MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Sparked by various events towards the end of last year, I've decided to kick off a series of interviews with some of the many inspiring individuals I'm lucky enough to know and continue to meet thanks to my job. Inspiration for this struck in a number of places: listening to a panel of movers and shakers from all walks of life at the launch of Bumble Bizz (dating app Bumble's answer to LinkedIn); binge-listening to the How I Built This podcasts; and attending an out-of-my-comfort-zone nutrition seminar on gut health and its relationship to mood hosted by The Rooted Project – a large portion of which was very science-heavy and well and truly over my head but nevertheless awoke parts of my mind that had in all likelihood been asleep since school.

Listening to the How I Built This podcasts in particular, where top level CEOs of companies such as Airbnb, Instagram, Whole Foods and Virgin are interviewed on their career start-up stories, it occurred to me how many of them had experienced multiple unsuccessful businesses before finding the one that stuck. This have-a-go attitude is something that really ignited something in me, highlighting it's rarely a linear path to success and failure is not something to be feared, rather an exciting learning curve. It would be way worse to always wonder 'what if'. Don't overthink it.

So, after a few months scribbling ideas, scrawling spider diagrams and chatting it over with friends, I'm hoping to shed light on a few new career stories in a bid to celebrate those who are bravely carving exciting paths and ask them to share their nuggets of wisdom. Stepping into other worlds feeds curiosity like nothing else and I hope this inspires those who are thinking about giving something new a go – whether that be taking a leap of faith on a start-up, testing the waters in a new industry or plucking up the courage to apply for a job at your current company.

You don't need to know where you'll be in five years, you can always adapt as you go and perhaps most importantly of all it's about recognising the bigger picture – we are so small in all of this and having a go, whether it goes to plan or not, is always admirable. When I first got into the copywriting game my dad, also a copywriter, taught me a favourite Hemingway quote of his: 'The first draft of anything is shit.' You have to start somewhere.

The first interview will be live in the next few days so watch this space.

Images via Pinterest.