changing careers

The working world is different today than it was prepandemic. Working from home, hybrid schedules, job sharing, and other work arrangements were accelerated by the lockeddown days of COVID and continue to evolve. One clear result of the pandemic is the need to retrain or even completely change careers to remain employable.

Changing careers can be exhilarating, but it almost never happens without some doubts, and of course, some serious lessons. Whether you’re making a switch out of necessity, or maybe you’re taking this opportunity to fulfill a dream, we’ve got some insights that might help you look at the process in a different way. Why? Because here at the Fetal Health Foundation, most of us have had this experience and there are some things we wish we had known before getting started and navigating uncharted territories.

Lonnie and Michelle’s stories: As a married couple, Lonnie and Michelle’s career changes have closely followed each other, as they have journeyed into business together. But they began in different roles and have had separate responsibilities within their new ventures.

Lonnie was a radio announcer in college while studying accounting. He became a CPA by erika k. wolf but was quickly intrigued by venture capitalism and wanted to branch out from his corporate role. fetal syndromes. And this year, that inaugural race will celebrate 20 years! she’s had a variety of roles therein, including most recently serving as Executive Director.

Michelle also studied accounting and began a rewarding career in the corporate world.

It wasn’t until their twin pregnancy was diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome that they decided they wanted to help others in their shoes, which led to beginning a 5K race to raise funds for TTTS. Subsequently, they co-founded the Fetal Health Foundation to expand the reach to a global level. These two endeavors, alongside their love of running, created the perfect opportunity for starting a sporting event management company. So, from one race, an annual calendar of 100 plus events was born. They now manage and plan events from coast to coast and are active in the running industry as thought leaders and mentors. And because of his experience and enjoyment of race announcing, Lonnie is broadening his scope to embark on a career in voice over acting.

What Lonnie wishes he knew: I wish I knew how hard it is to say “no.” Taking on too much and giving away too much of myself and my expertise has been a continuing lesson. In the beginning I said “yes” a lot because I wanted to build a solid reputation and a successful business, but I have learned at the expense of my own life-work balance that setting boundaries has to be part of that.

What Michelle wishes she knew: I wish I knew how tremendously accurate the saying "having children will change your life" really is. The TTTS journey catapulted us into a world that neither of us could have ever imagined. I am so fulfilled to have had the opportunity to help families navigate their own personal journeys with a fetal syndrome. At the same time, I am continually beyond inspired by people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds toeing a start line or crossing a finish line.

Talitha’s story: Talitha is the designer and editor of Connexions magazine. She’s a PR and design maven who has enjoyed building successful businesses as a work-from-home mom while raising her family.

Over the years, Talitha has also worked alongside her husband in running a small drilling company. She has worked with countless clients across the country and industries in freelance graphic design and marketing, and has served on various non-profit boards, building her resume with invaluable skills and volunteering whenever she could.

In 2022, she was presented with a rare opportunity and idea that she decided she simply couldn’t pass up: to start a spa and wellness collective from scratch in her rural, small hometown in North Carolina with her best friend. And the inspiration? The hit Netflix show Sweet Magnolias, where four childhood friends are presented with an opportunity to open up a spa in a beautiful, historic home in their small hometown.

Their financial savvy, coupled with their skills that complement each other has led them to having an independent and sustained business and an everexpanding foundation to support

When her twin pregnancy was struck by Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, she got connected to Lonnie and Michelle and helped co-found the Fetal Health Foundation. She left her corporate job to stay home with her twins and help build a grass roots effort to support patients around the globe. Since those early days,

Much like the characters in the show, Talitha faced a lot of personal uncertainty while weighing her decision, such as financial stability and how her schedule would turn upside down. She was used to being at home doing her work, which allowed her to clean the house and prepare dinner most days, run carpool, and manage the schedule of afterschool activities and sports for her four active children.

From a business perspective, she had a lot on her plate, as well. She and her friend had to consider how this unprecedented type of business would succeed in this setting, build a brand, and gain a following. But they also began the hefty task of renovating the late 1800s home that houses this tranquil space of rejuvenation and retreat. That was totally new territory in and of itself. After taking the huge leap, she is thrilled for the early success the business has experienced. Yoga, massage therapy, facials, creative and educational workshops, and the juice café are flowing and well received, as plans to expand offerings are underway.

What Talitha wishes she knew: Being able to be flexible and rely on my honed skill sets were what helped me navigate uncertain waters all through the years. However, I wish I knew how difficult it would be to predict all of the initial investment costs with the startup of a brand new brick and mortar business, given today’s supply chain challenges. The inflated costs of construction materials and labor threw us for a bit of a loop. Because we pulled everything together in about ten weeks’ time, we had to get surprisingly creative. My PR and marketing skills, along with vast networking and people skills has definitely come in handy.

Erika’s story:

My PR/Marketing career started off with a boom, but years later, when my second child was born, I decided to leave the workforce --- always knowing it would be temporary --- to raise my family. For the next eight years, I was a stay-at-home-mom who volunteered my heart out to maintain a network, sharpen skills, and contribute to meaningful projects on my own schedule.

When I decided to reenter the workforce, I had a harsh realization: companies didn’t want to hire a mom who hadn’t been getting paid for the work she was doing. That was quite a disappointment. After all, as a volunteer I learned new skills, new software programs, and became a logistics and organizational whiz. But no matter how well my resume highlighted my skills, I couldn’t even get an interview.

It was time to face the reality: I needed to retrain. I decided to pursue my fitness passion and gained certification as a wellness coach. I teamed up with clients to help them keep their wellness goals front and center. My active lifestyle and ability to prioritize made me an ideal candidate for this role – skills I’d honed during my years as a stay-at-home-mom.

Once employed again, more opportunities began to open for me. It seemed that leaving the paid workforce didn’t make me out of touch after all. I just needed a chance to prove it, and getting this retraining was enough to get my career rolling again. I’ve since worked in corporate marketing and even had the chance to live in Germany to study the language. I now work as the director of digital marketing for the Fetal Health Foundation, and have written my first book that will be published in June of 2023. grief is an individual experience

What Erika wishes she knew: I wish I knew that too many companies don’t give credit to women who stay home to raise families. That was a tough pill to swallow. These days, it seems that attitudes are changing, and companies are starting to realize that they’re missing out on quality candidates when they overlook a dedicated mom.

Erika Wolf is the Director of Digital Marketing for the Fetal Health Foundation. As an author and public speaker she is passionate about transforming the healing journey of people dealing with cancer. She tackles the topics of integrative medicine and holistic therapies, women's empowerment and the importance of self-advocacy.

OOur ability to grieve and mourn is predicated on our ability to love. Love is powerful. Love has no beginning and no end. A baby is a beautiful example of the power of love. As witnesses to love in action, we lean into the parents-to-be and celebrate that love with them as friends and family members. When someone's world is shattered by the news that a little life will never be, it devastates to the core, and grief arises.

Grief is not solely an emotional experience, as we are not exclusively emotional beings. Grief arises in our thoughts, behaviors, spiritual selves, and bodies, and does not look the same. It is individualized, as is the mourning process, which is when one expresses grief outside of the self. We tend to use ourselves and cultural norms as a reference to put an image of what someone who is grieving looks and acts like. While this is a natural reaction, there is a risk that we may miss the nuances and the needs of people we can support.