Redirecting.work

career in tech. She has navigated her career without a career plan, guided by instinct and a thirst for growth and change. After almost 30 years, she found herself at a crossroads in her last role at a major learning technology provider and decided to make a significantly bigger pivot. There were three main reasons for her decision to change paths:

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1. Lack of Joy: She realized she was no longer finding joy in her work.

2. Values Misalignment: Her personal values couldn't coexist with the company's focus on maximizing profits. She wasn’t motivated by money, but by her desire to change the world.

3. Love of Learning: She always needs to be growing and stretching beyond her comfort zone and had the overwhelming feeling that it was time to learn and do something new.

 

The impact of COVID-19 further catalyzed her introspection, prompting her to revisit her values and ask profound questions about her life's direction.

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A New Direction

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Heidi’s new direction involves executive and leadership coaching and advising, focusing on senior leaders, founders, women in tech, and people in midlife transitions. After finishing her coaching program at the Hudson Institute of Coaching in Santa Barbara, she is now focused on continuously refining her own unique approach to coaching and has been fully operational since March, 2024. Her new venture aligns perfectly with her love of learning and her desire for positive impact by helping leaders she works with to discover their own unique leadership strengths, build healthy workplaces, and to live purposeful lives. 

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Advice for Successful Pivots

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Heidi’s advice for those contemplating a career pivot revolves around deep introspection and practical steps:

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• Ask Big Questions:

  • What are your values? Is there any misalignment with what you are currently doing?

  • What is your energy capacity, and what does it take to refuel?

  • What gives you joy, and what doesn’t?

  • What is your purpose? What do you want to accomplish? 

  • What do you need to learn? 

  • What is getting in your way?

• Don’t Focus on Goals and Timelines:

  • Create a purposeful time of reflection that isn’t bound by goals or timelines to allow yourself to reflect, explore, and discover new parts of yourself. In other words, allow your future to emerge vs. forcing it through your project- and outcome-based mentality that most executives have mastered over many years. 

• Be Open to Multiple Paths:

  • Recognize that pivots often take more time than expected. Experiment with a variety of possible futures. Test hypotheses and give yourself space to listen and learn as you go. Don’t set an artificial timeline. You can begin your experimentation while still working full-time in your current role. And remember that there is no ONE or perfect path; there are many paths you can take with all of them leading to somewhere good so don’t be anxious about making the “right” decision. 

• Set Clear Boundaries:

  • Heidi aims to not work full time, maintaining a strong boundary around her time. Financially, she plans to balance her hours between paid work and pro bono engagements. 

• Financial and Operational Preparation:

  • Heidi has set personal financial goals for herself tied to both the calendar year and to specific lifestyle objectives. Calendly for scheduling is the biggest time saver of all of the tools she’s invested in. She is using tools like Wix for her blog and Google Workspace for productivity. Heidi also set up a business account to keep her revenue and expenses separate for tax purposes.

 

Conclusion

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Heidi's story is a testament to the power of aligning one's career with personal values and joy. Her thoughtful approach to career pivots, guided by deep introspection and practical steps, offers a valuable roadmap for anyone considering a similar journey. By asking big questions, giving herself time and space, making no assumptions, and setting clear boundaries, Heidi has crafted a fulfilling and purposeful new direction in her career. Her journey highlights the importance of continuous learning, self-reflection, and the courage to pivot when necessary.

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Connect with Heidi