Lessons from a Quitter

Latest Episodes:

How Daniel Prince quit his career in finance in order to travel the world with his wife and 4 children Dec 18, 2018

Show notes

At this point, we've all heard about digital nomads and remote living. There is a huge movement of people who are forgoing the traditional lifestyle in exchange for freedom and travel. But, because of the rise in popularity, there is a huge framework built around the digital nomad lifestyle with freelance websites, co-working spaces, shared housing, blogs, books, etc.

Just 4 years ago, the digital nomadic lifestyle was in its infancy and there wasn't a ton of resources providing guidance on how to navigate it. It was even trickier for families who wanted to travel with small children to figure out all the logistics.

But that did not stop Daniel Prince. After 'enduring' an 18 year career in Finance, Daniel recreated his life by leaving the corporate world to travel the globe with his young family (4 small children!!) via the sharing economy.

His popular blog 'Princes Off The Grid' drew attention from the global press leading to his appearing in many newspapers, magazines, award winning blogs and interviewed on Podcasts.

After his own experience, he wrote the book "Choose Life" to inspire other people to follow in his footsteps to adapt, create and lead a more fulfilling lifestyle.

An advocate of the sharing and gig economy, Daniel is an investor and startup advisor focusing mainly on businesses that seek to disrupt legacy business practices. Daniel is also part of a team building Zyngel, a social impact platform that aims to help businesses grow by offering the opportunity to connect with highly qualified, experienced and skilled professionals.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How his career led him to Singapore
How the 4-hour Workweek by Tim Feriss changed his life
Why Daniel and his wife, Claire, wanted to pick up and travel the world with 4 kids
How he got over the fear of leaving everything to pursue a dream
How he figured out how to create a living on the road
Why they decided to finally settle down in France and what the future looks like
How meditation helped Daniel quiet the critical voice in his head to push through the doubts
What his new startup, Zyngel, is all about.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

4-Hour Workweek, by Tim Feriss
Ted Talk by
Choose Life, by Daniel Prince
www.Zyngel.com

Where to find Daniel:

Instagram: @76Princey
Twitter: @princey1976
Website: www.princesoffthegrid.weebly.com
Email: 76princey@gmail.com

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Ep. 24: Lawyer to Actor/Comedian- How Kelly Nugent turned her creativity into a career Dec 11, 2018

Show notes

If you've listened to the podcast, you've heard me say (a million times) that you can make a living doing what you want if you take the time to think outside of the box and take advantage of the resources on the internet. Well, my guest Kelly Nugent is the perfect example of someone who did that (and basically proves me right...so there).

Kelly Nugent is an actor, voice actor, comedian, internet nerd thing doer, and lady of too many podcasts! She can be found doing nerd stuff on Saving Throw Show and HyperRPG. She hosts the podcasts Teen Creeps, Public Domain Theater, Same Day Shipping, and Thank You For Questing! She also loves cheese and cats.

What I love about Kelly's story is that when Kelly wanted to quit law in order to jump into the world of comedy, she didn't just try to go the traditional route by finding an agent and going to auditions etc etc. She started doing voice acting, created podcasts, worked on shows on different platforms like Twitch. Basically, she figured out a way to make a living doing creative, fun things she loved instead of waiting for her "big break." Her story offers the perfect example of how to turn your passions into a career.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

Why she went to law school and continued on even though she didn't like it
How listening to podcasts sparked her own interest in jumping into the world of acting and comedy
How she turned acting into a career through voice acting, podcasts, and Twitch
How those non-traditional roles led her to getting more traditional gigs
What Twitch is and how she got involved with that platform
How you can turn your hobbies and interests into podcasts and other paying gigs

Where to find Kelly:

Instagram/Twitter: @kellynugee
Website: https://www.kellyknugent.com/

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Ep. 23: Corporate World to Author: How Mamta Jain Valderrama quit the business world to become an Amazon Best-Selling Author Dec 04, 2018

Show notes

Today we have our first novelist on the show!! Mamta Jain Valderrama received her bachelor's degree in journalism and worked as a healthcare reporter. She went on to get her MBA from USC where she was considering starting a company based on medical tourism. But in her research, she realized the huge issue with black market organ trafficking schemes and realized that she couldn't contribute to such an industry ethically. After working in corporate life for many years, Mamta left 5+ years ago to pursue her dream to write. Her debut novel, A Girl In Traffick, is an Amazon bestseller that chronicles a story of human kidney trafficking.

After writing her novel, Mamta was also thrown into the world of international PR in order to get publicity for her novel. Realizing that she actually loved that aspect of the work, Mamta now offers PR services to authors and small business owners. She is also in plans to write her second novel.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How she made a decision to leave the corporate world to write her novel
Why she felt compelled to tell the story of human organ trafficking
How she got through the low moments in writing
How she learned to do her own PR for the book
How doing her own PR led her to freelancing as a PR agent
How to get started in publishing

Resources mentioned in this episode:

A Girl in Traffic, by Mamta Jain Valderrama

Where to find Mamta:

Instagram/Facebook: @mjvaldy
Website: www.mamtajainvalderrama.com
Email: mamta@mjvpublicrelations.com

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Ep. 22: Lawyer and Interior Stylist- How Sara Rezvanpour Rose created her dream job as Creative Counsel at the Jungalow Nov 27, 2018

Show notes

Ep. 22: Lawyer & Interior Stylist- How Sara Rezvanpour Rose created her dream job as Creative Counsel at the Jungalow

Have you ever felt like you want something more but you don't know what you should do? Well, if so, this is the episode for you! Sara Rezvanpour Rose is a unicorn full of inspiration and provides so much wisdom for anyone stuck in a career they hate. Though she may not know it, her own path provides such clear guidance for how to approach finding your next gig. It includes: perseverance, hustle, creativity, courage, humility, and faith in yourself.

Sara is a graduate of UC Berkeley Law School and a former big law attorney. After being laid-off during a merger, Sara left big law to join her brother's small private practice law firm where she honed her entrepreneurial skills as well as her legal chops. However, after a couple of years, Sara still found herself unsatisfied in the grey world of the law. She quit, without having a plan, to find a career with more creativity.

After deciding that she wanted to be in the interior design space, Sara reached out to people in the industry, worked for free, and hustled her way into a dream internship with renowned interior designer, Justina Blackeney. From that internship, Sara created her own dream position at Justina's business, Jungalow.

Sara is now Creative Counsel at Jungalow, a bohemian lifestyle brand & home decor online shop. She left the gray world of law in search of color, creativity, and a place where she could be her wild self! Now she spends her days creating spaces that she hopes inspire a sense of magic in people's hearts & homes. She also negotiates contracts, and still does lawyerly things but in a much more fun & chill setting.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

Why she felt morally obligated to go to law school
Why she felt like she didn't belong in law school
How she ultimately decided to walk away from a traditional law practice
How she figured out what her next step would be after law
How she hustled her way into her dream job at Jungalow
How she now spends her days doing part legal work and part interior design.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Women Who Run with the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Magic Lessons, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Where to find Sara:

Instagram: @sararezrose
Jungalow Instagram: @thejungalow
Website: shop.jungalow.com

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Ep.21: How gratitude can fundamentally change your life Nov 20, 2018

Show notes

Happy Thanksgiving, folks!

This week we're going to do something a little different and, instead of an interview, I'm doing a solo episode. We'll be back with another inspiring interview next week.

I wanted to take this week, because of Thanksgiving, and talk about how a gratitude practice is the easiest way to change your life. That might sound like hyperbole or exaggeration but it's not.

Now before you roll your eyes and think I'm trying to sell you some woo-woo magic, there are decades of scientific studies that show how a simple gratitude practice can:

- Create stronger relationships

- Strengthen your immune system

- Increase your enthusiasm, optimism, and alertness

- etc, etc, etc.

Why does gratitude work so well? Glad you asked.

1) It fundamentally changes your perspective. You can see the silver lining in most situations which helps you bounce back after setbacks much faster.

2) It is impossible to feel anger/fear and gratitude at the same time.

3) It helps you enjoy the journey and not just look forward to the destination.

4) It makes you a more pleasant person and creates stronger relationships.

So if you want to change your life in 5 minutes every day, take a listen!

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Ep.20: How Drew Morgan went from lawyer to stand-up comic Nov 13, 2018

Show notes

Drew Morgan is a stand-up comic, writer and actor.. Drew and his two comedy partners, Trae Crowder and Corey Forrester, wrote the Liberal Redneck Manifesto and tour the country for their WellRED comedy tour. His comedy draws upon his upbringing in rural East Tennessee as well as his experiences living in Australia, Boston, Miami, and New York.

But before becoming a comedian, Drew was a public defender in both Miami and Knoxville, Tennessee. I got to talk to him about how his upbringing in a rural Southern town influenced his decision to go to law school and why he ultimately left the law to pursue his dreams.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How his upbringing in rural Tennessee affected his decision to go to law school.
How his path led him to be a public defender in both Miami, Florida and Knoxville, Tennessee
How his wife got him started in comedy by signing him up for a competition
How he supported his dream of stand-up comedy by working as a freelance attorney doing document review
How years of hard work finally led him and his writing partners, Trae Crowder and Corey Forrester, to become "overnight successes"
The journey to the WellRED comedy tour and the Liberal Redneck Manifesto
And why it's worth pursuing your dreams even if it's difficult

Where to find Drew:

Website: http://www.wellredcomedy.com
Twitter/Instagram: @drewmorgcomedy

Facebook: @drewmorgan

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Ep. 19: Actor, Lawyer, CEO and more: How Isaac Lidsky created his reality by living Eyes Wide Open Nov 06, 2018

Show notes

As Inc. reported, "ISAAC LIDSKY may possess the most eclectic resume in business." Series regular "Weasel" on Saved by the Bell: The New Class, he graduated from Harvard College at 19 (cum laude) and from Harvard Law School (magna cum laude); served as a Supreme Court law Clerk (to two Justices); was a Justice Department litigator (undefeated); and worked for an elite international law firm. He had a legal resume that most lawyers could only dream of. But after having his triplets, who required over 70 days in the NICU, Isaac re-evaluated what he wanted out of his life. He left the law to buy a failing construction subcontractor in order to try his hand out at entrepreneurship.

Though originally the jump seemed to be a failure, Isaac turned the company into a highly profitable construction services company (ten times larger) that now boasts annual revenue over $250 million. I got to talk to Isaac about how he was able to walk away from law, after building such a prestigious career, to follow a path more true to himself.

Isaac credits his experience going blind in his early twenties from a rare genetic disease as being the reason he is able to create his own reality and live Eyes Wide Open. He gave a main stage TED Talk on the subject of living Eyes Wide Open that was viewed more than a million times in its first three weeks. He also has a book by the same name, "Eyes Wide Open", that is a New York Times, USA Today and Indie bestseller, and was named one of the Washington Post's top 10 leadership books to read in 2017.

I got to find out what it means to live Eyes Wide Open and how we can all strive to live that way. I'm endlessly inspired by Isaac and hope to live my own life with Eyes Wide Open.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

Why he walked away from the glamour of Hollywood after finding success on Saved By the Bell: The New Class.
How he dealt with being diagnosed with a rare genetic disease as a teenager, knowing that he was going to go blind.
How going blind taught him about the subjectivity of sight and how we create our own reality
How fear replaces the unknown with the awful and how it keeps us stuck
Why Isaac left the law, after an incredibly prestigious career, to run a construction company
How he determined what was important in his life and how that changed his decision-making process
How we can all live our lives Eyes Wide Open

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Where to find Isaac:

Website: www.lidsky.com
Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @isaaclidsky

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Ep. 18: How Alli & Matt Owen gained financial independence, quit their 6-figure engineering jobs, and now travel the country working remotely Oct 30, 2018

Show notes

Matt & Alli were both working as engineers, hating their jobs, and yearning for more freedom when they learned about the FIRE community (Financial Independence Retire Early). The premise of FIRE is to focus on reducing spending and increasing investments with the goal of living off those investments and, thus, not having to work anymore. The idea is that you buy your freedom instead of buying things. Matt & Alli started saving up to 70% of their 6-figure salaries and within 3 years quit to work on the 2 online businesses they had created.

In addition to quitting, they converted a sprinter van (they named Clifford) and started driving across the Americas and running their businesses from the road. They balance their time between helping millennials get out of debt through their coaching services and education programs at Owen Your Future and helping people treat themselves on the keto diet through their baked goods company Primal Noms.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How they realized that they didn't want to just change jobs that they hated but completely change their lifestyles.
How they learned about the FIRE movement and started on their journey to saving.
How they dealt with other people's opinions of their decisions
What is the 4% rule?
How they started their 2 side hustle businesses
How they decided to quit their 6-figure jobs to travel the country
The best and worst parts of traveling in a van
How to be a part of FIRE even if you want to live off of a higher salary every year
How Alli & Matt help millennials deal with their debt and budgeting
How you can be a part of their live webinar on financial planning!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Where to find :

Webinar: ownyourdebtcourse.com/webinar
Website: ownyourdebtcourse.com

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Ep. 17: How a tragedy helped Christine McAlister live her Life With Passion Oct 23, 2018

Show notes

We've all heard various versions of the same story: Someone experiences a life-threatening illness or near-death experience which immediately puts into perspective what is actually important in life. That person shakes up their life and starts pursuing a more fulfilling path. But why is it that we have to experience horrible things before we can find such clarity? Or as Christine McAlister puts it "Who has to die for you to give yourself permission to live for yourself?"

Christine suffered her own tragedy when, at 9 months pregnant, her daughter Maeve passed away. Christine was forced to deliver her child and then plan a funeral, an unthinkable experience that many would not be able to overcome. But Christine used her grief and experience to stop playing small and figure out how to make the most out of life. That led her away from her successful online marketing business and into starting a business coaching program called Life with Passion. She helps high-achievers all over the world to replace their incomes (and then some!) and quit and stay out of their 9-5s, by building businesses out of their passions.

Christine also uses her own experience with tragedy to help her clients focus in on what is actually important. As if that wasn't enough, she is the bestselling author of The Income Replacement Formula: Seven Simple Steps To Doing What You Love And Making Six Figures From Anywhere.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How Christine got out of her 9-5 job with a side hustle (and how she even figured out how to start a side hustle)
How her side hustle became her full-time business and how that led to even more businesses
How the death of her baby when she was 9 months pregnant led her to quit her businesses and find her true calling by opening Life With Passion.
How she managed to get out from under the grief and take action to create the life she wanted
How she uses Life With Passion to help other women entrepreneurs find their passions and make a business out of it.
How to find what your true passions are if you're feeling stuck in your career.
How the power of just making the decision to act is the very first step.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks

Where to find Christine:

Website: lifewithpassion.com/freechapter
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifewpassion
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lifewpassion

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Ep.16: How Ann Masciarotte turned her passion for art into a business Oct 16, 2018

Show notes

Today's conversation with Ann Masciarotte is so important!! On this podcast, I've talked a lot about the fact that in today's world, with the internet, you can really create a business out of anything you are passionate about. Literally, you can find someone that is making money around a topic that you love. You just have to think outside of the box.

And that is why I love what Ann is doing! Ann is the Chief Curator and President of the Whitney George Collection, an art advisory firm that she established after leaving a decades-long career as a strategy consultant and product manager. The Whitney George Collection was born of Ann's belief that fine art doesn't have to be intimidating, and that it should be a prominent part of every home, office, commercial and public space. Through her work with The Collection, Ann collaborates with home- and business-owners, and residential and commercial interior designers to curate and source artwork that personalizes and elevates their interior spaces. As a lifelong art collector who comes from a family of artists, Ann loves sharing with and educating others on the joys of buying and living with original art.

The Whitney George Collection is primarily focused on promoting standout art and artists who have a unique, dynamic, and intriguing, yet accessible, style and point of view. Ann and the team at The Collection pride themselves on being able to work with nearly any budget, because there is plenty of phenomenal art in the world that doesn't come with a blue chip price tag. The Collection also believes in supporting and promoting living artists, who contribute to a richer social fabric within their local and global communities.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

How Ann made the jump from consultant/project manager to business owner
How having kids changed her perspective and led her to want to start her own business
How she originally went the safe route and tried to start her own consultancy but quickly realized that her heart wasn't in it
How she realized that she might be able to start a business around her passion for art
How she structured the business model for her art business
Why you just have to start and realize that you'll just figure it out along the way.
Practical advice about how anybody can buy authentic art for their homes

Where to find Ann:

Website: www.whitneygeorgecollection.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wgfineart

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