Episode 34: How to Take a Career Break

Katrina McGhee 0:00

So simply put digital nomads live location independent lifestyles. So where you live really doesn't matter as long as you have internet connection. So we use technology to connect us and to be able to work remotely from anywhere that you want to be. And most of us are traveling at least several times throughout the year but you really just go when you want to go and you stay when you want to stay.

Acquania Escarne 0:27

You are listening to the Purpose of Money Podcast, a podcast where we talk about ways to build wealth and create more freedom in your life today. I am your host Acquania Escarne.

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Welcome back to The Purpose of Money Podcast. Today I'm super excited. We have Katrina McGhee on the show. Katrina is a career break and sabbatical coach who helps nine to fivers create successful mind blowing career breaks. She's a certified master coach with an MBA, who left her own corporate career for a 20 month career break to travel around the world. After a successful return to the corporate world with five job offers in just five weeks, she later left to embark on a second career break. As a professional career break coach with years of experience helping clients plan productive breaks of their own, she knows what it takes to ensure you make this life changing experience a huge success, including a smoother transition once your break has ended. I am so excited to have this conversation with you today, Katrina. Welcome to the show.

Katrina McGhee 2:12

Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. I am ready for this. I woke up really excited to talk to you today. I'm totally excited for this and grateful to you.

Acquania Escarne 2:20

Yes, thank you. So I just want to say I think you're amazing. I got to talk to Katrina before the interview just a little bit. And I found out that she didn't pivot once, but twice in her career. We're going to talk more about that. And we're going to talk about what you do now, other than being a coach, you are living a lifestyle that most people would call digital nomad. And so for those who don't know what that is, can you please explain so our listeners can understand how cool you are?

Katrina McGhee 2:52

Well, I love that question. Yeah, of course. So simply put, digital nomads live location independent lifestyle. So where you live really doesn't matter as long as you have internet connection. So we use technology to connect us and to be able to work remotely from anywhere that we want to be. And most of us are traveling at least several times throughout the year. But you really just go when you want to go and you stay when you want to stay.

Acquania Escarne 3:18

I love that. And we're going to talk about some of those places you've traveled to hold on guys, we'll get into the good part of the story. So I'm super excited to learn what that is. And I think it's an aspiration for a lot of my listeners to have more freedom to get up and go. What did you do before you were a digital nomad?

Katrina McGhee 3:38

Yes. So as you alluded to earlier, I've actually had two very different careers. So my very first career I found by accident, as a math major, I fell into actuarial science, which is not something that most people just fall into. But I was recruited to be an actuary in the healthcare field. And so I did that for about eight years, wanted to change my career, went back to business school, got an MBA, and then moved into marketing and market research. So I started with General Mills moved out to Minnesota, and three years into that career, I just realized corporate was not working for me and that I instead of finding another job or a new career, at that point in my life, it was time to just live my dreams. Like I had a long list of things on the "one day" list. One day, I want to go here one day, I want to spend more time with my family one day, I want to go see my friends take a road trip, and I just decided to save a crapload of money as fast as I could. So I saved $40,000 in 18 months, and I quit my job to travel around the world for 20 months. And then when I came back, I decided to pay off debt. And so the third career happened as I was paying off debt when I realized I could move into coaching and do something that sort of lit me up. But yeah, so those are my first sort of two careers, very corporate but different within that space.

Acquania Escarne 4:54

So we're gonna dive a little deeper into that because you sort of threw it out there like it's this thing that anyone can casually do, how did you save $40,000 in 18 months?

Katrina McGhee 5:09

Yeah, I did like just a few really simple things that are simple but not easy. And the first one was that I became hyper aware of what I was actually doing with my money, because I have to tell you, like when I decided I wanted to take a break, and I wanted to travel, I basically had no real money in my bank account. I only had $1500 and a dream. And I knew that dream was going to cost me upwards of 40 grand. So I got really hyper aware of where was I spending my money. Because the true answer is I had no idea. Like, I genuinely didn't know how much I was spending on groceries, how much I was spending on eating out what I was spending on random things that just felt like impulse purchases. So that was really the first and hugest thing I did. And then I saw so much room for improvement. And it was a steady process. Like I didn't immediately change everything, and start saving 1000s of dollars each month. But I found some places to start. And I just started really changing my habits. And I think at the end of the day, what I came to discover is true for me is that it's really about alignment. When it comes to money. I'm not living a life of deprivation, I'm just making choices that are aligned with what it is I really want for myself versus what I think other people want for me, or what I think I should want or when I'm mindlessly consuming just to try to buffer and make it through a hard day. And so for me, it was like those simple rules of life basically helped me change how I was spending my money and how I was saving my money.

Acquania Escarne 6:30

I love how you basically, were honest with yourself about where your money was going. So you got a really clear picture of where you stood financially and what your priorities were based on how your money was spent. But then you realigned how you spent your money based on your new goal, which was to be able to save aggressively. So you could have options, because at the end of the day, money gives us options, we it gives us the freedom to leave our job with confidence and know that our bills will be taken care of. And in your case, it gave you the ability to travel. So thank you for sharing those tips. I think those would be really helpful for some of our listeners.

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I want to talk about the actual decision where you said I have enough. I'm ready to quit. What besides saving, was there anything else you did? And how did that feel? Take us back to when you were able to say, deuces I'm out.

Katrina McGhee 8:28

Yeah, oh my god, that was such a great day. So actually, as shocking as it might seem, I gave eight months notice at my job that I was quitting. So for me, it was true that this was a process. But I done it for 18 months. So about 10 months into it, I was doing such a good job and being so consistent with how much I was saving, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel I saw, "Okay, if I'm doing this and this every month, if I stay on track, and I do all the things I'm supposed to do, I'll be done by the summer." And for me, it was about being really authentic and showing up at my job focused on the job and not pretending like "I'm here for five more years, I'm going to talk about my five year business plan and like where I want to rotate next." Like I just, I want to put all that energy to doing a good job, but I wanted to be honest about what I was doing after and for me that process was really about seeing like once I saw that light, I just I ran for it. And so it was really important to me to to really, I don't know, to express myself and to be able to share my joy. And so the day that I told my manager I went in he was completely surprised. But I was just really honest. And I was really excited. I was scared and nervous. But I told him like I have this dream of traveling around the world. And so I've been saving money and I'm halfway to my goal. And I would like to leave in August which is eight months away. And I just want you to know that and I want you know that's my plan and I hope you'll support me. And he was really sad to see me go but he was very supportive and he let me know if I changed my mind, I still had a job there. But all they asked is once I got closer to my leave date that I gave them a specific day so they could plan around getting a replacement. But yeah, that day was like freedom when you own all the ways along your journey when you own it and you say it out loud to someone, and it just gets more real. It's Wow, it just gives you this boost of momentum to keep going.

Acquania Escarne 10:12

I love it. Oh, I love it. I can feel that energy too. And how just imagining that conversation because I'm probably sure he was very supportive, but in his mind, he was like, "This chick is crazy. Yes, of course, like she's saying she's gonna quit in eight months. Okay, like, we're here for you.."And then waiting for you to still be there after August until you were like, "No, this is my exact last date." So now I want to hear some of the good stories. What are some of the places that you went to once you were free? Tell me what are your favorite places? What are some of the things you experienced while you were there?

Katrina McGhee 10:50

Yeah, so I started domestically, and I did a three month road trip through the US. And that was really fantastic. And I got to visit old friends but also see new places I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time and I went to Bryce Canyon and Arches National Monument and to see some of nature's like, ridiculously amazing creations was like, really, I don't know, I'm not even out an outdoorsy person. I'm not like a camper or anything like that. But just to see what has been created and to expand my mind of this world is a really magical place, even in the simplicity of it was really powerful. But once I started going abroad, actually, my first stop was Colombia. And what was funny about that is I had met a co worker as I was leaving my corporate job, who connected me with his family, and I'd only known him by meeting him once. And he offered up like, "Yeah, he was like, here's my cousin. She lives in Bogota with her family, let call her she'll take care of you." So I went to Colombia. And then when I flew to Bogota, I, like arrived to see this cousin that I've never met for a guy that I;d had two conversations with, she only spoke Spanish. My Spanish is like kind of rusty. And yeah, I stayed with her family. And they the kindness of the people, and many of the places I traveled, but especially Colombia was like just phenomenal. And they took a whole day off of work her and her husband, and they took me around to show me like the center and they took their kid out of school and said it was like an education day. And so we did just an amazing tour of the city. One of my most favorite places that I have ever been was definitely Vietnam, which is crazy, because I almost didn't go, I was really afraid I'd heard some bad stories about like getting scammed and just like how, you know, unfriendly it could be. And my own personal experience, everyone has a different experience could not be further from the truth. And I remember being on a bus from this small mountain town called Delat heading to Ho Chi Minh City like a huge city. And there were these two girls that were probably in their early 20s. I was in my like, early to mid 30s at that point. And they were so curious about me, and I was the only Western person on the bus. And the announcements were in vietnamese. And when the bus would stop, I would be like, Is it a bathroom break? Is it like an informal stop? Is it a lunch break? I had no idea what was happening. And so these girls took an interest in me, I think just looking lost and confused. So when the bus finally stopped for lunch, like they came around me, and they were like, "Do you want to eat lunch with us?" And I was like, "sure." And so they ordered for me. And we had lunch together. And they were like practicing their English, which was so good, and obviously much better than my Vietnamese. And then when the bill came, they paid for me. And if like the conversion, like of the currency, what they paid for my lunch is so much more right than if I had paid for their lunch. And it was just like, I don't know, like that just touched me so much to see these girls. I had, you know, no interest. We just have lunch in life, the generosity. And I experienced that several times over in my travels through Vietnam. But the food was amazing. The landscape was amazing. It was beautiful. Like it was so affordable. And it was just such an interesting culture. And they did not bend their will much to tourism. So when you went there, it was like they were just being unapologetically themselves. And I respected that and felt like I really got to understand a little bit more about who they are and what they're about. But yeah, so Vietnam was one of my highlights. And then my happy place is Buenos Aires. I lived there for a month, I rented an Airbnb, I took my time I had no agenda, and it was one of the most fantastic experiences ever. And I actually went back a couple years later to do the same thing all over again in a different neighborhood because it's just one of my favorite places ever.

Acquania Escarne 14:19

I love it. I love it. Those are awesome places. The only one I've been to is Bogota, Colombia. But I understand what you mean as far as meeting amazing people in your travels. I'm always amazed at the generosity of others, especially when they appreciate that you are investing in learning about their culture and visiting their home and they just give themselves to you and I love how you remember that. And those are your fond memories of places that maybe other people told you not to even visit so I'm glad you went. That's pretty dope. So help me understand, now that you're a full time digital nomad with the ability to travel. How do you plan for your excursions? I said, You said you went to Buenos Aires and you just stayed a month but you didn't have an agenda. Do you normally just cover certain things and leave other things open? Or what's your mindset when you're planning that next trip?

Katrina McGhee 15:15

Yeah. So when I'm traveling and working, because there's a period, right, where I've taken breaks, and I've only been focused on travel, that's really about the things I want to do when I get somewhere. So sometimes I spend time educating myself on if I want to go visit this pyramid, what is that like? Is it expensive? Do I need to do this in advance? Or can I do it last minute? So when I'm just digital nomad thing, and I'm really like balancing work and travel, it's more about making sure I have a great place to stay in a safe neighborhood. That's an easy walking distance, or easy public transit with places to eat, things to do generally, like I said, generally safe. And I want to make sure I have great Wi Fi right or great internet. So once I find the place, it's really my job is like the number two, right have the right place be set up for success. And then it's really about making sure I know what I need to be doing for my business at that time. So the other stuff just comes I got connected with other digital nomads in a big way, when I did the Nomad cruise. And so I found once I built my network, I made friends with more digital nomads, we were overlapping. And so there was an extra added social element that kind of came into the picture. And the cool thing about connecting with other nomads is they know a lot about what to do. So I didn't even have to do any research. It's just like when I had free time, or I wanted to do something, I could just meet up with the nomads and do something fun. But I would say yeah, more about the right finding the right neighborhood in the right place is where I put my time and planning. And then once I'm there, it's like just figuring out what sounds good working with my schedule and my clients to figure out when I'm free. And what are the cool must see things when I'm there and just trying to make it a mix of tourist/local and just enjoying my time there.

Acquania Escarne 16:49

So you found your tribe. Where do digital nomads hang out? And you mentioned cruise? Did you?

Katrina McGhee 16:56

Yes. Oh my gosh, yes. Yeah, that was one of the most incredible, like, just lifetime type experiences I've had. But it was- I did it on a whim. I think I got targeted through like a Facebook ad or something originally, but it is called the Nomad cruise, and currently suspended due to COVID. But they had run it like I think eight or nine times. I think I was on the ninth iteration of the cruise. But there were at that point 300 digital nomads that get on the ship, and they have programming. So there are speakers, there are workshops, there are fun activities and social networking and free time. And it's just this super intense. We were at sea for two weeks. So it went from Barcelona to Brazil. And it was like this amazing opportunity to get to know people that are passionate about travel and that are growing their businesses. And it was just so incredible. I often feel like a weirdo, right? Moving through life being a career break coach, and like, "What is that Katrina?" and then like being a digital nomad. And I grew up in a small town in West Virginia. It's not a lot of my friends I grew up with are doing the same thing that I'm doing. To find people that just understood and also were in that same space was just really energizing for me. And the coolest thing was making really meaningful connections. And then seeing that after the cruise, we kept, like I said, overlapping or strategically making plans to meet up. Like I met up with some in Mexico City. And just seeing kind of the world through friends that have a shared experience. It was really magical. One of the best things I've done.

Acquania Escarne 18:24

That is pretty awesome. And I love that networking has gotten you so many opportunities, but also so many solid relationships to help you. Let's talk a little bit more about your coaching business. So how would I know that I need to hire you as a coach? Who is your target audience?

Katrina McGhee 18:43

Yeah, so my target audience is really people that feel stuck in their jobs, oftentimes nine to fivers, right that feel like they need a break, they would love a break, but they are not going to be able to make that break happen, or at least happen anytime soon. There's so many reasons why fear of money, fear of demolishing your career. Those are some of the biggest ones fear of what other people will think fear of being seen as lazy. But it's really those people that desperately needed change and feel so burned out and unfulfilled in a way where where they need the break before they move on to something else or before they jump back into the job market. But it's hard for them to give themselves permission and to have the tools to plan a successful break. So that's really who I love helping. And that's really what my target audience is and how you need me is like you have that you're tired of being tired. You're tired of feeling burned out, you're tired of being super hyper reactive. You're tired of counting down like literal years until retirement like in 12 years, I can retire and then I can finally do what I want. Life can be so much more than stuck. It can be so much more than just grinding it out. But our culture doesn't really tell us that and it makes us feel bad or less than if we actually take time to focus on ourselves and to recover. Like that is the rhythm of being a human like we're not machines, we need that recovery time. But it's so hard to, to step against I think the status quo and to basically like demand like you are going to take care of yourself, prioritize yourself and just live your dreams. Life is meant to be lived, like we'd have permission to live it.

Acquania Escarne 20:17

I agree. And I think you're right. And one thing you said that resonated with me is giving yourself permission, which so many Americans specifically are taught, those who are successful work really hard for a really long time. And it's just frustrating to think that we never think about the option of taking a break.

Katrina McGhee 20:42

Absolutely, it's not something we even talk about. And very few companies offer sabbaticals. But in other countries, it's much more common. Who benefits right? Honestly, the company's benefit because you are running as fast as you can on this hamster wheel, trying to a stay relevant be prove your selfi-worth over and over again, see, compare yourself to other people and make sure if your self worth is only relative to how other people see you always want to be at the head of the pack. And you just run yourself ragged until you physically can't run anymore. And so the only one winning is the one who's getting the output of all your hard work.

Acquania Escarne 21:14

Yeah, ain't nobody got time for that. Yeah. So the name of the show is called the Purpose of Money. So I asked all my guests this, what is your purpose for money?

Katrina McGhee 21:28

This is such a good question like this. I don't know like this question has made my heart happy. And you know, my story. But my, for me, my purpose of money is to create freedom. And it's what you said before, it's to give yourself the freedom to choose. There are so many things in life that we want, whether it's taking time off, whether it's starting a business, whether it's donating to causes or supporting missions that we believe in, whether it's taking time to write a book that's been inside of us all along, or buy a house or take the trip. And for me, it's like money can do any of those things. But having creating money is like creating more freedom and more opportunities so that you can choose the things that you truly want and that make your life a life well lit.

Acquania Escarne 22:09

I love it. That's one of my best answers. Thank you so much, Katrina. So last question, because I think you're so dope. I want all my listeners to follow you on social media and connect with you and talk about coaching. How can my listeners find you go ahead and plug all your platforms.

Katrina McGhee 22:29

Okay, awesome. So I show up pretty regularly on Instagram, and you can find me there. It's@KMcGjee coaching. So@KMcGheeCoaching. I'm also on Facebook, Katrina McGee, so you can follow me there, but it's similar to Instagram. So I say Instagram is a great place to find me. I'm also on LinkedIn, Katrina McGee there. But then I also have a website. And so if you want to learn more about me, what I do, my story and also how I help people, you can go find out so much there and that's just KMcGheecoaching.com. Yeah, I get really excited to nerd out about career break. So I love talking to people. And there's a lot of information there to give you a better understanding of what I'm about and how I help people.

Acquania Escarne 23:10

Awesome. Go check it out, guys. And I will make sure to include all the social media links in the show notes, so make sure to check those out, too. I hope you enjoyed the show. If you know anyone that needs to hear this, please share the episode with friends and family and make sure to leave a review wherever you're listening. Thanks a lot, guys.

Thank you for listening to the Purpose of Money Podcast. For more resources and information, check out my website ThePurposeofMoney.com. And while you're there. Please sign up for our newsletter so you have the latest information on new episodes and blog posts. Until next time, keep creating freedom in your life today.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai