Passages The Passages Project

On May 1st, 2020, I started the Passages podcast. What began as a hobby, an adventure, and a risk turned out to be one of the greatest gifts I never could have anticipated. Exactly one year later, our podcast has hit over 10,000 downloads, our community has peaked over 900 strong, our team has made moves in our own lives and careers that we've only ever dreamed of, and you - YOU - are one year braver, brighter, and more brilliant simply because you've showed up every day as your own, true self. 

In this episode, cheesy as it may be, I took the opportunity to sit down and reflect on what this last year has meant, both as a letter of gratitude to those who joined me in this project AND as my own... passage. I also share an exciting, transformative update with you all: with a new career chapter taking shape, I've made the decision to hit pause on this podcast for the time being. For that reason, we are considering this the epilogue, and the finale (for now). Who knows — maybe we'll meet again in this way soon. But until then, I'm excited to embrace this next chapter for everything it holds, watch as the world we once loved re-opens day by day, and look ahead to everything waiting for us on the other side. 

I hope you enjoy this reflective episode and update. If you'd like to stay connected, you can always find me on Instagram @chloebelangia. Thank you for being here, friend. Cheers to young professionalism and everything it's taught and continues to teach us along the way. 

Caroline Cusick is a Senior Strategy Analyst at Accenture—a global consulting and professional services firm—based in Atlanta, Georgia. Caroline received her bachelor’s degree from the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech, and in addition to Accenture, interned for The Coca Cola Company in marketing agency operations. If you’re studying (or curious about) business, management, strategy, or the ambiguous world of consulting, this episode is one you don’t want to miss. In this conversation, Caroline and I walk through how she decided to pursue consulting and what it’s taken to navigate her career thus far. Caroline spills tips for surviving the infamous “case interview,” what an *actual* day-in-the-life for her looks like, and advice for college students interested in a similar path.

If you find this episode helpful, we’d love to know! Make sure to tag @thepassagesproject on social media so we can reshare and thank you for tuning in.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc Cosentino

@CorporateNatalie on TikTok

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Stay Connected:

Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinecusick/ 

Careers at Accenture: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers

More about The Passages Project: https://www.thepassagesproject.com/

Follow The Passages Project on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepassagesproject/

Today’s episode is such a special one for me! I invited my boyfriend, Drew Sutton, to share his career story and the major changes he’s made in only a few short years. In 2019, I made the decision to move to California, which presented the opportunity for Drew to consider finding a new role out west, too. Through a series of very intentional strategies, in 2020, Drew was able to transition from a small finance firm in Atlanta, Georgia to a highly competitive sales role for Mulesoft/Salesforce in San Francisco, California. Navigating three pivots all at once took a lot of preparation and confidence but (as Drew found out) wasn’t impossible. In today’s episode, I wanted to bring Drew on to walk through the exact steps he took to make these moves and launch a new career, just in case any of you are looking to switch up your career paths in major ways as well.

Our conversation breaks down his story into three distinct pivots:

1) Pivoting industries from finance to sale— why was sales the right move for him, and how did he bridge gaps in his resume to land the role without prior experience?

2) Pivoting from a small firm to a major corporation— what are the pros and cons of both types of companies, and how did he position his smaller-brand experience as competitive for a company like Salesforce?

3) Pivoting from Georgia to California— real talk: how did he feel about moving across the country, what has he learned since, and what advice would he share with anyone else looking to make unfamiliar moves to follow something they believe in?

If you’re interested in a major career change, but lacking the confidence to own that such a change is *possible*, this episode is for YOU.

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Mentioned in today’s episode:

Passages Ep. 39 with Emily Sermons

Mulesoft Careers

The Local, Atlanta, GA

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Stay connected:

Connect with Drew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-sutton/

More about The Passages Project: https://www.thepassagesproject.com/

Follow The Passages Project on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepassagesproject/

Gaining work experience while still in college through short-term internship programs is one of the best ways to set yourself up for early career success. In today’s episode, I sat down with internship coach, Alexandra Foote, to unlock her secrets to landing top internships in and outside of the tech industry. With experience interning at Google, Bank of America, and Microsoft (twice!), Alex was able to land her dream role—and an immediate promotion—in product management at Microsoft right after gradation. Inspired by the impact these internships had on her early career moves, Alex is now passionate about turning around and offering helpful resources and 1:1 coaching to other college students looking to land their dream internships. In addition to a blossoming career in technology and computer science, Alex is also an incoming MBA candidate at Harvard Business School, having been accepted to HBS’ 2+2 program.

Today’s episode covers an array of frequently asked questions on all things internships:


Why are internships important?
Before applying, how do you determine the right internships to go after?
How can you stand out in the application and interview process?
If you have multiple offers on the table, how do you decide?
How do you make the most of short-term work experiences?
And so much more…

If you love this episode, make sure to register for Alex’s ongoing (FREE!) masterclass: How to Land an Internship at a Top Tech Company at alexandrafoote.com/masterclass

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Mentioned in today’s episode:

The STAR Method

Fat’s Chicken n Waffles in Seattle, WA

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

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Stay connected:

Alexandra’s Website: https://www.alexandrafoote.com/

Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/footealexandra/

Follow Alexandra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancyfootework/

More about The Passages Project: https://www.thepassagesproject.com/

Follow The Passages Project on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepassagesproject/

Delaney Vetter, like countless other young professionals, graduated from college in the spring of 2020—a less-than-ideal job market awaiting her on the other side. She’d done everything right through college, landing internships and building connections in her desired field of work, but as luck and life would have it, the full-time job options just weren’t there. Yet by remaining open, leveraging her network, and offering skills to those who needed her help, Delaney managed to “accidentally” start and scale a fully-booked freelance business as a communications consultant—bypassing what she thought her early career would look like in lieu for a new path she never saw coming.

In this episode, Delaney peels back the curtain on what graduating and pivoting into life as a young freelancer really looked like. She shares a refreshing message of empathy to the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes, the real-talk behind how and why she gave up the job hunt in lieu of freelancing, what running a business at her age has taught her about owning success when you’re young, and advice she’s picked up for other aspiring online business owners. If you’re feeling the weight of the job hunt, looking to feel less alone during a remote graduation season, or curious in any capacity on the life and work of a full-time freelancer, this episode is for you.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

13th (Documentary), Directed by Ava DuVernay

Brave Enough, by Cheryl Strayed

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Stay Connected:

Follow Delaney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delaneyvettercomm/

Delaney’s Website: https://www.delaneyvetter.com/

Follow The Passages Project on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepassagesproject/

More about The Passages Project: https://www.thepassagesproject.com/

Denise Arco, Margot Salgado, and Nha Truong are first-generation graduate students pursuing psychology degrees in various forms, passionate about dismantling "The Grind" and promoting a holistic balanced lifestyle. In the midst of navigating their own educational journeys, the trio of friends joined forces to launch The Babes Who Study, a community and digital brand aimed at providing mentorship, empowerment, and coffee-inspired inspo to other young professional women walking a similar path. Having followed their community for quite some time now, I highly encourage you to give them a follow over @thebabeswhostudy on Instagram, while we dive into today’s episode.

In this conversation, I pick Denise, Margot, and Nah’s brains on all things holistic wellbeing—through the lens of young professionalism and finding personal forms of self-care as busy students. What is their perception of wellness and how has it evolved as they’ve studied psychology on their own? What are their personal favorite forms of self-care (hint: it’s not what you’d think)? How do they reconnect with themselves and their souls, and what advice do they have for any spring students rounding out the last few weeks of the semester?

These friends were such a joy to bring on the podcast and I know you’ll find their energy so contagious. If you loved listening in, let us know over @thepassagesproject on Instagram.

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Mentioned in today’s episode:

Atomic Habits, by James Clear

Exhalation, by Ted Chiang

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Stay Connected:

Follow The Babes Who Study: https://www.instagram.com/thebabeswhostudy/

Follow The Passages Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepassagesproject/

More about The Passages Project: https://www.thepassagesproject.com/