Career Change Maker | Career Clarity, Career Opportunities, Career Pivots, Burnout, Corporate Job, Income
***Top 1.5% Global Careers Podcast For Corporate Women***
Are you navigating a mid-career transition and wondering what’s next?
Have you built a successful corporate career but realised you don’t want your boss’s job?
Do you feel the tension between wanting more freedom and not wanting to sacrifice security?
If you’re ambitious but no longer willing to burn out for another promotion, you’re in the right place. I’m glad you’re here.
This podcast helps high-achieving mid-career women gain career clarity and confidently design their next chapter, whether that means evolving inside corporate, exploring a portfolio career, or building a hybrid path.
If you’re ready to stop default climbing and start making strategic, aligned decisions about your future, this podcast will give you the insight and tools to move forward with confidence.
Hey 👋 , I’m Janine Esbrand, corporate lawyer turned career strategist and executive coach.
For years, I had my eye on the corporate partner title. I kept my head down, worked the long hours, and chased the next big deal because that’s what success was supposed to look like.
Then I became a mother. And I realised I didn’t want to build a life around my career, I wanted to build a career around my life. So, I stepped off the default corporate path and designed a portfolio career that allows me to work on my terms, create meaningful impact, and show up fully, both professionally and personally.
Now, I help ambitious mid-career women do the same: gain clarity, challenge the default ladder, and design aligned, sustainable careers that reflect who they are now, not who they used to be.
This podcast will give you the strategy, mindset and tools to make it happen.
So grab your notebook, pour your hot drink of choice and lets design what’s next.
Next Steps:
🎙️ Explore for 1:1 Coaching: www.careerchangemakers.com/claritycall
🌐 Visit the Website: www.careerchangemakers.com
📩 Contact Us: hello@careerchangemakers.com
Career Change Maker | Career Clarity, Career Opportunities, Career Pivots, Burnout, Corporate Job, Income
#296: How Having Difficult Conversations Can Accelerate Your Career Growth with Michelle Schafer
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Episode Overview
In this powerful episode, I am joined by fellow career coach Michelle Schafer, who also specialises in career transition and leadership development.
Together, they explore why mastering difficult conversations at work is a critical skill for professional growth and long-term fulfilment.
Michelle shares her personal journey from experiencing job loss twice to building a thriving coaching practice — and how those experiences shaped her belief that real career advancement begins with courageous conversations.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How to confidently navigate difficult conversations that shape your career trajectory
- The mindset shift from waiting for opportunities to creating them through dialogue
- Simple ways to prepare for a meaningful career development conversation
- How to raise your visibility by connecting with colleagues across your organisation
- Why reflection and self-awareness are key to making aligned career decisions
🧭 Action Steps:
- Reflect: Identify what gives you energy, what drains you, and your non-negotiables.
- Initiate: Schedule a dedicated career development conversation with your leader — don’t wait for the annual review.
- Connect: Build internal relationships by being curious, joining cross-functional projects, or engaging in workplace communities.
✨ Memorable Quote:
“It’s not your forever place. You’re not going to feel stuck forever — there are always choices and steps you can take.” — Michelle Schafer
🔗 Connect with Michelle:
- LinkedIn: Michelle Schafer
- Website: mshafercoaching.ca
- Get a free chapter of her book Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose via her website.
🔗 Connect with Janine
- LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand
- Website: Career Change Makers
- Join the waitlist to explore 1:1 coaching
Connect with me!
Website: careerchangemakers.com
Email: podcast@careerchangemakers.com
LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand
Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast
Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts