From Corporate Into Calling: Career Change, Burnout, Meaningful Work, Find Your Purpose

Alisa Murphy - From Corporate Into Calling
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Does your career look good on paper but feel wrong in your bones? If you’re stuck in corporate — exhausted by burnout, questioning your work life balance, or secretly wondering “is this really it?” — you’re not alone. And you don’t have to tolerate it. From Corporate Into Calling is your lifeline. I’m Alisa Murphy, a regenerative business mentor and former CEO who walked away from corporate systems to build meaningful work of my own. Now I help others do the same: leave behind burnout and misalignment, and create careers — often businesses or consultancies — that bring life back, to you and to the world. This isn’t about polishing your CV or slotting into another misaligned role. It’s about career change with purpose. Together, we’ll explore what it takes to find your purpose, build your own business, and create work that matters. Each week, I’ll share stories, provocations, and practical guidance to help you: Recognise the signs of burnout and know when it’s time to quit Redesign your relationship with work Find your purpose and create meaningful work Build a career or business that brings life back If your career looks good but feels wrong — this is your invitation to step out of corporate, and into your calling. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  1. Jul 8

    88: A Season Finale

    I'm back after missing an episode last week, and I owe you an explanation. I was away at Groundswell, a regenerative agriculture festival here in the UK with 10,000 people immersed in soil health, biodiversity, and healthy food systems. That, on top of a recent trip to visit new farmers in Cornwall, has brought a lot of acceleration to my new venture. It's time for some changes, and I wanted you to hear it from me directly. I talk about what this festival stirred in me, the hope and tangibility I felt in this work, and the kneading dough metaphor that's been on my mind since (gluten free tortillas are not for the faint hearted). If you're in your own messy middle right now, not sure how the lumpy mess in front of you could ever become something smooth and workable, I want you to hear this one. I'm also sharing some news. I'm taking a break from the podcast over the summer to give my new venture the attention it needs, and I'll check back in with you in September. If you've been listening for a while and have been thinking about working with me, I've kept the door open with one off sessions and a pack of three (link to book below).. This one is for those who have made space for this podcast in their life, whether that's on a dog walk, doing the dishes, or watering the garden. Thank you for being part of this. I'll see you in September.Next steps:✦ Book a coaching session with me Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  2. Jun 24

    87: The Work You Want Is Coming (You Just Can't See It Yet)

    You left corporate — or you're on your way out — and right now the path forward isn't clear. Maybe you're months in and nothing has clicked yet. Maybe you're still in the job and exhausted by it. Maybe you've started building something and you keep wondering if it's working. This week I want to tell you something I've had to remind myself of recently: the hardest part is often the part right before something shifts. I came back from a trip to Cornwall last week feeling overwhelmed and depleted — not inspired, not clear, just spent. And it was in that exact moment, before I'd had chance to recover, that a business idea I'd been circling for months finally surfaced. I didn't see it coming. I couldn't have, from inside the exhaustion. I've watched the same pattern with clients. The moment they're most tempted to walk away is almost always the moment something is about to move. Seth Godin called it the dip and my own experience keeps confirming it. If you're in the middle of a career change, burnout recovery, or just trying to find work that means something to you, this episode is for you. Wherever you are in that process, the difficulty isn't a signal to stop seeking. It might be just the opposite.Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with me Related episodes:→ The Room You Used To Belong To Isn't Yours Anymore→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  3. Jun 17

    86: This Bit Is Meant To Feel Uncomfortable

    You left corporate to find work that actually means something to you. And right now that process feels messy. Uncomfortable. Maybe even a bit lost. Here's a reframe: what if that discomfort isn't a sign you're doing it wrong? What if it's actually the surest sign you're heading in the right direction? It builds well before you ever hand in your notice, peaks once the structure of your old role disappears, and only eases as you build something real to stand on, then it shows up again the next time you're ready to grow. This episode is about recalibrating what "good" is supposed to feel like once you've left the version of success that used to define you. If you're in the messy middle of your career change and that discomfort keeps showing up as your try to move forward, this one's for you.Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with meIn this episode you'll hear from Kevin Howard, to learn more about his work visit: https://ageofbalance.com. Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  4. Jun 10

    85: What Your Corporate Job Is Still Doing To You

    You left the corporate job. Changed your title. Stepped away from the sector. But the operating system that defined how you worked, what you produced, and who you had to be to survive... that came with you. Most people trying to build something new after corporate are doing it while still running the old software. Then they wonder why it feels wrong and whether they'll ever find meaning and purpose in their work. In this episode I share the story of a client who was well into building before they realised how much the previous role was still shaping what they thought was possible. That was the real turning point in their building journey. If you've left corporate and something still feels off, or you're exhausted in a way that didn't resolve when you handed in your notice, this one's for you. There's a simple exercise at the end to help you start choosing what you carry forward and what you don't.Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with me Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  5. Jun 3

    84: The Room You Used To Belong To Isn't Yours Anymore

    There's a particular kind of discomfort that comes with standing in a room you used to belong to and realising it no longer feels like yours. Not because you're unwelcome, but because something in you has moved on. If you've ever found yourself on the outside of a career, a sector or a version of yourself that once defined you, you'll recognise this feeling. This episode comes from a recent personal experience. Standing in a church in Prague at one of the biggest events in my old professional world and realising I was on the periphery of a room I once helped to build. This is my honest account of what that experience taught me about career transition and about finally making peace with the identity shift that comes with it. Because the version of you that's navigating a career transition rarely gets to do it cleanly. There's grief in it. There's the LinkedIn scroll that brings up feelings you didn't expect. There's the dreaded networking question, so what are you doing next?, that you don't yet have a good answer to. These aren't signs that something has gone wrong. They're signs that something new is forming. This episode is for you if you've stepped away from a career that once defined you and are sitting with the discomfort of not quite knowing who you are on the other side of that. Career transition isn't a tidy phase. It's identity-level work. And it's worth it.Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with me Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  6. May 20

    83: Why I'm Out Of The Office And Among The Chickens

    Most of us spend far too much time thinking about the work we want to do and not enough time actually experiencing it. We research, we read, we take course after course, we endlessly tweak the pitch deck. Some of it is necessary. Too much of it distances us from the meaningful work we actually want to do. Recently I've been firmly stuck inside my own head — lost in the complexities and thorny questions of what I'm building. I needed a change. I needed to get my hands dirty and get closer to the people and places I actually want to serve. Which is why you'll find me today in an organic orchard, among the chickens. If you're navigating career change or building something meaningful of your own and you need to feel reinvigorated, this one's for you.Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with me Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  7. May 14

    82: Why I'd Build This Even If It Fails

    This week I spent time with a flower farmer, making her a locally-sourced lunch, sitting in her field on a sunny day surrounded by brightly coloured flowers and buzzing bees. It was the perfect antidote to the fear of failure that I seem to be doing battle with every day.Doubt is a natural part of career change or building a business. Loneliness can go hand in hand with doing things differently and forging your own path. But we're not helpless: the road ahead may be risky and unpredictable but the part we get to control is our day to day experience. I know what it's like to face a continual inner battle with overwhelm. But I also know what it's like when building meaningful work becomes its own reward. Today I'm looking back nearly 20 years to see what I can learn from the ridiculous amounts of fun I had building my first company and exploring what the "grown up" version of that can look like as I step into my next venture.If your worst case scenario is looming large and your questioning whether it will be worth it, this episode will help you find the joy in the journey. Next steps:✦ Book a call with me✦ Subscribe to my emails Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  8. May 6

    81: When What You're Building Feels Too Big

    This week I've been feeling the enormity of what I'm trying to build. I know I'm not alone. Stepping outside of the dominant system and building meaningful work of your own is hard. Overwhelm is an understandable response. But it doesn't help us. It's too easy to get stuck inside your head, wrapped up in story and believing all the internal chatter. Today's episode is about shifting your focus so you can keep moving forward: one foot in front of the other. This is how we climb mountains!Next steps:✦ Subscribe to my emails✦ Book a call with me Related episodes:→ What's The Worst That Can Happen?→ How to Start Building the Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About→ What Changes When You Stop Looking For An Exit Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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Does your career look good on paper but feel wrong in your bones? If you’re stuck in corporate — exhausted by burnout, questioning your work life balance, or secretly wondering “is this really it?” — you’re not alone. And you don’t have to tolerate it. From Corporate Into Calling is your lifeline. I’m Alisa Murphy, a regenerative business mentor and former CEO who walked away from corporate systems to build meaningful work of my own. Now I help others do the same: leave behind burnout and misalignment, and create careers — often businesses or consultancies — that bring life back, to you and to the world. This isn’t about polishing your CV or slotting into another misaligned role. It’s about career change with purpose. Together, we’ll explore what it takes to find your purpose, build your own business, and create work that matters. Each week, I’ll share stories, provocations, and practical guidance to help you: Recognise the signs of burnout and know when it’s time to quit Redesign your relationship with work Find your purpose and create meaningful work Build a career or business that brings life back If your career looks good but feels wrong — this is your invitation to step out of corporate, and into your calling. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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