The Career By Design Podcast with Stacey Back – Details, episodes & analysis

Have you got a burning career question that you’re dying to get answered?

Whether you want to know how to communicate your priorities and ACTUALLY honour your values at work, stay career driven while balancing the juggle of a young family -- or identify the skills to futureproof your career, today’s episode is for you. 

11,600 km. 13 hours. 3 flights and 3 time zones. 

That’s the cross-country work trip I recently completed across the top end of Australia -- and back. All within one week. THIS is the reality of living in the most isolated city in the world.

I jokingly called it my ‘quasi-royal’ tour. Because that’s what the local media nicknamed Harry and Megan’s express 4 day tour of Australia the same week!

Concentrated work periods like this can be all consuming. There’s the focused preparation in the lead-up, followed by client delivery. Then I always allow some down-time on the other side and space to reflect on what worked -- and what I’ll do differently in future.

And what emerges during these pauses are new insights: The patterns I’m noticing, common career challenges leaders are facing -- AND the key questions people are asking right now.

I’ve wanted to do an ask me anything (AMA) episode for a while and this felt like the perfect time. 

In this episode, I’m answering the questions which came up most often in my recent key-notes and workshops.

You'll learn:

• The ONE shift you must make to communicate your priorities in a way that's strategic (not aspirational) and live your values through your work, so you create a fulfilling, sustainable career
• 4 steps to support high-performing team members when progression opportunities are limited, so you retain your best people and futureproof your team
• How to keep making progress towards your long-term goals when you're ambitious -- but in a busy personal season
• My honest answer about how often you need to be upskilling in your current career, so you stay relevant instead of getting left behind
• 3 practical ways to identify the skills you need to develop for the future -- when you've got no idea WHERE to start!

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:

→ Listen to Episode #26: Is Work-Life Balance A Myth? How To Be Ambitious Without Burnout next

→ If you’re ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a personalised strategy to reduce risk with your next career move, I invite you to explore Ignite Your Career.

 Apply for your free 30 minute consult to get started.

→ At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

→ Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram. 

Do you want to build your personal brand -- but aren’t sure how or where to start?

Today, we’re talking about why personal branding matters for leaders right now and how you can start building yours with intention.

I'm joined by Ali Kunze -- a business development and marketing specialist who helps service-based business leaders build their visibility, brand positioning and client experience.

What I love about Ali’s story is that it’s honest and still unfolding. After a 20 year corporate career, she didn’t leave with everything perfectly mapped out. 

But what she DID do that others can learn from is listen to that pull to do something different and intentionally develop her personal brand before she ever resigned.

Throughout her career, Ali saw how often smart, successful leaders defaulted to reactive BD activities because they were busy and time poor. Today, she helps multiple clients intentionally design the client experience.

In this week’s episode of The Career By Design Podcast, we explore how she made the shift into her own business, the power of building a personal brand and how it can help you grow your network, client base and career. 

You'll learn:

• How Ali made the leap from a 20 year corporate marketing career into her own consultancy
• Ali's honest story of juggling motherhood with a high pressure role and the pivotal moment that led her to intentionally design a career on her own terms
• Practical advice for others navigating a career crossroads and moments of self-doubt in the messy middle of a career transition
• Tangible tips to build visibility and approach networking in a way which feels authentic -- EVEN if you struggle with confidence or aren't the loudest person in the room
• How to share thought leadership and grow an online presence without sounding 'salesy' or self-promotional
• The ONE shift to create commercially relevant content that attracts the right clients (not your peers)
• Exact steps to take NOW to start positioning yourself for the career opportunity you want in the next 6+ months

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:

Connect with Ali: 

→ LinkedIn 

→ Website

Connect with Stacey:

→ Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Explore Ignite Your Career.

 Apply for your free 30 minute consult to get started.

→ At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

→ Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram. 

Feeling overwhelmed by EVERYTHING you need to do this year?

If so you’re not alone -- and this topic is exactly what we’re tackling on today’s episode!

At the start of a new year you're full of motivation, set big goals and have a solid plan in place. But as January comes to a close, many people struggle to follow through.

Can YOU relate?

With school holidays stretching until February and a long weekend approaching in Australia, this time of year can feel disruptive. Finding consistency in your work schedule or getting anything done feels nearly impossible. 

Well, here’s the good news: As you return from holidays and ease back into a normal routine, it’s the perfect time to reset.

In this episode, which originally aired at the end of January 2025, I share 7 simple steps to design an effective work schedule that sticks. 

These are the exact strategies I use to help ambitious leaders, like you, achieve more -- in less time.

You'll learn:

• Why starting with your priorities is essential to achieve more of what matters most
• How choosing the hours you WANT to work is key to building stronger boundaries and reclaiming control of your time
• A practical exercise to assess where your time is going, so you can focus on high-value tasks and streamline your schedule
• How to tailor your schedule to your time, energy and priorities, so you remain focused and work more efficiently
• My top scheduling tip to balance structure and flexibility, allowing you to stay on track and get more done with less stress
• The secret to reviewing and refining your schedule, so you create a system that works for YOU long-term

This episode is a MUST listen over the holidays to support your new year planning. So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:
Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session.

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career in 2026? 

Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

As a high-achiever, how often do you rush to the ‘next thing’ without pausing to consider how far you’ve actually come?

I’ve certainly been guilty of it in the past!

But in recent years, I’ve become intentional about reflecting as I go. When I do my quarterly planning, it always starts by looking back and noticing what I’m learning along the way.

And at the end of the year, that pause matters more than EVER.

Because the pace of change isn’t slowing down. People are feeling stretched and overloaded as they race towards the end of year finish line. They’re juggling December deadlines, Christmas commitments and all the joys of the silly season!

To top it off, there’s a real heaviness and heartbreak in the world right now, including here in Australia this week.

All of this makes it even harder to step off the hamster wheel and create space to think.

In this special episode, I’m sharing my 4 greatest lessons (and honest confessions) for 2025. Listen in to find out what worked, what didn’t — and how these lessons can help YOU! 

Then, I’ll walk you through a simple end of year reflection to review YOUR year, career -- and what you want in the next one.

You'll learn:

• The ONE practice that’s boosted my creativity, sharpened my thinking and helped me switch off -- in less than 2 hours a week
• Why trying to THINK your way to your ‘ideal’ role keeps you stuck in your career -- and how to clarify your direction, faster
• How to create a career that’s fulfilling AND sustainable, without working less or losing your ambition
• The two qualities which significantly grew my business this year and how they'll help YOU increase your visibility, influence and impact
• 4 powerful questions to reflect on your successes, learnings and set yourself up for a strong start in 2026!

This episode is a perfect one to dive into over the holidays and a MUST listen to prepare for your best year yet. So grab a pen and paper -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:
Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session (or 2 hour intensive until 31 December).

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Read the full End of Year Reflection exercise here

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Do you know it's time to make a change in your career -- but aren't sure WHAT that looks like or HOW to get started?

Today we're talking about practical steps you can take to navigate a career crossroads.

I love this time of year when the Jacaranda trees are in bloom. It’s a sign of the changing seasons, as we transition from spring into another warm Australian summer. A time of change.

It’s also a reminder of where I was back in 2017.

Wandering through my local neighbourhood, noticing these bursts of beautiful purple flowers everywhere. Realising I’d lived in the area for a year and hadn’t ever taken a leisurely stroll around the block! 

Following weeks of deliberation, I’d just decided to close my business for 2 months. I’d reached another cycle of complete burn-out after years of working late nights, weekends and 60+ hour weeks. I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted and needed a break.

After a decade of repeating this cycle, I needed to make significant changes. This ultimately led to me overhauling my lifestyle, changing my business model and pivoting my career.

My story demonstrates that extreme change is sometimes necessary to make a shift and begin creating the life and work we truly want. But it doesn’t have to be this way for YOU.

We’re now in a time where the pace of change is accelerating -- in the workplace and with AI. I used to resist change and try to control it. Now, I embrace it.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 simple, actionable tips to help you successfully navigate change and transform your own career.

You'll learn:

• The exact moment I realised something needed to shift in my career -- and first step you MUST take before committing to change
• Powerful questions to ask ahead of your next career move so your decisions reflect what matters most, not external expectations
• What’s REALLY holding you back from making a change and a simple 3 part process to navigate your career transition with confidence
• What to do when you’re stuck in analysis paralysis, trying to create the 'perfect' plan or overworking -- instead of taking the RIGHT action
• Why investing in the right support can save you YEARS when changing careers and how these clients created the results they wanted, faster

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:

At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

Book a limited time Career Strategy Intensive for support with one immediate career goal. Available until 31 December.

Ready to find clarity, navigate change with confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Are you successful, with decades of experience in one profession -- but finding yourself at a career crossroads?

Whether you've hit the ceiling in your current field, are contemplating your next career chapter or wondering how to apply your expertise in a new direction, today's episode is for you.

I’m joined by Julie Matheson -- Founder of FinWise Leadership, speaker and mentor to financial planning professionals. Julie’s also a past client I had the pleasure of working with during her own career crossroads.

What I love about Julie’s story is how she’s used her wealth of experience (pun intended!) in financial planning to create a new career supporting others in her profession. 

She’s proof it’s never too late to reinvent yourself -- and an example of how to take the skills you have and apply them in a different direction.

In this inspiring interview, we explore how she made this shift, her practical advice for senior leaders planning their next step -- and the importance of career conversations to develop and retain your team.

You'll learn:

• How Julie navigated a career crossroads after decades as a financial planner and non-executive director
• The dark side of independence as a high-achiever and how collaboration (not going at it alone) is essential to evolve your career
• Key financial considerations senior leaders need to assess before a career transition -- and why money should NEVER be the barrier to pursuing meaningful work
• Why Julie launched a business at a stage when many people choose to slow down in their careers -- and what motivates her in this new career chapter 
• The biggest people challenges professional services firms are facing and how regular career conversations are a critical strategy to develop and retain high-performers
• How leaders create a culture of continuous conversations -- and individuals can proactively initiate them 
• PLUS: Julie's honest experience of working together and how 1:1 coaching supported her through this period (if you're curious about working with me!) 

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:

Connect with Julie: 

• Website
• LinkedIn 
  
  

Connect with Stacey:

At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

Book a limited time Career Strategy Intensive for support with one immediate career goal. Available until 19 December.

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

It’s time to call it out. ‘Following your passion’ is poor career advice.

Today, I’m talking about how this common cliché can hold you back in your career and what to focus on instead.

One of my most popular podcast episodes to date is about how to find your passion. This tells me it’s a topic many people are thinking about -- and one that comes up often in my work with high-achieving leaders.

I stand by the practical tips shared in this episode. They’ll support you to explore potential career paths you’re curious about, identify what you want next and find work aligned to your strengths and interests. 

Yet I’m noticing a lot of individuals putting pressure on themselves to ‘find their passion’ or ONE dream job. And all it’s doing is creating overwhelm and stopping them from moving forward.

So I want to change the dialogue around ‘following your passion’.

Is it important to do work you love? Yes!

And is it possible to find work which lights you up? 100%. It’s what I help my clients do every day. 

But the advice to ‘follow your passion’ can be unhelpful -- and often, discouraging. 

In this episode, I’m sharing five reasons WHY -- and what to do instead. You’ll discover how to intentionally design a fulfilling career which ‘works’ for you! 

You'll learn:

• Why trying to ‘find your passion’ is unhelpful when you’re confused about your career direction -- and how to start exploring what meaningful work looks like to YOU
• The problem with trying to monetise EVERY passion and how to know when your interests belong outside work
• The first step to flip the focus from ‘following your passion’ to creating a career that’s fulfilling and sustainable
• How neuroscience explains why prioritising your passions limits your potential -- and the ONE quality you need to unearth new possibilities
• Practical ways to move from ‘research mode’ into action, so you can find clarity on your direction

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:
Listen to Episode #11: What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? How To Find Your Passion

At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session for support with one immediate career goal or challenge.

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

How do you take back control of your career when when disruption hits your industry overnight?

Whether AI is impacting your role, you’re navigating change or finding yourself at a career crossroads, then today’s episode is for you.

I’m joined by Leanne Shelton -- leading AI trainer, coach and Founder of HumanEdge AI.

What I love about Leanne’s story is that only a couple of years ago, she was at her own career crossroads. The rapid rise of AI was disrupting her copywriting business.

Instead of resisting the change, she decided to evolve -- and in doing so, carved out a brand new career path.

In this powerful conversation, we talk about how she made this shift, what a human-first approach to AI looks like and how you can futureproof your career in the age of AI.

You'll learn:

• How Leanne navigated a career crossroads -- including the key lessons, mindset shifts and practical advice for others facing disruption or uncertainty
• What a human-first approach to AI looks like in practice and WHY it matters right now
• The biggest mistakes leaders make with AI -- and how to find the right balance between over-reliance and ignoring it altogether
• Practical steps to stay relevant and take back control of your career EVEN as technology and your industry evolve
• How to use AI to improve productivity and performance without losing the human element 
• The do’s and don’ts for leaders using AI in thought leadership and building a personal brand 

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave me a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:

Connect with Leanne:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Get Leanne’s book AI Human Fusion
• Listen to Leanne's podcast AI for Busy Leaders

Connect with Stacey:

At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment

Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session for support with one immediate career goal or challenge.

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

How often do you hit a big goal -- only to rush straight on to the ‘next thing’?

It’s something I see all the time with the high-achievers I coach and I’ve been guilty of it too.

So today, I’m doing exactly what I encourage my clients to do: pausing to celebrate a BIG milestone.

Because this is an extra-special episode... 

We’ve officially reached 50 EPISODES of the podcast!!

When I first launched this show back in November 2023, I made the intentional decision to go ALL in with this project and record 50 episodes, consistently.

So to be here, 50 episodes later, feels like a major milestone. Especially considering 90% of new podcasters quit after three episodes. And of the remaining 10%, 90% of those don’t make it past 20 episodes. 

I knew I didn’t want to be a statistic. My goal was to commit to 50 episodes, see how I like it and THEN decide if I would continue. Turns out, I LOVE it!

By keeping that commitment to myself, I built confidence and self-belief over time.

In today’s episode, I’m inviting you behind the scenes to celebrate this incredible milestone with me!

I’ll share the biggest lessons I’ve learnt from recording this podcast over the past two years and how they can help you take ownership of your career with clarity, confidence and the right strategy.

You'll learn:

• How to stop waiting for the ‘perfect’ time and start moving your career forward, fast
• Why it’s not always wise to take advice from others -- and the two questions to ask to make decisions that are right for YOU 
• A practical example of designing your work around your unique strengths, so you can create a career that’s fulfilling and sustainable
• The ONE shift you must make in the current climate to build your network and magnetise the right career opportunities to you
• The biggest lesson I’ve learnt from two years of podcasting -- and how to get results, even when progress feels slow

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave me a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:
At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment

Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session for support with one immediate career goal or challenge.

Ready to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

What do you do if your current role isn’t the right fit for YOU?

You love your work, clients (or aspects of what you do). Yet your ‘ideal’ role or the way you want to work is… outside the box.

Well, today I’m talking about how to design the career you WANT. 

Over the years, I’ve seen so many talented people leaving jobs in search of the ‘right role’. 

They start a new role and at first, it’s great. But 6 months in, the dissatisfaction starts creeping back in. Some people change companies many times but find moving jobs doesn’t fix it.  

Searched high and low for your ‘ideal’ role only to realise -- it doesn’t exist? Then, create it!

Designing your dream role isn’t a crazy idea. We’re all going to experience several career changes throughout our working lives. It’s smart to think outside the box and craft the path you actually want. 

If your current role doesn’t quite fit, this episode is for you. I’m sharing six strategies to help you create a career on YOUR terms.

You'll learn:

• What job-hopping or always looking for the ‘right’ role is REALLY trying to tell you -- and the one reframe to create the career you want
• The REAL reason you haven’t yet found your ideal role and how simple neuroscience can help you see new career possibilities
• The biggest mistake high-achievers make and how to shift your approach, so you create a career that’s fulfilling AND sustainable
• What the smartest and most successful people do differently -- and how you can create a career which ‘works’ for you
• Surprising ways you can create your own role internally or find new opportunities BEFORE companies go to market
• How to stop trying to fit yourself to ONE job when you’re multi-passionate -- and practical ideas to craft a career which is the right for YOU!

So hit play NOW -- and let’s dive in!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. It helps more people find the podcast and benefit too!

LINKS:
At a crossroads in your career? Take the FREE Career Success Code Assessment.

Book a 60 minute Career Strategy Session for support with one immediate career goal or challenge.

Ready to find clarity, overcome self-doubt and create a strategy to move forward with confidence? Check out the Ignite Your Career program and apply for a free 30 minute consult to get started.

Learn more about my services for individuals and organisations at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.