#149 Success isn't static: why we keep redefining what matters with Anna Lundberg
Release Date: 04/10/2025
#174: The power of rebellious play in moments of change with Gary Ware
Another Door Opens
"We, as adults, go from seeing the world as a playground of possibilities to a proving ground, the need to prove to ‘myself and to others that I'm worthy’. And when you have that mindset, the playfulness goes away because you're not seeing the world as something that is playful that you can experiment with." What happens when your life’s defining door suddenly closes, not just once but in a cascade, career, home, certainty all at once? In this episode, Gary Ware, founder of Playful Rebellion, shares his journey from executive stress, pressure, challenge to rediscovering joy,...
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#173: Confidence isn’t given. Its practised, chosen, claimed with Lauren Currie
Another Door Opens
“Confidence is the first step of protest. And whether that is a protest where you make a sign and you go and stand outside down the street, or whether it's a protest when you're in a doctor's surgery room and the doctor's not listening to you, or whether it's a protest at the school gates because your kid's teacher's not taking your kid's needs seriously. Confidence is the first step of that self-advocacy and we need that so much right now because the tactics that our governments are using is fear. Fear divides people. Fear keeps people small, and fear takes your confidence away.” ...
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#172: Closing the door on a London agency and building a new creative life in France with Lucy Werner
Another Door Opens
"I have found, when I've shared my fails as well as the journey to getting to my wins, the people who are there with me at the winning line, that finish line, are more involved in that story because they've come with me on the journey. And more often than not, the fails on the journey have led to more opportunities landing for me because people want to talk to me about the fails more than the the wins." What does it really take to shut the door on a thriving city business and step into an entirely different life in rural France ? In this episode, I speak to Lucy Werner shares the honest...
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#171: Navigating life, fame, and self-discovery with Anthony Kavanagh
Another Door Opens
In this heartfelt conversation, Anthony Kavanagh shares the ups and downs of his journey from aspiring pop star to author, exploring themes of resilience, vulnerability, and authentic self-expression. This episode is about overcoming personal challenges and embracing life's unpredictable twists. Key topics we cover - Anthony's early dreams of music and the drive to succeed in the 90s pop scene The power of storytelling in healing and self-discovery Insights into writing a memoir and revisiting past traumas Memorable moments with celebrities like Madonna, Prince, and Faye...
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#170: How leaving the wrong job opened the right door for Cara-Lyn Giovanniello
Another Door Opens
“Don’t confuse comfort with alignment. Just because something is familiar, stable, or impressive on paper doesn’t mean it’s meant for who you’re becoming or what the universe has in store for you.” What happens when you land the job that seemed perfect only to find, deep down, it isn’t right at all? In this episode, Cara-Lyn talks about the daunting process of leaving a high-profile role that simply wasn’t a fit, and how that closed door became fuel for reinvention. From wrongly ignoring her intuition, through the physical toll of staying somewhere misaligned, to finally making...
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#169: Following coincidences; from retired teacher to battle rapper with Joy France
Another Door Opens
Ever wondered what happens when you say “yes” to life’s weird coincidences and let them lead you somewhere completely new? In this episode I talk to Joy France, a retired teacher turned poet, performer, and battle rapper about her wild ride into creativity and adventure… all by simply following unexpected doors as they opened. Joy shares her story of evolving after retirement: from socially anxious, shy, and “ordinary” to poet-in-residence, rap battler, stand-up comic, and “collector of chance encounters.” If you’re feeling stuck, bored, or ready for change,...
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#168: Paying attention to endings, the power of closing things well with Philip Atkinson
Another Door Opens
#168: Paying attention to endings, the power of closing things well with Philip Atkinson “Keep moving, keep learning, keep investing in your own development. Don’t hang on to the value that you used to have that’s no longer relevant, no longer fit for purpose.” Have you ever felt the seasons of your own life shifting, nudging you to find the courage to start anew? That’s exactly what we’re exploring on today’s episode. When I sat down with Philip Atkinson, we talked about his unique journey. After 25 years in a big multinational, he walked away from the comfort and certainty,...
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#167 Sparking Joy, Playing with Possibility and Rebranding Life with Sapna Pieroux
Another Door Opens
“Life’s been tough over the last couple of years not just for me, but economically, for a lot of businesses. If I can bring joy into business owners’ lives and make them feel better about what they’re doing, that’s brilliant.” Ever wondered how to reopen doors (or even build brand new ones) after life throws you a curveball? This episode is all about finding the spark of joy, even in your darkest moments, and building communities that thrive on play, experimentation, and authentic connection. I’m joined by brand strategist, author, and accidental entrepreneur Sapna Pieroux, who...
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#166 Turning down a ‘Dream Job’ and saying Yes before you’re ready with Katie Best
Another Door Opens
"Be brave enough to say yes even if it wasn’t in your niche or part of ‘the plan’. That’s what keeps you moving forward before you’re ready for that next door to open." Ever wrestled with the idea of turning down your “dream job”? This episode is exploring the tricky decisions we have to make in moments of change and how to solve leadership problems that are really just life problems in disguise. I’m joined by Katie Best, a leadership expert, author, and consultant who shares her personal closing door moment: letting go of her dream role in the creative industries...
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#165 From horror to hope; the emergence of resilience and optimism following tragedy and crisis with Caroline Roodhouse
Another Door Opens
“It’s not a tick box exercise. It’s a genuine need to care for people and other human beings. Ultimately they’ll thrive again given the right support…and bring a whole new level of compassion and empathy if they’re nurtured the right way.” What happens when your life changes in an instant, not by choice but by tragedy? In this episode I’m with Caroline Roodhouse, who shares her incredibly moving story of losing her husband to suicide, the surreal aftermath, and the slow journey of rebuilding identity, family, and hope. Caroline opens the door on grief: the shock, the vividness...
info_outline“What does success actually mean to me? Why did I quit my job really? How do I build this freedom, flexibility, fulfillment? How do I redefine it?”
In this episode, I talk to Anna Lundberg, an executive coach, business mentor and strategic adviser who challenges us to think about success and what it means to us. Anna shares her career change from corporate marketing to creating a business with more freedom and fulfillment. We explore the evolution of success, exploring unexpected paths and random connections that shape our careers and personal growth, like finding me on ChatGPT!
Here are the highlights:
03:50 The big door: Leaving corporate life and the journey since
05:06 Serendipitous lunch leading to new life paths
09:23 Embracing life changes and the idea of different life seasons
13:03 Shifting mindset from employee to entrepreneur
14:26 Moving into freelance consulting
26:25 Redefining personal career success and what truly matters
30:49 The ongoing journey - always a work in progress
The things that helped Anna navigate change -
Book: The Art of Non-conformity: Set Your Own Rules by Chris Guillebeau and "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.
Music: Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked
The one piece of advice: " Take those little steps, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to find the right answer, and just have a bit of faith that something good will come of it.”
More about Anna:
Anna Lundberg is the founder of One Step Outside, where she helps professionals and entrepreneurs redefine success on their own terms. After stepping away from a successful corporate career, she built a business that gives her both financial stability and personal freedom - without following the traditional ‘hustle’ playbook. Through her Business Accelerator, strategic coaching, and thought leadership, she supports leaders in designing a business and career that aligns with their values, lifestyle, and ambitions. She is the author of Outside of the 9 to 5 and Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5, and the host of the Reimagining Success podcast.
Find out more: https://onestepoutside.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaselundberg/
About your host Eleanor
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk