weeks after we made one fundamental shift in her approach, resulting in her signing her very first client.

I wanted to unpack this specific process because it highlights exactly what is possible when you take the right action in the right order. It is the very same framework I walk my clients through inside the Portfolio Career Academy to help them transition from overthinking to real, tangible execution.

Many professionals normalise their years of experience, glossing over the incredible insights and projects that others would gladly pay for. By learning how to package your existing value and activating your awareness, you can transform casual networking conversations into paid engagements.

What you will learn in this episode

• You cannot sell what you cannot see. Most of us bury our best material and unique wins in past roles, assuming it is just part of the job. Listing every role and identifying the repeating patterns is the key to uncovering the strengths you can leverage with ease.
• Value is not the same as an offer. Having immense skill is one thing, but you must package it into something people want to buy right now. Instead of trying to build a massive program from day one, focusing on what people will pay for the fastest allows you to prove your concept.
• Clarity changes what you notice. When you define your specific offer, you activate the reticular activating system in your brain. This mental filter completely shifts your awareness, allowing you to hear opportunities everywhere and recognise the exact language people use to describe their problems.

Ready to build your additional stream of income with intention?

The Portfolio Career Academy founding cohort officially starts this September. If you are an ambitious mid-career woman ready monetise your expertise outside of your nine-to-five book your call today to explore if the program is the right fit for you.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you an ambitious woman who constantly looks for the next big career move while missing the goldmine right in front of you?

Do you ever find yourself overthinking opportunities or letting a subtle fear of making the wrong move hold you back from responding?

Have you ever wondered how some professionals effortlessly attract high-paying projects and roles without constantly pitching?

In this episode, I share how the most transformative career opportunities often find you when you position yourself correctly. I open up about an unexpected message in my Instagram inbox that I nearly ignored, which ultimately turned into thousands of pounds in revenue.

It is a powerful reminder that your existing expertise is highly valuable, but you have to be visible for the right doors to open.

Many of us treat career growth as a constant search for something completely new, whether that means a new qualification or a new sector. In reality, the biggest breakthroughs come from auditing what you already have and boldly pushing past the fear of showing up.

What you will learn in this episode

• The power of conducting a personal expertise audit. It is easy to dismiss your years of experience as ordinary. Taking the time to list your past roles, results, and unique problem-solving skills helps you realise the immense inventory you already possess.
• How fear filters out incredible hidden opportunities. The fear of making the wrong move often narrows your vision, causing you to see risks instead of potential. Learning to look fear in the face and leaning into new conversations is essential to expanding your capacity for luck.
• Why consistency in visibility is your ultimate leverage. You cannot attract opportunities if people do not know you exist. Whether you are posting original content or actively engaging in industry conversations on LinkedIn, putting yourself out there creates openings you cannot even predict.

Ready to build your additional stream of income with intention?

The Portfolio Career Academy start date is officially September 7th. If you are a mid-career professional ready to leverage your expertise and launch your first additional stream of income in just 12 weeks, book your call today to explore if the program is the right fit for you.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you a high achiever who prides yourself on always following through and making things happen, no matter what?

Do you routinely stretch your capacity to the limit, while wondering if "pushing through" is truly the only way to sustain your success?

Have you ever felt an uncomfortable tension between a goal you committed to and what your life, health, and values are actually asking of you right now?

In this transparent and behind-the-scenes episode, I share a vulnerable update regarding the upcoming Portfolio Career Academy. After mapping out my program launch for the end of June, I made the difficult but intentional decision to push the start date back to September.

It wasn't an easy pivot for someone used to executing on a deadline, but a powerful realisation about my son's final summer before high school forced me to pause.

This personal shift serves as a reminder for every ambitious woman: your career is meant to serve your life, not the other way around.

Yet so many of us treat a change of direction as a flaw rather than a strategic recalibration. We keep driving forward out of habit or fear of what others will think, waiting for the right time to rest rather than recognising that the season has already shifted.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Changing your mind is a decision, not a failure. We often carry immense guilt when we pivot, delaying a goal and misinterpreting it as a lack of discipline. In reality, choosing a different path based on new information is an act of leadership. It is an opportunity to acknowledge that your priorities have evolved, and you do not need to apologize for doing what makes sense for your current season.
• The critical reality of capacity management. Building a portfolio career and managing multiple income streams is an asset, but it requires radical honesty about your time and energy. When balancing various consulting contracts and projects, understanding how to scope your time and lean on both professional and personal support systems is essential to protect your wellbeing before burnout takes over.
• Protecting what matters is the ultimate point. When faced with a difficult choice, your core values must act as your decision criteria. "Pushing through" to deliver a project at the expense of your energy, family, or the integrity of your work is a cost too high to pay. True career clarity means knowing your non-negotiables, setting up your safety nets, and honoring your boundaries with confidence.

Ready to build your additional stream of income with intention?

The Portfolio Career Academy start date has officially moved to September 7th. If you are ready to diversify your income and build your own safety net before you need it, book your fitting call today to explore if the program is the right fit for you after the summer.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.

Are you a high-achieving corporate woman showing up every day to a role that is your only source of income?

Have you spent 15 to 20 years building a massive reservoir of expertise, yet you haven't stopped to figure out how to maximise its value?

Have you been wondering what it would actually look like to diversify your income without having to burn down your current career or start entirely from zero?

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on her own 10-year journey of building multiple income streams alongside her corporate work. I share how I navigated everything from accidental opportunities to an unexpected physical injury that forced me to quickly recalibrate her revenue levers.

It is a powerful reminder that in an uncertain market shifting with AI transformation, true career ownership means building a personal safety blanket before you actually need to use it.

Building a portfolio career is not about adding more hustle or overwhelm to your already packed schedule. It is about learning how to strategically leverage the track record you already possess ,so you can put yourself firmly back in the driving seat of your professional life.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Your expertise is an underutilised asset. Many women sit on far more value than they realise. Instead of jumping into building something entirely new or waiting until you have a website ready, the most effective starting point is a simple career audit mapping what you know, who you have helped, and the exact results you have already produced.
• The power of starting with one. The biggest trap when building on the side is trying to dabble in multiple ideas at once, leading to quick burnout and a lack of traction. True momentum comes from selecting just one stream, proving the concept with a minimum viable product, and mastering your time before attempting to layer on the next project.
• The three strategic income buckets. For professional women with deep corporate experience, income diversification generally falls into three main routes. You will learn how to evaluate fractional or consulting work , portfolio board roles , and building your own visible platform through speaking or content creation.

Ready to take ownership of your career?

If you are ready to stop being passive and want to learn the exact playbook and tools to manage a successful portfolio career, applications are open for the Portfolio Career Academy.

This 12-week group coaching experience is specifically designed for high-achieving corporate women ready to turn their corporate expertise into diverse revenue streams.

We begin at the end of this month. Head over to careerchangemakers.com/pcato view the details and book a fitting call today.

Send us Fan Mail

Connect with me

Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com

LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand

Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast

Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts

*******

Work with me

Book a Career Expansion Strategy Session and kickstart your journey to redesigning your career in a way that is right for you.