Outlaws Podcast: Embracing Career Freedom

What if the skills that made you successful are the same ones making you miserable? In this episode focused on career change and career pivots, Shayla and Kate invite career counsellor Anna Black to discuss transferable skills and how to identify the ones that truly resonate with you. We're not just talking about what you're good at; we're exploring what you actually want to do - and spoiler - they are probably two different things! Together, they unpack the real reasons changing careers feels daunting, how to get unstuck in your career pivot, and why your next step doesn’t have to mean starting over.  From existential crises to actionable steps, they cover important insights: Why being good at something doesn’t mean you should keep doing it How to spot your burnout skills (and why people keep asking you to use them) The role of transferable skills in a career pivot and strategies to pinpoint the right ones What to do when your job looks great on paper but feels all wrong How to find the common thread between what you’ve done and what you genuinely want to pursue. If you’ve ever stared at your resume and thought, “I can do all this, I just don’t want to anymore,” this episode is designed for you. In this conversation: Anna’s journey from geophysics to career counselling What your past jobs can reveal about your future direction Why it can be difficult to see your own value — and how to change that The surprising way career clarity often starts (hint: it's not Seek) How to reconnect with what energises you This episode is perfect if you're stuck in a job that doesn't feel right but are unsure of your path forward, or if you’re craving a career change, a pivot, or even just a redefined work-life balance.  🔧 Resources & Links 💬 Connect with Anna: https://www.strategiccc.com.au/  📩 Want updates and tips? Subscribe to our newsletter for tools, stories, and outlaw encouragement. ❤️ If you loved this episode, share it with someone questioning their career path — they're not alone! Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help more Outlaws find us. Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📬 Email us: Outlaws Podcast Community 💼 LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast Hosted and produced by: Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer 🎧 Hosted on Podbean

In this episode of Outlaws, we sit down with Sam Flynn, former litigation lawyer and co-founder of Josef, an AI automation platform transforming how legal work gets done around the world. Sam started on the traditional legal path. Law school. Top firm. Supreme Court clerkship. The funnel was working exactly as designed. But along the way, something shifted. What began as volunteering with civil liberties organisations led to a lightbulb moment: when Sam and his collaborators built a simple legal tool to help people navigate Victoria’s infringement system, 30,000 people used it on day one. Within a month, 60,000 people had accessed it. The law eventually changed. That experience sparked Josef. Today, the platform is used by organisations like Bumble, L’Oreal and Bupa, as well as community legal centres and universities, to automate legal questions, generate documents and streamline workflows. At its core is a belief that self-service legal tools, when properly supervised, can help close the access to justice gap rather than widen it. But this conversation isn’t just about legal tech. Sam talks openly about what he had to unlearn from legal training. The obsession with risk. The fear of embarrassment. The idea that failure defines you. He shares the moment he realised that striving is far less embarrassing than staying small to avoid criticism. We explore identity shifts, burnout, creativity, storytelling in business, and why lawyers statistically make “bad founders” unless they learn to turn down the risk dial. If you’ve ever felt pulled toward something different. If you’ve wondered what else you could do with a law degree. If you’ve felt the weight of prestige pressing in. This episode is your reminder: you can follow your curiosity. You can build something new. You can strive anyway. If you’re a lawyer wondering whether the traditional path is right for you, or you’re curious about legal tech, AI in law, or alternative career options for law graduates, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insight. You don’t have to abandon law to reinvent it. Sometimes you just have to step into the arena. Theodore Roosevelt’s speech - The Man in the Arena Sam on LinkedIn  Sam’s newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/scooped-7183318477628223488/ Sam's Fireside Chat series with Tom Dreyfus https://open.spotify.com/show/2tBSFrxTSO30Pknjmyb7RG Josef If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

In this Outlawbrary episode, Kate and Shayla dive into The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom and ask a deceptively simple question: what if financial wealth isn’t the only kind of wealth that matters? Sahil Bloom’s Five Pillars of Wealth framework challenges the traditional scoreboard of success. Instead of measuring life purely by income, status or external validation, he argues that we should also be investing in time wealth, social wealth, mental wealth and physical wealth. For high performers, especially lawyers and professionals trained to optimise for achievement, this conversation hits close to home. We also explore whether this kind of framework feels obvious… or whether it’s exactly what people stuck in high-pressure careers need to hear. And yes, we share honest thoughts about what worked in the book, what didn’t, and whether we’d recommend it. If you’ve been quietly wondering whether the ladder you’re climbing is leaning against the right wall, this episode is for you. If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What happens when telling the truth could cost you your career? In this Outlaws Diary episode, Kate and Shayla sit down with Rabia Siddique, international human rights lawyer, former British Army officer, and leadership consultant, to explore what it really means to choose truth over safety. From a hostage crisis in Iraq to a discrimination case against the UK government, Rabia’s story is extraordinary. But the tension at its core is universal: what do you do when the system tells you to stay quiet? This episode explores courageous leadership, workplace discrimination, whistleblowing, and what it really means to speak truth to power. Rabia shares the personal and professional cost of challenging authority, and why values-based leadership often requires breaking the rules that protect powerful institutions. We talk about what happens when silence feels like complicity, why speaking up can feel career-ending, and how real leadership sometimes begins the moment you refuse to comply. In this episode – Rabia’s journey from Legal Aid lawyer to the British Army – The hostage crisis in Iraq and what happened behind closed doors – The discrimination case that challenged the UK government and military – Why injustice by those you trust can cut deeper than trauma itself – What whistleblowing really costs and why it matters – How to practise ethical, values-based leadership inside rigid systems – The myth that success requires perfection and conformity – Why you don’t have to be in a war zone to feel “held hostage” by your career This conversation moves beyond the extraordinary circumstances of a military hostage situation and into something far more familiar: the moments in our own careers where we feel stuck, silenced, or pressured to conform. And sometimes, the real outlaw move is this: speak up anyway. Resources & Links Rabia’s book: Equal Justice Connect with Rabia via her website and social media If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What if your side hustle wasn’t about making money, but about becoming more of yourself? In this Outlaws After Dark episode, Kate and Shayla are joined by Sandrine Alexandre-Hughes, a lawyer and mum of three who built a creative side hustle while working full time, not to chase millions, but to explore something her legal career simply couldn’t offer. After hearing devastating stories about online grooming and bullying, Sandrine felt compelled to act. Instead of approaching the problem with fear or lectures, she asked a different question: if the problem is dark, does the solution have to be? That question led to All the Likes, a card game that teaches online safety through play, followed by Smoke, Mirrors and Filters, a conversation game about our digital habits and the conversations we avoid. What followed wasn’t overnight success or financial freedom. It was exposure to creativity, manufacturing, education, media, and whole new worlds that sit well outside the legal profession. This episode is an honest look at starting a side hustle without quitting your job, and what can open up when you stop overthinking and start making.  In this episode Building a side hustle while working full time, without a grand plan or exit strategy Why Sandrine never saw herself as creative, and how the creative process surprised her The reality of starting a creative side hustle from scratch, sketches, designers, manufacturing, and learning as you go How legal training both helped and hindered her ability to create Why not all side hustles are meant to become businesses, and why that’s okay Marketing, visibility, and the parts of a side hustle that are far less glamorous Why boredom, rest, and stepping away often unlock the best ideas Practical advice for starting a side hustle without quitting your job, including one small first step 🔧 Resources & Links Team Together Online, Sandrine’s company focused on healthier online lives All the Likes, a card game teaching online safety through play Smoke, Mirrors and Filters, a conversation card game about digital habits Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, online safety resources for families If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

In this episode of Outlaws, Kate and Shayla are joined by Dr Carly Schrever, a former lawyer who retrained as a psychologist and went on to become Australia’s first dedicated judicial wellbeing adviser. Carly shares her own journey from law to psychology, including the moment she realised she was more interested in the human dynamics of the courtroom than legal argument. That pivot ultimately led her to groundbreaking research on judicial stress and wellbeing, including her role in the National Judicial Stress and Wellbeing Study. In this episode, Carly shares what the data actually tells us about stress in the legal profession and why judicial officers, despite deep job satisfaction and commitment, experience alarmingly high levels of burnout and secondary trauma. Carly explains why judges aren’t ‘above’ stress, why lower courts are under the greatest pressure and how systemic injustice itself becomes a source of psychological harm. The conversation also explores moral injury, intentional hope, and what it really takes to build a sustainable legal career inside an imperfect system. Rather than focusing solely on individual resilience, Carly makes a compelling case for systemic change  and for leaders being willing to speak honestly about the human cost of legal work. This is a thoughtful, rigorous discussion about law, justice, and what it means to stay human while working inside systems that are often broken. If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

In this episode of Outlaws, we’re joined by Michael Kingsbury, a former M&A lawyer who walked away from corporate law to co-found Uluu, a climate tech startup creating seaweed-based materials designed to replace fossil-fuel plastics. What began as curiosity about science, technology and impact has become a globally significant attempt to tackle plastic pollution, climate change and ocean health—using seaweed. Michael shares his journey from law school to top-tier firms, through strategy and innovation roles, and into the uncertain, exhilarating world of startups. We talk about leaving law, redesigning work, and why legal skills like problem-solving, clarity of thinking and working under pressure can be powerful assets far beyond the profession. This is a conversation about career reinvention, calculated risk, and the courage to follow what genuinely interests you—even when the path isn’t obvious. For lawyers questioning the traditional trajectory, professionals craving career freedom, or anyone wondering whether meaningful work can look radically different from what they were taught to expect, this episode offers both inspiration and permission.

What if career freedom isn’t about walking away from work altogether, but about consciously redesigning how you work? In this Outlaws Escapes episode, Kate and Shayla are joined by editor, book coach and founder of the Expert Author Academy, Kelly Irving, who shares how she radically restructured her business to avoid burnout, reclaim her time, and create a life that worked for her family. A few years ago, Kelly and her family packed up their lives and travelled through 11 countries — all while she reduced her one-to-one workload and experimented with working just 20 hours across an entire year. In this conversation, Kelly unpacks what redesigning work actually looks like in practice, from delegation and community-led business models to letting go of perfection and the myth of indispensability. Together, they explore career freedom, the courage to tolerate discomfort, and why bold change rarely comes from having a perfect plan — but often starts with simply naming what you want and beginning. This episode is for anyone questioning traditional definitions of success, feeling the early signs of burnout, or wondering whether there might be another way to work, live, and lead. In this episode, we discuss: What career freedom really means (and what it doesn’t) Redesigning work to reduce burnout and protect energy Why working on your business matters more than working in it Delegation, community, and letting others step up Family travel as a catalyst for perspective and change The power of intention, discomfort, and starting before you feel ready More about Kelly Irving Connect with Kelly at www.kellyirving.com or www.expertauthor.community Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram.  Nail your best book idea with the Book Canvas here. If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer  

What if making a big decision isn’t about finding the right answer, but learning how to trust yourself? How do you make big decisions without overthinking, spinning in circles, or waiting for certainty that never comes? In this episode, Shayla and Kate are joined by Bethan Winn, one of Australia’s leading experts in critical thinking and human skills, to unpack how decisions actually get made, and why so many high-achievers feel stuck when it matters most. From intuition and values to analysis paralysis and permission, this conversation reframes decision making as a skill you can build, not a personality trait you either have or don’t. In this episode – Why most professionals were taught how to analyse, not how to decide – The myth of the “good decision” and why the real work starts after you choose – What’s really happening when you feel stuck between two good options – Gut instinct, what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters even in rational professions – How overthinking is often a sign of fear, not lack of intelligence – “Nibble rather than scoff”, making big decisions through small, reversible steps – A practical decision-making framework built around permission, values, data, noise, and testing – Why values sit underneath every decision, whether you name them or not – How to reflect on decisions without self-blame when things don’t go to plan – Creating space to think in a noisy, fast-moving world More about Bethan Winn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanwinn/ https://www.instagram.com/bethan_winn_critical_thinking/ https://www.facebook.com/bethanwinn.com.au/   The book is available www.bethanwinn.com.au/shop or on Amazon and soon from any good bookshop  If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community

What happens when the person everyone relies on can no longer keep going? In this episode, Kate and Shayla sit down with Dr Emily Amos, a former GP whose own experience of burnout stopped her in her tracks and ultimately reshaped her entire understanding of care, success, and sustainability. Emily spent 15 years in medicine, building a thriving practice and supporting others through some of their most vulnerable moments. From the outside, she was capable, calm, and deeply competent. Inside, she was running on adrenaline, guilt, and a relentless sense of responsibility, until her body finally said no. What followed was not a neat recovery story, but a profound reckoning with rest, identity, and the cost of always being the strong one. This is a powerful conversation about burnout in caring professions, why capable people often miss the warning signs, and what real recovery actually looks like when you stop trying to outpace yourself. In this episode Emily’s path into medicine and why general practice is as much about life as it is about illness The slow, invisible build-up to burnout and why she didn’t see it coming The moment everything stopped, and why her body became the final boundary The difference between altruism and self-sacrifice, and why self-awareness matters How perfectionism and identity can trap high achievers in unsustainable patterns Why rest is essential, not indulgent, especially in helping professions What changed when Emily redefined success around inner capacity, not output How Whole Hearted Medicine was born, and why practitioner wellbeing is not optional This conversation explores burnout, rest and recovery in medicine, but the themes will resonate with anyone in law, healthcare, leadership, or any role where being capable has become part of your identity. Connect with Emily:  Whole Hearted Medicine W: www.dremilyamos.com IG: @dremilyamos  If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

In this episode, Kate and Shayla sit down with author and imposter syndrome expert Alison Shamir to unpack one of the most universal, misunderstood experiences in modern work: that persistent belief that you don’t deserve your success. Alison breaks down what imposter syndrome actually is, why high achievers are especially prone to it, and how those old origin stories from childhood quietly shape our confidence, our careers, and our sense of belonging. Together they explore why external success never fixes the internal narrative, how perfectionism and overworking keep the cycle alive, and what it really takes to rewrite the story that keeps so many brilliant people stuck. From self-worth to self-confidence to the “trilogy of selves,” this conversation goes deep into the psychology, the patterns, and the practical tools that help people move beyond self-doubt and into grounded, evidence-based confidence.  If you’ve ever found yourself minimising your achievements, waiting to be found out, or discounting every win… this episode will feel like someone finally turned the lights on. In this episode What imposter syndrome is Why competence isn’t the antidote and why confidence alone can’t save you The origin story: how early experiences shape adult self-belief The difference between self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence Why high-performing professionals mask their doubt so well The imposter cycles and self-sabotaging patterns Alison sees in her coaching How to build an evidence bank that your brain will actually believe The surprising role of authenticity and psychological safety at work What it takes to rewrite the internal narrative… and why it changes everything Resources: Buy the book: https://amzn.to/48yQYSP  Clance Imposter Scale test - https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf Connect with Alison Shamir: Linkedin - https://au.linkedin.com/in/alison-shamir-67440b17 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/ Websites - https://alisonshamir.com/  If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What if that familiar “I’m about to be found out” feeling isn’t the truth… but a story your brain has rehearsed for years? In this Outlawbrary episode, Shayla and Kate dive into Conquer Your Imposter by confidence and imposter syndrome expert Alison Shamir. It’s a book packed with research-backed insights, personal stories, and practical tools for anyone who’s ever questioned their capability, underestimated their achievements, or secretly worried they’re “winging it.” They unpack the history of imposter syndrome, the surprising statistics behind it, the ADHD connection, the trilogy of selves (self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth), and the five imposter syndrome types that show up in high-achievers. They also share their test results from the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale and reveal what they learned about their own patterns of self-doubt. Then, in a special guest appearance, Alison Shamir joins the conversation to talk about why she wrote Conquer Your Imposter, how her personal story shaped the book, and what she hopes readers will take away from it. If you’ve ever wondered why capable people feel like frauds, or you’re curious about how imposter syndrome shows up in your own life, this episode offers clarity, compassion and a heap of practical insight. In this episode – What Conquer Your Imposter teaches us about understanding imposter syndrome – Why Shayla and Kate scored higher than expected on the imposter syndrome test – The overlap between ADHD and imposter syndrome – The five imposter syndrome types and how to spot your dominant pattern – How perfectionism, identity and self-talk keep imposter syndrome alive – Alison’s personal journey and why she decided to write the book – The biggest myths about imposter syndrome and what actually helps Resources: Buy the book: https://amzn.to/48yQYSP  Clance Imposter Scale test - https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf Connect with Alison Shamir: Linkedin - https://au.linkedin.com/in/alison-shamir-67440b17 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/ Websites - https://alisonshamir.com/  If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What happens when your life looks perfectly fine on paper, but you're quietly trapped in a life or career that no longer fits? This episode began with an email from a listener. She is accomplished, respected, highly capable, and yet she feels like she has no room to breathe, no time to think, and no idea how to get unstuck. She told us she feels weighed down by the golden handcuffs, unsure whether she can take a step backward in seniority, afraid of starting again, worried about losing flexibility, and pulled between gratitude for what she has and a growing sense that something needs to change. These feelings are more common than most people realise. So today, we wanted to talk about what being stuck really looks like, why it happens to smart people with good careers, and how you can begin to loosen the grip without blowing up your life. We unpack the emotional, financial, practical and psychological forces that keep people exactly where they are. From the sunk cost fallacy to confidence dips, cognitive load, the fear of making a wrong move, the weight of responsibility, and the false belief that flexibility and fulfilling work cannot coexist, this episode goes deep into the real barriers that make change so hard. And then we talk through ideas and small, practical moves to help you start shifting things. Because getting unstuck is rarely one big leap. It is usually small, intentional changes that slowly make space for clarity, courage and choice. Whether you are feeling trapped in your job, sitting in the discomfort of "fine", craving more fulfilment, or just needing permission to question the rules you have internalised, this conversation will meet you where you are and offer gentle ways forward. In this episode The reality of feeling stuck in your career Why cognitive load makes it impossible to plan a way out Finding micro-moments of time when life feels full The sunk cost fallacy and why your brain fights against change Golden handcuffs and the fear of going backwards Using the Backwards Budget to understand what you actually need Rebuilding confidence after a break or big life shift The devil you know and the myth that change is always riskier How to experiment, test ideas and make decisions with less fear Why small shifts are often more powerful than dramatic ones If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps

What happens when a lawyer turned author finally stops waiting for the “right time” and writes the story she’s been carrying for decades? In this episode, Shayla and Kate sit down with Emily Tsokos Purtill, former commercial lawyer and newly crowned award-winning novelist, whose debut book Matia just won the 2025 WA Premier’s Book Award for an Emerging Writer. Emily’s story captures everything we talk about on Outlaws, the tension between safety and creativity, a career that looks great on paper but doesn’t fit anymore, and the quiet bravery of making space for the thing you’ve always wanted to do. If you’ve ever wondered how to leave law for writing, or whether it’s too late to follow that creative itch you keep ignoring, this conversation is a beautiful invitation to rethink what’s possible. We dive into: – How Emily went from corporate transactions to fiction – Writing scenes in the car between school pickups – Why reading like a writer changed everything – The moment a publisher said “yes” and everything clicked into place – Letting go of productivity conditioning to create freely – What rejection taught her, and why it made her work better – Money, motherhood, and making unconventional choices – The surprising skills lawyers take with them into creative careers In this episode – Emily’s path from commercial law to becoming a published author – How to build a writing life when time is in short supply – The power of tiny creative acts – Why your first published book might not be your first written book – How legal skills translate surprisingly well into storytelling and publishing To enter the competition for a copy of Emily's book, please go to www.outlawspodcast.com and sign up for our newsletter.   See more about Emily at https://www.emilytsokospurtill.com/ To buy her book https://amzn.to/44tlPyW If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What if taking time off wasn’t a luxury, but a smart, sustainable part of your career? In this episode of Outlaws Escapes, Shayla and Kate chat with Kate Cranney, a scientist, artist and communicator who pressed pause on her career for eight months to travel, hike and cycle across some of the world’s most stunning landscapes. From Patagonia to the Alps, Kate and her partner swapped meetings for mountains and discovered what happens when you stop working and start living deliberately. Her story isn’t about quitting everything and running away. It’s about designing a life that has space for rest, adventure and curiosity, and how that can actually make your work richer, too. In this episode – The planning and mindset behind an eight-month career break – Living with less, and why simplicity can feel freeing, not limiting – How slow, physical travel builds patience, perspective and creativity – The real value of time off: clarity, confidence and courage – What “coming back” looks like after stepping away 🔧 Resources & Links Kate's website -- https://katecranney.com/  Warm Showers -- https://www.warmshowers.org/ EuroVelo is a series of cycling networks all around Europe -- https://en.eurovelo.com/ Tim Minchin's address -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc&t=1s Ken Robinson's 'Finding your element' talk. I listen to this many times a year. I love it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17fbxRQgMlU  'The Gap' by Ira Glass, I love this, on the importance on putting out a body of work https://vimeo.com/85040589 and here is the full article https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/the-gap-by-ira-glass-9651a750408f?gi=655cd32905f6  Connect with Kate Cranney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katecranney ❤️ If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s overdue for a pause (or just needs permission to take one). Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find their next great escape. Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What happens when a lawyer calls out the legal and corporate world for what it really is - often unhealthy, unsustainable, and quietly breaking people who care? To launch Season 2, Shayla and Kate go international with UK-based lawyer, content creator and TEDx speaker Henry Nelson Case. After years of watching toxic behaviour get rewarded and burnout get normalised, Henry decided to stop pretending everything was fine - and start saying what everyone else was thinking. From vomiting before work to going viral online, Henry has turned his lived experience into a platform that exposes the quiet damage of corporate culture - with humour, compassion and brutal honesty. His videos have reached millions, not because they’re flashy, but because they’re true. In this conversation, Henry, Shayla and Kate dig into why law so often rewards overwork, how younger generations are refusing to play along, and what happens when someone finally says, “this isn’t okay.” In this episode – The invisible toll of toxic workplaces and the myth of “just toughing it out” – What burnout looks like when you’re still performing well on paper – Why we keep mistaking exhaustion for excellence – How humour can break the silence on mental health in law – What Gen Z and younger lawyers are teaching the profession about boundaries and wellbeing – Why content can shift culture faster than any policy ever will 🔧 Resources & Links 🎥 Watch Henry’s TEDx talk on toxic masculinity and men’s mental health 📱 Follow Henry on Instagram,  TikTok, Linkedin and Youtube for more of his corporate-law truth bombs or visit his website 🗣 Join the conversation in the Outlaws Podcast Facebook group If you loved this episode... Share it with someone who’s quietly burning out under “business as usual.” Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us. Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 🔗 Connect & Explore Hosted and produced by: Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer 🌐 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📬 Email us: @the.outlaws.podcast 📘 Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community 💼 LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast 🎧 Hosted on Podbean

20 episodes. Countless conversations. One big Outlaw experiment. In this special wrap-up episode, hosts Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer look back on Season 1 of the Outlaws Podcast, where career change, career pivots, and the pursuit of real career freedom were front and centre. What started as two ex-lawyers chatting has become a community of professionals unlearning the rules, ditching the shoulds, and designing work-life balance that actually fits. Along the way, we’ve laughed a lot, learned even more, and gathered the kind of stories that remind you you’re not stuck, you’re just one experiment away from change. Here’s what you’ll hear in the Season 1 finale: – The most downloaded episodes and why they struck a chord – Tiny experiments vs giant leaps: why the small stuff sparks big career pivots – The Backwards Budget and how it reframes money, worth, and freedom – Outlawbrary highlights from 4,000 Weeks to Tiny Experiments – The best guest quotes (hello, “discomfort is uncomfortable”) that made us laugh and rethink everything – What’s coming in Season 2: imposter syndrome, decision-making, Outlaws going international, and more Whether you’re contemplating a career change, testing out a side hustle, or just craving better work-life balance, this wrap-up will give you a boost of courage and a peek at what’s next. If you’ve loved Season 1… Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it helps more Outlaws find us! Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer  

Sleep isn’t wasted time. It’s the secret weapon for clarity, creativity, resilience - and not being permanently cranky. And if you’re not getting enough, it is probably making you sick. But in a world where pulling an all-nighter is treated like a badge of honour, no wonder so many of us are exhausted. In this episode, Shayla and Kate talk to Alicia Visser, clinical psychologist, HeartMath® trainer, and founder of Becoming Conscious. With almost two decades of experience working with trauma, resilience, and wellbeing, Alicia explains why sleep is more than rest - it’s a biological need that protects your brain, body, and even your career. From late-night doomscrolling to the “I’ll catch up on sleep later” myth, they explore: – How stress and cortisol mess with your sleep cycles – Why sleep and productivity are deeply connected – The truth about burnout and 3am wakeups – Practical ways to reset your body and finally get better sleep – Why choosing rest is the most rebellious, Outlaw move you can make If you’re tired of being tired, this episode will show you how to get better sleep, why it matters, and how prioritising rest can actually make you sharper, healthier, and more effective at work and in life. This episode is for you if: – You lie awake at 3am replaying that awkward email – You think “sleep is for the weak” but secretly feel wrecked – You’ve ever worn exhaustion like a badge of honour – You’re ready to treat sleep as a superpower, not an afterthought 🔧 Resources & Links Learn more about Alicia Visser and her work at Becoming Conscious Try out HeartMath® techniques to rewire your stress and improve sleep - https://www.heartmath.com/quick-coherence-technique/ https://www.heartmath.com/science/#  Get in touch with Alicia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciavisser/  or https://www.instagram.com/becomingconscious.au/ Website launching soon: http://www.becomingconscious.au/  If you loved this episode... Share it with your colleague who brags about working on four hours’ sleep. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it helps more Outlaws find us! Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer  

Breathwork. Can sounds a bit woo woo, right? Even Alicia thought so, until it became the one thing that helped her crawl out of burnout and rebuild her life. In this episode, Shayla and Kate sit down with Alicia Snijders, a former corporate lawyer who spent eight years chasing promotions and pay rises, only to end up bone-tired, wired, and wondering who she was without her job title. After a traumatic turning point, Alicia discovered that the most basic thing we all do, breathing, was the key to recalibrating her nervous system and starting over. Together, they dive into: – Why a lawyer with a “perfect” CV still felt like a failure inside – How trauma and burnout became Alicia’s unexpected teachers – Breathwork explained (and why it’s more science than incense) – The grief, shame and identity loss that comes with leaving law – Why change doesn’t have to mean blowing up your whole life and how small steps matter Whether you’re secretly gasping for air in a job that looks good on paper, or just curious about how something as simple as breathing can change your life, this episode proves you don’t have to wait for a crisis to start listening to your body. Resources & Links Connect with Alicia Instagram  LinkedIn   🎧 Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer  

What if you could learn how to stop chasing goals and instead start running tiny experiments? In this Outlawbrary episode, Shayla and Kate dive into Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure Le Cunff. It’s part science, part storytelling, and part permission slip to ditch the pressure of big, shiny goals in favour of curiosity-led experiments. Anne-Laure’s journey from Google to neuroscience brings a practical and deeply human perspective on how to live and work with more freedom. She reminds us that uncertainty isn’t failure, but fertile ground for discovery. From liminal spaces to cognitive scripts, from curiosity over passion to rewriting the “shoulds” that hold us back, this book (and this conversation) is a toolkit for anyone ready to stop chasing goals that don’t fit and start designing life on their own terms. In this episode – Why tiny experiments are more powerful than big goals – How curiosity can replace clarity when you don’t know your “purpose” – What neuroscience can teach us about uncertainty, fear, and growth – The role of pacts: simple, repeatable actions that move you closer to what matters – A Chinese parable that reframes failure, luck, and growth Resources & Links 📖 Book: Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure Le Cunff Talk by Anne-Laure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs2jR38lcWg  Book: Big Magic: Creative Living without fear; Elizabeth Gilbert 🎧 Find out more 🔗 Website: www.outlawspodcast.com 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer