This is our time! We’re stronger when we work together to lift other women up.
EvolveMe's #40over40 list curates profiles of women who have or are in the process of reinventing their careers in their 40s, 50, 60s, and beyond. And we're thrilled to share these stories of reinvention - women returning to work, pivoting careers or launching new ventures!
Meet the engaging and wonderful Susanne Kerns of the Mom & ... Podcast. When we were guests on their program, we instantly felt we'd known Susanne and fellow podcaster Missy Stevens for years! If you're a parent, working or not, you'll want to listen to these smart, funny women - who get you!
Keep on reading to learn more about Susanne's career reinvention as a podcaster!
What's the current focus of your career?
I am currently writing my first book dedicated to helping moms be more strategic about their time on career breaks to help retain their confidence, skills and sanity while at home.
To help moms in the meantime, I co-host the Mom & ... Podcast with my friend, Missy Stevens where we interview career & life coaches and inspiring moms to discuss the whats and hows of figuring out who we are, what we want, and how to get it.
What prompted your career reinvention?
I started my reinvention process way back when my son started kindergarten (he just started middle school this year!) Once both kids were in school full time I felt an immense pressure to immediately get back to work. I started a blog called The Dusty Parachute http://thedustyparachute.com/ (as in, "what color is your parachute? It's so covered in dust I can't even tell anymore!) to document the process of getting back in the workforce after 10 years as a SAHM.
As luck would have it, one of my first posts went viral which resulted in some doors being opened to various opportunities and meeting a bunch of people in the "mom blog" universe. That reignited my love of writing and I have been working to blend my writing with my desire to help other women not have to go through that same "dusty" phase that I did.
What's the best thing about midlife career change?
There's nothing quite like the wisdom that comes with age blended with the "don't give a $%#@" attitude that comes along with it. Not to mention the sense of urgency to "do something" that comes with having people refer to you as living the "second half of your life" now.
Your best advice for other women at midlife?
Do the work to figure out who you are and what you want before you jump to searching job listings. The fact that you *could* do that job does not necessarily mean that you *should* do that job.
What's the biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge has been figuring out who I am and what I value. So many years of my life have been dedicated to caring for my family instead of nurturing my own interests. More than that, I am realizing that even before kids, I never did the work to figure out what really lights me up - Instead I followed a "safe" path of a college major that "seemed right" and just kept climbing the same ladder without taking the time to decide if it was heading to the *right* place.
There's nothing quite like the wisdom that comes with age blended with the "don't give a $%#@" attitude that comes along with it. Not to mention the sense of urgency to "do something" that comes with having people refer to you as living the "second half of your life" now.
What's your personal mantra or mission? Why?
It's not enough for something to fit, it should also feel good. A pair of stilettos may technically fit your feet, but if hiking is what makes you feel good, they're probably not for you (at least not today)