Creative Career Change

Back in 2023, not long after I’d left my teaching job behind, launched my interior design business and was starting out here on Substack, I came across the wonderful Lucy Werner. As a newly initiated business owner, Lucy was the PR guru I didn’t know I needed. I became a member of her paid community almost immediately and haven’t looked back since. Lucy has been through the mill - not least when she lost her entire Substack publication and rose like a phoenix from the ashes with a newer, better version over on Ghost. You will have to listen to find out more!“One of my mantras in work is consistency and delusion. I think you need to set big delusional goals so that you over-index yourself” - Lucy WernerLinks and Mentions* The Hype Newsletter: Lucy’s newsletter and community for self-employed creatives, founders, and freelancers who want to get seen and get paid, in a way that feels good. I absolutely love Lucy’s strategies, live sessions, directories, pitching guidance, real opportunities, and complete honesty. I highly recommend!* Hype Yourself: A no-nonsense PR toolkit for small businesses - Lucy’s first book* Brand Yourself: A no-nonsense brand toolkit for small businesses - Lucy’s second book which she co-wrote with her husband Hadrien Chatelet* No-Nonsense PR by Lucy Werner* Lucy Werner PR on Instagram* Lucy Werner on LinkedIn* Lucy Werner PR on Pinterest(some of the links above are affiliate links which mean I will earn a small amount of commission if you purchase 🙏🏻)A note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years ago when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, researching, recording the conversation, editing and mixing. I even composed the intro and outro music myself.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

Jennie and I first met back in 2023 at a creativity retreat with Emma Gannon and Tanya Lynch. Jennie’s debut novel ‘The List of Suspicious Things’ was not yet out in the world and I had just left my 16 year teaching career behind. Change was afoot.Since then, Jennie’s world has turned on its head and she is now a Sunday Times bestselling author of two books and is currently writing her third.I was delighted when Jennie said yes to sharing her career journey here on the Creative Career Change podcast.“I felt like in that moment I'd admitted something to him that I hadn't admitted to myself.” - Jennie GodfreyLinks and mentions* Jennie’s brilliant Substack, The Crow’s Nest : * The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey* The Barbecue at No. 9 by Jennie Godfrey* The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron* On Writing by Stephen King * Follow Jennie Godfrey on InstagramA note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years ago when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

When Carolyn Boyd’s book Amuse Bouche: Eating Your Way Around France came out a couple of years ago, I felt like it had been written just for me. It was the coming together of several of my interests - France, food, culture and writing. I hoovered it up.And then, a couple of months ago I saw Carolyn post on Instagram about her 10 year anniversary since going freelance. What did she do before? I wondered, before sending her a message and straight out asking. Carolyn’s response had me inviting her to be a guest on this podcast and here it is!“You just don’t know where you’re planting those seeds for your freelance garden or career garden to flourish.” - Carolyn BoydLinks and mentions* Carolyn’s excellent Substack : * Amuse Bouche: Eating Your Way Around France - buy it for the Francophile in your life.* Carolyn’s website: www.carolynboyd.net* The Roux Scholarship: www.rouxscholarship.co.ukA note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years ago when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

Series 4 is finally here! This time round I’m handpicking guests rather than putting a call out, and my attention was peaked when Becky and I crossed paths on Instagram. She spotted my giant monstera plant, I looked at her profile and was instantly interested as soon as I saw that she hadn’t always been an artist.Becky Ullah spent 15 years in medicine, 10 of them as an NHS GP, before leaving to become a full-time artist. In this episode, she talks candidly about the slow burn of burnout, the guilt of walking away from a profession she'd worked so hard to enter, and the unexpected route that led her to painting. Becky's art fuses her medical training with her love of plants and anatomy, creating pieces that trace the botanical origins of prescription drugs. She talks about the importance of giving yourself space to think, the business realities of being a self-employed artist, and her upcoming solo exhibition at UCL Hospital, where she'll be showing a collection on chemotherapy drugs derived from nature.“Creativity needs space for it to grow. I'd never enabled that. I'd never had enough time to fully embrace that.” - Becky UllahLinks and mentions* Becky’s website : www.beckyullah.co.uk * Becky on Instagram: @beckyullahart* The friends and coaches that Becky talks about in the podcast Dr Marcela Aguirre and Lucy James. * Becky’s solo exhibition at UCLH is from 30th July - 20th October 2026 (poster image below). There will be a launch event on 30th July, 5-7pm, all welcome.* Becky’s joint floral exhibition at 67 York Street Gallery, London running from 2nd-8th October* Becky be participating in Herts Open Studios 2026 in September.A note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years ago when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

It’s been several months since the last episode of Creative Career Change and a lot has shifted in that time.At the start of 2026, I removed the safety net I’d always kept in place. I stopped teaching entirely and went all in on my interior design business.And do you know what?The world didn’t cave in.In this reflective solo episode, I revisit the very first podcast I recorded back in September 2023 - just after leaving my full-time teaching role - and explore what’s changed in the two and a half years since.It was a fascinating listen and prompted many thoughts about how far I’ve come, what has remained constant and what has changed over the past two and a half years. Listen to the original episode here:There were some key themes that came up, and in this new episode I explore:* What it feels like to finally remove the safety net* The return of what I call ‘creative fizz’* Why process now matters more to me than outcome* Rediscovering my love of organising events - but on my terms* The power of conversation, connection, and finding your peopleUpcoming EventsDuring the episode, I mention a few live events I’m hosting in March:🏡 Free Interior Design Clinic: Friday 13th March, 12:00-12:30, register here.✨ Create Ensemble: Monday 16th March 2026, 7-8pm - for paid subscribers🐦‍⬛ Early Bird Writers’ Hour: Friday 27th March 2026, 6:30-7:30am - for paid subscribersChez Hanny is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.If you’ve made a creative career change (or feel the pull but don’t know where to start), I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Perhaps you’re my next podcast guest?And if you enjoy the episode, a review on Apple Podcasts makes a huge difference.Hannah xI’m Hannah. I’m 40 and I live in London. After 18 years in teaching, I left in December 2025 to pursue a more creative life. I now run an interior design business, alongside writing and podcasting. I’m building a career that feels more ‘me’: aligned, intentional, and creatively fizzing.www.hannahashe.co.uk This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

At the beginning of the year I was invited to be a guest on Irene Ruby’s podcast Makings and Musings. It was the first time I’d been on the other side of the microphone and I enjoyed it very much and Irene and I found much common ground to chat about. (I’ve included a link to the episode further down this post)Having learned a little about Irene’s own career journey during that conversation, I was keen to invite her to be a guest on Creative Career Change. And here it is.Irene worked in the corporate world of insurance for many years before pivoting and setting up her own business as an artist and educator. Listen to discover how she made this happen, the challenges faced along the way and why remote classes turned out to be a better way of working.“I started to paint [with them] and it made me feel so good and it really helped me to process that grief. That’s when I realised I wanted to spread that feeling of calm and mindfulness with other people.” - Irene RubyLinks and mentions* Irene’s website and art community: www.makingsandmusings.com* When Hannah Ashe guested on Irene’s podcast: * The Best 90 Days Ever small business marketing course with Hannah Isted (which I have just signed up for!).* Irene on Instagram: @makingsandmusings A note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years back when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

From time to time, I interview a podcast guest and we really, truly just click. The conversation flows (usually with me over-excitedly interrupting too often) and we could continuing talking for far longer than the allotted time. That’s exactly what happened when I interviewed Lara Hayward several weeks back. It had taken us some time to pin down a suitable date to record due to various life and work situations getting in the way, but once we started chatting we couldn’t stop! Lara began her career as a lawyer, but as she has got older she has learned to listen to herself and has developed the confidence to pivot. Regularly. Creativity is at the core of what Lara knows she needs from her life and she isn’t afraid to prioritise it.I hope you find Lara’s wisdom to be as deeply inspiring as I did.“I think that’s what I’ve learnt about myself. I probably have 2-3 year cycles of doing something and then [I’m] moving on to something else.” - Lara HaywardLinks and books mentioned* Lara’s coaching and consultancy website: www.larahayward.com* Lara Hayward on Substack - The River* Lara on LinkedIn* Lara on Instagram* Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra* Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans* How to Be Everything by Emilie WapnickA note from HannahI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers.I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years back when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

Helen Ridley is an illustrator, specialising in live illustration, who has carved out a successful career by following her instincts and doing what feels right. I found Helen’s mindset to be inspirational and I hope that, you too, will be interested in her methodical, yet highly creative approach to freelance life following redundancy. Helen used this difficult situation as an opportunity and she is thriving. Do let us know your thoughts on our conversation in the comments.“It takes time to find the right community, but it’s a bit of trial and error, I guess. You just try things. If they don’t work, try something else. It’s a lot of being brave and putting yourself out there and making connections with people.” - Helen RidleyLinks* Helen’s website* Helen on Instagram* Helen on LinkedIn * Helen’s Flow and Flourish Retreat Website A note from the authorI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers. I hope the conversations may inspire positive change and the pursuit of creativity and balance. I’ve created the resource that I wish had been available to me several years back when I felt trapped by my job.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

Former teachers’ career change stories will always be of special interest to me due to my own educational background. For Hannah Miller, it has been more than 10 years since she left the classroom to become a coach and I was delighted to have the opportunity to discover more about her career journey. Hannah and I talk about the challenges of leaving teaching, bizarre transferable skills and Hannah’s path to shaping a career that works for her current season of life. If you enjoy this conversation, do leave a comment and let us know which aspects you found most interesting. I think the lesson is it really wasn’t overnight. It was a year when it wasn’t brilliant at all, then the next year it started to be a bit more of what I wanted to do. Now fast forward ten years and I’m really far away from those initial times where I was thinking “I’ve just got to do this in order to make ends meet.” - Hannah MillerLinks* Hannah’s Instagram: hellohannahmiller* Hannah’s Website: hellosidekick.co* Hannah’s Podcast: hellosidekick.co/podcastA note from the authorI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers. I hope the conversations may inspire others to make changes in the way they approach their work in order to seek more balance in their life.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe

Fashion and textile designer Carla Bentele achieved her dream of moving to London and working in the fashion industry, but along came the pandemic and a family, and Carla’s priorities and dreams changed. I had the privilege of chatting with Carla to hear about the joys and the struggles of redundancy, trying new things, moving to Todmorden and launching a business all whilst juggling family life. If anything in our conversation resonates with you, please do leave a comment.Hey, I’m Carla, the designer behind All About Me, I create playful art prints and eco-conscious clothing for babes, kids, and adults. Each piece is hand-dyed, printed, and designed by me, with the mission of sprinkling fun and positivity into the chaos of everyday life.Links* Carla’s Website: all-about-me.co* Carla’s Instagram @_all___about___me_* Carla on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carla-bentele* Carla on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/AllAboutMeCarlaA note from the authorI’m aware that those in the thick of a career change, who have left a job or taken a pay cut, may not have the means to pay to listen and so the Creative Career Change podcast will always be free to all subscribers. I hope the conversations may inspire others to make changes in the way they approach their work in order to seek more balance in their life.Making this podcast is a labour of love and I do everything myself. This includes finding guests, writing questions, recording the conversation, editing, mixing, composing music and publishing the episode.By becoming a paid subscriber, you help to ensure I can continue to record new episodes and make the Creative Career Change podcast available to all who might be inspired by it. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make a one-off contribution to the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. I’m hugely grateful for all and any contributions!Thank you.Hannah x This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chezhanny.substack.com/subscribe