Get A Shift On: Healthcare Career Change and Business Stories

David Birchmore
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Real stories of career change, life after redundancy, and starting a business. No hype. No jargon. Just real talk and practical steps you can use now. I'm Dave Birchmore. I spent 20 years in healthcare before I left to build my own businesses. Now I help other healthcare professionals do the same. If you're a clinical healthcare professional who's burned out or thinking about leaving, this show is for you. Each week you'll hear from people who made the jump: how they decided, what they did next, and what it takes to leave and start over. New episodes every week.

  1. 5D AGO

    S1 | E43 – From Doctor to Financial Planner, Values, Skills and the Financial Reality of Leaving Healthcare | Dr Luke Mitchell

    What actually happens when a doctor realises the career they trained for no longer fits the life they want? In Episode 43 of Get A Shift On, David Birchmore sits down with Dr Luke Mitchell, a former clinician who stepped away from medicine and rebuilt his career as a financial planner. This is one of the podcast’s most direct conversations about healthcare career change, identity, and the financial reality behind leaving a clinical role. Rather than quick fixes or motivational noise, this episode explores the real sequence many professionals go through: Understanding the value and skills you bring beyond your job titleRecognising what you want your days to look like, not just your job titleFacing the affordability question honestly before making a move Luke shares how values work helped him recognise an “unreasonable appetite for freedom,” why rotas felt misaligned with who he was, and how networking, self-employment and long-term financial thinking shaped his transition away from clinical practice. You’ll hear real discussion around: transferable skills from healthcare that most professionals overlook why many clinicians feel capable yet stuck networking and building genuine connections outside medicine minimum viable income and the financial myths that keep people in roles they have outgrown the loneliness, uncertainty and opportunity that comes with self-employment This episode marks a stronger healthcare focus for Get A Shift On and reflects the reality facing many clinical professionals today, experienced, capable people questioning whether the traditional path is still right for them. Hosted by David Birchmore, Business Consultant and creator of the Personal Exit Plan framework, supporting healthcare professionals to build viable career transitions beyond clinical roles. If you’re a doctor, nurse, radiographer or allied health professional thinking about what comes next, this conversation offers clarity without hype. Follow Dr Luke On LinkedIn here Follow David / Via Nova here: ⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠ If you’re done pretending you’re fine… start here. Your Final Shift is a straight-talking exit guide for healthcare professionals who can’t do another 20 years of this. Get it here Feeling stuck in your healthcare role? Take our quiz to discover how close you are to making your final shift and what your next steps could be - How Close Is Your Final Shift  #HealthcareCareers #DoctorCareerChange #LeavingHealthcare #FinancialPlanningUK #GetAShiftOnPodcast

    1h 5m

  2. FEB 12

    S1 | E42 – Starting Again Without Starting Over | Portfolio Careers, Side Projects & Rebuilding After Business Failure with Ben Walton

    What does it really look like to rebuild your confidence, career, and identity after a business collapses? In this episode of Get A Shift On, David Birchmore welcomes back entrepreneur and marketing consultant Ben Walton for a brutally honest conversation about portfolio careers, freelancing after failure, side projects, and finding purpose beyond traditional job titles. After nine years running restaurants, Ben faced the reality many founders quietly experience, loss of direction, rebuilding income, and learning to start again without the safety net. Instead of chasing another “perfect” career path, he began experimenting with freelance marketing, email strategy, community building, and creative side projects that eventually grew into a portfolio business model. This episode goes beyond hospitality or business. It explores the mindset behind career change, authenticity in an AI-driven world, and why the future of work may look less like a ladder and more like a collection of evolving projects. From launching Substack communities and networking events to running a Bloody Mary brand born from the ashes of failure, Ben shares how small creative moves can unlock unexpected opportunities. You’ll hear real talk about: How to transition into freelancing or consulting after burnout or business loss Why a portfolio career is becoming the new normal across industries The role of side hustles in rebuilding confidence and momentum Authentic marketing, social media pressure, and staying human in an AI world Creativity, parenting, and preparing for a future where traditional careers are changing fast Although this conversation sits outside healthcare, the themes will resonate with clinical professionals and anyone questioning the traditional career path. If you’ve ever wondered how to pivot without burning everything down first, this episode offers a grounded, honest perspective on what comes next. 🎧 Expect humour, hard-won lessons, and a refreshing look at building a meaningful working life without pretending you’ve got it all figured out. Follow Ben: ⁠⁠Ben's Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Ben's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Ben's Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Bloody Bens Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠On A Plate Growth Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Ben's Canteen Instagram⁠⁠ Follow David / Via Nova here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Feeling stuck in your healthcare role? Take our quiz to discover how close you are to making your final shift and what your next steps could be - How Close Is Your Final Shift - Want to try billboard advertising from £80? Get started with ⁠⁠CAASie⁠⁠ - 1.5M screens worldwide, pay-per-play. #PortfolioCareer#FreelancingUK#CareerChangePodcast#SideProjects#FutureOfWork

    1 hr

  3. JAN 22

    S1:E41 | Leaving Corporate Sales When You Feel “Successful” But Miserable, with Farran Turner

    You can be winning on paper and still feel completely lost underneath.In Episode 41 of Get A Shift On, I’m joined by Farran Turner, former enterprise technology sales high performer turned Life & Performance Coach, now helping “corporate misfits” in target-driven roles rebuild a life that actually fits them. Farran opens up about chasing the next role, the next pay rise, the next shiny thing… while feeling more disconnected each year. Then his Dad’s cancer returned for the third time, and he died four months later. That moment forced a brutal realisation: you can’t outrun a life that doesn’t feel right. In this episode we cover: The biggest signs you’re out of alignment in a high-performing career Why corporate life can feel like meaningless “Q2 and Q3” conversations The fear of redundancy, pressure, and the constant tight knot in your stomach Identity loss after leaving a job title you’ve built your whole life around How to recognise your real transferable skills beyond your CV Why deep work matters more than quick fixes The Misfit Method: values, nervous system regulation, mindset, superpower, execution The truth about money, freedom, and “how much do you actually need to live?” If you’ve been googling things like “how to leave corporate sales”, “what to do after enterprise tech sales”, “high achiever burnout but successful”, or “I hate my job but it pays well”, this is for you. Connect with David ⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠ If you’re done pretending you’re fine… start here. Your Final Shift is a straight-talking exit guide for healthcare professionals who can’t do another 20 years of this. Get it here Feeling stuck in your healthcare role? Take our quiz to discover how close you are to making your final shift and what your next steps could be - How Close Is Your Final Shift  Want to try billboard advertising from £80? Get started with CAASie at https://caasie.co/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=get-a-shift-on&utm_content=referral - 1.5M screens worldwide, pay-per-play. Connect with Farran Email: farran@corporatemisfitscoaching.com Website: https://www.corporatemisfitscoaching.com/

    52 min

  4. 12/15/2025

    S1:E39 | He Built Multiple Businesses, Hit Rock Bottom - Then Chose Freedom Over the 9–5. Kevin Matthew Shares All

    Most career change stories skip the hard bit.This one doesn’t. In this episode of Get A Shift On, I’m joined by Kevin Matthew, a former secondary school teacher, university lecturer, and education entrepreneur who went on to build multiple businesses across e-commerce, property, and digital travel… and then hit a point where it all nearly collapsed. Kevin’s journey spans education, health, entrepreneurship, burnout, depression, and a complete rethink of what work is actually for. From launching innovative physical-activity programmes in schools, to scaling a nationwide personalised gift brand, to facing the brutal reality of post-COVID business decline — this conversation goes right to the edge of what happens when effort no longer equals security. We talk honestly about: What it feels like when a “successful” business stops working The mental toll of carrying financial pressure for your family Why traditional employment and the 9–5 model are breaking down How transferable skills from teaching, education, and leadership actually translate into business The difference between working harder and working differently Why many people don’t need another job - they need a second income stream What “front-loading effort” really means in modern business And how Kevin and his family are preparing to leave the UK, world-school their children, and redesign life around freedom rather than rota-driven work This isn’t a get-rich-quick story.It’s a real conversation about resilience, review, rebuilding, and choosing a life that fits. Kevin shares hard-earned lessons about: Building systems instead of burning yourself out Why reviewing your business matters more than starting it The truth about network-based and digital business models (without the nonsense) Why younger generations are rejecting traditional career paths And why effort still matters - no matter how you earn your money If you’re a professional who feels capable but stuck…If you’ve outgrown your job but can’t yet see the next step…If you’re carrying the quiet pressure of being the provider…Or if you’re questioning whether the way you’re working is worth the cost. This episode will give you something far more useful than motivation. It’ll give you perspective. Follow KevinKevin's LinkedIn Kevins Instagram Follow David ⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠ Free Guides / Work With Me Want to try billboard advertising from £80? Get started with CAASie at https://caasie.co/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=get-a-shift-on&utm_content=referral - 1.5M screens worldwide, pay-per-play.

    1h 3m

  5. 12/06/2025

    S1:E38 | AI Won’t Take Your Job - But It Just Opened the Best Exit Window You’ll Ever Get

    AI isn’t coming for your job tomorrow.But the career you’re relying on might not exist in the same way five years from now. In this solo episode of Get A Shift On, I break down what’s really happening as AI, automation and restructuring quietly reshape the job market , and why this moment is the smartest time in decades to build leverage, not panic. I examine: Why AI disruption doesn’t mean mass unemployment, but does mean massive career change How redundancy fear can become your permission to pivot Why side hustles, consulting, coaching and fractional work are exploding right now The 7-step Personal Exit Plan I use with clients to move from stuck employee to confident independent How to use AI as your assistant, not your replacement And why the “safe” job you’re protecting isn’t as safe as you think This episode is for you if: You feel stuck in a job you’ve outgrown You’re worried about redundancy or industry change You’re curious about AI but unsure how it fits your future You want more control over your income and time You’re thinking about starting something before you’re forced to You’ll also get practical actions you can take this week to: Audit your real-world skillsDefine your ideal working lifeTest your idea before quittingTalk to your employer about flexibilityUse AI for research and contentRemove the fear-based excuses holding you back AI isn’t the villain.Staying stuck while the world shifts is. Follow the show if you refuse to stay stuck. Free tools Escape Readiness Quiz Via Nova Personal Exit Plan resources Follow David: LinkedIn YouTube If you want to see how easily you could advertise with CAASIE check out the link below: Get Started

    16 min

  6. 11/26/2025

    S1:E37 | From Detective to Mindset Coach: Rebuilding Life After Redundancy with Willie Nicol

    Redundancy has a way of stripping everything back,identity, confidence, purpose. In this episode, former detective and corporate security leader Willie Nicol shares how losing his job became the turning point that forced him to change his mindset, rebuild his life, and find real fulfilment. After 31 years in the police and seven years in corporate security, Willie was made redundant after “working himself out of a job.” Angry, bitter, and burning with resentment, he dismissed coaching as “mumbo jumbo” — until one unexpected three-day course shifted everything. Now a mindset coach specialising in helping burned-out men rediscover confidence, clarity, and direction, Willie explains how reframing internal dialogue, upgrading your “mindset operating system,” and learning to stop self-sabotage can change the course of your life. In this episode, you’ll learn: How redundancy can become a catalyst for real changeWhy your internal dialogue shapes your outcomesHow to shift from fear-driven thinking to empowered action The danger of living on autopilot in work and life Why most people stay stuck, and how to escape itIf you’re trapped in a job that no longer fits, struggling after redundancy, or quietly asking “is this it?”, this conversation will hit home. Follow Willie/ Free Offers https://willienicolcoaching.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/willienicolcoaching  http://facebook.com/WillieNicolLifeCoach/  Book a Call - https://calendly.com/willienicol-lifecoach/30minutechat  Stress Management Workbook - https://breakthecycleworksheet.com/  “Get Your Mojo Back 3 Day Challenge” - https://wnc.willienicolcoaching.com/lets-go  Follow David / Via Nova here: ⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠ Free Guides / Work With Me Are You Ready to Escape Your Job and Build Your Own Business? Take the 2-minute Business Escape Readiness Test and discover your personalised action plan! - Business Escape Readiness Test  Want to try billboard advertising from £80? Get started with CAASie at https://caasie.co/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=get-a-shift-on&utm_content=referral - 1.5M screens worldwide, pay-per-play.

    54 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    S1:E36 | From Restaurant Collapse to Freelance Freedom: Ben Walton’s Rebuild Story

    What happens when you lose it all, the business, the money, the confidence,and have to start again? Ben Walton knows. After nine years running restaurants in London, he shut the doors for good, moved to Brighton with newborn twins, and faced the reality of feeding his family with no business left to run. In this episode, Ben opens up about rebuilding from scratch, from losing friends’ money to finding his first freelance clients, setting prices that felt “grown-up,” and turning those early projects into On A Plate Growth, his food & beverage marketing consultancy. We talk about: - the brutal honesty of starting over after failure - finding momentum when income isn’t guaranteed - why community beats hustle culture - how to build a freelance business that actually works. Ben’s story isn’t about overnight success, it’s about resilience, self-belief, and sustainable growth in the messy middle. 🎙️ Listen for real insight, real humour, and the quiet truth about freelancing after failure. Follow Ben: ⁠Ben's Website⁠ ⁠Ben's LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Ben's Instagram⁠ ⁠Bloody Bens Instagram⁠ ⁠On A Plate Growth Instagram⁠ ⁠Ben's Canteen Instagram⁠ Follow David / Via Nova here: ⁠⁠⁠David's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠⁠ ⁠Free Personal Exit Plan / Work With Me⁠ Frustrated at Work? Want to know if you are ready for a career change? ⁠Answer these 10 questions and find out⁠! Want to try billboard advertising from £80? Get started with ⁠CAASie⁠ - 1.5M screens worldwide, pay-per-play.

    31 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    S1:E35 | From Financial Chaos to Clarity – Small Business Accounting Made Simple with Rayanne Armand

    Are you an ambitious UK business owner juggling bookkeeping, tax bills and cash-flow stress? In this episode of Get A Shift On, we’ll fast-track you from financial chaos to clarity, giving you control and confidence as you grow. In this episode of I sit down with Chartered Accountant and Root2Growth founder Rayanne Armand as she shares real-world steps for small business owners and career-changer, covering how to set up Xero correctly, build cash-flow confidence, price your services for profit, and prepare for tax without the last-minute scramble. What you’ll learn • How to break the “I’m not a numbers person” mindset and use your data as a growth engine.• How to move from reactive bookkeeping to real-time accounting and predictable routines.• Proven time-saving strategies and apps for small business finance so you can free up your time.• For founders approaching or exceeding £500k turnover: what financial insight you really need to scale sustainably and price for profit.• How a Virtual Finance Department or trusted advisor becomes part of your team, not just a compliance cost. Rayanne also opens up about her own career transition from corporate firms to founder-life, showing how you can shift from long hours and low margins into a business that serves your life, not the other way around. Links + Resources - Rayanne- Become a Xero Hero – DIY programme: https://www.rayarmand.com- Root2Growth – Done-for-you accounting support: https://www.root2growth.co.uk Links + Resources - DavidDavid's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Via Nova Website⁠ Free Personal Exit Plan / Work With Me Listen, subscribe and follow Get A Shift On for more insights into career change, business startup, growth strategies and finance made simple. Topics Include:small business accounting uk, business finance tips, xero accounting for entrepreneurs, cash flow for small business, how to start a business uk, pricing for profit, career change startup, accounting made simple, virtual finance department, founder finance routines

    48 min
See All (43)

Trailer

About

Real stories of career change, life after redundancy, and starting a business. No hype. No jargon. Just real talk and practical steps you can use now. I'm Dave Birchmore. I spent 20 years in healthcare before I left to build my own businesses. Now I help other healthcare professionals do the same. If you're a clinical healthcare professional who's burned out or thinking about leaving, this show is for you. Each week you'll hear from people who made the jump: how they decided, what they did next, and what it takes to leave and start over. New episodes every week.

Information