The Career Equation®: The Formula for Career Clarity

It's careers Q&A day where we give you some personal attention by answering your questions. Today's question comes from a listener in the media world: "I've climbed the ladder and I'm doing pretty well, but I feel really burned out. When is it time to jump and leave? And how do I make a plan to do that in a thoughtful and stable way?" What we cover: If you've reached a point where you're not functioning, your first priority is to take care of yourself. That might mean getting signed off before you make any big decisions. None of us do our best thinking when we're exhausted, and a rushed exit rarely leads to a good next step. If you're managing the burnout but can see the cliff face coming, consider making a measured plan: squirrel away what you can, plan a thoughtful exit, and give yourself at least three months to recover and reflect before deciding what's next. Plan from a place of rest, not depletion. Before you conclude it's time to leave entirely, get specific about what you've fallen out of love with. Is it the work itself? The people? A shift in the organisation's leadership or direction? Pinpointing the source helps you identify what's within your gift to change, and sometimes a conversation or a different type of project is enough to realign things. Most employers genuinely want their people to be well at work. If it feels safe to do so, wave the flag, support may be available that you don't yet know about. Use discernment, but don't assume the answer is silence. Send your questions: Email or voicenote to pod@thecareerequation.com Links: Career Conversations Guide: https://www.thecareerequation.com/career-conversations-guide Book an intro call: https://www.thecareerequation.com/book-intro-call Erica on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ericasosna Zoë on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoeschofieldcoach

How to Have Real Career Conversations Using the Career Equation Most managers think a career conversation is about rebuffing awkward questions and requests for more money. It's so much more than that, and in this episode, we share the exact agenda our clients like Microsoft use to run conversations that grow performance, mobility, and retention. What we cover: The Career Equation in brief. Four components: skills and strengths, passions and interests, impact and legacy, and environmental fit. Simple enough that once you've heard it, you can't unknow it, and structured enough to replace vague "what do you want to do next?" conversations with something that actually goes somewhere. Why the model was built. After 22 years of career coaching across industries, the same problem kept coming up: too much choice is paralysing. The equation narrows the frame to four buckets, the maximum most brains can hold, so that both parties can think clearly and honestly. The three outputs that make career conversations trackable. A career design statement, a career goal, and a career plan. These tell you something actually happened, unlike ticking a box that says a meeting took place. The agenda itself. Set the purpose, explore their story, map their equation, identify a goal, design an action plan, agree next steps. You don't have to do it all in one session. We then run a live practice session, with Erica in the hot seat, so you can see exactly how the conversation flows, how goals get sharpened from woolly to specific, and how the planning phase helps people visualise success before working backwards to their very first action. Links: Career Conversations Guide: https://www.thecareerequation.com/career-conversations-guide Free Equation Builder: https://www.thecareerequation.com Book an intro call: https://www.thecareerequation.com/book-intro-call Erica on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ericasosna Zoë on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoeschofieldcoach

When Your Next Role Isn't Clear Yet: Applying the Career Equation to Emerging Careers It's careers Q&A day where we give you some personal attention by answering your questions. Today's question comes from Nina: "How can you use the Career Equation for roles in the future that are not yet set in stone, they're still evolving?" What we cover: Sometimes you feel stuck because you've been a specialist - "I've only done this, where else could I be useful?" Other times there are too many choices and the decision making feels overwhelming. Either way, doing nothing is still a choice. Your backstory is full of information you're probably overlooking. When have you loved stuff in the past? What have you been drawn to? When did you learn a skill you've not used for ages? Take time to harvest these insights from your story so far. Stop trying to find the name of the perfect job - there are so many titles now it won't help. Instead, think about what kind of experiences you want next. Is it a simple flip? Indoors to outdoors? Screen time to people time? Regulated environment to something more free-flowing? Or something completely different - more impact, being part of a cohesive team, using particular skills? These experiences become your anchor points. When you've got clarity, it's easy to take action. Careers are a series of choices about how what you're good at aligns with how you spend your time and make money. Send your questions: Email or voicenote to pod@thecareerequation.com Links:  Career Conversations Guide: https://www.thecareerequation.com/career-conversations-guide  Book an intro call: https://www.thecareerequation.com/book-intro-call  Erica on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ericasosna  Zoë on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoeschofieldcoach

If You Don't Talk About Careers, Don't Be Surprised When People Leave Your best people don't usually leave loudly. They leave quietly, gradually, and long before that resignation hits your inbox. In this first episode of our new series, we're looking at why organisations lose talent, what's really happening beneath those 'surprise' resignations, and why the solutions most companies are trying might not be working. What we cover: The real problem isn't money or titles. People don't know what's reasonable to ask, where they could go next, or how to have career conversations inside their organisation. So they have it outside instead - with recruiters and competitors. The warning signs: capable employees withdrawing from meetings, high performers who've lost their spark, managers who assume silence means satisfaction. In busy environments without a methodology for staying close, these cues are easy to miss. The costs go beyond recruitment fees. Eroded team morale, vanished institutional knowledge, development investment walking out the door, sometimes clients following them. The whole team carries extra workload whilst you're trying to hire under pressure. Most organisations are already trying things: engagement surveys, learning platforms, wellbeing initiatives, development days. HR are doing their best but working off raw data rather than real dialogue. The data shows 50-60% of people leave because of career development, yet there's a mismatch between effort and results. Here's the thing: an engagement survey won't tell you what someone's afraid of about their career. A learning platform won't reveal real ambition. A wellbeing budget won't solve lack of meaning at work. The missing piece is proper career conversations - structured, regular dialogue that helps people understand their strengths, map their options, and see a future with you. People don't know when to talk about careers with managers. Managers don't feel equipped to have these conversations. Without that, the conversation happens elsewhere. We share examples: someone shut down when discussing a raise after doing two jobs for years. A senior person with a toxic manager dynamic raised to the board with no action. A client in her dream role who couldn't navigate the environment. Career discussions aren't just about progression - they're about meaningful dialogue on aspirations, challenges, and support. Often people leave reluctantly. They'd have preferred to speak their mind. They lose the network and community they've built. The solution: start proper career conversations. Keep them going. Open dialogue from curiosity rather than shutting it down from worry. We talk about Dassault Systèmes - after five years they've seen three-fold increase in internal mobility at senior level and massive reduction in early career attrition. The equation becomes their career language. Simple enough you can't unknow it. Coming up: what career conversations actually look like, lived examples, why structure matters, and stories from clients about good and bad career conversations. Links: Career Conversations Guide: https://www.thecareerequation.com/career-conversations-guide Book an intro call: https://www.thecareerequation.com/book-intro-call Erica on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ericasosna Zoë on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoeschofieldcoach

The Career Equation: Series Two Launch Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield are back with something new, a series that goes right to the heart of career conversations that actually work. Let's be honest: most organisations say careers matter, but meaningful career conversations? Much rarer. Series two focuses on the conversation itself. How you move beyond vague chats and tick-box frameworks and use the Career Equation approach to uncover what truly matter: skills, motivations, impact, ideal environment. You'll hear real-world case studies from organisations that have embedded this work and what changed when they did. Plus there's a weekly Q&A tackling the real challenges you're dealing with right now. If you work in HR, coaching, or you're a business leader where careers matter, this series is for you. Follow or subscribe. First episode coming soon. Visit www.thecareerequation.com for more information. And send us your career conversation questions to pod@thecareerequation.com

As Series 1 wraps up, Erica and Zoë reflect on the evolution of The Career Equation and how the idea of “fit squared” has become a defining theme. They explore how the right environment can multiply talent, motivation, and impact — and why so many organisations still overlook it.   They also share what’s next for The Career Equation in 2026, with new episode formats, short practical sessions for leaders and coaches, and a renewed focus on real stories from the workplace.   Listeners can share their thoughts or send career dilemmas to pod@thecareerequation.com   This episode closes the year with insight, clarity, and a challenge to think differently about what helps people truly thrive at work.   In this conversation:   • What “fit squared” means in practice • Why environment can make or break performance • How great career conversations actually start • What’s ahead for The Career Equation in 2026   Learn more: Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com Subscribe to Erica’s Substack, Fireweed: ericasosna.substack.com

Every great story follows a journey, and so does every fulfilling career.   In this episode, Erica and Zoë bring Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey framework into the world of work, showing how the same narrative pattern that drives epic adventures can also illuminate your own career path.   They trace each stage of the journey, from the initial call to change, through resistance, commitment, challenge, and return, revealing how it maps perfectly onto the twists and turns of modern working life. Along the way, they share examples from their coaching practice, including how leaders and returners alike can use this map to find direction, resilience, and meaning.   Erica reflects on her own experiences with recovery, reinvention, and redefining success after setback, while Zoë shares insights from navigating redundancy and creative renewal. Together they show that even when the road gets dark, you’re not lost, you’re simply in the middle of the story.   Whether you’re stepping into something new, facing uncertainty, or helping others through change, this episode is a reminder that your career isn’t just a sequence of jobs, it’s your own evolving adventure.   ⸻   In this conversation:   • Understanding the Hero’s Journey and how it applies to careers • Recognising where you are on your personal map of change • Moving from resistance to commitment when it’s time to grow • Building confidence through the challenges and “belly of the whale” moments • Using the Career Equation to guide your choices and next steps • What personal and organisational change look like through a story lens • Why reflection and celebration are essential parts of the return   Learn more:   Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com

Coming back to work after time away, whether for parenting, illness, or a life change, is a big transition. You’re not the same person you were before, and that’s the point. In this follow-up to Return & Thrive (Part One), Erica and Zoë move from mindset into action, exploring how to design your next chapter using the Career Equation framework.   They unpack the four elements: skills, passion, impact, and environment - and show how they can help you rebuild confidence, set new boundaries, and shape a working life that feels sustainable and energising. Erica shares her own story of returning too soon after a spinal injury, and the lessons it taught her about pacing, permission, and redefining success. Zoë reflects on her own pivot after maternity leave and the importance of using that pause to realign, not retreat.   You’ll hear practical, compassionate advice for anyone navigating a return, and insight for organisations on how to create supportive, flexible pathways for returners.   This is a conversation about change, courage, and coming back stronger, not by fitting into who you were, but by designing who you want to be next.   ⸻   In this conversation: • How to design your next career chapter with intention • Using the Career Equation to find clarity after time away • The power of pausing before rushing back to work • Erica’s personal story of returning too early after injury • How career breaks can sharpen values and reveal new strengths • Rebuilding confidence and self-belief after a break • Setting healthy boundaries and redefining what ‘success’ means now • How organisations can better support and retain returners   Learn more:   Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com

Taking time away from work, whether for parenting, caring, redundancy, illness, or reflection, changes you. Coming back can stir up doubts: Am I still relevant? Will employers judge the gap? How do I explain it on my CV?   In this episode, Erica and Zoë reframe the experience of a career break. Rather than seeing it as a liability, they explore how it can sharpen your values, grow new skills, and even open the door to a midlife career restart. You’ll learn how to rebuild confidence after time off, recognise the fears that hold returners back, and discover strategies to make your comeback a chapter of growth.   With candid stories from clients and years of coaching insight, this conversation offers both reassurance and practical return to work support. Whether you’re restarting your career at 40 or 50, navigating imposter syndrome after a break, or simply wondering how to explain a career gap on your CV, you’ll come away with clarity and confidence.   For HR leaders and managers, this episode also highlights why supporting returnship programs and flexible careers after parenting isn’t just good practice — it’s a powerful way to unlock fresh talent and create inspiring role models.   ⸻   In this conversation:   • Why returning to work after a break can feel daunting • The hidden skills you gain during time away • How to reframe a career gap with pride and confidence • Common fears returners face, and how to challenge them • Career relaunch strategies to ease your transition • Practical career comeback tips and low-risk ways to restart • How to get back to work after a career gap without losing momentum • The role of HR support, returnship programs, and flexible career paths   Learn more:   Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com

Sometimes the most profound career conversations happen with old colleagues. Today, Zoë welcomes Ben Hart, someone she worked with years ago in local government who's since become a healthcare transformation consultant working with NHS trusts and independent hospitals across the country. Ben's got an unusual background: he's led mountaineering expeditions in South America, guided groups canoeing down the Amazon, and somehow those experiences of moving people from where they are to where they want to be translated perfectly into healthcare transformation. His personal motto might sound a bit Disney, but it's surprisingly effective: "be nice, do good, and have fun." The conversation includes about a challenge many senior professionals face. Ben's moved away from people leadership into individual contributor work, and he's wondering whether it's time to go back. He's brilliant at what he does (his team completely overhauled patient pathways and now treat over 1,200 additional patients per year), but something's missing. It's that classic tension between expertise and leadership, and how to know when you're ready to take on people again without burning out. What makes this episode special is watching someone work through their Career Equation in real time, working out how to balance family life with the pull of meaningful work that genuinely saves lives. ⸻ In this conversation: Why moving from people leadership to individual contributor isn't always forward momentum How natural storytelling abilities become superpowers in healthcare transformation The reality of working in heavily regulated industries where change takes time Creating mentoring relationships without formal authority structures Why "leaving the shirt in a better place" drives everything Ben does How to protect yourself when working on issues you care deeply about The difference between analysing failure and celebrating success (and why we're rubbish at the latter) Practical strategies for scaling impact through collaborative partnerships When nostalgia for previous roles signals something important about your next move   Find out more: • Ben Hart on Linkedin • Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn  • More at thecareerequation.com ⸻ #IndividualContributorVsPeopleManager #HealthcareLeadershipDevelopment #NHSLeadershipDevelopment #TalentDevelopmentInPrivateHealthcare #MentoringInHealthcare #AlternativeLeadershipPaths #RetainingSeniorHealthcareTalent #CareerPathsForHealthcareProfessionals #HealthcareSuccessionPlanning #MentoringCultureInHealthcare #EngagingHighPerformersInHealthcare

If you’re ready to keep the momentum going after finding career clarity, this episode is for you.   In episode six of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career coaches Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield explore how to stay motivated and keep taking action once you’ve defined your Career Design Statement. If you’ve ever wondered how to get clear on my career, or how to figure out my next career step, this conversation gives you simple, practical tools to move forward.   You’ll learn why fear, everyday life, and working in isolation can drain your energy — and how to reframe them so they don’t hold you back. Erica and Zoë share fast career clarity tips, from scheduling a regular ‘career power hour,’ to using easy career coaching tools, to starting conversations that build accountability and momentum.   To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity   This episode will help you:   Recognise fear and shrink it into manageable steps Protect space for your career by scheduling regular focus time Build momentum with short-term, achievable milestones Share your Career Design Statement with others to avoid isolation Use career coaching tools to set goals that are specific and trackable   By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to keep your clarity alive, set career goals that stick, and use the Career Equation® as a simple career formula to create lasting change.   Book your 1:1 Career Clarity Session here: thecareerequation.com/clarity   Try the free Career Equation® Builder: thecareerequation.com/tools-resources     Learn more:   Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com  

If you’re ready to move from career clarity into action, this episode is for you.   In episode five of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career experts Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield guide you through how to set the right kind of career goal, one that actually matches your context, energy, and values right now.   You’ll discover three different types of career goals: progress, development, and learning, and how to choose the one that best supports your Career Design Statement. By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to set a goal that’s achievable, motivating, and aligned with where you want to grow next.   To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity   This episode will help you: Understand the three kinds of career goals (progress, development, learning) Match your goal to your Career Design Statement Avoid overthinking and get into action quickly Use smart criteria to make your goals specific and trackable Build momentum with short-term, achievable milestones   By the end of the episode, you’ll have a clear, practical goal in place to move your career forward.   Book your 1:1 Career Clarity Session here: thecareerequation.com/clarity   Try the free Career Equation® Builder: thecareerequation.com/tools-resources   Learn more: Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com  

If you’re searching for career clarity and want a proven way to design a career you love, this episode is for you. In episode four of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career experts Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield guide you through creating your Career Design Statement — a personal compass that gives you confidence and direction in your career decision making. To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity You’ll discover how to bring together your skills, passions, impact, and environment into one simple statement that acts as your North Star for every career choice you make. This episode will help you: Gain laser-sharp clarity on what you want from your career Map out your “career sweet spot” where you’ll thrive Score your current role to identify untapped potential and frustrations Have better conversations with managers, mentors, and recruiters Make well-informed choices about career moves and opportunities By the end of the episode, you’ll have a draft Career Design Statement that captures who you are, what matters most, and how to use it to guide your next steps.   Book your 1:1 Career Clarity Session here: thecareerequation.com/clarity Try the free Career Equation® Builder: thecareerequation.com/tools-resources In this episode: How to write your first Career Design Statement (step by step) Why clarity beats job titles and descriptions when planning your career Examples of how a design statement shapes career conversations A simple scoring method to evaluate your current role Exercises to refine and test your statement Learn more: Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com

If you’re feeling stuck in your career or wondering what’s next, this episode will help you get career clarity and build a plan you can trust.   To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity   In the third episode of the Career Clarity Mini Series, Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield take you through the heart of the Career Equation, a proven framework to identify the four elements that matter most to your career happiness:   Skills — what you’re naturally good at and where you excel Passions — the topics, causes, and activities that energise you Impact — the difference you want to make and the values you want to uphold Environment — the conditions you need to do your best work   You’ll learn how to map these into a career design statement, your personal compass for making career decisions. This is more than polishing a CV; it’s about uncovering your career sweet spot and building a career path that fits who you are.   By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear set of criteria to guide your next steps, whether you’re job hunting, planning a career change, or simply looking to thrive in your current role.   Use our free The Career Equation® Builder here: https://www.thecareerequation.com/tools-resources   In this conversation:   How to use the Career Equation to find your career sweet spot Why skills, passions, impact, and environment matter equally Practical exercises to uncover hidden strengths The role of environment in long-term career satisfaction How to prioritise what really matters in your career planning   Learn more: Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com  

If you’re feeling stuck in your career or unsure what direction to take next, this episode is for you.   To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity   In the second episode of the Career Clarity Mini Series, Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield explore how your personal and professional experiences hold the key to your next step, if you know where to look.   This isn’t about revising your CV. It’s about recognising the deeper patterns in your story: the moments that energised you, the environments where you thrived, and the times your work felt truly meaningful.   You’ll be guided through four powerful reflection questions that help you:   Identify your natural strengths Pinpoint what genuinely motivates you Understand where you do (and don’t) belong Connect the dots between your past and future path   Whether you’re actively job hunting or just feeling disconnected from your work, this episode will help you shift from confusion to clarity, using the experiences you already have.   In this conversation:   How to use your story as a tool for career decision-making What your early experiences reveal about your natural design Why energy, meaning, and fit matter more than job titles The surprising value of career “wrong turns” How to recognise the conditions you need to thrive What career alignment really looks like in practice Learn more: Erica Sosna on LinkedIn Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn Visit thecareerequation.com  

A wake-up call for your working life: understand your 80,000 hours and why career ownership starts now.   Welcome to the first episode of the Career Clarity mini-series.   Over the next six episodes, we’ll guide you through a practical framework to help you take ownership of your career, define success on your own terms, and build work that fits you — not the other way around.   In this first episode, we’re talking about time. You’ll spend roughly 80,000 hours at work across your life — more than with your family, more than sleeping. So how do you make those hours count?   We explore: Why most people fall into their careers, and how to start choosing differently The idea of “career drift” vs. career design How to uncover the success scripts you’ve internalised — and whether they’re really yours A reflection exercise to help define what success looks and feels like to you, now   We also touch on why it’s never too late to shift gears — even if you’re 20 years in.   You can pause the episode as you go to reflect, or just listen through and come back later. If you’d like extra support, there’s a companion workbook available to buy via the link in the show notes.   This is the start of a short, practical journey to help you get clear on what matters — and to use that clarity to shape a more fulfilling working life.   To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity   Find out more:   • Erica Sosna on LinkedIn   • Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn

Career Clarity Summer School: Free Podcast Course for Career Change and Professional Development This summer, we're launching The Career Clarity Summer School – a completely free, interactive podcast course designed to help you figure out what's next in your career journey. Free Career Guidance Course Starting August 2025 Over six short and powerful episodes, Zoë and Erica will walk you through The Career Equation® – the same career development method trusted by Amazon, Rolls Royce SMR, Thales, and BACB to help professionals like you find fulfilling, energising work that actually fits. Perfect for Career Pivots, Burnout Recovery, and Finding Career Direction Whether you're navigating career burnout, planning a career change, or just want more professional direction, this career clarity course will help you define your sweet spot – where your strengths, interests, impact and needs align. We'll show you how your unique career story and professional biography can generate profound insights about your career design. And we promise to get you bright-eyed, clear and ready to take action to realise your career dreams and goals, just in time for the Autumn term! Starts 4th August 2025 – subscribe to The Career Equation podcast now so you're ready when it goes live.

AI has gone from something that felt like science fiction to being in your inbox, your workflow, and probably on your team. And if you're a mid-level professional feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, you're definitely not alone.   AI Career Advice for Today's Professionals Erica and Zoë dive into how artificial intelligence is actually changing work across industries—and spoiler alert, it's not about robots stealing your job. It's about law firms using AI tools like Harvey to speed up contract drafting, marketers getting ChatGPT to help with brainstorming, and teachers using AI tutors for personalised learning. But more than that, it's about how we're all feeling about this massive shift in the job market.   Latest AI Job Market Trends and Data They've dug into the latest research from McKinsey, Harvard Business Review, Pew, and PWC, and the numbers are pretty staggering. 72% of companies are now using AI in their workflows, 30% of current tasks could be automated by 2030, and over half of workers are genuinely worried about artificial intelligence career impact. The future of work is shifting fast, and mid-career professionals are feeling the squeeze most.   Practical AI Upskilling Strategies But here's the thing, this isn't about mastering everything overnight. It's about getting curious, having a go with some AI productivity tools, and remembering that your uniquely human skills aren't going anywhere. Your empathy, judgement, creativity, and ability to lead people through change? AI can't touch that. This episode gives you practical AI career development strategies that actually work.   In this conversation: • AI adoption statistics and why the pace of change feels so intense • Why 52% of workers are anxious about AI automation career effects • Real-world AI tools in action across tech, finance, law, marketing, media, and education sectors • Career risks of ignoring AI versus opportunities for professional AI skills development • Best AI courses for professionals who aren't tech experts • Hands-on ChatGPT for work productivity and other AI tool experiments • Online communities for AI learning and professional development • Personal AI tool experiences—the productivity wins and epic fails • Why human skills remain your competitive advantage in an AI world • How to collaborate with AI rather than compete against artificial intelligence • Setting up regular "AI curiosity blocks" for skill building • Maintaining your authentic professional voice when using AI writing tools Essential AI Tools Every Professional Should Know: • ChatGPT for work tasks and productivity • GitHub Copilot for coding and development • Grammarly for AI-powered writing assistance • Jasper for content creation and marketing • Adobe Firefly for design and creative work • Harvey for legal professionals AI Training Resources for Career Development: • Coursera's "AI for Everyone" course for non-technical professionals • Elements of AI from University of Helsinki (free AI education) • LinkedIn Learning's industry-specific AI courses • Reddit communities for AI career advice and tool sharing • Ben's Bites and Rundown AI newsletters for staying current Find out more: • Erica Sosna on LinkedIn • Zoë Schofield on LinkedIn • More at thecareerequation.com   Whether you're excited, sceptical, or feeling completely overwhelmed by artificial intelligence in the workplace, this episode will give you practical AI career advice and encouragement to help you lead—not lag—through this AI revolution. The key to future-proofing your career? Start experimenting with AI tools, stay curious about artificial intelligence trends, and remember: AI won't replace you, but a professional using AI might.

What happens when a creative soul gets thrown into the world of corporate sales? Today, Zoë welcomes Danny Fontaine, who transformed from a struggling salesperson into IBM's experiential sales leader and bestselling author of "Pitch: How to Captivate and Convince Any Audience on the Planet." Danny's story isn't just about mastering the art of pitching; it's about discovering that the very traits he tried to hide were actually his greatest strengths. From recreating cocktail bars in office spaces to orchestrating Hollywood-style presentations, Danny reveals how bringing genuine emotion and immersive experiences to business can create unforgettable moments that audiences go home and tell their families about. This episode explores the delicate balance between ambition and burnout, the power of showing up as your authentic self, and how creative rebellion can become your competitive advantage in corporate environments. It's a masterclass in turning perceived weaknesses into career-defining strengths. ⸻ In this conversation: How reading body language became Danny's secret weapon in sales The transformative power of creating immersive, emotional experiences in pitches Why trying to fit in nearly ended his IBM career before it began The breakthrough moment when authenticity became his superpower Practical strategies for mentoring and delegating without losing quality How to find mentors both inside and outside your organisation The art of saying no: prioritising through the lens of passion and impact Why shared emotional experiences create lasting business relationships How to bring Hollywood production values to corporate presentations ⸻ Find out more: Find Danny on Linkedin Connect with Zoë on Linkedin Danny Fontaine's book "Pitch" - available on Amazon and major bookshops Website: pitchguy.co.uk Follow Danny on social media: search "Danny Fontaine" or "Pitch Guy" More at thecareerequation.com

So… you’re thinking of starting a podcast?   This episode is a behind-the-scenes guide to launching one, full of practical tips, and a few cautionary tales from Erica and Zoë’s own journey so far. From mics and editing to why clarity matters more than kit, this is the episode they wish they’d had before they started.   They unpack the deeper ‘why’ behind podcasting — not just for the sake of it, but as a way to show what you do, connect with the right audience, and build momentum in a noisy world. Podcasting is rewarding, but it’s also work. It takes consistency, planning, and a willingness to just get started even if everything isn't perfect.   Whether you’re a coach thinking of going live, a founder building your brand, or someone with something to say and no idea where to start, this is the episode for you!   In this episode:   • Why podcasting has to be driven by purpose, not ego or trends • The reality of showing up week after week (even when no one’s clapping) • Tips on planning, kit, guests, and structure, without overcomplicating it • What they got right — and what they’d do differently now • The power of starting before you feel ready   Connect with Erica on Linkedin Connect with Zoë on Linkedin Find out more at thecareerequation.com