My Unlikely Career

Unlikely Careers
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Careers

Celebrating people who have carved out unique career paths and found success on their own terms. Whether you're just starting your career, stuck at a crossroads, or ready to make a change, this podcast is for you. Join us for intimate conversations about tough choices, unexpected turns, and the power of listening to your inner voice.

Episodes

  1. Oct 14

    Starting From Scratch with François de Halleux

    François de Halleux grew up in a Belgian village dreaming of becoming a farmer or a chef. His parents wanted him to pursue a safer path, so he studied business engineering and went on to spend ten years at Google. Then he left Google and the tech world to become a baker. He opened Origo, an organic sourdough bakery in Barcelona with a mission to promote regenerative agriculture through food. François's story shows how small, deliberate experiments can make a big leap possible, and why being a beginner again is worth the discomfort. We talk about: Giving up on culinary school for a "safe" degreeTesting a big dream with a small pilot firstTraveling around the world without flyingLearning a craft through apprenticeship Mentioned in this episode: Tartine Bakery, San FranciscoLe Bricheton, ParisThe Mentawai Islands, Indonesia Follow François's Work: Origo Bakery: origobakery.comInstagram: @origobakeryLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/francoisdh Join the Conversation: Instagram: @myunlikelycareerSubstack: myunlikelycareer.substack.com

  2. Sep 24

    Make Your Own Luck with Layla Shaikley

    Layla Shaikley has built an unusually nonlinear career. She completed gruelling studies in architecture (twice!) with the objective of contributing to post-war reconstruction of Iraq. She was an unlikely candidate for programs at NASA and MIT but got herself in anyway. She then landed her dream job at UN Habitat, went to Iraq to work on the reconstruction and decided it wasn't the right role for her. She went on to co-found a successful tech company Wise Systems and become a writer and creator with a huge following on multiple platforms. Along the way she has had to navigate stereotypes, rejection, public scrutiny, and the pressure to fit into other people's ideas of who she should be. In this episode we talk about: What boredom taught her about creativityOverreach and applying for things you're "not qualified" forRewriting the stories people make up about usLearning to tolerate rejection and embarrassmentWalking away from a dream job, and choosing what not to becomeConfidence, Capacity, and Creating more "surface area" for luck Mentioned in this episode "How to Increase Your Luck Surface Area" by Jason C. Roberts"The Red Sneakers Effect" by Silvia Bellezza, Francesca Gino and Anat Keinan, Journal of Consumer Research."The Surprising Lessons of the 'Muslim Hipsters' Backlash" by Layla Shaikley, The Atlantic"The cost of success is embarrassment" by Layla ShaikleyThe Confident Mind by Dr. Nate ZinsserThe Stimulated Mind by Dr. Tommy WoodTiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff Follow Layla Substack: laylool.substack.comWebsite: laylashaikley.comInstagram and TikTok: @laylool

  3. Sep 9

    Live Your Purpose, Not Your Plan with Chris Connors

    Chris Connors takes us from a childhood in Belfast during the Troubles, through his career as part of an award-winning fashion design team in the late-nineties London fashion scene, to the painful losses that sent him on spiritual journey and new career path. We talk about: Growing up in a war and what constant fear does to a young nervous systemBurning his suit after a year in advertising, and what came nextGrief, PTSD, and the difference between suffering and our attachment to itHolding many identities at once and the absurdity of linear thinkingWhy the linear career is a fiction, and what our right brain is worth in an age of AI Follow Chris's Work: Chris's site: chrisconnorscc.comOPO: opo.worldChris on Instagram: @christopherconnorsSlow Academy at Flussbad Campus, Berlin: flussbad.com Join the Conversation: Instagram: @myunlikelycareer Substack: myunlikelycareer.substack.com

  4. Aug 25

    Don't Outsource Your Thinking with Ahmed Rashad

    Ahmed Rashad has built his career by chasing interesting problems and betting on the right people. From an oil rig in the Gulf to studying at MIT to joining the rocketship, Scale AI, in Silicon Valley, his path has never been predictable or planned. Along the way, he's learned to trust his intuition, take the right risks, and move on when comfort starts to feel like a trap. We talk about: How to take the right career bet and evaluate riskImportance of building intuition from making mistakesDangers of outsourcing your thinking to AI toolsKnowing when stability starts to feel like a trapWhat curiosity and obsession actually look like in practice Follow Ahmed's Work: Perle AI: perle.aiLinkedin: linkedin.com/ahmed-rashad-perle Join the Conversation: Instagram: @myunlikelycareer Substack: myunlikelycareer.substack.com

  5. Aug 11

    Keeping The Dream Alive with Dominic Jacquesson

    Former VP of Talent & Insights at Index Ventures, Dominic Jacquesson shares his remarkable journey from publishing to tech and venture capital and the decision to leave it all behind to become a student once again, now in his fifties. His story is a powerful reminder that the dreams and curiosities we carry through our lives don’t have to be left behind and that the path we take along the way can help make them possible. We talk about: Following your curiosity throughout your careerCreating the conditions to pursue your passionsMaking a career pivot later in lifeAnd some big questions around consciousness, AI, and what comes next Follow Dominic’s Work: Dominic at Index Ventures: indexventures.com/team/dominic-jacquesson/Scaling Through Chaos: indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/Rewarding Talent: indexventures.com/rewarding-talent/ Join the Conversation: Instagram: @myunlikelycareer Substack: myunlikelycareer.substack.com

  6. Jul 21

    Nothing You Learn Is Ever Wasted with Bella Pollen

    Bella Pollen began her career at nineteen as a self-taught fashion designer, founding her own label and becoming one of Britain’s best-known young designers. She later reinvented herself as a journalist and novelist, writing for publications including Vogue, The Financial Times and The Observer, and publishing five novels, among them the bestselling Hunting Unicorns and the critically acclaimed The Summer of the Bear. Her work has increasingly taken her beyond the worlds of fashion and literature. After first visiting Afghanistan in 2013, she became deeply involved in education for Afghan girls as the cofounder and UK trustee of 30 Birds Foundation, supporting Afghan women and girls through education, mentorship and opportunity. Bella has followed an instinct for finding possibility in unexpected places. Her story illustrates that even though our lives and careers may not always go to plan, we can use what we learn along the way to achieve more than we ever imagined possible. We talk about: Career reinvention and adaptabilityThe importance of resilience and hard workBalancing motherhood and entrepreneurshipLessons learned from success and failureThe impact of personal values on professional choicesThe significance of community and responsibility Follow Bella's Work: 30Birds Foundation: 30birdsfoundation.orgJonah X Projects - jonahxprojects.orgBella’s Website - bellapollen.com Join the Conversation: Instagram: @myunlikelycareer Substack: myunlikelycareer.substack.com © 2026 Unlikely Careers. All rights reserved.

  7. Trailer

    Introducing My Unlikely Career

    Welcome to My Unlikely Career. In this podcast, we share honest conversations with people who followed their intuition and built non-linear career. These are stories of courage, reinvention, and redefining success on your own terms. This trailer introduces the vision behind My Unlikely Career and what you can expect from the show. If you've ever questioned your chosen path, wondered about changing direction, or simply love hearing remarkable human stories, you're in the right place. Subscribe now and join us twice a month for new episodes.

  • 1 Trailer
    6 Episodes

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Celebrating people who have carved out unique career paths and found success on their own terms. Whether you're just starting your career, stuck at a crossroads, or ready to make a change, this podcast is for you. Join us for intimate conversations about tough choices, unexpected turns, and the power of listening to your inner voice.

Information

  • Creator
    Unlikely Careers
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Unlikely Careers
  • Show Website
    My Unlikely Career