Burn the Map

Shelley McIntyre
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Burn the Map is for people who spent decades in corporate jobs and now need to figure out what's next. Host Shelley McIntyre is a former corporate strategist who left to become a coach. She knows what it's like to have your entire identity wrapped up in a job title, and what it takes to untangle yourself from it. Weekly episodes cover the messy middle of career transition: how to admit you don't want what you worked years to get, how to stop performing competence you no longer care about, and how to build work that actually fits instead of what sounds good on paper. No motivational fluff. No "find your passion" nonsense. Just honest conversations about what it takes to leave corporate life and not implode in the process.

  1. 34: Staying on the Emotional Payroll

    1D AGO

    34: Staying on the Emotional Payroll

    You left the job. So why does it still feel like yours? For many people who leave corporate careers, whether by choice or by layoff, the psychological exit takes much longer than the physical one. You're gone, but part of you is still at your desk. In this episode, I explore why that happens and what to do about it. What you'll learn: Why people who've left corporate jobs often keep using "we" when talking about their old companyHow your job was meeting psychological needs you may not have named:  relationships, meaning, accomplishment, and a sense of belongingWhy activity doesn't equal replacement, and what equivalent replacement actually requiresWhy new relationships take longer to fill the gap than most people expectHow to recognize when the shift from "we" to "they" is starting to happen naturallyIf you're finding it harder to detach from your corporate role than you expected, this episode will help you understand why. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    7 min
  2. 33: How To Leave Well

    MAR 10

    33: How To Leave Well

    You've been thinking about leaving for a while. Or maybe the decision just got made for you. Either way, you're about to walk out a door, and how you do that matters more than most people realize. The emotional residue you carry out with you (bitterness, relief, grief, pride) doesn't disappear when you hand in your badge. It follows you into whatever comes next. Which means you have some agency over what you bring with you. In this episode, I talk about how to design your departure around what actually matters to you, whether you have a year of runway or a few hours. What you'll learn: Why "how do you want to feel on your way out" is the question most people skipHow your values can guide the practical decisions you make before you goWhat to do with resentment before it follows you out the doorHow to use whatever runway you have (or don't) to leave wellWhy a layoff doesn't have to mean leaving badlyHow you leave is the first decision you make about who you're becoming next.  Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    7 min
  3. 32: The Death of Craft

    FEB 24

    32: The Death of Craft

    You spent twenty years getting good at something. Now a tool can do it faster, and your company is thrilled about the efficiency gains. The loss isn't just about your job. It's about mastery itself. The identity you built around being the person who does this specific thing well. The dopamine hit of solving a problem elegantly. The community of people who cared about the same details you did. Corporate won't help you through this. They'll tell you to "adapt" and "manage the AI agents" like it's a promotion instead of a completely different job you didn't sign up for. In this episode, I talk about what you're actually losing when your craft gets automated, what survives even when the bots take over, and how to think about building something new that doesn't look anything like your old career. What you'll learn: Why the grief over losing your craft is legit(and what you're really mourning)What corporate won't do to help you transition thoughtfullyThe things AI can't take from you: discernment, context, problem definitionHow GenZ's approach to work might actually fit youOne concrete experiment to try this week to uncover what's nextThe craft isn't gone. It just doesn't live in the corporate world anymore. What you build next won't look like what you had, but it might let you use what you loved about the work in ways corporate never did. Schedule note: we're moving to a bi-weekly cadence. Look for episode 33 in 2 weeks. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    9 min
  4. 31: What Leaving Actually Means

    FEB 17

    31: What Leaving Actually Means

    Someone I know quit a job after 20 years, then immediately took a contractor role on the same team, in the same building. To him, everything changed. To everyone else, nothing did. "Leaving corporate" doesn't have to mean never setting foot in an office again or launching a pottery business. For most people in midlife, it's about getting specific on what actually needs to change, not blowing everything up. The problem is you're probably using someone else's definition of what leaving looks like. Or you've tangled your job so tightly with your identity that the idea of change feels like erasing yourself. In this episode, I walk through how to figure out your version of leaving, how to separate what you do from who you are, and why the smallest number of changes is the right place to start. What you'll learn: How to define what leaving corporate actually means for youThe STOP/START/CONTINUE framework for getting clear on non-negotiablesWhy your job is not your personality (and how to prove it to yourself)How to ignore other people's projections about what your change should look likeYour version of leaving might not look like leaving to anyone else. That's fine. It only has to work for you. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    8 min
  5. 30: The Real Risk Is Staying

    FEB 10

    30: The Real Risk Is Staying

    Almost half of you said financial risk is why you stay in jobs you don't want anymore. Here's the thing: most of you aren't broke. You have savings. Maybe severance. You've spent thousands on courses and retreats trying to figure out what's next. You're not too broke to take risks. You're spending money to avoid taking them. The real risk isn't leaving too soon. It's staying too long and getting ejected without a plan. In this episode, I walk through the actual financial calculation you need to do, what happens after you run the numbers, and why building something small while you're still employed is the move.  What you'll learn: Why staying feels safe but is actually the bigger gambleThe three numbers you need to know (and why they'll make you queasy)Why experimenting while employed is your smartest moveIf you keep moving the goalposts on when you'll be ready, you're not waiting for more money. You're waiting for the fear to go away. It won't. You build the thing while afraid. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    7 min
  6. 29: Calling vs. Competence

    FEB 3

    29: Calling vs. Competence

    Follow your bliss. Pursue your passion. Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life. For those of us who never felt particularly called to anything, all of it can be a letdown. You wonder what's wrong with you. If you ever felt punished for not having a calling, this one's for you. Rather than brush it off as the realm of cult leaders and artists, I'll position it against competence and reframe calling into something accessible, grounded, and useful. In this episode, I break down how to find your version of a calling without waiting for divine inspiration or cosmic assignments. What you'll learn: Why competence alone is a bummer of a goalThe three questions that reveal where your curiosity actually livesHow to tell the difference between frustration and heartbreak (and why it matters)The simple formula for calling: value + interest + skillWhy your past expertise doesn't trap you into using it foreverHow a Flash developer who likes rocks found his next moveYou don't have to meditate on your purpose for 2 years or list every noble cause and choose one. Start with what you already have: your values, interests, and what you're great at. The call is coming from inside the house. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    8 min
  7. 28: Wanting to Want: Why You Can't Get Excited About Your Job Anymore

    JAN 27

    28: Wanting to Want: Why You Can't Get Excited About Your Job Anymore

    Are you familiar with the state of wanting to want? It feels miserable and heavy. Wanting to want is the annoying time before you can declare what you don't want and get on with figuring out what you DO want. It's the long middle before change can happen, full of effort, pressure, and constant self-judgment. In this episode, I explore why we get stuck trying to want things that look good on paper, where the pressure comes from, and how to get out of the spiral. What you'll learn: Why "good on paper" opportunities can trigger the wanting-to-want spiralThe self-blame tactics you use to avoid admitting the truthHow wanting to want shows up as declining job performanceThe three reasons performance slides (and which one is the sneakiest)What you're actually afraid to lose if you admit you don't want itWhy naming what you don't want is the first step toward clarityYour past desire doesn't obligate you to a future effort. Your current skillset doesn't trap you into demonstrating it forever. So here's a question for you: what are you trying to want right now? Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    8 min
  8. 27: Reluctant Entrepreneur 3: Your First Move

    JAN 20

    27: Reluctant Entrepreneur 3: Your First Move

    You've worked through your resistance. You know what kind of entrepreneur you are. Now what? Most people stall here because they're waiting for the complete roadmap. But you don't need the whole plan, just one next move. And that move isn't what you think. Your first move isn't execution. It's learning. In this episode, I walk you through specific first actions based on the path you're considering: consulting/fractional work, buying a business or franchise, or starting your own company. These aren't overwhelming task lists. They're bite-sized learning moves that take 3-5 hours this week and don't require money or quitting your job. What you'll learn: Why experiential learning matters more than researchThe one conversation you need to have before taking any other stepSpecific first moves for consultants, franchise buyers, business buyers, and startup foundersWhat NOT to do this week (seriously, don't design a logo)How reluctant entrepreneurs actually become real entrepreneursThis is Part 3 of my Reluctant Entrepreneur series. If you missed Parts 1 and 2, go back to Episodes 25 (Unlock Resistance) and 26 (Find Your Archetype). You're not committing to a 10-year plan. You're committing to one week of learning. Shelley McIntyre is a midlife career transition coach for corporate professionals figuring out what comes next. She spent decades in corporate strategy and technology before leaving to build something of her own. Now she helps other midlife professionals do the same,  with structure, honesty, and without blowing up everything they've worked for. Work with Shelley: Own Your Edge Strategy Session: A 90-minute session to identify what's misaligned and map your next moves. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/own-your-edge Reinvention Partnership Program: Five months of high-touch coaching for midlife professionals leaving corporate and building what comes next. https://burnthemapcoaching.com/work-with-shelley Free Guide: 4 Moves to Get Unstuck https://burnthemapcoaching.com/guide/ Let’s connect: LinkedIn | Website

    9 min
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About

Burn the Map is for people who spent decades in corporate jobs and now need to figure out what's next. Host Shelley McIntyre is a former corporate strategist who left to become a coach. She knows what it's like to have your entire identity wrapped up in a job title, and what it takes to untangle yourself from it. Weekly episodes cover the messy middle of career transition: how to admit you don't want what you worked years to get, how to stop performing competence you no longer care about, and how to build work that actually fits instead of what sounds good on paper. No motivational fluff. No "find your passion" nonsense. Just honest conversations about what it takes to leave corporate life and not implode in the process.

Information

  • Creator
    Shelley McIntyre
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Burn the Map Coaching, LLC
  • Show Website
    Burn the Map