Get a Shift On – The Podcast for people looking to change career, start a business or just wondering what's possible.
Feeling stuck in your career? Whether you have plans for a big change or just need a fresh start, Get a Shift On helps you take action.
No fluff—just real talk, practical strategies, and inspiring stories from people who’ve made big moves. Learn how to overcome fear, navigate career transitions, and take control of your future.
With 25 years in healthcare, business development, and people I’ve helped many break free from careers they hate. Ready to shift?
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Données mises à jour le 04/07/2026
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S1 E33 | From Classroom to Clinic: Amanda Hitchin on Redundancy, Purpose & Growth #podcast
Saison 1 · Épisode 33
mercredi 22 octobre 2025 • Durée 42:38
When psychotherapist Amanda Hitchin lost her job during the pandemic, she didn’t just face redundancy, she faced an identity crisis. After 16 years in education and leadership roles, Amanda’s world suddenly stopped. But that shock became the springboard for something extraordinary: founding Colchester Children’s Counselling, hosting The New Therapist in Town podcast, and earning a spot in the UK’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs.
In this episode of Get A Shift On, Amanda joins Dave to talk about how a forced ending became the start of everything she’d always wanted. It’s a story about courage, creativity, and the power of saying, “I can’t do it... yet.”
Amanda’s journey began in the classroom, teaching and leading safeguarding teams through the chaos of the pandemic. But when redundancy struck, she was suddenly without direction, and without the security she’d built her life around.
Instead of retreating, Amanda took her payout and invested in herself. She trained as a psychodynamic counsellor, balancing studies, therapy fees, and bills, all without a student loan. It wasn’t easy. It was growth mindset in action.
What started as one rented room turned into a thriving three-room practice with a nine-person team, a unique psychotherapy sensory room, and national recognition for her impact. What she thought was a setback became the permission slip to build a career on her own terms, one rooted in compassion, autonomy, and purpose.
Pressure Makes a Diamond – Every challenging season can refine you. Amanda’s toughest teaching years became the foundation for her success in therapy and business.
Adopt a Growth Mindset – Replace “I can’t” with “I can’t yet.” Learn, evolve, and treat mistakes as part of mastery.
Redundancy Isn’t the End – It can be your launchpad. Amanda used hers to fund a master’s degree and a new life.
Outsource the Bits You Hate – Focus your energy on what fuels you. Delegate, automate, and protect your emotional bandwidth.
You’re Never Too Old to Retrain – Whether 28 or 58, if there’s something calling you—answer it. The next chapter could be the best yet.
Amanda’s story is proof that growth isn’t comfortable, but it’s worth it. Redundancy didn’t end her career; it reignited it. Her journey is a reminder that courage often looks like sending that first text, renting that first office, or admitting you’re ready for something new.
🎙️ Listen now to Get A Shift On and discover how Amanda turned uncertainty into empowerment.
S1:E32 | From Corporate Comfort to Real Freedom: Doris Walsh on Redefining Success Through Career Change
Saison 1 · Épisode 32
mercredi 8 octobre 2025 • Durée 01:11:20
"I thought leaving corporate meant losing everything — money, identity, even stability. Turns out, it was the start of finding myself again."In this episode, I talk with Doris Walsh, founder of Happy Bunny Coaching, about what really happens after you walk away from a twenty-year corporate career. Doris shares her story of voluntary redundancy during COVID, uprooting her family to Greece, and confronting the uncomfortable question so many of us avoid: What do I want to be when I grow up?!
We explore how cultural expectations shaped her parenting and identity, how she learned to let go of perfection, and what freedom actually feels like when you finally stop chasing other people’s definitions of success. Doris opens up about fear, finances, and finding balance as a mother, wife, and business owner, and why, despite earning less now, she’s never felt richer.
This isn’t just another “quit your job” story, it’s a conversation about redefining enough, rebuilding confidence, and learning to live with purpose, play, and a whole lot more peace.
If this episode sounds familiar, please follow, leave a quick review, and share it with someone who’s may need to it!Follow Doris
Frustrated at Work? Want to know if you are ready for a career change?
S1:E31 | Kicking On: Gareth “Steeno” Steenson on Resilience, Rugby, and Reinvention
Saison 1 · Épisode 31
mercredi 1 octobre 2025 • Durée 43:36
What happens when a kid from Armagh, told he wasn’t good enough, ends up kicking Exeter Chiefs to Premiership glory, and then has to start all over again after retirement?
Gareth Steenson, better known as Steeno, spent 18 years in professional rugby, from his early days in Ulster to becoming the Chiefs’ reliable No.10 during their rise to the very top of English rugby. In this episode I sit down with him as he opens up about the setbacks, sacrifices, and pivotal moments that shaped his career, and what life looks like now he’s swapped the pitch for coaching and business.
We talk about leaving home young and chasing opportunities in Rotherham and Cornwall, coping with the loss of his father during a critical season, and finding his place at Exeter just as the club was building towards promotion.
Steeno reflects on the highs of lifting trophies, the brutal lows of self-doubt, and the reality of leadership when the game plan falls apart.
Off the field, we dig into what resilience really means, how coaching the Irish Women’s Squad is reshaping his view of the game, and why running The Stand Off bar in Exeter taught him as much about teamwork as rugby ever did.
If you’ve ever faced rejection, had to reinvent yourself, or wondered what’s next after the career you thought would last forever, Steeno’s story will make you think twice about what resilience, risk, and real success look like.
If you enjoyed this episode, do me a favour: hit like, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation. The more people we reach, the more stories like Steeno’s can inspire someone else to make their next move and be happier in their career. Follow Steeno here:
S1:E30 | The Lord of Loneliness Speaks: Voiceover, AI, and Building a Business From Scratch
Saison 1 · Épisode 30
jeudi 25 septembre 2025 • Durée 56:25
What happens when a former international journalist swapsfrozen peas, Russian winters, and breaking news… for villains, audiobooks, andcorporate commercials?
James Brown swapped the newsroom for the booth and built a thriving voice over business from scratch in his Devon studio. In this episode, he reveals the unfiltered truth about starting a creative business later in life, the wins, the mistakes, and the skills he never knew he’d need.
We explore James’s journey from documentary-maker in Russia to voice actor, covering how he navigated family responsibilities, COVID, and the total career pivot that came next. You’ll hear practical strategies for finding work through audition sites and direct marketing, tips for self-directing from a home studio, and why corporate and commercial work became his foundation.
We also dive deep into resilience, why having a savingsbuffer matters, and James’s take on AI vs. human creativity and why authentic storytelling will always win. Plus, he shares a glimpse into his latest gaming project, including a chilling live performance as The Lord of Lonelinesshimself.
If you’ve ever dreamed of building a business around yourvoice, or any passion, this episode will inspire you to start, adapt, and keep creating.
Please like, share and subscribe for more career change andtransition tips, tricks and more...
S1:E29 | My honest career change from NHS to entrepreneur
Saison 1 · Épisode 29
jeudi 18 septembre 2025 • Durée 28:37
Feeling stuck in a well-paid job you’ve outgrown? This week I share my own , unfiltered journey, from NHS radiographer to small businesses, to show how tiny steps make big shifts.In this week’s episode, I sit down with myself ( David Birchmore) for a solo “Just Me” conversation on identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to build a life you want.
I cover my path from radiographer in the NHS to global med-tech roles, through redundancy and side hustles (yes, even a bouncy castle company) to launching a cleaning business and a mission to help 1,000 people leave jobs they hate. You’ll learn practical ways to map your transferable skills, run low-risk experiments, reality-check your finances (time vs money), narrow options without overwhelm, and push past self-doubt and outside opinions.
I try to give you straight-talking on validation, market testing, and the first small actions that build your exit plan.Follow, like, and subscribe for more real stories on career change and how you can create your own exit plan
00:00 Intro & why this episode00:08 Episode 29 gratitude & purpose01:39 First guest shout-out (Dr. Kyle Stewart & watercress)03:31 Childhood dream of medicine & early pivot04:44 NHS radiography and reality check06:52 Corporate med-tech, travel & chasing titles08:51 Parenthood, priorities & time vs money10:00 Leaving London for Devon—first big leap11:28 Lightbulb moment: starting the bouncy castle business12:43 Redundancy, COVID & launching a cleaning business14:58 Seeing the bigger mission: helping people17:00 Goal: help 1,000 people make a career change18:59 Don’t wait—start with one small step20:42 You’re not “just a” job title: mapping skills23:55 Imagination exercise: design your future25:51 Affordability & lifestyle trade-offs28:50 Time richness vs salary30:26 Narrowing options: start with the “no” list32:23 Overcoming self-doubt & unhelpful opinions35:59 Validation & market research that actually helps38:16 Start small, keep going & wrap-up
S1:E28 | Career Change at 57: Clare The Creative Pause Coach on Art & Menopause
Saison 1 · Épisode 28
mercredi 10 septembre 2025 • Durée 39:29
From corporate life and a café to pet portraits and menopause coaching, Andrea Clare rebuilt on her own terms. This is a practical, human conversation about career change, creativity, and midlife support.
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Andrea Clare - The Creative Pause Coach - who spent 20 years in the corporate world, raised a family, owned a café, and then rediscovered art at 57.
After a difficult perimenopause, she blended creativity with evidence-based menopause knowledge to help women thrive through her programme “Eat Sleep Pause Create,” and she’s created the Scottish ‘Pause Summit—a holistic wellness day in Glasgow City Centre on Saturday 25 October featuring experts and workshops.
You’ll hear honest lessons on reinvention, how creative practice builds resilience in midlife, and what real business support looks like when you’re changing direction. Expect practical guidance on peri/meno/post-menopause, simple routines that boost confidence and energy, and actionable steps for designing your own exit plan.
S1 | E27 Stop Chasing Impressions: Heidi Medina on Conversation-First Business Support
Saison 1 · Épisode 27
jeudi 4 septembre 2025 • Durée 55:08
Shouting into the void on socials? Heidi Medina shows how conversation-first beats algorithms and drives real career change and success.
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Heidi Medina, a 35+ year, 5X entrepreneur and social selling strategist who’s helped 350+ service providers and coaches spark intentional online conversations that connect and sell, without the awkward pitch.
Now based in Portugal, Heidi frees clients from algorithm-chasing by turning comments and connections into paying work and collaborations through conversation-first marketing. You’ll hear how that approach grew from her own five-business journey, landscaping, cleaning, enterprise social, and more.
You’ll learn a practical framework for writing meaningful comments, why “great post” stalls relationships, and how to redefine conversions (follows, DMs, invites) so your pipeline reflects real human momentum.
We also cover resilient career change: patient timelines, learning from failure, and why proactive follow-up ends more sales droughts than any content hack.
S1 E26 | From Redundancy to Core Story: Aleyx Ward on Career Change & Storytelling
Saison 1 · Épisode 26
jeudi 28 août 2025 • Durée 46:04
Made redundant and launched a business the very next day, Aleyx Ward doesn’t wait for permission. In this lively episode she shows how story, not jargon, powers real career change.
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Aleyx Ward, brand storyteller, consultant and host of “Naked at the Top.” Known for turning complex B2B ideas into messages people actually want to hear, she helps founders and leaders show up with clarity, confidence and a little fun; after being made redundant, she registered her company the next day and never looked back. You’ll learn how to translate strategy into simple, sticky messaging, use personal brand to open doors, and turn setbacks like redundancy into momentum.
We dig into journaling to unblock decisions, using impulsivity as a creative edge, and practical ways to pivot offers, ask for the right advice, and speak with stories that land.
S1:E26 From Drums to Defence: Jules Tabberer on Career Change & Purpose
Saison 1 · Épisode 25
mercredi 20 août 2025 • Durée 45:47
What happens when a global product lead swaps drum kits for defence? Jules Tabberer shares the real, messy truth about career change, purpose, and saying yes to risk. In this week’s episode, I sit down with Jules Tabberer, a global product manager who spent 13 years at Roland before making a bold changet from music to defence. Now in the Met Office’s Defence team and serving as an RAF Reservist, Jules shows what reinvention looks like when purpose leads the way. You’ll learn how to translate creative and commercial skills across industries, test a pivot while protecting family and finances, and build resilience through service. Expect practical takeaways on finding purpose, managing high-travel roles, and the mindset shifts that turn uncertainty into momentum.
From Safe Jobs to Bold Moves: 8 Stories of Life After Career Change
Saison 1 · Épisode 25
vendredi 15 août 2025 • Durée 14:49
This special edition of Get a Shift On takes you on a fast-paced journey through the highs, lows, and turning points of real career change.No theory. No sugar-coating. Just the voices of people who have been there, leaving behind safe jobs, making tough sacrifices, and building new lives on their own terms.From the moment they knew they had to walk away, to the challenges that tested their resolve, to the freedom and fulfilment they’ve found on the other side, these are the raw, unfiltered stories of transformation.Featuring highlights from past guests including doctors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders who took the leap, this episode is a snapshot of what it really takes to change your career, and your life.Whether you’re dreaming of your own exit plan or already halfway through it, this is your reminder: change is possible, and it’s worth it.
Chapters00:00 Introduction00:12 The Moment You Know Things Must Change05:04 Taking the Leap10:23 The Reality of Change13:33 What's Possible14:23 Defining Moments14:31 Journey from Clinical to Corporate14:37 Visualizing Success and Overcoming Doubts14:40 End Credits
Frustrated at Work? Want to know if you are ready for a career change? Answer these 10 questions and find out!#GetAShiftOn #InspiringStories #LikeShareSubscribe #CareerTransitions #Rugby #EliteSport
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Steeno's Rugby Journey
01:32 From Soccer to Rugby: Early Beginnings
03:10 Schoolboy Rugby and Early Recognition
04:21 Transition to Professional Rugby
05:31 Career Growth at Exeter Chiefs
07:21 The Evolution of Rugby and Player Development
10:44 Women's Rugby: Growth and Professionalism
14:03 The Role of Technology in Modern Rugby
17:11 Adapting to Change: Lessons from Rugby to Life
19:43 The Importance of Team Culture and Community
24:29 Community and Team Spirit in Rugby
25:54 The Journey to Premiership Glory
28:19 Leadership and Team Dynamics
32:39 Transitioning to Coaching and New Opportunities
Chapters: 00:00 Jules Tabberer: A Journey Through Careers 03:46 From Music to Product Management at Roland 09:02 The Global Experience: Travel and Challenges 13:51 Transitioning to the Met Office 19:58 Joining the RAF Reserves: A New Chapter 24:05 The Journey of a Reservist 27:06 Experiencing Deployment: A New Perspective 29:33 The Importance of Purpose in Career 34:04 Overcoming Challenges and Finding Empowerment 41:00 Advice for Those Stuck in a Career Spiral 43:14 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations in the Reserves 45:38 End Credits
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