Your Career Journey

Hosted by Emma Graham

Business Careers

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Career paths are rarely linear. There are changes in direction, unexpected opportunities, difficult decisions, setbacks and moments when we're not quite sure what comes next. That's what Your Career Journey is about. I'm Emma Graham, a career coach with a background in recruitment, and in each episode I sit down with leaders, marketers, creatives and experienced professionals to talk about the reality behind their careers. Not just where they've ended up, but how they got there. We talk about the decisions they've made, the opportunities they've taken, the things that haven't worked out and what they've learnt along the way. You'll hear honest conversations about career change, leadership, confidence, adaptability, networking, navigating uncertainty and staying relevant as the world of work changes. Because I don't believe there's one right way to build a successful career. But I do think there's a lot we can learn from understanding how other people have approached theirs. My hope is that each conversation gives you something useful to take away and apply to your own career—whether you're thinking about your next move, looking to grow where you are, or simply wanting to be more intentional about what comes next. Welcome to Your Career Journey .

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60 recent

October 12, 202642 min

Communication Beyond Words: Language, Culture & Leadership

What makes someone a great communicator? Is it having the right words, or is it really about our ability to understand and connect with each other? In this episode, I’m joined by Maaya Konishi to explore how language and culture shape the way we communicate, work and lead. Maaya’s own career has taken her from studying linguistics to investment banking at Morgan Stanley in Japan, before she changed direction and discovered a passion for translating, interpreting and teaching. She later co-founded Communica, where she has now taught thousands of people about English communication and global leadership. We talk about why effective communication isn’t about perfect vocabulary, and how easily misunderstandings can happen when we don’t understand the cultural context behind someone’s words or behaviour. Maaya shares some fascinating examples of the differences between Japanese and Western workplace cultures, from expressing opinions and contributing in meetings to decision-making and leadership. We also explore cultural intelligence, how leaders can adapt their communication across cultures, and why Maaya believes there’s value in combining the Japanese emphasis on harmony with the greater decisiveness often associated with Western leadership. Ultimately, it’s a conversation about something much bigger than language: how we understand each other, bridge cultural differences and build genuine connection at work. To connect with Maaya: Website: communica.co.jp LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maaya-konishi-57a87821 Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

September 28, 202648 min

Your Purpose Isn’t Your Job: A Different Way to Think About Meaningful Work

What does it actually mean to have purpose at work? And is purpose something we need to go out and find, or could it already be within us? In this episode of Your Career Journey , I’m joined by Jen Margolis to explore the difference between meaning and purpose, and how both can shape the way we think about our careers. Jen challenges the idea that our purpose has to be a particular job, role or career. Instead, she sees it as something much more personal, a unique “core gift” that can be expressed in different ways throughout our lives. We talk about how to uncover the things that give you meaning through your strengths, passions, values and past experiences, including some practical exercises you can try for yourself. We also explore what happens when your current job doesn’t feel particularly meaningful. Jen shares how job crafting can help us find greater meaning in the work we already do, the role leaders and teams can play in creating a shared sense of purpose, and the sometimes difficult relationship between organisational purpose and profit. If you’ve ever questioned what your purpose is, wondered whether your career is meaningful enough, or felt pressure to find the one job that’s supposed to fulfil you, this conversation offers a different way to think about it. To connect with Jen: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenmargolis Website: amberwoodpractice.com Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

September 14, 202645 min

What Great Leadership Actually Looks Like: Culture, Purpose & People

What does great leadership actually look like? And how do you create a culture where people can perform, grow and flourish? Today, I’m joined by Lara Bezerra, whose career has taken her from Brazil to senior leadership roles around the world, including becoming a General Manager at just 30 and later holding CEO and President positions at some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. One of Lara’s earliest and biggest leadership lessons came from realising that being the person with all the answers wasn’t actually her job. We talk about her shift from proving herself as a leader to creating the conditions for other people to excel, and why communication, vulnerability, purpose and the language we use can have such a profound impact on workplace culture. Drawing on her experience leading teams across different countries and cultures, Lara shares what she’s learned about creating a clear vision, giving people greater ownership, navigating resistance to change and building organisations where purpose and performance can work together. If you lead a team, are stepping into a bigger leadership role, or simply want to think differently about the kind of leader you want to be, there’s a lot to take away from Lara’s career journey. To connect with Lara: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/larabezerra Website: https://workcoherence.com/ Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

August 31, 202647 min

Can A Marketing Career Lead To CEO?

Can a career in marketing lead to becoming a CEO? And if that’s your ambition, what skills do you need to develop beyond marketing? In this episode of Your Career Journey , I’m joined by Natalie Mactier, whose own route to CEO started with an unexpected detour. After struggling to land the FMCG marketing roles she wanted, she spent a decade in sales, an experience that ultimately gave her a much stronger understanding of commercial outcomes, customers and how marketing and sales need to work together. We talk about her move from SEEK into the startup world at Kidspot, how working in smaller businesses helped her become a better problem-solver, and the transition from marketing into her first CEO role. Natalie also shares what being a CEO actually looks like behind the title: making decisions when you don’t have all the answers, constantly learning, and leading people through uncertainty and change. And, inevitably, we talk about AI. Natalie shares how VIVVI is approaching AI across the business, what she’s learning about successful adoption, and why she believes AI has the potential to positively disrupt education. If you’re building a marketing career, considering your path into senior leadership, or thinking about the skills you’ll need to stay relevant as the world of work changes, there’s plenty in Natalie’s career journey to learn from. To connect with Natalie: linkedin.com/in/nataliemactier Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

August 17, 202648 min

Who Are You Without Your Job Title? Redundancy, Identity & Redefining Success

What happens when the career you’ve spent decades building suddenly ends, and you realise just how much of your identity was tied to it? Geoff Curtis spent nearly 30 years building a successful career in communications, including reaching Chief Communications Officer level. But when an acquisition led to redundancy, he didn’t just lose his job. He lost the title, structure and sense of relevance that had shaped much of his adult life. In our conversation, Geoff talks openly about what came next: the emotional impact of redundancy, his tendency to use busyness as a way of avoiding difficult emotions, and the challenge of figuring out who you are when the professional identity you’ve relied on is no longer there. We talk about navigating career transition after decades of professional success, the fear of becoming irrelevant, starting again without having a perfectly formed plan, and Geoff’s experience of writing vulnerably about the patterns he began to recognise in his own life. We also explore how his definition of success is changing, from achievement, status and professional recognition towards values, joy and being more present. If you’ve experienced redundancy, reached a career crossroads, or simply found yourself questioning how much of your identity and self-worth is wrapped up in what you do, this is a thoughtful and refreshingly honest conversation about what happens when the old measures of career success no longer quite work. To connect with Geoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreycurtis/ Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

August 3, 202642 min

How to Create Career Opportunities Instead of Waiting for Them

Isabel Thomson-Officer didn't follow a carefully mapped-out career plan. She built her career by creating opportunities that didn't exist, asking for chances others wouldn't, and backing herself long before she felt completely ready. What stands out throughout this conversation isn't just the career moves, it's the mindset behind them. Isabel talks honestly about persistence, taking calculated risks, hearing "no" more times than she'd like, and why some of the biggest opportunities in her career only happened because she was willing to ask. In this episode, we discuss: Creating opportunities instead of waiting for the perfect role How Isabel built her first PR role while still studying Taking the leap to New York and what hustle culture really teaches you Building a career in marketing and communications across multiple industries Why persistence matters more than having the perfect plan Networking in Melbourne and building genuine professional relationships Practical advice for reaching out to people and creating your own opportunities Mentoring, giving back and growing your professional network Why vulnerability has become one of Isabel's greatest leadership strengths The importance of backing yourself before you feel completely ready Whether you're just starting out, considering a career move, or looking for a fresh perspective on leadership and career growth, Isabel's story is a reminder that careers are rarely linear and that some of the biggest opportunities begin with simply asking. To connect with Isabel: linkedin.com/in/isabel-thomson-officer Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

July 20, 202644 min

From Barbie to AI: Andrea Roberts on Building a Marketing Career That Evolves

What do Barbie, The Body Shop, pharmaceuticals, fintech and AI have in common? For Andrea Roberts, they've all been part of her fascinating marketing career. In this episode of Your Career Journey, I sit down with Andrea Roberts to explore how a career built on curiosity, adaptability and saying "yes" to opportunities can take you into industries you never imagined. Andrea shares how what she calls a series of "happy coincidences" led her from intellectual property licensing, working with iconic brands like Barbie, Sesame Street, Star Wars and Bananas in Pyjamas, into marketing roles across retail, FMCG, beauty, pharmaceuticals, financial services and AI. Along the way, we talk about why transferable skills matter more than industry experience, how building strong relationships with finance transformed her career, and why curiosity may be one of the most valuable skills marketers can develop as AI continues to reshape our profession. If you're a marketer wondering how to stay relevant, navigate career changes or embrace AI without feeling overwhelmed, you'll take away plenty of practical insights from this conversation. In this episode we discuss: ✅ Andrea's unconventional path into marketing ✅ What working with iconic global brands taught her ✅ The power of transferable skills across different industries ✅ Why marketers need stronger relationships with finance ✅ Building confidence through continuous learning ✅ How AI is changing marketing and how to approach it with curiosity rather than fear ✅ Why experimentation, ethics and discipline all matter when using AI ✅ Andrea's advice for building a career that continues to evolve Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome Andrea 00:27 Licensing Career Start 02:26 Toys And Mattel Lessons 03:49 Retail At The Body Shop 06:45 Cosmetics And Licensing Return 09:32 Retail Roles And Pharma Shift 11:06 Fintech And Teaching Detour 12:44 AI Consulting And Netwealth 15:32 Making Career Pivots Work 19:05 Marketing And Finance Partnership 22:17 Curiosity And Relationship Building 31:07 AI Mindset And Discipline 38:45 Ethics, Trust And Transparency 41:07 Final Advice: Curiosity Wins To connect with Andrea: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-roberts-/ Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

July 6, 202649 min

How to Build Resilience at Work: Leadership, Change & Thriving in Uncertain Times

How do you stay resilient when change feels constant? In this episode, I'm joined by learning and development specialist Russell Harvey to explore what resilience really means, why it's becoming one of the most important skills we can develop, and how it can help us navigate uncertainty both at work and in life. After a career spanning more than 20 years in leadership and organisational development, including six redundancies, Russell has experienced more change than most. Rather than seeing resilience as simply "bouncing back," he describes it as learning, adapting and moving forward stronger than before. We explore the realities of today's workplace, from rapid change and uncertainty to the pressure many leaders and teams are feeling, and discuss practical ways to build resilience without simply adding another task to an already full to-do list. In this episode, we discuss: ✅ What resilience really looks like in today's workplace ✅ Why uncertainty isn't going away and how to respond to it ✅ The VUCA framework and how leaders can navigate change more effectively ✅ Practical strategies to move from surviving to thriving ✅ The importance of purpose, confidence and adaptability ✅ Why your strengths give you energy (and why that's important) ✅ How leadership behaviours shape culture and performance Russell also shares his simple reflection framework to help you pause, learn from difficult situations, and focus your attention on the things you can actually influence. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a career transition, or simply trying to stay grounded in an increasingly unpredictable world, this conversation is full of practical ideas to help you build resilience and future-proof your career. To connect with Russell: Website & resources: theresiliencecoach.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/ Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

June 22, 202645 min

Career Detours, Reinvention and the Courage to Build Something New

Careers rarely follow the path we expect. In this episode, I'm joined by Rachel Abad to talk about the twists, turns, and unexpected experiences that ultimately led her to founding her own communications consultancy. Growing up in regional North Queensland, Rachel always knew she wanted to leave her hometown and build a career beyond its boundaries. While law was her original plan, missing the grades led her into a Communications degree instead, a decision that would shape the rest of her career. Through internships, she discovered a love of teamwork, fast-paced environments, and working to deadlines. After a challenging start to her job search, Rachel landed a role in a small agency working with Telstra licensees, which eventually led to positions with a Telstra master licensee and later Telstra's head office. Along the way, she developed expertise in stakeholder management, communications, and navigating complex environments, skills that would later transfer seamlessly into infrastructure, rail projects, and community engagement work in Melbourne. But like many people, Rachel's career wasn't without challenges. During COVID, years of pressure and overwork caught up with her. Burnout, hospitalisation, and a diagnosis of intracranial hypertension forced her to reassess her relationship with work, success, and identity. Our conversation explores: ✅ Building a career when the path isn't clear ✅ The value of internships and early career experiences ✅ Stakeholder management and transferable skills ✅ Burnout, recovery, and redefining success ✅ When work becomes too much of your identity ✅ Starting a business and overcoming fear ✅ Finding purpose and meaning in your work ✅ Why nobody really has it all figured out Rachel also shares the story behind founding Looped In Communication, her audience-led research and communications consultancy, and why understanding people sits at the heart of effective communication. This is an honest conversation about career detours, resilience, burnout, entrepreneurship, and the reality that most successful careers are built one step at a time. To connect with Rachel Website: looped-in.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-abad-59303452/ Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call

June 8, 202648 min

Surviving A Toxic Workplace: An HR Leader’s Framework for Self-Awareness, Self-Care & Empowerment

In this episode, I’m joined by HR leader and author Teri Chilcoat to talk about the realities of toxic workplace cultures, why so many people stay longer than they should, and what you can do to protect yourself when you find yourself in one. Teri shares her own career journey, unexpectedly finding her way into HR through a temp role, to experiencing severe workplace bullying as the sole HR person inside a toxic leadership environment. That experience ultimately inspired her to write a book designed to help others recognise toxic dynamics earlier and navigate them more effectively. Throughout our conversation, we explore: ✅ The signs and symptoms of toxic workplaces ✅ Why dysfunction often becomes normalised ✅ How toxic environments impact both physical and mental health ✅ The “toxicity triangle” and how unhealthy cultures are sustained ✅ Why high performers are often protected despite poor behaviour ✅ The long-term impact of burnout and chronic stress ✅ How COVID and remote work changed workplace culture ✅ Why younger generations are raising expectations around leadership and wellbeing Teri also shares her practical framework around: ✅ Self-awareness ✅ Self-control ✅ Self-care ✅ Self-empowerment We talk about the importance of focusing on what you can control, building healthier coping mechanisms, recognising red flags earlier, and creating more agency for yourself, even in difficult environments. If you’ve ever questioned whether a workplace was healthy, struggled with burnout, or felt trapped in a difficult environment, there’s a lot in this episode that will resonate. And give you some practical advice and guidance on what to do. To connect with Teri: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-chilcoat-phr/ Website: innerauthoritycompany.com Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with: 💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you 💡 Confidently communicate your value 💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network 💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move 💡 Navigate the job market effectively 💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint 🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources: Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/ 🎁 Free Resources: 📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice 📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide 📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call