Creative Career Change

Hosted by with Hannah Ashe

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Jul 2026

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Sharing the stories of inspirational mid-life women who have ripped up the rule book and carved out a new creative career for themselves. chezhanny.substack.com

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31 recent

July 26, 2026Episode 247 min

S4 E2: Carolyn Boyd

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 Boyd Links 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.uk A note from Hannah I’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

June 22, 202651 min

S4 E1: Becky Ullah

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 Ullah Links 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 Hannah I’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

March 1, 202630 min

The world didn’t cave in

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 people Upcoming Events During 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 subscribers Chez 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 x I’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

September 28, 202553 min

S3 E7: Irene Ruby

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 Ruby Links 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 Hannah I’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

May 8, 202548 min

S3 E6: Lara Hayward

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 Hayward Links 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 Wapnick A note from Hannah I’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

April 16, 202539 min

S3 E5: Helen Ridley

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 Ridley Links * Helen’s website * Helen on Instagram * Helen on LinkedIn * Helen’s Flow and Flourish Retreat Website A note from the author I’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

April 9, 202540 min

S3 E4: Hannah Miller

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 Miller Links * Hannah’s Instagram: hellohannahmiller * Hannah’s Website: hellosidekick.co * Hannah’s Podcast: hellosidekick.co/podcast A note from the author I’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

March 26, 202536 min

S3 E3: Carla Bentele

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/AllAboutMeCarla A note from the author I’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

February 26, 202543 min

S3 E2: Nicola Washington

How many of us now have jobs that didn’t exist when we were young? That is certainly the case for Instagram strategist for authors, Nicola Washington . Nicola’s journey from secondary school English teacher to carving out a freelance career that encompasses many of her talents and passions has been a long one and not without its challenges. Listen to hear how Nicola has diversified and adapted her work to suit her and her family. If Nicola’s story resonates with you, do say hello and leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you. “The whole thing is a process. Nobody starts off their business knowing all of the levers they’re going to have to pull. It’s such a learning process.” - Nicola Washington Links * Nicola’s Instragram: toomuchsocial * Nicola’s Substack: Too Much A note from the author I’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

February 5, 202542 min

S3 E1: Gabrielle Treanor

I often talk about how I am inspired by the women I interview on this podcast, and this was especially the case when I had the pleasure of speaking to Gabrielle Treanor in early January. Gabrielle began her career working in publishing in the 90s and has navigated many career twists and turns since then including launching a stationery business and more recently becoming an ADHD coach supporting quiet, introverted women. We would love to continue the conversation in the comments, so do come and say hello and let us know if there was something that resonated with you in this conversation. “We think that there’s something we want to do but it’s only when we actually do it over and over for a while that we discover actually it’s not something that is sustainable. I’m not that excited about it.” - Gabrielle Treanor Links * Gabrielle’s website: www.gabrielletreanor.com * The Quiet ADHD Club on Substack * Gabrielle on Instagram * Gabrielle’s book The 1% Wellness Experiment is available in all the usual places, but for every sale of her book or the book gift box purchased via her website box she donates to The Wallich homelessness charity in Wales. * Emilie Wapnick’s book How To Be Everything which was mentioned in the interview. A note from the author I’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 can 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